Cosmic Crow Collective Welcomes All

Since its opening in April 2015, Cosmic Crow Collective has given downtown Arlington a special kind of energy. I’ve passed the store many times on my commute to and from UTA, and after spending an evening there, I got to see just how much it offers to the community.  

What I thought would be another thrift store, turned out to be a lot more. “We want to sell cool, unique items but we also want people to come learn, heal, be inspired and entertained,” said Tammie Carson, owner. They are an open-minded bunch and invite people to come in and share their skills or learn new skills. There’s a classroom and a patio, beautifully decorated with plants and lights, in the back. Both are available as a gathering place for groups to meet, network and collaborate.

This hidden gem hosts tons of events including group guitar lessons, theta healing, astrology and meditation classes, reiki share, a women’s full moon circle, natural cleaning workshops, drum circles and open-mic nights, just to name a few. For more information on events, visit their website. www.cosmiccrowcollective.com

“Sometimes people come in, see the guitars and sit down and just start playing, and it’s great,” Carson said. Often times she will join in and play with them.

The store has a mixture of eco-friendly clothing, jewelry and home goods, vegan and vegetarian products, spiritual and metaphysical items, and much more. Allison Carson, Tammie’s granddaughter, was kind enough to show me some of her favorite perfume oils, which are all mixed by hand. “This place is not like anything else in Arlington,” said Bob Dengate.

One night, I went to the group guitar lessons taught by Cody Joyce (https://www.youtube.com/user/Codyjoyce13). Joyce is self-taught and has been playing for 10 years. “The main reason I do these lessons is to share my love of music,” Joyce said. He has a very relaxed style of teaching that the other group members responded to well. After the lesson, group members took turns playing their favorite songs. Joyce also makes bracelets that are sold in the shop. In fact, there are a lot of items in the store that are made by locals, including coffee, pottery, beard oil and woodcarvings.

I could easily spend a day exploring the store. I think a lot of it has to do with how pleasant everyone was. Tammie’s goal is to create a space that is safe, positive and welcoming, and I definitely felt that while in the store. She greets every guest that comes through the door with a smile, offering them water or a cup of coffee. “I get so excited about what we have started here,” said Carson. “If I can help somebody feel better or help somebody emotionally, then that’s the most wonderful thing.”

Have you visited Cosmic Crow Collective? If so, what did you enjoy most about the store?

Aluet Fadul is a senior journalism student at UT Arlington. She loves experiencing new places, people and things.