Glitter Thicket – Veganism and Community Building

Tucked away on Burd Street in Nyack is the storefront of a real life fairy – or at least, the closest thing Rockland has to one. Intricate fairy houses line the walls, and local art and jewelry spills out from the spaces between. Larisa Schuckle, resident fairy and owner of Glitter Thicket, stands behind the counter. Tucked in the glass cabinets she stands behind lie an array of vegan treats, and above the counter vegan comfort food is spelled out in colorful letters. The food is the heart and soul of the store, and something that Schuckle takes great pride in. She hopes that with her fun vegan food she is able to encourage sustainability, connection and education in her hometown of Nyack.

In 2020, Shuckle was working as a humane educator, or somone who focuses on issues facing animals and the environment. She traveled around giving lectures to young people about veganism and the environmental impacts it has. “My big passion is trying to get people to eat lower on the food chain,” shared Schuckle. When her job was postponed due to the pandemic, Shuckle began spending significant time at home and in her kitchen, where she soon discovered a love for vegan baking. She found a “for rent” sign in Nyack and swiftly moved in. 

When Shuckle worked as a human educator, a response she frequently received to her lectures was a concern with the supposed high costs of eating vegan, “…which was a big motivation for me doing this… I wanted to make it the same price as you would get sandwiches at a non-vegan place” says Shuckle. Shuckle also challenges people to break their own preconceived ideas about the limitations of vegan eating. “I think that when people open their mind to vegan… they find that it can be really delicious, and it’s exciting to try new foods. And you get to be really creative because you’re reinventing recipes”. One look at Glitter Thicket’s online reviews or website displays the wealth of custom vegan cake creations Shuckle has whipped up for everything from birthdays to weddings. 

Creativity abounds inside Glitter Thicket. Beyond menu items such as the vegan bacon, egg and cheese sandwich and vegan bratwurst, Shuckle frequently uses her space to hold community events. This includes seasonal themed events like and artist opening and closing parties. It has also been a space for those who want to share their skills with the community in a workshop-style event, such as tarot reading, astrology or shadow work.

Glitter Thicket also welcomes in fairies, vegans, and Rocklanders of all ages to celebrate life events. When chatting with RCT, Shuckle shared that coming up she had both a 9 year old’s birthday as well as a 30 year old’s birthday, both celebrating with a traditional (or perhaps, not so traditional) vegan high tea service. 

In the future, Shuckle hopes to add in even more solutionary-based events where guests can come together and have an educational space to learn about sustainability and the environment. She states that having these solutionary events in a communal bonding space can be a great help in managing anxiety about the future and the environment.