Wen Carey’s love language is gift giving. As the owner of Everyday Zen, a specialty gift shop in downtown San Marcos, she hopes to provide gifts and experiences that can make someone’s day and bring some “zen” into their lives.

How it started

Wen and her husband, Bryan Carey, opened Everyday Zen in New Braunfels in 2018 after a trip to Nepal and Japan where they studied and meditated at Tibetan monasteries and Zen temples.

Bryan was the director of a meditation center in Durham, North Carolina, where they met, and they both were interested in Buddhism. Wen said their experience abroad made them want to open a gift shop.

“I was like, ‘Oh my God, how can we get that feeling of being in Japan again?’” Wen said. “So we were like, ‘We’ll open a store, and we'll get the sand and do the rocks, and we'll get bamboo and have a little tea room.’”



They were open for two years until the pandemic hit, and they began selling their products online. Once the website was up and running, it was time to reopen, and they found the shop’s new home in San Marcos. They opened on Guadalupe Street in June 2022.

Respecting the craft

Upon entering Everyday Zen, customers are welcomed by the smell of burning incense and an offering of a complimentary cup of organic tea. The shop sells meditation supplies, crystals, jewelry, tea and teaware, home decor, candles, and more.

Every item inside Everyday Zen has been thoughtfully researched by Wen, who received her degree in textiles and apparel from The University of Texas. Wen spends time at national and online marketplaces searching for and sampling products.


“Wen gets 100% credit for this,” Bryan said. “She works tirelessly to source her products from around the world. I mean, she's really down to the details of the ingredients and quality.”

Quote of note

Wen said Everyday Zen is her “ikigai,” a Japanese term meaning “life purpose.” A person’s ikigai is something they love doing that is also sustainable. Wen said the shop is what she is most passionate about.

“One of my favorite things to hear is, ‘This is my favorite store,’” Wen said. “That keeps me going. That's what I live for is hearing that.”