From bookstores to magic shops, the markets of Pike Place Market have seen their fair share of ghosts and spirits. In this article, you will learn more about the restless souls reported to have made their mark in various Seattle shop lining Pike Place.
Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore
Oddly enough, the owners of the Shakespeare and Co. Bookstore claim that every morning, they come to the bookstore to learn that the same exact book has been taken off of the shelf and placed on the floor. No matter how many times they dust it off and replace it in the shelf, the book returns to the floor by the next morning. After dealing with the occurrence on and off, the book was eventually destroyed.
The Bead Emporium
Rumors have it that a visit to the Bead Emporium will bring you face to face with a ghostly small boy who has been known to call this shop his home. In the past, renovations were done to the business and a basket of beads were located in a wall that had not been accessed for several years before the store ever opened his doors. One theory is that the ghost hides the beads in the wall to play with at a later time. The store is also no stranger to odd occurrences, such as the cash register drawer opening and closing with no one behind it. This same ghost is also credited with visits to the puppet shop, where marionettes are sold. Many of his sightings and credited hauntings seem to take place at night.
Sheila’s Magic Shop
There is a crystal ball at Sheila’s Magic Shop said to contain the spirit of a woman by the name of Madame Nora, a rather restless soul that once haunted a shop named Pharaoh’s Treasure before making her appearance known at the magic shop. Legend has it that Pharaoh’s Treasure got a hold of the crystal ball from an old woman that wished to trade it in for a scarab. The old woman warned the shop owner that the crystal ball was home to the spirit of Madame Nora, who was trapped inside. The owner brushed off the warning and agreed to the trade. Quickly, the shop started to experience a lot of unexplainable happenings.
For the most part, things started to take place at night, such as the moving around of objects. If you are wondering who in the heck is Madame Nora, you will find that she ran an establishment called the Temple of Destiny when the market was in its early days. Nora was known for many talents, including crystal gazing, Egyptian sand divining, and Indian psychic projection. To rid himself or herself of the strangeness attached to the crystal ball, the owner of Pharaoh’s Treasure had no problem passing on the ball to the owner of Sheila’s Magic Shop.
Mr. D’s
Located in the triangle building, Mr. D’s sold Greek delights in a deli atmosphere. The owner of the deli tells people that there are spirits that like to tussle with one another in the downstairs walk-in freezer. The fights get so intense that workers are too scared to go downstairs if they hear any sign of movement.