Love this candle store and how they will anoint the candles! Highly recommend! Great selection and…read morefriendly staff.

I love this place. They are so kind and knowledgeable and the products are top notch. Very happy…read morethat this is in my neighborhood, I can't wait to come back!

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 :)

Amazon driver here..I came to deliver package for Liz! They were so kind! Offered snacks and water…read moreon a very hot day! Thank you so much :) -Breyson

I had the best facial stocked with amazing products! Great…read morespot in Montclair Village.

Nice selection of good smelling handmade soaps - I enjoy just looking around here as well as…read moreshopping. They organize their herbs and teas by intention and I find that logical and accessible. Friendly service and tasty tea, recommend coming in if you're looking for a healthy looseleaf tea blend.

I've been shopping at this place for years, and they have had some lovely products. They…read morediscontinued a lot of them recently because of changing laws around certain herbs, but my review today is specifically about their Solomon Islands kava. I bought a bag of it the other day, and I brewed it a couple different times. Times. First I used the blender method and I added some coconut milk and sunflower lecithin because it can increase the extraction of kavalectones. I then then did the traditional hand kneading method, and I started off also using the coconut milk and lecithin, and some warm but not hot water, and I needed it for a good 30 minutes after letting it soak for a half an hour beforehand, and I did get a little bit of the numbing sensation in the mouth from it, but other than that I felt absolutely nothing from it. From it. I go to kava bars regularly and the kava I get from there even from just one shell/ one beverage gives me a stronger feeling than drinking. What would be the equivalent of a tanoa bowl of twisted thistles kava. When I was doing some research on it, I also noticed that it's not listed as a noble kava variety which usually indicates a higher quality product. Their product is clearly very low quality! It's really disappointing. I bought this specific variety too because it's good for helping relax the body and muscles, more so than being heady like other varieties, but it did none of that, and just in case it was only me and my body chemistry having this experience, I also shared it with a friend who had the same lack of feeling from it. From it. Again, both myself and my friend go to kava bars regularly, and definitely can tell the difference! So if you actually want quality kava, you should probably order it directly from the kava bars or find another seller who can guarantee the quality of their product and also sell the noble varieties. Don't waste your money on their kava. I can't speak for a lot of their other products which I'm sure are just fine, but I'm frustrated that I wasted my money on something that is basically useless powder.

I stopped by here to pick up some incense. Great selection on hand…read more This place is OG as it's the first black-owned Crystal shop in Oakland. Definitely coming here again, the owner was great!

Vibes-What a beautiful and serine space. Smells amazing and such a welcoming atmosphere…read more Love all the explanations of the different chakras, imbalances, and which crystals can assist. The queen- was personable and so helpful. Really talked us through what we wanted from the crystals and incense. She's a true practitioner and encouraging about her craft. She offers information and services. Then in the end, she even gave us advice on a few tasty black owned spots in the area.

Nathan & Co has a bit of an odd and uncomfortable vibe…read more The service was non-existent (watched but never greeted) and their wares leaned toward low quality high sparkle/high price party supplies and general gifts. Think a more saucy Therapy. They carry some Gentlemans Hardware items, map themed cups and dish towels, but most of them don't feel unique, more like stocking stuffers or hen's party flavors. I'd really land on more of a 3.8 but even rounding up Nathan & Co wasn't my thing and I don't see myself coming back.

Always the best spot for gifts. Megan was an absolute gem this afternoon. Wonderful energy and her…read morewrapping was such a sweet added touch. Reminded me why I keep coming back!

Stopping by Palm + Perkins is like therapy (this was especially true this holiday season since we…read moredidn't see family or go anywhere). It's really like a candy store for adults - there's something amazing (and made my local makers) in every corner you look! On this most recent visit, I went a couple days after Christmas and stocked up on holiday cards and ornaments for 2021 since all their holiday items were 50% off. The entire store was also 25% off as per their end-of-year sale. They have a fantastic selection of cards, gifts, homewares, jewelry, accessories, and select clothing items. It's the perfect place to treat yourself or others. They're doing a great job limiting people in their store and have hand sanitizer available.

I bought two birthday cards here because I like their greetings and design. Aside from greeting…read morecards, Palm + Perkins has a ton of other items that range from small gifts and home decor to overlooked kitchen utensils (like wine stoppers) and other knick knacks. Considering the small space, the store has a surprisingly large selection of items and it's all well organized. When checking out, the cashier was friendly and rang me up quickly. When I'm looking for a greeting card, gift or needing to stock up on utensils/tools for the house and kitchen, I will come back to Palm + Perkins. Just a thoughtful, gem of a store in the neighborhood.

I honestly don't recommend coming here at all. One of the employees assumed I didn't know Spanish…read moreand started speaking badly about me for no reason. Everything is overpriced as well. I walked out with three items, and the total came to over $50--three items I could have probably bought on Amazon for under $20.

Unfortunately, I found out this is the kind of place where you will get overcharged if you don't…read moreask for prices or have an idea of what things cost. If the employees think you don't know about these things they will take advantage. If you're in a hurry to get something - they definitely have the selection but ask for the prices before you head to the register. I was charged about 4-5x times over what some of these basic supplies usually cost. I was aware and took note - still purchased because I didn't want to drive around to look for more stuff but in my first time visiting, they showed their intentions.

4 July '26-Great selection of cards, gifts, music, and clothes. Helpful service. Gay owned.read more

Modern Mouse is such a special gem in our community. I absolutely love the welcoming, neighborhood…read morevibe every time I walk in. The staff is incredibly kind and genuinely supportive of local makers. It is the perfect place to find unique gifts created by talented artists and small businesses. There is always something thoughtful, creative, and beautifully curated. If you are looking to shop local and support makers while finding the perfect gift, this is the spot