Where do you think JK Rowling got all of her ideas from? Step inside the magical, mad and mystical worlds of London’s esoteric and occult shops, with our list of the best...
Watkins Books
19-21 Cecil Court, London WC2N 4EZ | Open 11am-6.30pm every day
Every Harry Potter tour stops by Watkins Books, which wouldn’t look out of place in Diagon Alley amid the charming old-world shops on (the very Instagrammable) Cecil Court, between Trafalgar and Leicester Squares.
With a claim to be the oldest esoteric bookshop in the world (stretching back 130 years), this is definitely the largest in London, with the most wide-ranging selection of books on everything from psychology and science to spiritual traditions from the West to the East. With a huge selection of tarot card decks, as well as statues, jewellery and trinkets from around the world, this place is certainly magical.
The staff are super-knowledgable on their specialist subjects, and each day of the week there is a different tarot reader/medium, from their own specific spiritual tradition, waiting for you in the window...
Click here for their website, which also offers courses from the Watkins Wisdom Academy
Treadwell’s Books
33 Store St, Bloomsbury WC1E 7BS | Open 12-7pm Monday to Saturday and 12-6pm on Sunday
Esoteric simply means hidden and/or specialised, and Treadwell’s is certainly a hidden gem of specialist occult literature and more, tucked away among the boutique shops on Bloomsbury’s serene Store Street. Step inside and you’ll notice the distinctly witchy, dark and mysterious atmosphere, and you’ll find another fantastic selection of books with more of a focus on scholarship, particularly in feminist traditions.
Under the guiding spirit of founder Dr Christina Oakley-Harrington, Treadwell’s is the place for experts and students of the occult, whether they are seasoned witches or just starting out. Treadwell’s also offers in-person and online readings, and their internationally-renowned lecture series, as well as all of their classes and events, is available to view on their website.
Atlantis Books
49a Museum Street, Bloomsbury, WC1A 1LY | Open 10.30am-6pm Monday to Saturday
Founded in 1922, The Atlantis Bookshop has seen many a famous (magical) face walk through its door, from Gerald Gardner (the founder of modern Wicca, who would hold coven meetings in the shop’s basement) to Alister Crowley (‘the wickedest man on Earth’) and many more. Specialising in the Western esoteric tradition, of which it is very much a living part, The Atlantis Bookshop (which also sells jewellery, tarot, magical ware and more) is run by by mother and daughter team Geraldine and Bali Beskin, 3rd and 4th generation magical practitioners and multi-generation booksellers who always give a warm welcome.
They even have their own publishing arm, Neptune Press, and say that “many of our authors are also our customers, and many of our customers are also our friends”.
Click here for their website.
She’s Lost Control
74 Broadway Market, Hackney E8 4QJ | Open 10.30am-6pm Monday to Friday, 11-6 on Saturday and 11-5 on Sunday
Founder Jill Urwin left the world of fast fashion and in 2014 she created She’s Lost Control where “conscious consumerism, community and personal wellbeing could flourish”. This addition to our list places a far greater focus on wellness through alternative and holistic medicine from ancient wisdom traditions; the shop is a luxurious sanctuary in the heart of Hackney, selling crystals, ritual ware, skincare products and gifts, as well as their own Visionary Jewellery selection.
The SLC School hosts a great range of wellness events, as well as classes in tarot, reiki and psychic mediumship.
Click here for their website.
The Viktor Wynd Museum of Curiosities, Fine Art & (Un)Natural History (featuring The Last Tuesday Society & Absinthe Parlour)
11 Mare St, Hackney, E8 4RP | Open 3-11pm Tuesday to Friday, 12-11pm on Saturday and 12-10pm on Sunday
Where do we begin?! Eccentric owner Victor Wynd is a truly curious character, treating you here to his full collection of curiosities from across the world; “focus[ing] on the pre-enlightenment origins of the museum as Wunderkabinett – a mirror to a world so suffused with miracles and beauty that any attempt at categorization is bound to fail”...This Hackney basement museum doesn”t shy away, showcasing both the wonders and horrors to be found in the world; from Dodo bones to Happy Meal toys and much, much more, it really has to be seen to be believed!
This is the deepest dive into the esoteric you will find in London, and possibly anywhere in the world.
While you’re there, you’d be a fool not to stop for a tipple in The Absinthe Parlour (“The world’s most curious cocktail bar”, according to DesignMyNight.com)
Click here for the website, where you can check out their events and lectures on the truly weird side of the world.