Explore downtown Sebastopol, where spirituality and fall vibes are abundant

At this time of year, there are plenty of autumn adventures to be had in Sonoma County, from picking pumpkins to seeking out warming meals, drinks and unique decor to make homes cozy for the cooling weather.

One place to go is downtown Sebastopol, where the leaves are turning orange and crunchy, and shopkeepers warmly welcome customers inside. From pumpkin spice lattes to orange-colored salt lamps and crystals, those exploring downtown Sebastopol will be leaning into the cozy, comforting and spiritual side of west county.

Retrograde Coffee Roasters

One telltale sign of a beloved coffee shop is that it’s packed at 9 a.m. on a weekday. There’s the chitchat between a hustling barista and a regular customer as the drink orders keep coming because the line of people extends to the door. That's a typical morning at Retrograde Coffee Roasters, which opened in 2017.

Start the Sebastopol adventure by stepping into the coffee shop for a warm caffeinated drink. Look for the astronaut holding a cup of coffee on the signature cyan sign on Main Street. The name is a nod to business owners and married duo Danielle Connor and Casey Lankski’s love of astrology, with the overall feel intended to be a “collision of coffee and space.”

“A lot of us associate retrograde with Mercury being in retrograde and negative things that unfortunately happen during that time,” Connor said. “The definition is backwards motion, and we really wanted to go against the grain of where the coffee and specialty coffee industries were going at the time.”

Going against the stark white decor and seriousness typical of East Bay coffeehouses, the couple wanted to create a space where community and acceptance were abundant. That’s apparent in the local artwork for sale on the walls, and locally made items are found on the shelves near the register. Add a community feel with funky decor, and customers will find this coffee shop is filled with warmth. It all sets the tone that this is a place where people can hang for a while to work on a laptop or just people-watch.

Ask loyal patrons what comes to mind when they think about the coffeehouse’s vibe, and it seems perfectly in line with what the owners are going for.

“Positive and accepting atmosphere backed by incredible customer service,” Cameron Nairn Wayland, whose go-to order is espresso and a breakfast sandwich, said of the shop. “They support local small businesses, and they care about their supply chain, consumables and pretty much every facet of how they operate their business.”

Espresso is a good option at Retrograde, but of course at this time of year, customers lean toward pumpkin spice lattes and the sugar-free maple hazelnut lattes.

“This year is all about pumpkins — well, every year this time of year is about pumpkins,” Connor said. “We make the recipes by hand with local pumpkins and make it something that’s really good. It’s a complement to what we’re serving.”

Connor is in charge of recipe development and said that with the current shortage of pumpkins, the recipe had to be altered this year. She even taste-tested five of her pumpkin spice lattes in a single day to ensure the recipe was right.

Sagestone Gallery

After a caffeine kick, stroll north of Main Street to find a storefront that is glistening with giant geodes of amethyst. Welcome to Sagestone Gallery. The natural arts gallery is full of home decor, tumbled stones, salt lamps and jewelry. For crystal lovers, it’s heaven.

Customers will find a clean space that’s easy to navigate. Large wine barrels bear chunks of colorful polished spheres, fossils and large pieces of rock. Weaving through this space is easy enough, but some may hold their breath if they are susceptible to clumsy moves.

Walk toward the back of the store to find cubbies with piles of smaller colorful crystals. Each is organized by name and price. Those looking to add a new piece to their crystal collection will find all the classics, from rose quartz to shimmering tiger’s-eye and red carnelian.

If crystals aren’t it, look for the little cave in the back illuminated by Himalayan salt lamps. The soft orange glow in the dark room gives off a calm and serene feeling. Salt lamps are said to improve air quality in the space and absorb toxins. While that may be true, there’s no denying their glow brings an added layer of coziness to this space in particular.

Boho Bungalow

Across the street and a bit south, there’s Boho Bungalow. Inside, customers will find macrame, candles, jewelry, kitchen decor and coffee table books. The snug and welcoming aesthetic of the shop is mostly neutral tones, with plush blankets and pillows appealing to customer’s senses just waiting to be touched.

