Editor’s note: this shop closed in Nov. 2019 due to a fire and has not reopened as of June 2024.
Spooky in the City is an ongoing series on Spooky Little Halloween. Each month Miranda will take you to a local haunt in Houston, her hometown, then teach you how to find similar spooky spots in your city, state or country.
Oddity and curiosity shops are some of my favorite places to explore. They are, in a word, magical.
There are so many things to see and displays to comb over for treasures. And you will never, ever see the same thing twice.
Lucky for me, I have one of the BEST shops just down the street from where I live in Houston.
And today, I'm taking you there.
But first...just in case you haven't checked out the rest of my Spooky in the City series, this year I'm on a mission to find local haunts that make every day feel a little more like Halloween...and then I'll teach you how to find them in your city too.
Today, we're stopping by The Wilde Collection.
I could tell you all about The Wilde Collection, but I think it is on their website beautifully said:
The Wilde Collection is a one-of-a-kind shop for those who seek something out of the ordinary. We are different than most oddity/curiosity shops in that our aim is not to shock and disgust but rather to inspire conference by instilling a sense of wonder. Like the Victorians, we strive to create an environment with an obscure aesthetic that is elegant, avant-garde, mysterious, eccentric and just a little eerie. It is a place where the ghosts of Oscar Wilde and Edgar Allan Poe would feel at home.
We offer a rare shopping experience where you can purchase anything from unusual and bizarre art, artifacts from around the world, as well as peruse our fascinating collection of items believed to have a haunted history.
Our goal is to show how the odd can be a thing of beauty and add an unexpected, eclectic surprise to any décor. You will see how an exotic or distinct item can be a lively conversation piece. Our collection will show the romance of something thought to be morbid and how a peculiar and mysterious object can jolt your senses in ways that the regular or common never could.
The Wilde Collection is a place where the religious, the occult, the divine and the grotesque converge.
All I can say is...mission accomplished. It was truly magical wandering through their shop. There was a little bit of everything, and I felt more like I was wandering a gorgeous museum of dark treasures I could take home with me. (And the music they play! It was the perfect soundtrack.)
Enough gushing.
Here's what I saw:
I loved getting a chance to see their peacocks out the window of the first room I wandered. They were absolutely stunning.
And look at this stunning art they get to enjoy all day!
I really appreciated how much detail goes into their taxidermy pieces. Many had notes about where, or how, they were sourced.
This, by far, was my favorite thing in the shop...and it wasn't even for sale. On the left, you take a piece of paper and write down your biggest fear. On the right, you tuck it in between two nails. I did mine.
HOW TO FIND AN ODDITY AND CURIOSITY SHOP NEAR YOU:
Sure, there are great chain stores out there for party supplies, and you can always shop online…but I’m betting you have at least one local party supply store that just might be a smattering of seasonal decor out all year. Hey, if it means Halloween in February, it’s worth a try, right?
Here are a few key phrases you can search with your city, state or country’s name to find oddity shops near you:
oddity shop/store + CITY/STATE/COUNTRY
curiosity shop/store + CITY/STATE/COUNTRY
oddity and curiosity shop/store + CITY/STATE/COUNTRY
oddity shop + NEAR ME
curiosity shop + NEAR ME
curiosities for sale + NEAR ME
What oddity and curiosity shop is near you?
I’d love to hear about your adventures – share your local store in the comments and what you’ve found!
