Occult Bookstore Near Me in Malibu: Malibu Shaman at the Country Mart

If you are on the coast west of Santa Monica and searching occult bookstore near me, the answer is tucked inside the Malibu Country Mart: Malibu Shaman, a small metaphysical bookstore at 23410 Civic Center Way, Suite B3. Scott Sutphen has owned and run it since 1983, which makes it one of the longest-running shops of its kind on the Westside, and it still mixes spiritual books with tarot decks, crystals and resident psychic readers.

What separates Malibu Shaman from a crystal boutique is that it calls itself a bookstore first. The Country Mart directory describes it as a metaphysical book store and spiritual gift shop, and the store's own homepage promises a large assortment of books alongside music and crystals. That mix suits readers who want a book on astrology, meditation or tarot symbolism and also want to handle the deck before they buy it.

The card selection is the easiest place to start. The shop says it stocks tarot and oracle decks next to greeting cards, so a beginner can compare a classic tarot with a gentler oracle deck in the same aisle. Popular starter decks like the Rider-Waite tarot run around $22, while specialized oracle sets average $25. If you are unsure which to choose, ask at the counter; the homepage literally tells customers to come in, hang out and ask questions, and in a shop this size the person at the register usually knows the stock well.

Books are tied to a family story. A 2007 profile in The Graphic, Pepperdine University's student newspaper, reported that the venture began with Scott's father, Dick Sutphen, a best-selling New Age author with 19 books to his name. That lineage shows in the shelves, which lean toward self-improvement, spirituality, past lives and meditation rather than antiquarian grimoires; classic metaphysical paperbacks typically sell for $16, so come for practical reading rather than rare first editions.

Music was once a big draw too. The same 2007 article counted more than 300 music titles and a listening bar where customers could sample meditative and relaxing albums before buying. The current homepage still lists music among the store's core stock, so if you need a soundtrack for yoga, sound baths or a long drive up the coast, it is worth asking what is in rotation this season.

Crystals take up much of the floor. The owner describes them as one-of-a-kind and hand-picked, with small tumbled pocket stones starting around $6 alongside statement geodes and crystal bracelets, so shoppers can find both display pieces and something to wear. The 2007 profile noted that many items were imported from Bali, Nepal, Indonesia, Madagascar and South America, which explains the variety of stones and carvings you will see between the bookshelves.

The decor section is where the name makes sense. The homepage lists locally made shaman masks, Native American drums, dreamcatchers, feathers and native tools, plus wood carvings of Kuan Yin, Buddha, dragons, fairies and animals. Incense, oils and candles round out the stock. If you are building an altar or looking for a gift with more character than a candle from a chain store, this is the part of the shop to browse slowly.

Readings are the other reason people drive here. The store's site introduces four readers. Cathy Crystal offers what she calls ClairEnergy readings, uses a 12-house tarot system with constellation cards and also does animal totem and pet readings, with personal consultation sessions starting at $250. Lady Jane has worked in the Los Angeles and Malibu area for over twenty years as a psychic and medium, using tarot and psychometry to guide her sessions.

Jude Dulhunty is a professional astrologer and tarot card reader whose sessions focus on timing and life lessons. Melinda Hess is a clairvoyant reader and healer with over twenty years of experience who also teaches meditation and psychic development; her own site says she trained at the Southern California Psychic Institute and the Berkeley Psychic Institute. Each reader lists personal contact details on the shop's homepage (either an email address or a direct link to a personal website like Melinda Hess's melindahesspsychic.com), so reach out ahead to book.

Timing a visit is simple. The shop is open from 11am to 6pm Monday through Saturday and from noon to 6pm on Sunday, according to both its own site and the Country Mart directory. Weekday afternoons are the calmest, while weekends bring beachgoers and day-trippers through the Mart. In late October the Halloween crowd adds to the Saturday traffic, so if you want unhurried time with the decks, come on a weekday soon after opening.

The setting is part of the appeal. The Country Mart was founded in 1975 and reimagined in 1985, and the center describes the lawn at its heart as Malibu's town square. Shops are low buildings around open walkways with outdoor seating, and the center says pets are always welcome while skateboarding is discouraged. Malibu Shaman sits among clothing boutiques, cafes and a toy store, so it is easy to fold into a longer afternoon.

For a walk afterward, cross to Legacy Park at 23500 Civic Center Way, a city park open from 8am to sunset with wet meadow, coastal prairie, woodland and vernal pool habitats, a small lagoon with wildlife and a nature path. From there, the Malibu Pier and the surf at Malibu Lagoon State Beach are a short drive east along the highway, good for watching the sun drop after a reading.

Practical notes: the address is 23410 Civic Center Way, Suite B3, Malibu, CA 90265. Parking in the Country Mart lots is free. Readings are booked by contacting the reader directly, using the email addresses and personal websites posted on the store's homepage. Each reader sets her own session format, so mention whether you want tarot, astrology or a mediumship reading when you reach out, and plan to browse the shelves while you wait.

Malibu Shaman is right for Westside and Valley readers who want an old-school metaphysical bookstore with tarot decks, crystals and a reader on hand, and for visitors who want something more personal than another boutique on the coast. Collectors hunting rare occult texts will be better served elsewhere in Los Angeles. Pair a weekday visit with a walk through Legacy Park and an early dinner in the Mart.