Ancient Ways has such a sparkling vibe: but my favorite part of Ancient Ways is the opportunity to…read moredo a tarot reading with Bear Paw! I love being able to receive wisdom both from indigenous Bear Medicine and the orishas of Santeria. Bear Paw's multiracial lineage gives them a fresh approach on spiritual questions. But the best part is the way Bear Paw supports me through making needed changes in my life. It's rare to find spiritual support that is both compassionate AND forceful, and Bear Paw is definitely both. That's the magic of Bear Medicine, I guess. When you think about it, in nature, bears are fuzzy and adorable-- but they are also HUGE and STRONG. So be prepared for that strong Bear Medicine, okay? It's a good thing! Sometimes it takes a bear to push me off my ass and make me deal with my shit. We all need that, right?! Over the years, Bear Paw has helped me navigate my father's death, the reconstruction of my sexual self-image following a nasty divorce, and most recently, preparing for new partnership and motherhood. If you are navigating a challenging transition, Bear Paw is a powerful guide to have. I also love the way Ancient Ways will dress your candles for you and help you get whatever you need while staying within your budget. It really is so affordable. All my altar candles are Ancient Ways at this point I think.

I've been coming here for almost two years. The staff is great, but Bear Paw is the GOAT. I have a…read morestrong connection with her. Her candle dressing skills are incredible. Once, she put a car in my candle; I asked how she knew I was trying to buy a new car. She said she felt it. I've been burning candles with the intention of buying a fully loaded MY performance. Two weeks later, I was approved with a 1% interest rate, and I'm now driving my new car. Just so you know, these things don't happen overnight; I've been burning candles every full moon since September 2025. On June 19th, 2026 Bear Paw brought the candle to its final stage, and my thoughts came to fruition. I'm now working on freeing myself from all whom try to have Dominance over me. I'm confident I will soon be free of these strong holds and forces and I will use them all as my foot stool. I love Ancient Ways and I love me some Bear Paw. She works on Thurs & Sunday. Tell her Nube said hi.

What a Dangerous Place for a Scent Lover for myself, but a wonderful concept. I suspect that this…read morewon't be the last Scents by the Bay will see of me. Walked in without an appointment and this place was my version of heaven! So we got to blending almost immediately! I probably sniffed every bottle in the store, It was great. The Staff were the perfect combination of helpful and hands off to let us do our thing. I also love that they let you choose the smell by mixing and combining but actually create the finished product. I ended up walking out wth a great body oil that i use every day! I know I will be back to make another lovely scented item in the near future.

I'm so glad I stumbled upon this store!! It's the cutest shop with a wide variety of scents. They…read morehave a focus on non-alcoholic and organic smells, which isn't a priority for me, but it's nice. I absolutely love the gardenia scent and am hoping it holds! The prices here are not too crazy. A lot of these essential oil/soap stores will overcharge, but I thought this place was reasonable. You can get a small bundle of items for $28, a potent diffuser with 15 mL of essential oil for $18, and the soap bars are around $5. They also have a happy hour sale! Very worth it for local, small batch scents, which I usually see going for more. The two women working there today were super welcoming and sweet as well. I will definitely be coming back :)

We went to The Lumberyard center and inside was a new store that is wonderful. The Good Life Shop…read more So many cute little home items for yourself or gifts. I was able to get some fun silverware for only $8 an item. Special things here!

From the owner: Thoughtfully curated home goods for the kitchen & tableread more

If you're looking for a unique activity to do in the Bay, I highly recommend taking a candle making…read moreworkshop at Jia Home in Berkeley, CA! They specialize in Asian inspired candle scents that brings a sense if nostalgia. It was such a fun and immersive experience picking out your favorite scents and creating your custom combo. Leona was very knowledgable in her craft and led a great workshop. She had very inquisitive recommendations and I'm very happy with how my candle turned out.

One of the best DIY workshops I've attended :-) I booked a Sunday candlemaking session for my…read morefamily and partner-- we had a great time. Ro (sp?) was a wonderful host. Recommend arriving 10-15 mins early, as stated on their instructions, to settle in. Our session was with another group of 4 that all arrived 10-20 mins late which pushed everything back. There's only street parking in this area, which can take a while to find (free on Sundays). The studio is clean and airy, very zen. The first room is the workshop area, while the adjacent room is where their in-house candles are made. Our session started with Ro explaining how JIA came about, what to expect, and brief icebreaker intros. As prep before making the candles, we had a chance to then sample and guess the 24 unmarked candle scents on the back wall, followed by a short discussion with the rest of the group (don't worry, you get the answer sheet afterwards :P). It was fun seeing how different people perceive scents... I only got 4 of 24 correct LOL The candle making portion is mostly blending scents and then putting the actual candle together (sticking the wick down, pouring the wax, doodling the label). We left the studio to let the candles harden (1.5~ hours) and came back to an array of "toppings" to decorate. I chose a few wax hearts and dried herbs. $70 per person isn't too bad for the overall experience! Each piece was thoughtful and engaging. Would be great for any occasion.

