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Special Profile

The Pacific Spirit Catalog Company

We got our hands on a recent Mystic Trader and were AMAZED at some of the offerings and their descriptions. For example, the first facing page offers customers the Tibetan Snow Lion Drum.

“Hear Me Roar: You’ll be heard loud and clear with this impressive, deep toned Tibetan Snow Lion Drum … If you ever get your friends and family to stop drumming on it, you can proudly display it as an exotic endtable, the perfect object d’art … Though shrouded in mystery, the history of this authentic relic conjures images of yak caravans crossing snow-covered Himalayan peaks transporting Tibetan monks and their spiritual heritage to safety. Don’t miss this opportunity to invest in cultural transcendence before it is lost in time … Be the first to call and the gods will grant your desires. Price: $2,900.”  

But Mystic Trader doesn’t just rely on these mysterious Eastern items. It’s also a great place to pick up a Kama Sutra board game ($29.95) or a video called Learn the Art of Exotic Dancing ($19.95), or even The Ubiquitous Pig ($19.95), a book full of “illustrations, literature, aphorisms and little known facts about our favorite hams.” Talk about mysterious.

In fact we were so curious, we decided to track down the people behind these catalogs and find out what they were thinking. Our emails were answered by a guy named Jerry who said that everyone was way too busy to have a real interview, since the holiday season has them working 15-hour days, but he tried to answer some of the questions that were burning inside of us.  

AsianWeek: What was the inspiration to start this company?
Jerry: The owner of the company made several meditative journeys to India and found a wonderful small village of craftspeople that inspired him to start a business to help them lead a better life.

AW: What are your most popular items?
Jerry: Posters, jewelry, incense and general gift items.  

AW: Who writes the descriptions?
Jerry: A group of three copywriters.  

AW: Who is your typical customer?
Jerry: Our demographic research shows a 20-55 year-old, with a high female percentage, of mid-level affluence.  

AW: Which countries do you focus on?
Jerry: Indonesia, Tibet, Mexico, China.  

AW: What is the mission behind a catalog like The Good Fortune Catalog? Is there a warranty if the lucky charms don’t work?
Jerry: Please, you should know that a great deal of Asian culture is based on a belief system that is difficult to prove scientifically. There is so much of one’s personal psyche and belief system that is involved.

AW: Do you ever feel as though you are commodifying Asian culture?
Jerry: No.