“We want people to feel very welcome when they come into our store, and it’s a priority of ours,” Faith Parker owner of Boho Bungalow said.

When looking for a expand her business in 2018, Parker said she was drawn to the “funky little town with cool people” of Sebastopol and settled on Main Street.

Like many businesses in downtown Sebastopol, Boho Bungalow is filled with the work of local artists and crafters; owners see that as a way to support the community. To appeal to customers’ sense of smell, employees direct people to a bestseller this time of year — Local Yokel’s Pumpkin + Spice and Apple Harvest candles. The locally made products can be found all around Sonoma County.

She also makes a lot of the jewelry sold at the three Boho Bungalow locations.

“You can find novelty items, lots of home decor, and we make our own line of bath and body products called Bohemian Botanicals,” Parker said. “And we have an amazing line of soy wax candles.”

The candles are made at the 500-square-foot office at the Occidental shop and sold at the three stores. Parker said it gives them a healthy profit margin that will help the business succeed through some inevitable tough times, which she saw in 2020 with the coronavirus.

“The community has been amazing, especially through COVID. It’s easy to think ‘Oh, we’re just a store. Nobody needs anything,’ but people really showed up and went out of their way to shop with us,” Parker said of those who visited their Sebastopol location. “I mean, I could just start crying. It’s amazing how they showed up for us.”

Milk & Honey

Pop next door and discover something magical.

The warm gold Papyrus font on the widow is fitting for the energy of Milk & Honey. It’s part Old World and part contemporary eclectic. Walk in and visitors will notice the burnt-orange terra cotta floor fits perfectly with the light yellow walls. Armoires, tables and glass displays are strategically placed around the store so customers can see everything from the front door.

Phoenix LaFae owns Milk & Honey and is the third person to own the business since it opened in 1996. She knows without a shadow of a doubt that the shop is in the right spot for customers and doesn’t plan on going anywhere.

“Sebastopol and west county have always had this Earth goddess-focused vibe to it,” LaFae said. “And Sebastopol has a lot of women-owned businesses. I can’t imagine the shop being anywhere else. Sebastopol is where we belong.”

Along with maintaining that earthy vibe, LaFae’s own spiritual ethics translate to what customers will find in Milk & Honey. The shop supports local creatives, particularly women and BIPOC artists (short for Black, Indigenous and people of color), by selling their work at the shop.

The business is filled with crystals, statues, incense, tarot cards, spiritual books, jewelry, candles, art and accessories. The space is undeniably witchy, but the customers who shop at Milk & Honey come from diverse spiritual backgrounds.

“When people ask what we do, I say we are a spiritual shop where you can get candles, stones, crystals and more. We do have a focus on witchcraft, but we are more than that,” LaFae said. “There are so many paths to growing your spiritual practice. Spirituality is deeply personal, and anyone that’s on a spiritual path will find what they are looking for in the shop.”

LaFae has seen people’s curiosity in spirituality ebb and flow throughout the years, but these past few years seem different.

“There was a revival of witchcraft in the ’90s after movies like ‘The Craft’ and ‘Practical Magic’ came out, but since then, the interest is way bigger,” LaFae said.

Crystals and stones have become popular, especially on the social media app TikTok. Creators are sharing their favorite stones that they say help with anything from manifestation to self-love and abundance. One huge part of the conversation is where these items come from and if they are legit.

LaFae prides herself in doing as much research as she can while creating connections with those in the local crystal community to ensure the crystals and stones she sells are from reliable vendors and are ethically sourced.

“The world of crystals and stones is vast,” LaFae said. “Crystals that aren’t ethically sourced are a problem, and I do my best to know the sources of the stones I keep at the shop. I know my vendors and work with people who have a relationship with the land.”

And in Sebastopol, it’s all about the relationships each of these businesses owners have with the area they have set down roots in. It’s these relationships that have fostered over time and throughout the seasons. To all those looking to embrace the autumnal vibes and support locally owned shops, set down some roots in Sebastopol.