A peek inside the curious world of oddities

Shamaya Sutton, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·2 min read

Oct. 29—What does a human foot, homemade candles, and a preserved cat fetus have in common? They can all be found for sale inside The Piercing Queen & Oddities Shop in Yuba City.

Amber Mitchell is the ruling leader of this unique domain, full of curious eccentricities.

In addition to being a body piercer, Mitchell has become a collector of "occult" type items with a fancy for the macabre. While piercings take place inside her "torture chamber," guests are free to explore a wide arrangement of artifacts and displays inspired by visits to the museum of death in Hollywood.

A previous job in body removal and mortuary transport worked to deepen Mitchell's fascination with the afterlife.

"I became obsessed, mostly I think from a place of fear," explained Mitchell. "I made myself face that and now I find the beauty in it."

Antique mortuary pieces, embalming equipment, and wet specimen jars adorn the shelves dotted with tiny taxidermy bats and other spooky-cute creations. Autographed horror movie regalia fills one corner of the shop while a shrine to true crime, or "murderabilia," can be located at the opposite end. Original records of Charles Manson's music, a 1960s cult leader and murderer, along with a handwritten post card from local serial killer Juan Corona, are some of the most popular items.

"Basically this is like a Halloween store but the things here are real," added Mitchell with a laugh.

Items like these attract a niche demographic of customers, many of whom source their items from platforms like Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, Ebay, and other small oddity shops.

"I've also found that a lot of my clients are into similar things, so it's been a way of 'finding my people,' so to speak," said Mitchell.

Mitchell left her job at Inkognito during the pandemic to pursue her own business venture. Having been friends with Amy Johnson for quite some time, she took her up on renting a space alongside Rockabetty's Hair Parlor. The oddities shop is now a welcomed addition to the creative cluster of businesses housed upon this historic corner of Yuba City.

Aside from the horror genre, Mitchell also offers handmade candles, animal bone jewelry, and books on various forms of paganism and alternative spirituality.

"I just want to get the word out there that this place exists and that I'm open to new clients and onlookers," said Mitchell.

The Piercing Queen and Oddities Shop is located at 567 Second St. in Yuba City. Business hours are 1-6 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. Piercing appointments can be booked on Facebook at @thepiercingqueen333.