New shop opens doors at 37 Kirkgate, Newark
A new shop has opened its doors in the heart of Newark, bringing new offers, energies, and events to what is hoped to become a community hub.
Shanice Taylor, a former chef, has decided to invest in one of her passions and open The Raven’s Hearth witchcraft and spiritual shop at 37 Kirkgate.
The shops, which sell a range of products from spiritual to witchcraft, also sell art and crafts from artists across the area, such as Newark, Nottingham, and Matlock, intending to promote smaller artists.
Alongside the main project, the owner will also invest in events such as crystal workshops, spiritual healing, reiki, sound baths, painting nights, craft days for children, and wand-making sessions.
Shanice, originally from Leicester, moved to Newark over three years ago to leave hospitality behind, however, she ended up slipping back into the routine of being a chef until she met her now husband.
She said: “I have always been into shiny rocks and nature and trees as I really like how calming it is and how connected people feel when they are in natural spaces.
“I think it was always just a back burner thing that I had and it was very private, very insular for me.
“I have been a chef all my life, I decided to leave hospitality.
“I was racking my brain trying to figure out what I wanted to do every day, where I would be happy every day.
“And I came to the conclusion that this would be great, sit in a room that looks pretty and smells lovely and try and build a community hub.”
The name of the shop comes from the fact that just like a Raven and their intelligence, Shanice knew she wanted the shop the moment she saw it.
She said: “Ravens are notoriously very smart and misunderstood as people usually see them as a bad omen when they are simply messengers, you can’t shoot the messenger.
“So I decided on the Raven’s Hearth because in the back room, we have a massive fireplace.”
“As soon as I saw the shop, I knew I wanted it. I said I will wait for it and I will fight for it.”
Having eyed the shop around a year ago, the owner has been trying to get the building since March last year, but it wasn’t until December 2024 that she had access to the keys officially.
Shanice added: “I’m used to quite high pressure, long hours, long days and being exhausted, whereas I come here every day, I can sit down, turn the lights on, and it’s very relaxing and chill.
“Such lovely people come here every day so it is definitely a gear change from what I was used to.
“I’m still getting used to the calmness of it, my brain constantly wants to be doing things and pushing harder and harder, but it is helping my body a lot.”
The shops aim to offer something new every day, from the incense of the day to the layout of the space and decoration and the experience of visiting the shop.
Shanice also promises that the shop will be a place for the community:
“If I have people come in who are sad and just want to chat, I am more than happy to sit there and be that person for them,” said Shanice.
Following several independent businesses and even bigger chains closing their doors, Shanice admitted that she is not afraid of the pressure of the business and that the secret is being flexible.
She added: “I think that if you open somewhere and there's a lot of people asking for a particular thing, then it's smart to lean to where the customers want to go.
“With the workshops, I'm talking to people regularly and trying to understand where everyone comes from when they come into the shop.
“I’ll say that in about six months’ time, if the shop wasn't doing well and if the workshops aren't setting off the kind of way that I thought they would, then I could just change the angle a little bit.
“It’s about the people and what they think, about figuring out what they want and need.
“So I think flexibility is the main thing when it comes to small businesses and to not get enamoured about your own idea so much that you're not willing to listen to the people who are supposed to be coming.”
On February 4, there will be the first ‘sistership’ circle, a women’s group that will be running twice a month which consists of community-based women's healing and support.
“We want people to really feel safe in that kind of space,” Shanice added, “I think Newark has a very unique ratio of people that are very spiritual, and I am learning a lot more than I thought in the beginning.”
People can check the shop’s events and book them on the Facebook page — The Raven’s Hearth.
The shop is currently open Monday to Friday from 10.30am until 5pm and from 11am until 5.30pm on Saturday, however, opening times might change in the future.