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CT Bucket List: OrchardWorks wand shop brings a little magic to life

The Stafford Springs wand shop is a one-of-a-kind place.

STAFFORD, Conn. — OrchardWorks Magic Wands is a one-of-a-kind place on a one-of-a-kind mission.

“I love how happy it makes people, I get pictures of people doing box openings, and these kids are just ecstatic,” co-owner, Janet Bareiss, told FOX61 News.

Inside their Stafford Springs store and workshop, Janet and her husband Ed are crafting handmade magic wands for all ages.

“We grind it, we cut it, we drill it, we saw it, we then shape it into what we want it to be,” co-owner, Ed Bareiss, said.

With more than 150 kinds of wood and endless ways to paint, stain, and polish, no two wands are ever the same.

“To have something unique that is yours and only yours I think that brings people a lot of joy," Janet Bareiss said.

But are the wands really magical? That’s a question 5-year-old Gabe sent FOX61.

Ed Bareiss had the answer.

“What makes that magic is inside you Gabe, because the magic is all right here,” he said. “Musicians play music with a musical instrument. We make magic with magical instruments if you will.”

The wands can range from $10 to around $200. The couple estimate they’ve sold about 50,000 since they started about a decade ago.

“We want them to feel like Harry Potter did when he got his first letter oh my God the world is bigger and better and more wonderful than I expected,” Janet Bareiss said.

OrchardWorks is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also make an appointment to come into the store and be a part of the process of making your wand.

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