If you’re a fan of earthy food and funky funghi, there is a new spot for you in Detroit. A nondescript storefront in the heart of Midtown has sprouted a mushroom-nerd’s paradise called Shroom Hub, and it opened in June. Shroom Hub sells edible and medicinal mushrooms like maitake (hen of the woods), porcini, shiitake and more, as well as mushroom powders for coffee substitutes, and mushroom chocolate. The store is the first of its kind in the United States.

Psychedelic Shroom Hub are having their moment in the sun, thanks to research showing they may help treat some mental health conditions and end-of-life distress. The mushroom renaissance speaks to a post-pandemic, climate crisis culture in search of something to numb the mindless hum of everyday life. It also plays to a growing interest in new-age spiritualism and a desire for a more natural alternative to drugs like cocaine and heroin.

Inside, the shop is minimalist. There is magic mushroom art on the walls, books about mushroom strains and a menu displayed on two screens that allows customers to buy both edible and dried mushroom varieties. Customers must show a government-issued photo ID and agree to age-restricted terms before purchasing.

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While government figures on drug misuse in Canada have remained flat over the past decade, mushroom use has gone up in places like Portland and Virginia Beach. It’s a cultural shift, akin to the rise of pot cafés in the early days of cannabis legalization. But while the mushroom market is booming, it’s not without risk. As CBC’s Josh Crabb reports, some users say they are at risk of losing their right to take the magic mushrooms they love.