Great black owned store! Lots of books to choose from and amazing gems/stones.

I visited to find some books on alchemy and the store was delightful. The owner answered all my questions and helped me find several books that were perfect. The store also has a polite and adorable cat.

The owner was very chill and super helpful, 2 dogs and a little black cat, very cute and relaxed. Definitely a good experience, will be going back!

The best thing about this store is the painting outside on the building. The store looked like the remnants of an estate sale with a few random books tossed on shelves and a couple crystals that were all priced 4 or 5 times higher than what they should be. This shop came highly recommended to me but was a major disappointment. There are a few much nicer and better priced shops in the area. Check my reviews for their info.

So helpful and nice! Such a great selection too! Shop pets were so sweet and a happy surprise!

Love the old school vibe.

This place has a solid selection of books, statuary and incense, the owner was helpful and friendly, and you get to make a some furry friends as well. I highly recommend this place!

I got some stones that are harder to find at other stores. The book selection is also unique!

I have been wanting to go for a while, I was not disappointed! As soon as I walked in greeted by two lovely pups, a tuxedo cat, and friendly owner. I went in With the intension of buying items for my Yule log, and left with a few other curios. Highly recommend a visit. Great vibes throughout this environment.

This is our new favorite all that stuff you need from time to time shop. Really nice, AFFORDABLE candles, the best sage (and white sage at that) we have EVER gotten, I mean if you know how good sage smells and then you imagine it being even better, thats what they sell here, some cool books, crystals and rocky things, windchimes, incense, tarot...it doesnt look like much from the outside, it isnt a huge place and yet somehow it just feels bigger on the inside.We tried some other places in the city, looking for not just some things we needed but also a good vibe, and had almost given up on trying to find somewhere where the employees werent condescending, outright rude, or ignored you, but thankfully we didnt stop trying and thats the only reason we found this place.When you walk in it just feels like...peaceful and honestly almost homey, in a good way, like its comfortable and youre safe. The person working when we were there was friendly in that way you get when someone isnt just all about the sales but is actually genuinely caring and understanding.Also, we rained on quite a lot of questions on them and, unlike other places, we got a lot of patience and warmth with our answers and when is the last time THAT happened to you?

Great place for candles, herbs and information.

Great selection of books, very friendly and helpful staff. Tons of different herbs and roots behind the counter. The crystals and gems are a bit overpriced, but otherwise fair pricing. Free parking on Sundays in this area too!

Fluffy animals made it just that much more enjoyable

Good place that doesnt mind me being terrible at being a witch! Very helpful and patient and willing to explain things I dont understand. :)They also have very pretty rocks.Edit: They are also incredibly kind and are willing to help you find books you are looking for, even if you have no idea what the book may be called but have some ideas on what its about.This is definitely one of those shops where if you are starting out and want some help and maybe some book suggestions that you can ask and receive solid, caring assistance.

Wonderful, welcoming place! Great people, dogs, and cat. A very intentional, curated selection of wares. Dont hesitate to stop in - even just to pet some nice animals and meet good people.

This is a very interesting and unique place that many may find interesting. They have all sorts of spiritual and religious texts, potions, and artifacts here for sale. The employee here was very nice and knew her stuff. They have a whole lot of different things here from all religions to make for an interesting trip. i would give it a try if youre in the area.

Not quite what I expected but a pretty unique and cool place. Slightly hard to find specific items, but the staff knows where everything is and can help you.

Very neat things, the shop owner is super nice and knowledgeable.

This place offers new age things that books and spells and gems and other amulets. There is nothing else that is scientifically proven, but if you are looking for things that rely on faith and belief, this is the store for you. There is terrible parking, but does have a good collection available

One of my favorite Design Bookstores in the city. Was truly sad when the Chicago location closed down but I still make a special trip out to the west side at lease once every few months for inspiration if nothing else. Very helpful and knowledgeable staff and amazing selection for creative. This place is second to none. Extremely excited for them to open a new store by SciArc in 16!!!

