BY MAUREEN PARKER for WEEKLY VOLCANO | 10/30/2026
We’re still out here on South Tacoma Way, sitting back and watching the neighborhood get bigger and better every day.
This time, I stopped by Cosmic Curios, a new business developing into a fun and whimsical space for anyone ready to get their sparkle on.
Cosmic Curios is owned by friends Bethany Joy, which may be the BEST NAME EVER, and Noxxie Ray. Although they haven’t known each other for very long, when the two met, they knew they were destined to combine their creativity and build the kind of space they had both dreamed about.
Finding a business partner whose ethics and values align with your own is important, and Bethany and Noxxie believe they have found that partnership in one another.
Bethany is a psychic tarot reader, witch, and spiritual advisor. Noxxie brings her creativity and crafting skills to the partnership, helping fill the shop with fun, whimsical items designed to spread a little joy.
Bethany has been doing readings for people for years, but she says her spiritual awareness and desire to help others began much earlier in life. She was even a peer mediator when she was young, so listening to people and helping them solve problems has always come naturally to her.
She was raised by her grandmother, whom she remembers as being highly intuitive. Bethany was also raised Catholic, which she jokingly describes as her “gateway drug” into witchcraft. Through Catholicism, she learned about prayer, petitioning saints, and connecting with ancestors as guides and guardians.
That connection to one’s ancestors remains important in many spiritual and religious traditions. During our conversation, we discussed African Traditional Religions, as well as practices such as Hoodoo, Vodou, and Santería, and the different ways spiritual traditions can help people maintain a connection to those who came before them.
Bethany was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, and moved to Washington in 2019 when her spouse received a better business opportunity. Of course, that was right before the entire world shut down. Honestly, isn’t that the common timeline for everybody these days? Goodness!
Bethany, her spouse, and their twin babies settled into their new home, and she began offering readings online and from her house. A couple of years ago, she also began vending at markets throughout Washington.
Over time, Bethany built a loyal client list and realized she wanted and needed a storefront of her own.
If she looks familiar, you may have seen her vending at Church Cantina on South Tacoma Way, where she has offered readings and sold merchandise. Her products include candles, crystals, potions, lotions, and teas.
And she has a crystal ball, y’all!
That was the closest I have ever been to one. Do I know what it does? Absolutely not. Fortunately, Bethany explained it to me.
Tarot is only one form of divination. There are also psychic readings and practices such as crystal-ball gazing, also known as scrying. Bethany explained that scrying can involve focusing on something reflective, such as a crystal ball, mirror, or even a flame. By entering a trance-like or meditative state, the practitioner may receive impressions, images, or messages to interpret and share.
Get. Out.
Bethany’s work also includes paranormal investigations and house clearings services that she says she has performed for nearly two decades.
We also talked about crystals and their use in energy work. Different stones are believed to hold different properties and may be used with specific intentions. The shop carries handcrafted crystal pieces and other handmade goods created with care and purpose.
I mean, think about it: What kind of energy would you expect from something mindlessly spit out by a machine? Do the math, folks.
Cosmic Curios will also provide space for other local artists to sell their handmade creations. Bethany and Noxxie are committed to featuring work created by actual human beings rather than items generated through artificial intelligence, a concern that continues to come up in my conversations with artists and makers.
On the whimsical side, shoppers can find handcrafted keychains, bracelets, and colorful jewelry, including pieces similar to those worn by ravers at concerts and music festivals. The combination of spiritual services, handmade goods, and pure sparkle gives the shop its own distinctive personality.
Cosmic Curios held its soft opening on Sept. 13, and Bethany and Noxxie are planning an official grand opening on or before Halloween 2026.
As a woman-owned and queer-owned business, Cosmic Curios reflects Bethany and Noxxie’s commitment to supporting those in their community. Their plans extend beyond selling products and providing readings. They also hope to offer classes, empower others, and create a welcoming place where people can learn, connect, and build community.
Finally, I asked Bethany an actual business-related question because, as we all know, I can be a little all over the place with my interview process.
I asked what advice she would give someone who wants to start a business, and her answer was gooooood.
“Look into and then actually commit yourself to doing your shadow work,” she said.
Shadow work is the process of acknowledging the parts of ourselves that we tend to suppress or avoid. According to Bethany, running a business has a way of bringing all those things to the surface.
Your impatience, frustrations, and personal quirks will be highlighted, she explained, whether it happens while you are navigating the demands of running a business, or through something reflected back to you by your customers and clients.
“You have got to love yourself, work on yourself, and heal yourself,” she said, “because you can’t be successful in business if you’re not healed and well-rounded.”
NOW THAT IS A WORD, PEOPLE!
Bethany and Noxxie are both over the moon about becoming part of the South Tacoma Way business community and adding their own brand of spirituality, creativity, and whimsy to the neighborhood.
And we are all here for it.
Cosmic Curios, 5407 S Tacoma Way, Suite B, Tacoma, WA 98409.
Website: Beththewicca.com.
