La Befana’s, a speciality gift shop featuring an eclectic mix of new age and antique items, is now located in the Newburgh Vintage Emporium Ware-House, located at 10 Route 17K, booth number 71 in aisle Downing Ave.

The shop sells everything from Victorian lady prints, lamps, furniture and jewelry to gemstones, essential oils, incense, candles and books.

Every item for sale is carefully curated and packaged with positive energy by the woman behind it all.

She is Laura Colavito-Agosta, an intuitive consultant-psychic reader, who has been reading professionally since 1996.

Colavito-Agosta has always known she was different from a young age. However, she became sick a number of years ago and the gift she had “came out more and more.”

“I avoided it because it’s not the thing to do… it’s ‘taboo,’” explained Colavito-Agosta. “I still tried to get a regular job and work. But then when I got better, I knew this is what I had to do. I couldn’t keep denying myself of this. I have a gift and I needed to share it with people.”

While she had been providing readings for many years prior, she moved into her first storefront in the village of Montgomery in 2005.

She was in the Montgomery location for five years before she moved to online only while dealing with family matters.

Although La Befana’s is back in person in Newburgh, her website is still home to a variety of different items, the blessing oil being one of the most popular.

Online you can find more information for each item with a detailed description on how to use them and what ingredients they include.

While her online store continues to thrive, she is excited to have found a new location.

“I kept waiting and looking,” said Colavito-Agosta regarding finding a new location. “Eventually, the opportunity arose of having a spot in the Newburgh Vintage Emporium Ware-House.”

“I was in the right place at the right time. The ambiance of their store still had that setting [of the prior store] for me,” continued Colavito-Agosta. “Being around antiques and being that I’m intuitive, it was like hello!”

The Ware-House itself is owned by Anthony Vesnaver and Matt Smith and is an extension of the Newburgh Vintage Emporium, located on Route 9W.

“They did a really great job with the Ware-House and I’m really happy to be a part of it,” said Colavito-Agosta. “The atmosphere is open, airy and welcoming.”

Every Sunday La Befana’s brings in new items that continue to exude new age and victorian – with recent bestsellers being the sage kits and the blessing oil.

“I can be my own. I am around all of these old things,” said Colavito-Agosta. “I get to be able to be with people, see them when they come in and talk to them about their purchases.”

The biggest seller at the Ware-House has been the sage kits because of people wanting to cleanse the antiques they are purchasing. Colavito-Agost has been called the “antique whisperer” herself, as she has a good sense of what items could use a cleanse.

La Befana’s sage kit includes palo santo, an abalone shell, a peacock feather, selenite crystal, black tourmaline and white sage. It also works well for home and office cleansing.

“I put it together myself,” said Colavito-Agosta. “I feel that the energy is positive, and it includes a front and back information sheet.”

Customers can look forward to the next new item being brought in, which is the sage spray. It is ideal for people who are sensitive to smoke, as traditional sage is used by burning it.

Colavito-Agosta named her shop after La Befana, who is the good witch, a kind wise woman and the giver of gifts – all qualities she sees within herself as she is one to help people and loves her family.

Not to mention, growing up her family teased her by calling her La Befana.

“When it came time to open the store,” said Colavito-Agosta. “I figured La Befana was the name. She’s all about family, family-bonding, the children. She’s known as the good witch. It fit perfectly.”

While the specialty shop is located in the Newburgh Vintage Emporium Ware-House, she conducts all of her readings over the phone.

Conducting the readings over the phone has allowed location to not be an issue and she feels her “clients are more comfortable and relaxed in their own home or ideal environment.”

Additionally, with the COVID-19 pandemic it is safer over the phone.

La Befana’s is open in coordination with the Newburgh Vintage Emporium Ware-Houses’ hours. The Ware-House is open Friday to Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesday and Wednesday they are closed.

Colavito-Agosta is there on Sundays. Please check with her prior, or stay tuned on her social media, to confirm the time.

La Befana’s is currently preparing for the October to January season with Halloween, Little Christmas and the Epiphany.

Visit labefanas.com or follow @LaBefanas on Instagram or Facebook.