Andrew Cox spent 20 years scavenging through Bookmans, yard sales and thrift stores in search of occult books.
His collection grew into the thousands; so many books, so little space at his home that was starting to resemble a scene out of “The Addams Family.”
That’s when Cox, 42, took his friends and family’s advice to open a store specializing in occult books.
Last August, he opened Nexus Occult Books and Oddities at 4865 E. Speedway. It is the only occult bookstore in Tucson, and it joins a couple of businesses that sell metaphysical candles, oils and crystals.
The 1,200-square-foot bookstore houses about 10,000 books ranging from classic horror stories to how-to guides on conjuring the dead. The store also sells vintage Ouija boards and spooky books for kids.
Cox said his main goal was to establish a safe haven for people to be able to express, share and learn different aspects of occultism.
“Nexus is a neutral ground for everybody,” Cox said. “You can identify as a doorknob and worship unicorns and we’re your store.”
Although they do not have any books on doorknobs, they have a variety of books on unicorns and other mythical creatures.
Being an occult store has come with its fair share of dirty looks from outsiders and cyber bullies on Instagram.
People usually stay away from the bookstore because they think occult means devil-worship.
But Cox said, “there is nothing to be afraid of because occult means hidden from the eye in Latin.”
“People automatically associate us with the magic of witchcraft and it is a big part of what we do but we also do paranormal, the extraterrestrial, cryptozoology, conspiracy theories, secret societies, theology and demonology,” Cox said.
As Nexus continues to put new titles on its shelves, its community has also grown. There have been customers from Yuma and Phoenix coming to Nexus for books, Cox said.
Sarah Collins, 26, lives in Tempe but always makes sure she has time to visit Nexus when she’s in Tucson. Although there are some occult bookstores in Phoenix, they are not quite like Nexus, she said.
Collins first found Nexus when she started her spiritual journey and grew fond of the used book collection and the time periods Nexus carries.
“They have books… that you cannot find on Amazon,” Collins said.
One longtime customer, who identified himself as Junior V, said he has been a regular since the store opened. The 31-year-old Tucson resident said his love for occult books brings him to the store regularly and has led to a friendship with Cox.
V said he enjoys learning about different topics and expanding his knowledge about different religions.
“Nexus is well versed in everything from Christianity to Lucifer to Egyptian gods,” he said.
In addition to selling books, Nexus also hosts tarot card readings and other events weekly. The store is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.
For more information, visit nexusoccult.com
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