🎶You Can Ring Danielle!🎶

Lolly: You’ll never believe who’s here with me. It’s Danielle!

Danielle: What’s up?!

L: What is going on? How are you?

D: Pretty good. 

L: So, you’ve been here six years?

D: Six years, yeah. But before that, I was on and off. My sister originally worked here, but if she needed a day off, I would step in.

L: Well, that’s so nice! It is truly a family business.

D: Yup! My mom and me are still here. My sister and my aunt once worked here. And of course, my baby Luna is an honorary employee!

L: She honestly deserves a salary.

D: She gets paid handsomely in treats and chicken nuggets.

L: Oh, I bet she’s happy. Probably your hardest working employee. I’ve seen her work.

D: Yep, she’s a superstar! I always put her to work making those TikTok videos.

Luna, superstar

L: And they are truly a delight! But back to you. You’re not actually a Tarot reader.

D: Nope, just the shopkeeper.

L: You actually do everything, though.

D: I guess you can say that, haha. With mom stepping back, I am taking over more responsibilities at the shop. I’m the one that answers the phone, books the appointments, stocks the store. It’s my face you are greeted with when you walk in! I’ll be honest, Sue helps a lot around here keeping the shop in order. I’m so grateful for her.

L: Yeah, couldn’t be me. I’m grateful for her, too.

D: Hurricane Lolly!

L: My cousin always says, I “don’t travel light” and it definitely shows.

D: The back table becomes yours. You would have hated the old shop. We didn’t have a space like this for the readers.

L: Yes, I’m certainly glad I didn’t have to deal with that, haha. So, did you work at the old shop?

D: Not really. I was too young. I did spend a lot of time there.

L: Despite all the time you’ve spent and continue to spend at Illuminate, with Tarot readers, you aren’t inspired to read at all?! It literally runs in your family.

D: Nope, I really have no desire or interest. Just never picked up on it.

L: Well, you definitely pick up on some things. I can’t wait until you start selling your candles. I swear, you are magic!

D: Keep waiting, haha. 

L: I’ll convince you someday. So, you’re here for the long haul.

D: You know, I guess it’s what I’m destined to do! I don’t know how mom ran this place without me!

L: I know I couldn’t do this without you! Thank you for all your work. What do you think has been the most productive changes you’ve made since stepping up in your role?

D: Well, I’m basically the sole content creator at the shop aside from you. Thank you, by the way. I mean, we started the blog, made a TikTok account. I don’t know if I would have done that without you. I’m also pretty proud of getting online booking up and running. It’s something that has been highly requested and we finally have it. That was all me, haha. I run the website now, though it was incredible to work with Sophia. I randomly get an inkling to change up the store. Keeps things fresh. That’s why I brought my plants in. Just whatever I can, really.

L: All really positive changes. So proud of you. Any plans for the future?

D: I would love to redesign the reading rooms. We wanna try to do more classes and even host events. And I would really love to get back to other community events. Tis the season for fairs, conventions, whatever! I just want us to be there again. I miss the days of ghost hunting, haha. I’ll start with the other things before I try to start that up.

L: Wow, big dreams. I’m here for it, as support and a helping set of hands.

D: Thank you! Glad to have you on the team.

The A Team: another one of Danielle's many tasks... Keeping the tank alive!

L: Glad to be here. I know we already discussed your lack of interest in doing readings. But I have to ask… Do you have a favorite deck?

D: Yeah, I do. It’s an oracle deck. Les Vampires by Lucy Cavendish and Jasmine Becket-Griffith.

L: Oh, cool. That’s so you. Do you pull cards for yourself?

D: Sometimes.

L: Just nobody else.

D: Yeah, haha. Just me.

L: That’s alright, there’s plenty of us for that. Thank you for all the work you do here and even in your free time. 

D: No problem! Thank you for doing this. It’s such a fun series. I would have never thought of it.

L: I’m happy to do it! Let’s get the fuck back to work!