Meet Elliott Rodriguez | Artist, Business Owner and Head Witch at Crow and Marigold Apothecary

We had the good fortune of connecting with Elliott Rodriguez and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Elliott, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
I wanted to open up a witchy cat Cafe initially. My best friend and I thought this up years ago where local bands would play, cats would get adopted and people would come get witchy wares, drink tea and read books. As time went on, my friend opened up a tattoo shop, and I started a family, and it was while I was a stay at home parent that I realized I had the time to make this happen. So I finally opened up shop.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I like to have a little bit of everything in my art. I’m always looking for new inspiration and learning new outlets to express it. There’s always a little bit of everything for everyone at my shop. I love learning from other creative and researching ancient lore and history. I started off with a few well-researched deity candles. For example, for my aphrodite Candle I looked up her lore. I learned that jasmine was a scent used in love ceremonies and marriages in India, where a similar goddess to her lore, Lakshmi, exists, and that wherever she was, she left the scent of cinnamon. I combined that with the knowledge that roses were always used in love spells and adoration and that rose quartz is the stone of love and self love. I put all of that into her candle. I use varied knowledge to get the most accurate scents and depictions. With a few candles and themed bath bombs I started going to markets. I made stickers, too, and tried my best to meet new people, learn about having a business and the things that went into it. Sometimes I wouldn’t do as well at a market, since any funds immediately go to rent and bills. Sometimes I would do extremely well with in-person sales but my online sales would be empty. It’s a balance and a struggle of fine-tuning and using what I have and what I can get ahold of, community help, thrifting among other things to be able to have output in my shop. It’s really helped me learn how to manage my finances better and what people like and don’t like. At the end of the day my shop is a metaphysical witchy shop made for people like me: queer witches, poc witches, trans witches, poor witches and others who want to practice their craft without emptying out their bank. I feel like we all deserve nice things but shouldn’t necessarily have to put our bills on hold for it.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I were up in Denton I’d take them to recycled books for some witchy tomes, then to Beth Marie’s for some ice cream and then we could have a nice picnic on the square. If it was in North Dallas, I’d take them to silver pyramid to get crystals not yet in my shop, then to Reverchon Park in Downtown Dallas for a witchy hike at twilight, all to finish it off back up north with Free Play for a few drinks and arcade games.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
@xanadoos.tattoos for coming up with the idea with me originally all those years ago. I’m proud of how far they’ve come in their tattoo business. And my husband, Cameron Sale, for always being supportive, pitching new ideas and helping at the markets. His love and dedication has given me the space and encouragement to do this.

Website: https://crowandmarigold.square.site/s/shop

Instagram: @crowandmarigold

Facebook: Crow and Marigold Apothecary

Youtube: @crowandmarigold