“I was in Sedona, meditating on a vortex and the name ‘Enchantments’ came out of nowhere.”

So, 35 years ago Bill Kirby quit his computer job at Prudential Insurance, packed his van and left New Hope, Pennsylvania for Boothbay Harbor. Kirby recalled it was “a big decision” and, as meditations go, it turned out to be a doozy.

After more than three decades, the business is still going strong and last month Kirby sold Enchantments  to New Jersey couple Linda and Joey Marciniak. It is a big transition for Kirby and the new owners and they will work together over the next weeks to ensure the transition is smooth. 

Recently the Boothbay Register spoke with Kirby about his years at Enchantments. He said he knew he was not happy working with computers. “It wasn’t my life.” On the weekends, he would visit flea markets, selling crystals, and found he was earning more there than he was from his computer job. “I had no doubts that it would be a success because I was so passionate about making it work.”

McKown Street was Enchantments’ first location, selling round Austrian crystals and tarot cards and then natural crystals and metaphysical items as it grew and became a new age store. In 1999, the building was sold and Enchantments moved into half of its current location on Boothbay House Hill Road, sharing space in the Bravo’s building with a dinner theater. “Most of the actors worked for me during the day,” Kirby explained.

As Kirby sat in the balcony with friends watching a performance of “Little Shop of Horrors” one night, he told them “Some day this will all be Enchantments.” Sure enough, in 2005, owner Dave Southmayd approached Kirby about buying the entire building and Kirby agreed.

Visitors to Enchantments may not realize how interwoven its merchandise is with Kirby’s life. “All my life I’ve travelled different paths because I need to grow through different experiences. The different aspects of my life are in the sections of the store.” The lifetime dream of the 38-year-old Kirby grew in popularity over the years, becoming a mecca of the metaphysical that drew those seeking answers, solace, or simply questioning. Even during the pandemic, he never locked the doors. He learned that “The rougher the year, the more people would come into the store,” and said his biggest year in sales was right after 9/11 when people came in looking for spiritual comfort.

Kirby said it is all a matter of following his heart. He has always been spiritual, even as a child. When he was in elementary school, his family lived next door to a used car lot which had crushed quartz on the ground. He would pick out the crystals, put them in his pocket and take them to school to give to children who were having a difficult time. As an adult, that kindness extends to his customers. Asked what memories stand out from his 35 years in business, he told about an experience from 2015.

A beautiful young woman in her 20’s came into the store and asked if he was Bill. When he said “yes” she told him she visited the store with her parents when she was 14. “I walked in and this store saved my life,” she told him. She was gay and was planning to commit suicide but when she saw the rainbow flags and the staff was so nice and accepting of her, she changed her plan. She drove from Kentucky to thank him. 

Kirby tells about the couples who met in the store’s book section and married. One couple celebrates their anniversary every year by returning to the place where they met. Kirby and his partner Bill Wylie have been together 51 years.

This January, Kirby said, he was thinking about closing the business. “I’m old enough that I thought it was time to retire,” the 73-year-old said.

And once again, Enchantments worked its magic. Linda Marciniak explained, “Enchantments has been my spiritual home for 33 years. I had a spiritual awakening the first time I came into the store.” A licensed clinical social worker for 31 years, she has been working in the hospital system. When she and husband Joey heard that Bill planned to retire and close the store, the couple decided to continue the store’s legacy.

They will not change a thing, she said, wanting those who visit to walk in and have the same experience people remember. “We want to do Bill proud.” With few interruptions, Enchantments will be open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.  

For Kirby, it could not have worked out better. “Joey and Linda are like family,” he said. “They were the perfect people to sell it to.”