Tabetha Bennett, 29, from Manchester, is the owner of The Witch's Bog, a shop dedicated to "witchy" items including ethically sourced skulls, animal tails, crystal crow necklaces, specimen jars and much more. The practising occultist started selling her wares at market stalls, where people showed initial interest. After waves of positive reviews and a clear gap in the market, Tabetha opened an official shop in Liverpool's Red Brick Market last year.
A shop born from disappointment
She told the ECHO: "I study the occult, which is where the name The Witch's Bog comes from. It fits the witchcraft vibe of what I do. My interest in the occult and the culture is what started the shop."
"When I was getting into witchcraft, I would go into shops looking for things to buy, but everything I saw was resin reproductions. I was always disappointed because they didn't look or feel real. I thought I could do something different, so I started making things myself."
"A lot of people want the items on their altar or place of power to tie into their beliefs and practices. But having something like a real skull, with a design drawn onto it by hand, feels much more powerful than something made from resin."
Handmade with fire and respect
Tabetha is a skilled pyrographer, writing with fire various designs and patterns into different materials, including real bones. She added: "Everything is done by hand without no lasers, so every piece is unique."
All of the skulls and animal materials are responsibly sourced from dead animals found in nature. Tabetha is a part of a hub of likeminded people who will source materials from the wild and deliver them across the country for similar crafts.
Red Brick Market recently launched a sister site, Baltic Bazaar, in the same area of Cains Brewery Village. With demand still running high for items, and especially before Halloween, The Witch's Bog was announced as one of Baltic Bazaar's first traders.
Growing demand and new workspace
Tabetha said: "It's been really popular throughout 2025, and it's been hard to keep up with demand. It's exactly what you want to hear, but because everything is handmade, it can take a lot of time to make each piece."
"I've been stocking up the workshop. The Witches' Hut is a stone building on my property where I work from. Things have become so busy with the new shop that I've had to look at opening up another workspace and renting a unit."
This time of year sees a spike in demand, and not just for Halloween, with Tabetha revealing Christmas as one of the unlikely peaks of the calendar.
Misunderstood items and community support
Quizzed on what those outside of the community think of her wares, she said people can often assume the worst without understanding the spiritual elements of the craft. She said: "Halloween really stirs things up. People are really into it. Things like Ouija boards are a bit misunderstood. People can be a little creeped out by them and don't necessarily see the spiritual side of what they mean to others."
"These items are made with great respect for the animals. For example, with a more masculine skull, we'll do a horned god design on it. Someone practising Paganism or Wicca who wants to work with a more masculine deity might be drawn to that kind of piece."
"I'm really into the practice myself, but some people come in because they think the pieces look really cool, even if they're not practising." People have been coming to see her and saying, "We came here for you," which she described as "really heartwarming."
You can find The Witch's Bog at Baltic Bazaar in Liverpool's Cains Brewery Village.
