New Metaphysical Apothecary, Potions and Pebbles, opens on West 7th
“I’ve always wanted a witch store since I was, like, 15,” said Angelique Hanschen. “I tried to convince my mom to quit her job and open a store. And now here we are, many years later.”
Hanschen, who along with her business partners Ben Polzin and Tay Herbaugh, finally got her wish when they opened Potions and Pebbles February 10 at 668 West 7th.
The store, which is located in the former check cashing business at the corner of West 7th and St. Clair Ave., has a focus on crystals, soaps and lotions, along with all things metaphysical. Not to mention the succulents, which take up an entire wall of the shop.
“Our succulents are grown in Woodbury by a local greenhouse,” said Herbaugh. “They’re super hardy and ready to go. They are a nice source of the sage and stuff, too.”
Herbaugh and Polzin are largely responsible for the plants and crystals, which Polzin said he works hard to ensure are ethically sourced, while Hanschen is the expert in the “potions.”.
“I make all the beauty and skincare oils and candles,” Hanschen said. “I converted my basement into a place where I can cook soap.”
“It’s like Fight Club down there,” Polzin added.
Hanschen said it is a family affair for her, getting help from her mother and kids making soaps, jewelry and perfumes.
In addition to items for purchase, they also offer rotating monthly classes and workshops.
“People want to come and just hang out and learn about crystals, or do spell jar classes or like New Moon and Full Moon Group where people can come and do different things and hang out,” Polzin said. “We also have an in-house tarot reader, so anyone can get their tarot reading or tarot cards read pretty much at any time.”
The trio said they met as vendors at farmers markets around town. They realized they had a lot in common, and knew that putting a business together to share their passion with the area was the logical next step.
They had all participated in vendor markets at Keg & Case and landed on West 7th as an area they wanted to settle in. So far, they’ve been happy with the results.
“My parents bought their first house, like two blocks away on Superior. So that was where I grew up, too. I went to school over here,” said Hanschen. “So when Ben texted me this and I drove by, I was like, yes, this is where we need to be. This is it.”
That doesn’t mean that being located on a lively street doesn’t come with its own challenges for them.
“It’s funny because there’s definitely a lot going on. Like, we’ll be lighting Palo Santo and cleansing the place, and then we’ll hear the buses outside,” said Polzin. “So it’s kind of funny because it’ll be like ‘beep beep beep beep beep beep beep,’ and we’re trying to be all zen, but it still works out for the best.”
They said customers have been a mix of people seeking them out as well as people from the neighborhood just stopping by. Regardless, they are happy to be part of the neighborhood.
“You can see people in their car excited to see that we’re here,” Polzin said.
Potions and Pebbles
668 West 7th
Wednesday – Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
@potionsandpebbles on Instragram
@potions.pebbles on TikTok.