This is my "go to" store for gifts for any occasion. I never fail to find something from among…read moretheir collection of artistic delights. And they always do a beautiful job of wrapping every gift. This family owned business is a pleasure to visit, and is truly a treasure in the Bay Area.

This is my go-to shop for whenever I need a gift. There are so many beautiful gifts to choose from…read moreand such creativity everywhere you look. Beautiful and unique jewelry, magical home decor made of wood, ceramics, candles, kitchenware, cards, and soaps - such an array of items you'll find nowhere else. And what I love most is that it is affordable. And Max! Carrying on the family tradition with a helping hand, warmth, and a smile.

I have been to several Religious Gifts In San Francisco & Also in South Francisco.... But the…read morefarthest one that I have been to was in New York in the Queens Area which was called Santa Barbara... This was 1st time going to this Candle Light this store had a lot of Incents, Religious Statues, Religious Cards, & Rosary!!!

So I come and always get my incense and sage from here and a few candles. The last time I came when…read moreI got home, the candle was broken because Maria or whatever the owners name is didn't securely wrap and pad the candle. I called her and asked if she can help replace the glass for me and she rushed me off and said I can come in and buy another one. I almost cut myself and so did my 7 year old from trying to pick it up. I drive all the way from EPA to give her business and I'm going to have to tell my contacts to just go to a place closer to us in the peninsula. All it takes is one bad customer service experience and she didn't even try to apologize for not wrapping it well. So disappointing.

I love the candles and incense from here. There's a wide range of scents to choose from, mostly…read moreearthy and nature-based, but a few light floral scents. Candles come in a range of sizes, as do the incense (cone and stick). They have a standard set of scents that are always available, as well as seasonal and limited edition ones. There's usually a candle or incense stick burning right outside the main door so you can get a sniff and lured in by the promise of more. Prices are a bit up there, but I think it matches the quality. These aren't cheap candles and incense sticks that are overpowering and strong, and they don't burn fast. You'll get your money's worth out of them.

Love love this place! Was my second time shopping with them…read moreThe candles and diffusers are so divine and what a fragrance I am very satisfied and my husband loves it too given he is so picky I will definitely keep coming back to gift friends and family

I've been going here for nearly a decade and could not be more thankful to the wisdom and guidance…read morethe owners Tenzin and Tashi share. The experience elevates and enriches each one the chapters of my life I've walked through the doors, whether I was seeking energetic alignment or answers from pure curiosity. A rare and unique aspect of The Stone Room are the owners know where exactly on the planet the crystal, fossil, and mineral are from. Highly recommend and have much appreciation for this transformative and healing space.

First time visiting this local store. There are many selection with some unique pieces. Basically…read morethey have all crystals you can think of. They also have crystal beads if you want to DIY and also many jewelry pieces to choose. Price is fair for local store.

They are a great store with all kinds of oils, candles and other cool mystic things. Staff is…read moretotally friendly and nice. Highest recommendation!

Went by to Check Out this shop and walked into such an amazing calm inviting atmosphere! The Owner…read moreAmanda was so attentive and Helpful in my specific needs. She has created something special here. A definite must visit they have Everything!! Will absolutely be returning!!!

East Bay Nursery is amazing. Huge variety of healthy plants and gardening supplies…read more They have the most amazing selection of succulents I've ever seen. I didn't even think I liked succulents until I saw all these. Just incredible variety.

If you are into gardening you will love this place. I was looking for a Mexican oregano plant,…read morewhich is not easily found in most nurseries and I found one at East Bay nursery for reasonable price of I called ahead of time and received exceptional customer service. They also went out into the garden to doublecheck that they had one in stock and they did and they held it for me at the front desk. While I was there, I was admiring all of the exotic plants, flowers, herbs, and trees and all the gardening accessories you may ever need. I loved seeing all their seasonal Halloween theme planters and little decorations that you can put throughout your garden to make your garden festive for Halloween. They even had small Christmas trees in stock. This is a lovely nursery with lots of beautiful plants and accessories and great employees that are roaming around ready to help you at any time. They also have their own dedicated parking lot and lots of street parking. Next time you're in Berkeley or if you need to get an exotic plant, I highly recommend visiting East Bay Nursery.