As soon as I walked in I got the feeling I shouldnt have. It was very dark, both visually and spiritually. As soon as I got to the back of the store, I understood why. They had a statue of Satan in their store. Satanism isnt occult, its a cult. A very dark one. As soon as I saw that, my group of friends and I left. The staff were gossip hounds, and hardly paid any attention to me and my group of friends. We never said anything directly to them, but did say in quite a loud tone we were searching for a specific stone. They didnt pipe up and offer to help us find it, or anything like that. Just talked amongst themselves. The worst spiritual store I have ever been to, and I can promise I will never be going back.

This place isnt what it use to be especially the occult social. Been back twice recently and its really changed. Many elders of the occult community would attend but not anymore. This place use to be a place to learn from other practitioners not anymore. PC culture killed what was a magical place. Spent some time calling some of these people and they feel the way I do.

Lisa is so smart and loving. Just share with her whats on your mind and let her do the rest. The occult bookstore is a real good reason to visit Chicago.

Warm inviting welcome with customized service. Intelligent, caring humans who share their knowledge, but also want to learn about your experiences. A very safe warm place. Open your mind. It IS painless. 💜Rekki 🙏

Definitely a fun visit for anyone feeling like they need a little Buffy ambiance in their life. Staff seemed a little indifferent (maybe in the astral plane?) but overall, a great complement to the other wonderful bookshops in the area.

This is a great place to hangup your cloak and stay for a spell :-) The atmosphere is great and the workers were helpful and friendly. I am new to the Chicago area and I was welcomed and invited to join their meetup group, if that wasnt great I am not sure what is. If your are looking for something specific I would recommend calling to make sure its there first. Otherwise, if your just wanting to recharge and be adventurous, this is a great place to go. P.S. If your not into the occult and you get offended easy cause your not catered to from the time you walk in to the time you leave, you probably shouldnt visit a shop that has Occult in its name....just saying.

Great store that had books on every topic I was curious about! If there wasnt a book that I needed to be found in the store they would find it and order it! Same for my Tarot deck! The staff also helps with personal magickal dilemmas and answers all questions fully and thoroughly. Everyone is also super friendly and welcoming and I love coming back every time. Great atmosphere for an occult bookstore 10/10 would go again.

Pretty decent occult book store. They have a large selection of gems. Im not that impressed with their selection of books because its pretty basic occult stuff you could find free pdfs for on google or even the dark web.

Not a whole lot going on here, but an interesting place. The lady was friendly, and they have a store cat named Clover. Cool place to check out.

They are in the middle of moving, so their selection was quite bare, but the staff is absolutely wonderful, insightful and kind.

Awesome place

I felt a decent vibe when I first started going there but on a couple of occasions the vibe got kind of erie. Not sure why although I always look in the mirror first. Nevertheless, I havent had not one negative experience there however. The staff was really cool and knowledgeable. The books are filled with good info and the potions work quite well! But store hours are too short. Once they were supposed to open at a certain time and didnt even after 30+ minutes of waiting! So the store hours are my only real gripe but other than that, its the best occult store in Chicago.

This is the most incredible, laid back, professional, intricate location for occult works in the city.Its a historic store. The oldest of its kind in the entire country and almost the world (theres a place in London which opened earlier).The store began in 1915.Go in and be amazed. The used books are filled with notations from previous magikal owners. The crystals are amazing, the candles are all custom made, the tarot cards are gorgeous and diverse. This store is your one-stop shop for all things esoteric and occult and multi-faith without being pretentious or intimidating. A MUST for all Chicagoans and visitors.

Genuinely haunted and very fun. Like walking into an old alchemy shop. Check out the patches in the back.

I love the jewelry they have. Ive bought beautiful rings at this store. The vibes are very positive in this place. I highly recommend it if you are into the occult.

Always a great experience here. Lovely knowledgeable staff and amazing vibes. Great shop to get your magic on!

The atmosphere was wonderful and they had the selection of items I desired. The energy is positive and the staff is quite knowledgeable. I will most certainly be returning. A diamond in the rough.

Wasnt really impressed, nothing bookwise you couldnt find at Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Interesting selection of gems and rocks, candles, etc., and staff seemed knowledgeable about their craft. Signs starting no cell photography and I guess they can search your bags?

Loved this place. Bought 5 books on my first visit. Friendly. Basically my soul as a business.

Lots of interesting stuff. The owner is extremely knowledgeable on herbals. Prices seemed just a bit high.

