In the heart of Sioux City, nestled along 5th Street, there’s a shop that feels less like a storefront and more like a warm embrace. Erstwhile Studios, the brainchild of Amber Smith, is a metaphysical haven born from a dream and forged through resilience.
Amber signed the lease in February 2020, brimming with excitement and vision. She imagined a space where people could connect, heal, and rediscover joy. Just one month later, the world changed as COVID-19 swept across the globe, halting renovations and casting uncertainty over every plan. Amber held fast to her belief that intention, patience, and a little magic could still shape something beautiful.
By July, Erstwhile Studios opened its doors, not just to metaphysical seekers, but to anyone yearning for light in a dark time. Reiki sessions, Oracle Card readings, yoga and meditation classes filled the space with energy and calm. Monthly Women’s Circles and Sound Baths offered community and catharsis. People came not just for crystals and candles, but for connection. Some found kindred spirits. Others found solace. All found a place where they could simply be.
Amber’s vision was never about exclusivity. It was about inclusion. Erstwhile Studios doesn’t ask what you believe, who you voted for, or what you’re searching for. It welcomes you as you are, and sends you back into the world a little lighter, a little more whole.
Beyond its spiritual offerings, Erstwhile is also a sensory delight. The shop serves specialty teas, including Amber’s own house blend, alongside coffee drinks, matcha, Fizzers, Chargers, and homemade baked goods. Shelves brim with crystals, herbs, and metaphysical tools, many crafted by women-owned small businesses. In fact, Amber proudly features products from seven other women entrepreneurs, creating a ripple effect of empowerment and support.
Erstwhile Studios is more than a shop. It’s a refuge. A reminder that even in the coldest seasons, warmth can be cultivated. And thanks to Amber Smith’s unwavering spirit, Sioux City has a place where intention meets community and magic feels just a little more real.
In recognition of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Erstwhile Studios will graciously open its door to host a SpeakOut event.
October 25th, 2025
6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
Erstwhile Studios, 510 5th St, Sioux City, IA 51101.
Organized in partnership with the local chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW), this SpeakOut will center the voices of domestic violence survivors. These courageous individuals will share stories of endurance, heartbreak, and hope. Others will gather to listen, to hold space, and to bear witness to the extraordinary strength it takes to survive… and to speak.
What Is a SpeakOut
A SpeakOut is a powerful form of collective truth-telling. Originating in the feminist movements of the 1960s and 70s, SpeakOuts were created to challenge the idea that issues like domestic violence, reproductive rights, and sexual assault were “private” problems. Instead, they revealed these experiences as systemic injustices rooted in inequality.
One of the earliest and most influential SpeakOuts was the 1969 Redstockings Abortion SpeakOut in New York City, where women publicly shared their experiences with illegal abortions. That event helped shift public consciousness and laid the groundwork for reproductive rights advocacy.
During a SpeakOut, survivors share their stories in a safe, supportive space. Listeners bear witness, not to offer solutions, but to honor the truth. The act of speaking out breaks the isolation, builds solidarity, and transforms pain into power. It’s not just storytelling, it’s activism in real time.
To learn more please visit the following:
https://archive.org/details/RedstockingsAbortionSpeakoutNewYork1969March21
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