Paradise Found Was Never Lost

It was the 2020 Census, of all things, that brought Teresa Taylor to Santa Barbara. The self-described “gypsy from Southern California,” 50 years old at the time, was living in Australia but ready to return stateside and be closer to family in San Pedro. “I wanted to land somewhere nearby where I could put down roots and stay a while,” she said.

Taylor got a job as a door-to-door knocker for the Census in Santa Barbara and soon formed a bond with the city and its inhabitants. “I learned the area by foot,” she explained. “I connected with people, and it grounded me.” As chance (or karma) would have it, Paradise Found had also just come up for sale. 

The metaphysical bookstore, founded in 1986 by a pair of nurses from the Pacific Northwest, appealed to Taylor, the daughter of a librarian. In addition to its titles on astrology and divination, the store promoted healing through music with listening booths and CDs for sale. “I love variety,” Taylor said. “So the shop suited my personality.” She jumped on it.

Though she had worked as a set decorator and nonprofit development director, retail was new territory for Taylor. But with the tenacity of a terrier and the fortitude of an ox ― “It wasn’t my cleverness,” she insisted ― Taylor learned the ropes and brought the business into the 21st century, always operating with the mantra: “be of service to others.”

Under Taylor’s stewardship, books remain foundational to the shop even as crystals, tarot decks, jewelry, candles, religious figures, dream catchers, and other objects that defy easy categorization now fill its cozy corners. Intuitive readers and energy healers meet with clients in person, while customers browse titles on herbal remedies, mythology, psychology, poetry, aging, children’s development, and spiritual teachings drawn from traditions around the world.

That eclecticism is intentional, Taylor explained. Rather than direct visitors toward a single belief system, Paradise Found encourages them to browse widely before diving deeper. “That’s the magic,” she said. Regular events give people a chance to exchange ideas, discover resources, and explore different paths of personal growth. Their newsletters, issued around the new and full moons, maintain a connection with customers beyond Santa Barbara, of which there are many. 

Paradise Found’s staying power as a spiritual way station is nothing short of remarkable as downtown retailers contend with high rents, online competition, economic downturns, natural disasters, and the evolving fortunes of State Street. It also endured years of construction at its doorstep, from the building of The Granada Theatre parking garage to major renovations at the art museum and the library.

Taylor attributes the store’s longevity to its “extraordinary staff, phenomenal customers,” and a willingness to evolve its merchandise with the times. It also provides something impossible to reproduce digitally: a calm room, knowledgeable employees, and the possibility of conversation. Visitors tend to slow down and take a breath when they enter. “It’s always been important to me that when someone crosses the portal, they think, ‘Wow, we’re not in Kansas anymore,’” Taylor said.

As Paradise Found enters its fifth decade, Taylor, now 75 years old, is preparing to pass the business to another owner. The shop was listed for sale earlier this year and she’s still on the hunt for that “magical match.” Whoever takes it over, she said, “must have the desire to be of service and have a passion for the material.” She hopes they reinvent the space and make it their own, as she did.

Taylor may be stepping back but she’s not leaving town. Her roots have grown too deep for that. She’s happy, she said, to pass her hard-earned wisdom onto the next leader. “I want someone with the energy and vision to pop it up to the next level,” she said. “And I want them to come stand on my shoulders.”

Paradise Found is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 17 East Anapamu Street. Learn more at paradisefoundsb.com.