A THIRD PLACE
Somewhere quiet in Kitchener that isn't a bar or a café
Home is too loud, or too empty. Work is work. Sometimes you just want a room to stand in where nobody needs anything from you.
If you need somewhere quiet in Kitchener that isn't a bar or a café, the list gets short fast. A bar wants you to drink. A café wants you to buy something, find a plug and look busy. The library is great, but sometimes you can't sit still.
People have a name for this: a third place. It's somewhere that isn't home and isn't work, where you can simply be around. We think a room full of rocks on Victoria Street makes a pretty good one.
What a visit looks like
You walk in. Someone says hi. Then they leave you alone, and we mean that as a feature.
From there, you can go at any speed. Pick up a stone. Put it back. Read a card. Stand in front of something large and purple for ten minutes. Nobody will ask what you're looking for unless you seem to want that.
You can touch and hold whatever you like. A lot of folks like having something cool and heavy in one hand. It gives your brain a very small job. That's the whole trick, and you don't need a belief to do it.
You don't have to buy anything. You also don't have to explain why you came in.
Try a minute of it now
If you can't get here today, this is a small version. Find anything with some weight to it. A mug, a rock, your keys. Hold it and follow along.
One quiet minute
No technique to get right. Breathe at whatever pace feels okay, and stop any time.
Why a rock shop would care about this
Our founder, Arthur, grew up in his family's crystal business. He was a science guy who thought crystals were fluff, and the plan was to sell everything and shut it down. Then, on one stressful day, he picked up a smoky quartz. It felt silly. It gave him a moment to pause and breathe.
In his words, "It wasn't magic." That's roughly where we still stand. The shop has been on Victoria Street for 15+ years. Our mission is short: where the curious become connected. In plain words, it's a place to be curious, with other people, and with no pressure to believe.
A non-religious place to find people
Some people land here because they've left a church, or never had one, and miss what came with it. A regular place to go. Faces you recognize. Something bigger to think about for an hour.
We aren't a replacement for any of that, and we won't tell you what to believe. There's no membership and nothing to sign. We do run a lot of events, though. An event is an easy way to be near people without having to perform.
How much people can you handle today?
None, thanks
Just come wander. Staying in? A worry stone fits in a pocket and gives your thumb something to do.
A little
Try a sound bath. You're in a room with others, and nobody has to speak. Our sound bath explainer covers what happens. Dates are on the events page.
One person
Tarot with J'aime is private and one-on-one, with walk-ins welcome. You can come as a skeptic. It can be nice to just say what's on your mind to someone new.
Some, with a reason to talk
Tarot deck exchange nights and Soulful Soirée talks come with a built-in topic. You'll have a thing to say to the person beside you, even if it's only "is this seat taken?"
Making friends here, slowly
Friendships mostly come from seeing the same faces more than once. So pick one kind of event and come back to it. Say hi to one person. That counts as a good night.
Maybe everyone at home thinks this stuff is weird. Here, it isn't the strangest thing in the room. The large purple rock usually holds that title.
If things feel too heavy for a rock shop, please talk to your doctor or someone you trust.
Questions people ask
I'm going through a hard stretch and want somewhere calm to go in Kitchener. Any ideas?
Come walk around the shop. You can pick things up, take your time and talk to nobody if that suits you. If things feel too heavy, talk to your doctor or someone you trust.
Do I have to buy something?
No. Plenty of people look around and leave with nothing. We'd rather you felt welcome than felt sold to.
Is there a non-religious spiritual community in Waterloo Region for people who don't want a church?
We aren't a congregation and there's nothing to join. What we do have is a regular calendar of events where curious people end up in the same room. No creed, no membership, and you can come to one and never return.
How do I find spiritual friends as an adult when everyone around me thinks this stuff is weird?
Go where the topic is already normal and repeat it. Pick one recurring event and come more than once, because familiar faces do most of the work. Small events with an activity are easier than big ones.
Where do people in Kitchener Waterloo who are into tarot and yoga hang out?
We can only speak for our shop. Tarot nights, the deck exchange, sound baths and Soulful Soirée talks are where you'll meet people into this stuff here. All of them are listed on our events page.
I don't know anything about crystals. Will that be awkward?
Not at all. Most people who walk in don't. Ask a question if you want one, and if you don't, nobody will quiz you.
Where to next
Where the curious become connected.
Come sit with the rocks
No appointment and no reason needed. We'll say hi, then leave you to it. 396-B Victoria Street North, Kitchener.