Wiccan Gift Shop Opens in Wallingford, Hoping to Dispel Stereotypes

February 7, 2005

Source: Record-Journal

http://www.record-journal.com/articles/2005/02/02/news/news04.txt

On February 7, 2005 the Record-Journal reported, "Lily Pedersen, a 51-year-old lifelong Wallingford resident, opened the Black Cat Gift Shoppe at 182 Quinnipiac St. Saturday morning with the hope that residents will keep an open mind. 'We are a gift shop with a twist,' said Pedersen, a 1971 Lyman Hall High School graduate. 'It's a Wiccan shop, but there are a lot of things for other people, too'... Mary Levandoski, owner of MTB Candles at 145 Quinnipiac St. and co-chairwoman of the Downtown Merchants Association, wasn't scared to go in. She was Pedersen's first customer on Saturday morning, when she bought a necklace and a purse. 'I walked in there and I thought it was wonderful,' Levandoski said. 'Now it's great because, if I don't have something, I can tell my customers to go see Lily. I just love it in there.' In fact, Levandoski said she has already talked to Pedersen about making some candles for the Black Cat."