10.24.2023

Today’s Forecast

62º | Partly cloudy | 14% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:07 a.m. | Sunset 5:48 p.m.

🪄 Which witch made Salem famous?

How Salem really became ‘Witch City’

A black building with a lavender door and stripe painted across the middle.

Once named The Witch Shoppe, Crow Haven Corner is Salem’s oldest store of its kind. | Photo by @shadowsofsalem

As you stroll through Salem toting a sack of crystals and a grimoire tucked under your arm, you have one woman to thank for the bewitching experience the city is known for today: Laurie Cabot.

Dubbed “the official witch of Salem,” many local experts trace the city’s bubbling cauldron of Pagan and Wiccan cultures — not to mention a booming tourist industry that drew one million visitors in 2022 — back to Cabot.

Long before covens of visitors flocked to Salem every fall, Cabot was the first witch to stake her claim in Salem, opening one of the first — if not the first — witch shops in America at 100 Derby St. in the early 1970s. At The Witch Shoppe, she peddled items like bagged herbs. At the same time, national interest in witchcraft swelled, thanks to the TV series “Bewitched” filming in town.

The TV show and Cabot’s shop provided the perfect formula for sparking some Salem magic. After centuries of shying away from the tragic events constituting the local witch trials, the city leaned into its darker history to capitalize on the public’s newfound fascination with witchcraft.

A black and white photo of Laurie Cabot standing under doorway with a pentagram overhead, holding a cat. — Laurie Cabot in Salem in the 1970s.
|
Photo from the Salem State University Archives and Special Collections

Cabot eventually moved The Witch Shoppe to 125 Essex St., renaming it Crow Haven Corner. While Cabot no longer owns the shop — it now belongs to another prominent local witch named Lorelei — the unmistakable black and purple store still stands, stocking spell kits, books, tarot cards, and other enchanting essentials.

Here’s how you can interact with the oldest witch shop in Salem:

Stop by any day from 11 a.m to 8 p.m. to browse the witchy wares
Guests can book tarot + psychic readings in advance online or on-site
Adventurous visitors can rent an on-theme AirBnB located above the shop

Bonus: Book a Salem Witch Walk tour, which takes you through the shop’s yard to participate in a traditional circle dance.

Events

Tuesday, Oct. 24

Squirrel Flower | Tuesday, Oct. 24 | 7 p.m. | Brighton Music Hall, 158 Brighton Ave., Allston | $18 | The Massachusetts-raised singer returns home to perform her new record “Tomorrow’s Fire.”
“Go On, Be Brave” | Tuesday, Oct. 24 | 7-8:30 p.m. | Museum of Science, 1 Science Park, Boston | Free | This screening of the inspiring new documentary will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s subjects, Andrea Lytle Peet and David Peet.
“Moving past fear — to healing” | Tuesday, Oct. 24 | 6:30 p.m. | Boston Public Library – Central Library in Copley Square, Rabb Hall, 700 Boylston St., Boston | Free | This public talk focuses on how Christian Science “sees God’s all-embracing love as able to help overcome fear, move life forward, and bring healing."*

Wednesday, Oct. 25

Slayyyter | Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 7 p.m. | Royale Boston, 279 Tremont St., Boston | $33 | The Royale becomes “Club Valentine” at this ultra-sultry performance from one of alt-pop’s current stars.
Disney’s “Frozen” | Wednesday, Oct. 25 | 7:30 p.m. | Citizens Bank Opera House, 539 Washington St., Boston | $40-$150 | Warm up to the holiday season at opening night of the Broadway rendition of “Frozen.”

Thursday, Oct. 26

Drop-In Art Making: Miniature Paintings | Thursday, Oct. 26 | 5-9 p.m. | Boston Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston | Free with admission | Use bright color combinations and bold brushstrokes to create a miniature painting inspired by the art in the exhibitions “Matthew Wong: The Realm of Appearances” and “Tiny Treasures: The Magic of Miniatures.”
Day of the Dead Celebration | Thursday, Oct. 26 | 5-9 p.m. | Peabody Museum of Archaeology & Ethnology, 11 Divinity Ave., Cambridge | Free | Enjoy traditional pan de muerto, hot chocolate, and specialty cocktails while you personalize a sugar skull and watch live folk dance + mariachi performances.

Click here to have your event featured.

Wellness

Hear the crisp crunch of autumn leaves more clearly

A user holds the Horizon Go by hear.com. | Photo by hear.com

Imagine the crunch of leaves underfoot, the cries of geese flying south, the wind blowing through the trees, the crackle of a bonfire. What if you couldn’t hear the sounds of fall clearly?

Good news: A 45-day, no-risk trial with Horizon hearing aids means you get to experience all of this, plus:

The world’s first hearing aids with dual processing
Crystal-clear speech understanding
A design so small + comfortable, you’ll forget you’re wearing it

Try Horizon with a 45-day trial

News Notes

Traffic

So long, speeders. Boston officials plan to install up to 500 speed humps annually on side streets in an effort to thwart speeding. The city’s plan aims to add ~100 miles of “traffic calmed streets” in the next three years. (Boston.com)

Concert

All the small things at the stadium: Blink-182 will perform at Fenway Park on July 23, 2024 as part of their “One More Time” Tour. Don’t blink — tickets go on sale Friday, Oct. 27 at 10 a.m.

Coming Soon

Blockbusters and brews are coming to the Seaport at Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, which is now expected to open Friday, Nov. 17. The new location of the Texas-based chain will the take place of the the now-shuttered ShowPlace ICON movie theater at 60 Seaport Blvd. (Boston Business Journal)

Real Estate

$194,188. That’s the annual income needed to purchase the average home in the Boston area, according to a recent Redfin report. How do we compare to the national average? We’re above the annual median income of $114,627. Here are some homes below the average cost.

Ranked

No. 13. That’s where Forbes placed Boston on a list of the most educated cities in America. The report used data such as high school dropout rates (11%) and number of residents with graduate degrees (over 25%) to make the ranking. (Boston Business Journal)

Biz

How ‘bout them apples? Many Massachusetts farms have reported massive surges in visitors this year, leading to an increased number seasonal hires and expanded hours. Some local orchards feeling the love include Cider Hill Farm in Amesbury and Belkin Family Lookout Farm in Natick. (Boston Business Journal)

Drink

🍻 Something’s brewing in Brighton

Widowmaker Brewing unveils new taproom in Brighton

BOStoday_Widowmaker2_BrightonTaproom_Creditwidowmakerbrew.png

A peek inside Widowmaker Brewing’s second location, located on North Beacon Street in Brighton. | Photo by @widowmakerbrew

Widowmaker Brewing has announced the arrival of its new taproom, which opens this week at 190 North Beacon St. in Brighton.

After almost a year of revamping the former Brato Brew House the Brighton location officially opens this Wednesday, Oct. 25, marking the brewery’s second location. Unlike Widowmaker’s first taproom in Braintree, the Brighton space will offer a full kitchen, in collaboration with local caterer Bone and Bread. Other special features include a seasonal patio and extended hours on the nights of concerts at the nearby music venue Roadrunner.

Guests at the Brighton taproom can find street parking along North Beacon and Market streets, or catch a ride via the Green Line’s B train or the 86 bus route.

Pro tip: Don’t miss the giveaway-packed grand opening celebration, which is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 28.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Victoria

From the editor

If Witch City feels too crowded during the fall, rest assured that the frights last year-round at the Hawthorne Hotel. The historic building at the center of downtown Salem just earned the No. 9 spot on a list of the best haunted hotels in America. Check in later this year to check out the hype.

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