There was a shop on the Pearl Street mall in Boulder that sold rocks and fossils and semi-precious gem jewelry. I say was, because it closed down today. It was a cool place to get stuff like that, but I know I didn't frequent it as often as I should have. I do have several fun pieces from there, including a lovely peridot pendant I'm wearing right now. But rents on Pearl Street are prohibitively high, as they are in most of Boulder (I'll save the explanation of why that is so for another day), and the little shop just couldn't swim against the tide hard enough. There are other stores owned by the same guy, one in Nederland and one in Fort Collins, and they are doing okay, from what I hear. As of today, the Boulder location is no more. They'll probably put a chain the tourists and new residents would rather go to, like a Sephora or something. It's not easy being a local business in a town evolving like Boulder has been.
My son-in-law worked there for more than five years. He has a better-than-passing knowledge of geology and fossils, and it was a perfect job for him while he was in college, and in the years since. Well, it was perfect for the people who wanted to hear about the science of the stuff. It being located where it was, there were no end to people who wanted to hear about the spiritual qualities of different stones, and that really wasn't the specialty of anyone who worked there. They had a book they'd refer people to who were looking for that sort of information.
I knew the shop was closing for a few weeks. I kept meaning to go down and see about picking up a new pendant or earrings, while the deeper sales were going on. But it was Christmas and I was busy and I really didn't want to fight for parking in downtown Boulder. I almost went on Friday, when my daughter suggested it, but I had already driven that way once that morning, and I made plans to see Star Wars instead. She asked me to drive her there after work today, and it seemed like my best option. We thought we were arriving with half an hour to spare. When we walked up, the shop had closed for good 30 minutes earlier, and the staff was gathered in the middle, telling sad stories and waiting for a last dinner together. My son-in-law let us in, and I met the owner. But I wasn't rude enough to suggest they sell me something after they had totaled up the sales and closed the registers. I got one last look around, saw a few things I would have bought, given the chance, and then took my leave. I left my daughter there to celebrate/mourn with the staff. If I really want those things I saw, I can look for them at the Fort Collins store. It's a block from my real estate office. I have no excuse not to peek in one of these days.
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