Whether they are psychic or not, businesses downtown are picking up on students' interest in fortune telling.

Tarot card readings began in State College as a fun way to draw customers from the crowds of visitors in town for the Central Pennsylvania Festival of Arts.

Andrea Minasian is the owner of Tower of Glass, 200 E. Calder Way, which first offered readings during Arts Fest two years ago. Minasian said because they were so popular she decided to offer Tarot card readings every Saturday.

Tower of Glass Tarot card reader Nicolle Brandle (senior-English) has studied Tarot card reading on her own since she was 13 and has practiced for eight years.

But Brandle is not the only card reader practicing in State College.

The interest and demand resulted in another venue downtown. Psychic Tarot Card and Palm Readings, located on the second floor at 107 S. Allen St., has been open for about two months.

"We used to come here for shopping," Sandra Anderson, owner and psychic, said. "I just thought it would be a nice community to do it in."

A fourth generation psychic, Anderson has been practicing Tarot card reading for about 16 years.

The success and failure of a card reading may not lie solely in the cards.

"It depends on each person," Brandle said. "Every problem is different. Every situation is different."

Lenny Isakov (senior-international politics) said he had a Tarot card reading last fall during an orientation program held by Residence Life in West Halls.

"The guy was right on the money," Isakov said. "I was kind of scared."

Isakov said rather than any prediction of the future or past, the most startling part of the reading was the psychic's interpretation of his personality.

Some people, however, have their own reasons for not visiting a psychic.

Alann Whitmore (sophomore-forest science) said he does not plan to have a Tarot card reading.

Whitmore said he might do it if he did not have to pay for it, but did think it would be interesting to hear what a psychic would say about his future.

A regular reader of his horoscope, Whitmore said the predictions are sometimes inaccurate.

"They were never really specific," Whitmore said. "It's hard for a psychic to be specific.

"Sometimes I try to make it work, but it doesn't," he added.

Whitmore said he considers himself open to new things but does not have complete faith in psychics.

Brandle said there were only about three people that she could not read.

One was drunk and the other was so complex that it would have taken hours to accurately interpret each of the cards, she said.

Brandle said clients can also "block interpretation."

Skeptics can not only try to block a reading, but sometimes also are intent to disprove what the reader tells them.

Anderson also has encountered the occasional skeptic.

"There has been some people who won't open up inside or have something they don't want you to know about," Anderson said. "They keep closed doors."

To open these doors, the client must trust the psychic, Anderson said.

But for as much trust as a client might have, Minasian said the readings are not meant to tell people what they need to do in order to solve their problems.

"We don't use it to sell cures," Minasian said. "That is unethical."

The cards can be used to identify people's problems or concerns so that they can fix them on their own, Minasian said.

"The cards will reflect that like a mirror," she added.

Despite his accurate reading, Isakov said he is not eager to have another reading.

"I don't think I would (do it again)," he said. "For something serious? No. But for fun? Sure."