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Controversial Ashland New Age group closing downtown storefront

A storefront on a downtown street. Multiple signs out front say "The Haven," There are wings on either side of the "V"
Roman Battaglia
/
JPR News
The Haven store in downtown Ashland, June 3, 2024.

A controversial New Age group that recently moved to Ashland appears to be closing its retail store downtown. The group has created curiosity for their secretive spiritual practices.

The duo known as TwinRay moved into town back in 2020, purchasing a 96-acre gated estate in the hills north of Ashland. Two years later, the couple opened a boutique store in a prime location downtown. It was called The Haven.

They quickly gained notoriety in town for selling expensive 鈥渂io-jewelry鈥 that claims to 鈥渞aise the vibration and expand the awareness of its wearer鈥, massive crystals and various supplements with alleged health benefits.

More recently, they鈥檝e been accused of using psychedelic substances with their spiritual followers.

Some former followers of TwinRay鈥檚 teachings have reportedly spent up to $80,000 on cleanses, retreats, jewelry and other products, according to reporting from OPB. They also claim that some who can鈥檛 afford the high cost of TwinRay鈥檚 retreats have worked at the couple鈥檚 estate, answering emails and attending to them.

But, the group鈥檚 retail space at 142 E. Main Street was recently put up for lease.

According to the owner of the building, Allen Connolly, the current tenants will be moving out of the space in the next month.

TwinRay did not respond to multiple requests for comment about the future of their New Age store and event space. The couple has also been quiet on social media for months. Their latest post on their Instagram page is from late April.

According to Jackson County property records, TwinRay鈥檚 Ashland mansion was given back to the previous owners, Neuman Properties last year, in lieu of foreclosure. That company is owned by Doug Neuman, who also owns two hotels in Ashland. But, the couple still owns a small section of undeveloped land just north of the estate.

Corrected: June 6, 2024 at 8:55 AM PDT
This story has been updated to correct the number of hotels currently owned by Doug Neuman.
Roman Battaglia is a regional reporter for 老夫子传媒. After graduating from Oregon State University, Roman came to JPR as part of the Charles Snowden Program for Excellence in Journalism in 2019. He then joined Delaware Public Media as a Report For America fellow before returning to the JPR newsroom.