Best occult store I have ever been to (and Ive been to a lot) hands down. Last time I went in the owner made me a custom spell for a personal problem which is working. He took so much time talking to me and trying to understand what I was dealing with and how to fix it. I LOVE the feel of this store. I have also been to a meeting in the back of the store with a spritual guide and got invited to her home for a one on one reading. I could go to this store and just sit in it all day just for the recharge and being surrounded with like-minded people. It is so occult and so Chicago at the same time. I moved far away and the owner gave me a phone number so that i could stay in touch about my issue. Really??? What else do I really have to say? If I didnt live 15 hours away I would be a regular here.

Very knowledgeable staff and expansive collection of crystals, books, and all things for your occult needs, love this place.

This store has a very interesting and unique aesthetic dealing with the occult, supernatural, and spiritual ideas. I dont necessarily subscribe to any of those ideas, but the shop was neat if youre into spirit rocks and such. The staff is very friendly.

I first found The Occult Bookstore when I was 16. It was a much needed Magickal Retreat for my lifetime search for a meaning to it all! It was a place of self therapy! I learned to call out to the knowledge I seek on the shelves and I would always find a gem, that helped me to attain every step! I haven’t been here since my daughter was born, I was good friends with the two previous owners. I decided today to again seek in this great place and lo and behold, to my utter dismay, the bookshelves were practically bare with just a few groupings of second rate novella at new book price! It was so dark within that I had to get up close to see the titles, and just when I started to be annoyed, I did see a great collection of tomes that I wanted to see and to touch, to call to. But those books weren’t even within arms length, unable to connect with, unable to read their titles due to the distance and lack of light! If you are interested in selling these books, you might consider allowing the customer access that doesn’t resemble, glassed in registers at gas stations in rough neighborhoods! This place no longer has the power and mystique it once had, a shame! A death for me occurred today in this once respectable hall of truth!

Absolutely amazing customer service, I felt welcomed and at home. I wish I lived closer I would visit often. I highly recommend a visit to this unique store!

Great place to educate yourself on anything religious or spiritual you are curious about! One of a kind place

Smaller selection, but great customer service. Plus doggos very friendly.

Cute, wish the good stuff wasnt so pricy.

Great energy the moment you walk in!Various books and Crystals for all your Magickal needs

Great place r find material of all sorts ranging from a simple spiritual read to complex mind expanding material and straight through to the wierd unexplained. Great jewelry and incents and candles of thats your thing. Loved the crew that work there. Awesome friendly knowledgeable customer service. I would highly recommend this place!

Unfortunately, while this was a very cool and beautiful space, the books themselves were very disappointing. Either outdated or very commercial, or just about mainstream religions.

Biased bc Im a witch, but the stores legacy and wonderful environment are something to behold in person. You can tell the staff works really hard to maintain a balance inside of the space with the flow of Chicago. I recommend it to all those on the path of inquiry qnd and pursuit of occult and metaphysical knowledge. Also the store owner is a babe 😉😁😀😁😚

Esoteric and mystical needs? This storied establishment is the best resource in Chicago.

Amazing staff great selection of general occult items. I highly recommend this place if you are in need.

I love this place. Very friendly staff, knowledgeable and the owners are very nice.

Interesting...what more can i tell you

I found my new favorite place in Chicago.I love this place .

I was in a gloomy mood, felt under the weather, but as soon as i walked in, there was a sense of welcome! I was told I had a nice energy which really put a smile on my face, especially after having a bad day. I will definitely be coming back. The artwork and jewelry are primarily local artists from Chicagoland which made me so happy to see instead of some commercial-massproduced-made-in-china product!

An incredible trove of things. Found a first edition copy of 777 that I never thought Id ever see in person, let alone purchase.

