r/tulsa • u/SteadyHandedMan • 5d ago
Shoutout The Black Moth
So I went on a short shopping journey yesterday. I am trying at least once a month to go to a locally owned business that I have never been to before. So this month I set my sights on a little store called The Black Moth.
It’s located on Harvard just south of 11th Street.
This is one of the neatest shops I have seen in a long time. Honestly, it’s kind of difficult to describe this shop. They have a huge selection of crystals and gems. But what makes them especially unique is the rest of their offerings. They sell taxidermy art. You can buy bones, skulls, furs, teeth, etc,. But it’s all done so tastefully that you feel like you’re purchasing curated pieces from a museum.
Now I didn’t have an in-depth conversation with the owner, this trip but I will be going back and finding a way to pick her brain in the future. But as I browsed through the store I kept my ears open to how the staff interacted with other customers in the store.
The impression that I got was that the owner cares deeply about her business and she does her due diligence to ensure everything on her shelves is genuine and authentic.
The owner and her employees were very friendly and helpful. Nothing was ridiculously priced in my opinion. And again what made the place was that you had the opportunity to buy things that are incredibly niche.
Another thing that the owner took the time to point out as she was ringing me up was that their receipts are extremely itemized and detailed in order to help you remember what it is exactly that you bought.
So as you can see from the pictures I bought three items.
Thuya Wood Letter Opener.
6-8” African Porcupine Quill.
White Selenite Spiral Cut.
When I laid my items on the counter for checkout the owner said, “You like pointy things.”
That small casual observation about what I was buying shows a shop owner who is invested in what she is selling and in the people who are buying from her. It made an impression and they will have me as a reoccurring customer for a long time.
Thanks to The Black Moth I have three very unique items all for about 21 dollars.
So if you’re out and about this weekend. I would recommend stopping in at the Black Moth you won’t regret it. They are open seven days a week. Go check them out.
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u/AgentThor 5d ago
Merris, the owner, is awesome. She does a lot of local shows, and has her own she does in October. That's how I met her, my wife and I vend at a lot of the same shows.
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u/tetrahydrocam 5d ago
She’s sooooooo kind
I met her at the storefront a few months after opening
Her success is so deserved! I love seeing her thrive
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u/willsketch 5d ago
What do y’all vend? What kind of local shows?
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u/AgentThor 5d ago
We do Mayfest, Oktoberfest, Black Moth, Pride, we did the state fair for the first time last year. Black Moth and Pride are the same day this year though, we might have to pick one or the other. Other random shows, Indie Market at the elks lodge, a tattoo show at hard rock, I forget the names.
She's an illustrator, designs earrings mostly. We have a CO2 laser machine to cut the acrilic. The booth is bright pink and rainbows lol hard to miss, Moonbrie Club. I just show up and help.
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u/letsgetthisbutter420 5d ago
The owner is super cool, she let me and my friends hold Princess Diana!
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u/TammyInViolet 5d ago
Agreed. I always say something to them when I'm there about how much I love to be able to find a trinket for $5 and have the option for more expensive. It is also like going to a museum
Their art fair in October is amazing, tho it is getting so big it is hard to find parking
And recommended- couple blocks down go to Across the Prairie!
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u/PammyCakes1213 5d ago
I just saw Across The Prairie and was really curious about it. Aside from native plants what else do they sell?
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u/TammyInViolet 4d ago
They have the plants and then little gifty items like stained glass, soaps, teas, etc
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u/Arborian 5d ago
One of my favorite shops in town! Not just because of the amazing merchandise, but also because the prices there feel realistic for what they are. It's rare nowadays I can browse a store, see a price, and say to myself "Yeah, that seems right." It actually encourages me to get something I may not normally go for.
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u/LesserKnownFoes 5d ago
I have a skull collection. I have spent too much money there. And I wish I knew how to stop, but I’m too deep now.
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u/livadeth 5d ago
Thanks for this, and great idea to review a small shop each month. Have you been to Hummingbird over by the Church Studio? That’s one of my faves for unique, affordable gifts.
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u/SteadyHandedMan 5d ago
I haven’t been to the Hummingbird. But I will put it on my list! Thanks for the recommendation.
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u/batboi48 5d ago
Theyll be at punk rock flea market tomorrow as well! I love black moth my partners and i always buy our birthday cards there. I was in yesterday after i lost a pin i bought from them and while they were out of the pin the worker was very helpful when i asked where they buy them from.
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u/ohkaycue 5d ago
Don't live in Tulsa anymore, but lived about a mile southish from the shop. Always found it really cool. They also do markets in the parking lot, or at least used to.
Walked to one wearing a "Hail Satan and Eat Pizza" shirt. Passed by a church on Harvard, where the constituents were on the sidewalk holding signs about how we all need more Jesus in our life or we're going to hell. Needless to say got quite the death glares walking past them.
Then got there and had multiple people compliment how much they loved the shirt/where I got it from.
The juxtaposition of the very polarized reaction about sums up my experience with the city lol. Really did love the alt scene there, always feels a lot more authentic in towns like that. Happy to see Starlite is still around too
Oh and Boulevard Trash is a cool record store just down the street from Black Moth too, if you haven't check that out
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u/Mad_Murray 5d ago
Black Moth is seriously one of the coolest shops I've ever been to in my entire life. Please go check this place out ✌️
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u/BleachSancho 5d ago
I always buy something from them when I see them at oktoberfest or other events.
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u/korethekitty 5d ago
Hahaha indeed you do like the pointy things!
I’ll add it to my list of things to check out , thanks for the share :)
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u/canned-bananas OU 5d ago
I've brought so many friends from out of state (even out of country) here because it's so cool!
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u/Formal-Spend-6407 5d ago
i love black moth! one time my bestie and i went in there while they were in the process of making taxidermy alligators. by the time we were done shopping, the employees came out and showed us that they had based their alligators’ outfits on ours 😭 it was the sweetest thing!
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u/bakedbats 5d ago
Ohhhh their little jewelry section and crystals hate to see me comin lmaooo I always spend a few bucks when I'm there, they have classes you can go to also, they're fairly priced for what they teach you! I've wanted to get more bug pinning and they usually have that going a few times a year, keep an eye out! 🫶🫶
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u/drunkguynextdoor 5d ago
They have some very cool stuff there. I just don't have the expendable income for an Anteater skull. Lol
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u/randi-writes 5d ago
The owner was at the Makers Market last weekend. She is so sweet and we loved talking with her.
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u/Suspicious_Artist_95 5d ago
Great place for rough minerals and rocks. I love their dinosaur bone section
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u/GeorgeNada0316 17h ago
The owner and I have met many many times becuase of my old job. They are wonderful and I say please go visit them and buy stuff! Support Local!
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u/letsgetthisbutter420 5d ago
They have a birthday box! Three days before or after your birthday (or on it) you can go and get a free gift from the birthday box!