Hard to believe it’s that time of year again…but here I am (Michelle the shop fairy) with our semi-annual update on what’s new at the Grove.
Tucson!
The freshest and most exciting news on my mind is our Tucson gemstone haul! We got back from the Tucson Gem and Mineral Show about three weeks ago.
Last year was my first time making the trip to buy gems in person, and it was a bit overwhelming. This time I was more on my game and arrived with a plan…and a rental car, thank Goddess. But still, I’m a long way from being a Tuscon pro. From practicing my Spanish haggling with a family of Peruvian rock dealers, to undergoing a TSA screening with 100+ pounds of minerals in my luggage…there are always new challenges at the world's largest gem show.
I spent four days in Arizona and grabbed some incredible Earth treasures to share with you. I’m crazy about the Amazonite from Madagascar and these Black Obsidian palm stones.
I love going to Tucson because I get to hand-pick gemstones for the shop. The brightest colors, the best energy, the newest mineral finds from around the world. I bring a shopping list built on old favorites and customer requests. Even so, I leave plenty of room for impulse buys that I think would fit well in the shop.
We bought a lot in Tucson, so please bear with me while I get everything photographed and added to the store. Some of the new varieties of tumbled stones have been listed and are already flying off the shelves.
Growing and growing
One of our biggest developments at Grove and Grotto is invisible to customers, so I thought I’d share it here. We doubled our warehouse space in January 2018! After more than three years working my butt off to make an unlikely business venture work out, I’m very proud. It’s exciting and gratifying to see my little home business outgrowing my home office.
The new warehouse has a dedicated section for extra backstock. That way, we can order larger quantities and do better at keeping your favorite items in stock. As we grow into the space, I’m hoping to add inventory items that have been too bulky for us to carry in the past. (For example, tapestries, statuary, and larger wood items like altar tables.) I can’t wait to see what else fits in there!
We also invested in a professional photo lighting kit around the beginning of the year. You may have noticed the product photos on the site gradually getting spiffier.
I love the new setup and I’m using it to update photos of all the store’s items. (Big hugs to A.H. for loaning me your light kit over the holidays and helping me learn to use it.) The best part? I can list new items faster because I don’t have to wait for perfect-weather days to take photos.
Improved navigation
With over 1200 regular stock items in the catalog, it was high time for some navigation upgrades. We’ve added a category browsing link to the front page, so you don’t have to scroll through 60+ pages of items to find what you’re looking for…even on mobile. We’ve also sorted products by collection so you can browse by symbol, such as Pentagram, Green Man, and the ever-popular Raven.
Bargain hunters and regular customers, rejoice! There’s now a Clearance section with the latest markdowns and limited quantity steals. The Vintage section, added last fall, has been a big hit and we can barely keep up with the scrounging. (Thank you for avidly re-homing these slightly used magickal tools.)
Words and images
Keeping the blog active has been a major goal for 2018. Although filling orders always comes first, I try to set aside a little time each day to write and edit articles for fellow magickal seekers. We're seeing lots of folks come over from Facebook and Pinterest. (Especially Pinterest—welcome, y'all!)
This page lists all of our best articles going back to about 2014. If you’ve found something useful, spread the word. Social media and word-of-mouth sharing...it tickles my l’il heart, and it’s one of the major ways new customers find out about us.
Oh! I also wrote a piece for The Cartomancer magazine’s Spring 2018 issue. Tarot nerds, check it out! We also support Pagan journalism through our annual sponsorship of The Wild Hunt website and blog.
Local stuff
As always, one of the most important facets of Grove and Grotto is being a presence in our local Pagan community. But aren’t you an online store, people will say. And to that I say, “Ppppbbbbthh!”
The truth is, it means so much to us to have magickal people in our lives, and places to connect with them. And it’s too big of a job to let one or two mom-and-pop shops carry that burden. Everybody can help build our spiritual community, whether you do it by leading rituals, or volunteering for events, or supporting the people who stick their necks out to get stuff done. But I'm heading rapidly to lectureville…so here’s a look at some upcoming Texas happenings:
April 19-22 is the Council of Magickal Arts Beltane camping festival. Registration is open until a couple of weeks before the event. It’s a rowdy and/or restorative weekend (take your pick) and a great value for the money. (Also, I designed this year’s poster! Yay!)
We’re sponsoring the DFW Pagan Unity Fest for the fourth year in a row. It’s our favorite local event and a great chance to connect with area Pagans. We’ll be out there with one or two carloads of merchandise and lots of our witchy friends! It’s set for May 19 at Arlington Unitarian Universalist Church.
New product lines
We have been fast-ly and furiously listing new items. Too many new product lines to name…but here’s a sampling. You can always find the newest new arrivals by heading over to the main product page.
Sun’s Eye Chakra Oils and Deity Oils
Animal Spirit Guide pendants and pocket stones
Pewter Olympian deity pendants
New Tarot and oracle decks from Llewellyn
All in all, it's been another amazing, busy year. Thank you so much for reading and supporting our shop! Follow us on Facebook or Pinterest to see more Grove-y goodness year-round.
Much love,
Michelle Gruben
Owner and Shop Fairy