One of my favorite places to shop and get my palo Santo sticks from

I have always had a craving for knowledge. All the more for the unknown. The Hidden. Actively sought books to satisfy this hunger. Came here. Since 1918 The Occult Book Store has been an institution in Chicago, here on Milwaukee and its previous location on State. This year, 2018, marks its Centennial. It served me well.There are a number of reasons this made sense as a destination. The accessibility of titles. The range of subjects. A knowledgeable staff - the most important reason. I started withBasics. When presented with the breadth and depth of subjects that could provide information, I needed more than reviews. So many variants, authors, editions, publishers to choose.Here was a great deal of information on arcane knowledge, ancient wisdom, diverse streams of esoteric traditions. The full spectrum. Light and Dark. High and Low. How to decide which authors would suit my needs? I started with surveys. Availability of the classics varied. They had works not always accessible elsewhere. Staff here were more familiar with titles and topics more obscure to others. Could suggest related topics or writers when searches bore no fruit. How and if pertinent items can be found. Abridgements or complete volumes. Many only available used, some paper. Many out of print for years were expensive. Do not be surprised. It helped to knowwhat I was looking for. Asking for.Before I came. New Age topical ephemera were more easy to find. A partial list of subject areas include: Theosophy; Alchemy; Esoteric Religions, Qabalah. Magickal (vs. stage magic) practices. Others including Western Mystery Tradition, Diaspora, Native American, Zen or Tantric Yoga. There are also tools to aid and focus. Tarot. Incense. Candles. Crystals. Workshops, spiritual readings, also available. It also serves as a gathering place for unique events. Nicely but not too brightly lit. Well-organized. Limited hours. Closed Mon & Tues. Open at 12N except Weds at 2pm. Closes at 7pm except Sun at 6pm. The helpful staff will guide you in your search. Just ask.One caveat.This is a serious place not for the squeamish or timid. Nor the flippant or facetious. Where sacred and profane co-mingle. Books and statuary. For the best experience remain respectful of the beliefs and craft of those here, patrons and staff.

I could get lost for hours in this store.It s very good and it has a great people working in it. Huge selection!

If youre into the occult, and looking for an occult store, in Chicago this is the one you want to go to. Thelemic and African diaspora, witchcraft and pretty much whatever else youre looking for is HERE, or theyll order it for you. I started going here over 20 years ago, will continue to do so as long as Im in Chicago... nuff said.

Lots of creepy stuff here but I had to laugh at the Oprah biography they had for sale here. Guess shes summoned otherworldly spirits which would explain how she become so popular.

Moving the bookcase revealed a creepy stone staircase desending into a basement lousy with spider webs. It seemed foreboding, but at the bottom was a bargain cave of books. Great deals!

Not helpful at all. Woman in there didnt even want to help. Been rude for her own apparent reasons. So bad that I even bought tha wrong book. These people dont know anything about what they are selling. Got tha right tools but dont know anything about them. Very judgmental people too. Over there whispering about you. Very uncomfortable experience.

Historic location, but not a great selection of books on the shelves when we went.

Limited selection and store could use some cleaning up. The owner was very nice and helpful though.

So, I wanted to get some bundled sage, because, well, some smudging just had to happen. So I found the closest spot and this was it. Right on milwaukee, off division, it has the ambience of being just outside of the action in wicker park. Kind of hidden, in a way. Walk in, and it sure enough has the feel you would think it should. dimly lit, almost a halloween type of feel. But a very smily, friendly guy behind the counter. Didnt stay long, but I browsed a bit. Kind of neat. Might go back just for fun. Felt like a friendly atmosphere...

Ive been going here for years. Five stars!

Ask Lisa, great service. Thanks!

Abysmal collection, hardly any books of worth on the occult. Everything worth anything has been entirely picked through leaving behind dusty yard sale books.

Staff seemed pretty knowledgeable. Very nice place.

Amazing! Found so many great, quality items.

Great bookstore for all your favorite topics.

I love this place. If I could Id go here everyday.

I through out the incense i bought from them last trip because of the very bad vibe.

One thing I dont like is their occult section for Satanism is so small.

Cool book store.

These pictures must be old, because they have next to nothing. Very sorry I wasted my time.

Came in to look for some books and supplies. Was a washout, horrible selection.

I have tried coming here 4 different times after work, race over and every time theyve closed early and locked the doors, very frustrating.

Great Place to find The Hard to find Goods

My magical home away from home in Chicago

The atmosphere was a bit tense

Great classes and conversation

This place is awesome

Cool owner!

Best place for Occult in Chicago...

Very special place

Love the store

Hope was great

Good

Get your magic on!

Great

Awesome!

😍😍😍😍😍😍😍