Metaphysics in Capitola Village: A Q&A with Gwen Thomas of Avalon Visions

Born in San Jose and raised in Los Gatos, Gwen Thomas is a well-traveled local. As the owner of in Capitola Village, she provides a destination for residents and tourists to explore often-unearthed parts of the human experience. Thomas, a self-described "out-of-work lawyer," sat down with Capitola-Soquel Patch this week to discuss herself as well as her business.

Capitola-Soquel Patch: How long have you owned your business in Capitola?

Gwen Thomas: I bought it from the second owner in the spring of 2007, so I’ve been here for four years, but I’ve known about it for a long time. I think this is coming up on the store’s 18th year.

Patch: Describe Avalon Visions.

Thomas: It’s a metaphysical bookstore and gift shop. It’s also a really spiritual store. We do groups and we have people that meet here. We try to serve the community. In general, we help give people the choices as to what paths they are going to take. We don’t exclude any religions. We always have psychics and we have an aura camera too, which measures the electromagnetic output of your body, so you can see what colors are around people that the psychics see.

Patch: How long have you been interested in the kind of work your shop does?

Thomas: I’ve been interested in it since I was really, really young. I don’t remember not being interested in it. I have no memories of not wanting to know more about it.

Patch: How does your shop help people?

Thomas: It provides hope where some people don’t have hope. It provides a means of steady esoteric things that aren’t talked about. It provides tools if you want to practice different arts. It helps keep people out of the psychiatrist’s chair and out of the courtrooms by providing some solutions. Having someone sit down with you and intuitively talk you through something and actually give you advice is one step above what some psychologists do.”

Patch: What do you say to the skeptics?

Thomas: You have to decide for yourself, gather the information, try different paths and see how things work and see if it’s something that you are interested in. I’m a skeptic, but I’m not a debunker. I don’t just follow down every path. I'm an educated person. I have an AA in Liberal Arts. I have a BA in Political Science. I have a Master’s in Science of Law and I have a Juris Doctorate. Basically I’m an out-of-work lawyer. But, I love doing this and that’s why I’m an out-of-work lawyer. I don’t want to go back into that. I don't want to argue with people all day.”