Witch gift should you pick?
Tah•Lume offers magical, mystical and natural gifts for all
By Linda Turner Griepentrog
For the TODAY
Magical…that’s the single word that can be used to describe Tah•Lume, an eclectic gift store in the heart of Lincoln City.
The store opened just nine days before mandatory COVID shutdown in March of 2020, but with the help of a supportive community and determined owners, Rachel Baird and Krista Hudson, pushed through the years of uncertainty and has emerged as a truly unique destination.
So, what exactly is Tah•Lume? The word “Tah•Lume” is the phonetic spelling of “earth” in Scottish Gaelic. Baird describes the store as “your grandmother’s living room if it were in a witch’s cottage in the woods.” Designed to be cozy and inviting, everything in the store is for sale — there are no “props” or “displays” — if you love it, you can buy it.
Some might describe it as a rock shop or plant store, others as a gift store, but one thing for sure, there is something for everyone. Looking for a large selection of plants? There are many already potted and ready to add to your home. There are also beautiful rocks and agates, macrame wall hangings, incense, jewelry, journals, cards, clothing and a host of other giftables.
Baird describes the shop as a “witchy store” stocking “tools of the craft.” A self-professed witch, she describes herself as having been a “classic teenage witch of the ’90s.” We’re not talking a Halloween witch with pointed hat, warts, a large craggy nose and broom, but a positive spiritual witch connected to the earth and science-based paganism.
One of Baird’s main goals is to not only stock helpful tools for those into witchcraft, but also to educate people about all aspects of the movement. You’ll find candles, herbs, oils, crystals, salts and sounds to help with the rituals.
The shop also offers Tarot readings on the weekends by a professional card reader, though Baird is also skilled at the readings. Want a fun and unique stocking stuffer for someone on your list? A single Tarot reading is only $20 and gift cards are available. Or, if you just want to learn about Tarot, come into the store and chat.
All the merchandise in the shop is hand-picked by Baird, and she even handcrafts some, like bone art and candles. In sourcing the store’s unique offerings, Baird first looks locally, next focuses on small businesses in the Pacific Northwest, and then nationwide, before looking to import items. She’s committed to stocking items from women, BIPOC, LGBTQ and minority-owned small businesses. In the instances where she has to reach further, she ensures suppliers follow fair-trade practices, and many belong to artists’ co-ops.
One of Baird’s favorite pastimes is thrift store and vintage shopping, so look for some unique vintage or vintage-inspired items offerings in the store as well.
“I don’t put it in the store if I don’t love it,” she said. “The store is my personality — ‘curiosities’ is in the store’s tagline for a reason. Some might call it weird, but that’s okay with me.” Her philosophy is “shop, curate and educate.”
Baird believes in the spirit of the holiday season and makes reference to the “12 days of Yule,” not Christmas per se. She believes gifting to be an “intentional choice of meaningful things” and her store is certainly a reflection of that philosophy. The store opts out of Black Friday commercialism, but has an annual Small Business Saturday Sale.
Tah•Lume is located at 3229 SW Hwy. 101 in Lincoln City and is open daily from 10-4pm. For more information, go to tahlume.com or call 541-614-0890.