Hello friends. Chariot just turned 6, and I’m (finally) officially announcing the plan to shut down the retail portion of my business! The exact date is not yet determined, but the plan is to close down the retail in September this year. Please do come by and shop (Saturdays) this summer, as I will not be re-ordering any more product.
Be rest assured, however, I’m not going anywhere. Over the past few years, I have been gradually lessening the retail part of my business so I can better focus on the client side of my work. It’s become clear to me that I cannot do it all, and I’m going to prioritize what is most important. So Chariot will continue to live on as my client-focused spiritual business, as well as my design studio.
When I opened Chariot in the summer of 2016, I knew I wanted to continue all the work I had been doing in my professional life. Chariot houses my interior/architecture studio, astrology/tarot practice, and spiritual/housewares store. Before I opened Chariot, I worked as an interior designer in Portland for roughly 13 years. I also began a tarot and astrology business, which has been gradually growing since 2011. Opening Chariot was a way to house all of my creative endeavors in one place and connect with my community. It has been a wild ride in entrepreneurship at times, but these past six years have been the most soul-fulfilling work of my life.
Essentially, I have been running three businesses for the past six years. For much of this time, I was working 6-7 days a week. Let me tell you, this is not sustainable. One of the reasons I chose to live in Astoria was to live a simpler life with less stress, and I was failing this goal. I was having trouble with my health as a result, and I knew something had to change.
During the shutdowns of the pandemic, the reality of the situation became clear. Because we are only on this earth for a short time, with only a finite amount of energy, I want to focus on what is most fulfilling for me. I think many of us have had this or similar conclusions. I believe my creativity has the most impact in my design work and spiritual client work. Without managing a retail store, I am able to put more of my clear energy where it matters most. Not to mention, the pandemic has made it even more challenging to do retail!
So much has shifted in people’s lives across the world over these past couple of years, so I know I’m not alone in this. It’s important that we give ourselves and others the grace to grow and change, and to recognize which chapter we are currently living. I’m currently in a Scorpio ruled 5th house year, where my natal Jupiter resides with a transiting south node. In other words, this year is about reducing and letting go of what does not bring meaning, and focusing my creativity in a more narrow but powerful way. Less really is more.
So even though Chariot won’t continue on in the retail world, I do hope to have occasional pop-ups and more in-person events again. If you are interested in hosting a future pop-up event at Chariot, I may be open to collaborating! I’m also planning our next in-person retreat after a very long hiatus. The annual Samhain retreat will be happening this year at the Sou’Wester on the weekend before Halloween. Stay tuned for that.
And as always, you can book an astrology or tarot reading with me online at: https://www.chariothome.com/consultations
If you are interested in staying up to speed on my design work, I have a dedicated Instagram account here at: Olsen Interior Design
Also, thank you to everyone who has supported and loved Chariot’s retail shop. It has meant the world to me.
Happy Cancer season,
Suzy