Good Tarot Shops in London?

gregory

I think the point is to be able to BROWSE - and Watkins lets you do that - you can LOOK AT THE CARDS !

Also - they deserve to exist, and are one place I would buy from for more than amazon, to keep them going. They had a narrow escape recently, but a nice US guy saved them. We do NOT want to see them go under.
 

214red

also remember that watkins has speakers in the evenings now which is interesting. Amazon might be cheaper, but we need to support our local shops, when watkins closed down a few months ago i realised i really missed it, i often went there to browse books, insense and feel tarot decks.....i would have saved alot of money on decks if i had taken the time to try these before i brought them.

I now browse and buy my decks from watkins, and sometimes books if i can. its often only a few pounds difference, and they have soo many decks to touch its worth suporting them to stop us loosing them again. they also sell second hand books at a very good price and i have found some rare gems there for very reasonable prices.

Save our shops, buy instore not online!!

I usually use the Leicester sq exit, i go to watkins and take my purchase to the nice little starbucks opposite the st martins lane hotel, and sit and read or play.

Also there are a few london tarot meet ups if you fancy it, some have a subject, some like the one on thursday is simply a social, a chance to have a drink and discuss tarot
 

natalie8

Well, I have to say that I love Watkins. I found it OK and I love the small street it's on, full of nice little book shops and other novelty type shops. I spent almost an hour in there, I never do that. I took a look around the main floor, then I found the section with Tarot books.

There were so amny of them that I asked the guy for some help. I told him that I'm a beginner and I have the Rider Waite deck and that I'm impatient and prefer a book that's to the point.

So he showed me The Tarot Bible and A Complete Guide To Tarot. As for aesthetics and visuals I prefer The Tarot Bible, but it was £12.99. So I went on price and got the Complet Guide for £5.99. It will be good for me to go through it here because I didn't bring my deck with me. This way I'm forced to learn the cards. :p

Then I made my way to the sections with the cards and again I felt overwhelmed. The girl at that desk let me look through a book of Tarot cards. I don't mind the Rider Waite and they're good for beginners, but I find them boring.

So, on looking through the book, I was struck by the Crystal Tarot and the Egyptian Tarot. I looked at both of these decks in the shop and then at their prices and this told me that I can't buy them now. :-(

I could always make these a goal, as some of you collectors or professionals do. Anyway, I went downstairs too but nothing really jumped out at me. This is definitely a store that I'll return to. It has such a great vibe about it. :thumbsup:
 

natalie8

214red said:
Save our shops, buy instore not online!!

I usually use the Leicester sq exit, i go to watkins and take my purchase to the nice little starbucks opposite the st martins lane hotel, and sit and read or play.

Yes, I strongly believe in supporting small, locally owned shops. After my purchase, I found a nice outside table at Fioro Cafe and had a slice of pizza, a salad and a coffee. :)
 

DownUnderNZer

Tarot Bible is okay. Think I had that and didnt keep it....

Are you looking for a good tarot book?
 

natalie8

Hi DUNZer. I was on the hunt for a good book to help me learn Tarot. I'm very impatient and I don't really want to red through pages to find the meaning of each card. The book that I picked up is to the point and a user friendly.
 

DownUnderNZer

Hi DUNZer. I was on the hunt for a good book to help me learn Tarot. I'm very impatient and I don't really want to red through pages to find the meaning of each card. The book that I picked up is to the point and a user friendly.

Glad you found something....best of luck with the RW deck! That was my very first deck...
 

214red

Well, I have to say that I love Watkins. I found it OK and I love the small street it's on, full of nice little book shops and other novelty type shops. I spent almost an hour in there, I never do that. I took a look around the main floor, then I found the section with Tarot books.

There were so amny of them that I asked the guy for some help. I told him that I'm a beginner and I have the Rider Waite deck and that I'm impatient and prefer a book that's to the point.

So he showed me The Tarot Bible and A Complete Guide To Tarot. As for aesthetics and visuals I prefer The Tarot Bible, but it was £12.99. So I went on price and got the Complet Guide for £5.99. It will be good for me to go through it here because I didn't bring my deck with me. This way I'm forced to learn the cards. :p

Then I made my way to the sections with the cards and again I felt overwhelmed. The girl at that desk let me look through a book of Tarot cards. I don't mind the Rider Waite and they're good for beginners, but I find them boring.

So, on looking through the book, I was struck by the Crystal Tarot and the Egyptian Tarot. I looked at both of these decks in the shop and then at their prices and this told me that I can't buy them now. :-(

I could always make these a goal, as some of you collectors or professionals do. Anyway, I went downstairs too but nothing really jumped out at me. This is definitely a store that I'll return to. It has such a great vibe about it. :thumbsup:
if the complete guide is the one with the dark blue cover its great, i think it has gold coins on it, its a book i still keep to use with students, it covers alot.
the egyptian is lovely i had it when i first started but you do need to learn tarot for a bit before you can usually use it, i would put it on your wish list for xmas or something
 

natalie8

My copy has a black cover and it's by Eden Gray. I'll be forced to study it and get to know it while I'm here. Asking Santa for the other deck(s) is a great idea. I'll do my studying and practicing in the next couple of months, then see about which new decks I should get. :D
 

Moonson

very nice description of your Watkins "adventure"! :)
got me curious to see all those books and decks!