FRESH, FUN, ACCESSIBLE, SPIRITUAL TOOLS FOR NEW ADVENTURERS & SEEKERS.
BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
Kerri Cole is a woman to know and love. She’s a Denver treasure, and over the years, has worn many hats. Most recently she has taken the role of “magical curator of this and that” by opening Confia Collective. A brightly lit boutique at 1549 S. Pearl Street that fosters an environment of curiosity, kindness, compassion, and joy. It’s a place where you will find tarot cards, crystals, home decor, candles, books, bath and body goods and ritual tools, to name a few. This place is modern, fresh, and welcoming. We were so fortunate to talk with Kerri about the journey that has lead her here.
When we look at your experience and history in the design world of Denver, it appears you’ve lived a thousand exciting lives before birthing Confia. Can you give us a glimpse into your history and journey leading to where you are now?
Looking back, what a history I have! I am a constant creator and serial entrepreneur. I now call myself a Magical Curator of This & That (besides mom, wife, feminista, lightworker, reiki practitioner, and friend). I grew up in Denver and consider myself a native (I was three when we moved here from Tulsa). I have a business degree from USC and an Interior and Environmental Design degree from UCLA. I’ve been an interior designer, the owner of Americana Home Collection, a beloved gift and home furnishings store in Cherry Creek North, a real estate stager, a party planner, a product designer. I’ve been called upon to do stage design for musicians and to create one-of-a-kind themed fundraisers. I’ve designed and renovated Airstreams with my husband for Colorado Caravan, and my latest job was as an interior prop stylist for editorial magazine photo shoots. My work has been in 5280 Home magazine, Colorado Homes and Lifestyles magazine, Luxe magazine, and national advertisements. I think you can see all of this varied creativity when you come into the store, and while it’s filled with products, it’s also a beautifully designed and curated space to make you feel invited, comfortable, and joyous.
As far as my spiritual journey, I have always been an empath and intuitive but had shut away those super powers as a means of survival growing up. After my divorce and being in the depths of despair, I found an awesome therapist who led me on a journey inside myself, embracing the light and dark within me, and exploring a higher power. I became very curious as to what friends were doing and found myself reading new books, traveling, and attending retreats and workshops, classes and seminars to things and topics I didn’t even know had existed before. Without even knowing it I became a “Yep, I’m in!” kinda gal. And yet, even after all this time, I still feel like a beginner on my spiritual journey. I really wanted a place for others to feel at home exploring, where if I didn’t know the answer to something, I could explore right along with them.
Let’s begin with the name. What does Confia mean and how does it translate with your boutique?
Confía is a Spanish verb translating to trust or to believe in. At the end of 2019 I was told by a wonderful intuitive, Ellie Schreiner, that my word for 2020 was to trust. She told me to write “TRUST you have what you need” on paper and put it all over my house to remind me. I did just that. Soon after I went to Oaxaca, Mexico with a dear friend and we ended up in the Textile Museum where they had an interactive table where you could embroider a piece of fabric. Having just received the reading a month prior, I asked my friend what trust meant in Spanish, and she said: Confía.
When I knew I wanted to start with a website I began thinking of a name, and I pondered for a few days and all of a sudden Confía came to mind. I offer products and a way of thinking that translates to trusting and believing. When you open up your mind to start trusting and believing, wonderful things begin to happen. Even if it’s a really terrible break-up or you’ve lost your job, those things are teaching and preparing you, you can learn from those experiences and move on to greater things (or it is your choice to stay stuck, too) TRUST that you have what you need and that those experiences are for your greater growth and good. You’ll soon look back and realize that you’ve gone through a great transformation and that your life is lighter, happier, and more fulfilling.
We love the spiritual, artistic and witchy vibes of your boutique. For our readers who have not yet been to your shop, can you tell us a bit of what is to be expected?
If you don’t know what you’re walking into, at first you’re going to be filled with happiness and wonder, it’s such a great bright inviting space with incredible energy. After you begin to looking at the curated gifts, you’ll start to notice that you are surrounded by beginner spiritual tools that are fresh and fun and that there is a bright vibrant positivity within the space. You can find crystals, zodiac, astrology, affirmation, oracle, and tarot cards, evil eyes, self care, sacred hearts, books galore, and really, really great gifts. There are signs throughout to help educate so that customers don’t feel odd or out of place if they don’t know something. There might be a guest pop-up in the shop, an impromptu dance party underneath the disco balls, or someone reading tarot cards in the back room. I can’t wait for you to experience it!
You have finally landed in a permanent space on S. Pearl Street. The square footage is vast. What are your plans for the upstairs?
We will soon open the upstairs, directly above the retail store. It’s almost like the store is a step inside a moment for beginners and the upstairs is an elevated, deeper exploration. A life, mind and soul changing atmosphere. There will be two fully furnished rooms available for half-day rental to those professionals who are offering alternative healing modalities. Think acupuncture, massage, Cranial Sachral, Reiki, energy healing, etc. There will also be a large open space for rent to the community, for the collective, for yoga, meditation, sound bath, trauma work, workshops, and gatherings. It’s where the collective really comes in to form.
What advice would you offer someone who desires to begin self tarot readings and spiritual rituals?
First, what I would say is your approach should lead to a connection to spirit, to our inner selves. Next, what sparks your interest? Is it a certain deck of cards? Is it the ritual of smudging (the ancient ritual of eliminating negative energy from your being or your space to allow an opening for positive energy to emerge). Next start small, everyone has to begin somewhere. When I started this journey, I didn’t know most of what I know today – I keep my mind open and curious and give my ego a backseat. Curiosity keeps us out of judgment, that alone can lead to a tremendous change in the way we live in the world.
Some people might want to file all of this under “woo-woo.” But we’ve seen first-hand a huge movement in the direction of meditation, looking inward and self-care. What benefits will beginners see when diving into this space?
Sure, it definitely could be seen that way, I hope to break it down to really palpable, easy, beginning steps. In fact, we have a book, Why Woo-Woo Works, that we can’t keep on our shelves! As humans we want to make sense of it all with scientific, concrete answers and that book does a great job. Second, I can only share my story, I cannot promise anything. What I do know is this, you must really look inside and do the work by looking at your own faults, shortcomings and traumas. I went from someone at the depths (divorced, depressed, codependent, enabling, victim-mentality) to being open and curious AND doing the work. A sense of purpose, direction, and calmness are some benefits. Oh, and definitely bliss! Right now, I am so fulfilled, I have great gratitude and my life is AMAZING. You will feel this when you walk into the store, the products are joy-based, light-based, and you can’t help but leave uplifted. I’ve heard first-hand stories of people who feel so hopeful and need this type of store.
The number of womxn-owned businesses is far-reaching and supportive. Have you found any inspiration from the community and is there room for collaboration?
Wow! Wow! Wow! Have I! Most of my customers are womxn, searching for connection and community. We don’t have any time for pettiness. We must lift each other up and support each other NOW. That being said, while I am a huge supporter of womxn, there are some very supportive, awoke (or awakening) men. We cannot discount or forget them, and need to ingrate to be a part of that jump-on-board or get-left-behind moment.
As far as room for collaboration, the second part of our name is COLLECTIVE. I’d love to collaborate! If you’re interested, let’s connect and see if we’re a fit to transform and grow together! I was meant to bring beauty into the world, you’ll see more of that blossoming here.
Kerri, you’ve clearly found your calling and we’re thrilled to be able to see Confia come to fruition. We look forward to making new memories inside of your beautiful new space. Visit Confia in person at 1549 S. Pearl Street or online at www.confiacollective.co