For those attracted to spirituality, herbs, crystals or homemade goods, Moon Raven Alley in Mount Joy is the spot to check out. It’s located at 65 C Main Street, which is around a 15-minute drive from Elizabethtown College. As a Pagan witch, I frequent this shop from time to time, so I’ll take you on a brief review of the store and its goods.
Immediately when stepping into the store, the atmosphere is lively with Celtic and instrumental music playing. There’s incense located near the front door, both the stick and cone variety. Next to the incense are handmade oils made for various intentions, I personally have bought the protection and self-love oils. These cost around $20, and I use them in situations where I need a boost in that area of my life.
Further into the store is when the crystal collection comes to view, from amazonite to amethyst. Most of the crystals are tumbled to be rounded or shaped into figures, so there aren’t many raw crystals to be bought. The crystals are affordable compared to other stores which markup the price due to the effort put into the tumbling process. These are great to put in a mini mesh bag and carry around for whatever intention or area you need improvement in. I recently got a green aventurine crystal in the shape of an apple, and the quality is immaculate.
Deeper at the back of the store is a variety of items including handmade soaps, candles and a dried herb bookshelf. The grandest of all is the herb selection, including both common and lesser-known herbs. This section is perfect for those who use herbs in a spiritual sense, or those who like to do herbology or herbal medicine.
The soap spot has a nice selection to choose from. All are locally handmade either by the shop or by outside vendors. I’ve personally gotten the ‘Ritual Soap: Protection from Negative Energy’ four pack of soap made by Mystic Moon Soapworks. This soap is meant to spiritually cleanse and protect one’s energy with the help of the scent and herbs used to make it.
Moon Raven Alley has so many items to browse that it’s hard to even list them all, but thankfully, the owner did just that. At the front of the store, there’s a sign stating all that is sold, as well as services they provide. Other items sold include herb racks, candle holders, tarot and oracle cards, dream catchers, spirit boards, pendulums and pendulum boards, athames, cauldrons, wands, paintings, books, journals, wind chimes, besoms and chalices. The services they provide include classes, handfastings, weddings, house cleansings and blessings, memorials, and readings available in a myriad of mediums like tarot, runes and pendulums.
However, what makes a shop truly great are the people who work there, and Moon Raven Alley has an amazing individual running it. Mrs. Collette Wagman has strived to make her store a welcoming place for not only the spiritual community but for all. As of recently, she has been working with Mount Joy Borough to allow the main street to be closed for a Summer Solstice festival. This would not only make Paganism and Wicca more well-known and normalized but also mark a new tradition for the Mount Joy community to gather and celebrate with food, vendors and each other. She has also raised money for the PA Breast Cancer Coalition, making her impact in the community through assisting others.
Moon Raven Alley is a worthwhile stop while in Mount Joy with its eclectic goods and personable owner.
