I Want to Become a Curiosity Merchant

Not even for profit, but just to deliver an experience. I mean I'd still want to make a profit, but just not put it first and try to make it a career if that makes sense. The biggest thing would be delivering an experience, something memorable and unique for others. A big old sign or something that says "Cures and Curios"

So here's the scheme. Get a box truck, step van, or even a pickup truck with those swing-door tool boxes on the sides. Make it look old, like it barely runs. Normally just sell all sorts of traditional herbal remedies. Indian made stuff, salves and balms and tinctures. Maybe toss in a few old recipes from medical books, y'know home remedies. New age medicine seems to be a good market, so something like that could be a good more sustainable stream of income. But then there's people who want to know about the curios, not just the cures. I'll tell them to come back at dusk, something spooky like that.

If I have one of those big vans, I'll bring them inside, and have shelves of goods there. If it's just a truck, I'll set up tables outside it. Light it with lamps and candles for ambiance. And what would I sell? All sorts of stuff. I found places to buy wild trinkets, and authentic ones too. More normal things like rabbits' feet and crystal balls, sure. But then also, reproductions of medieval alchemy books, shrunken heads, wooden hand-carved tiki heads, genuine egyptian stone urns or perfume bottles or gold-plated statues, jars of eyeballs or hearts, exotic animal skulls, stingray barbs, mummified chicken feet, goat horns, death whistles, preserved animals, decorated skulls. All sorts of one-of-a-kind objects that you won't find in a store. Things that are good centerpieces or artifacts, conversation pieces. But also just things that even seeing for sale or having the opportunity to buy it feels like a once-in-a-lifetime type chance. It's not just about the profit, but about giving the customer some sort of magical, mystical experience.

I feel like it would be a very cool side-job. It's probably not something you can make a career out of unless you heavily lean into the traditional medicine type thing. But it would undoubtedly be interesting and get at least some sales. You'd probably want to do it at flea markets, open air markets, or try and sneak it in around town, y'know set up in a local parking lot or something. Just somewhere where people can see you and get drawn in. I dunno, it's just a fun idea to toss around.