Healing Spirits (and Gems) Found at District Mineral
By • October 17, 2022 One Comment 2557
I was convinced the lady who knew where all the witches were in Georgetown was the same one selling crystal balls.
“We do have specimens that are spherical,” replied Becky Waddell co-owner of District Mineral, “but no one’s ever come in claiming to be a witch,” she added calmly.
Becky and her husband, Trevor, are the owners of Take Care, a London-meets-Santa Monica green beauty boutique at 1338 Wisconsin Avenue NW. With its soft lighting, body butters, soothing music and paraben-free lip gloss, you’d hardly know the back corner — a shop within a shop, called District Mineral — is the place people flock to when they Google, “rock shop.”
Trevor and Becky Waddell inside District Mineral. Photo by Emilia Ferrara.
“People come from all over,” Becky explains, some because they “just want to be in the energy here” and others “collect specimens in the same way people collect art.”
Before Covid, Waddell and her husband were researching customer feedback when one comment stood out: “I wish you guys sold crystals,” Becky recalls.
“And then things really took off during the pandemic,” Trevor added, “because people were at home and there was an uptick in interest in things for your house (which included crystal specimens) so we kind of rode the wave of sorts, too – online and in store.” Already selling sage, incense, and candles, the couple realized that rocks, crystals, gems and other mineral specimens were the right blend of beauty and wellness to expand their home offerings.
At any given time, customers can browse about a hundred specimens, ranging from pocket-size meditation stones ($6) to three-foot tall formations that “make a statement” in the home, Becky describes.
“At any given time, customers can browse about a hundred specimens…” Photo by Emilia Ferrara.
“Our most precious piece sold for $6,000,” she recalls. “A stunning butterfly chosen carefully to be the focal piece to bring the associated energy into their room.”
Each crystal is handpicked by the co-owners, who travel from Denver to Arkansas to hunt down the pieces they feel most drawn to, investing what the couple describes as a huge amount of personal time and preliminary work. “They’re incredibly special. They come from countries all over the world, taking tens of thousands – to millions – of years to be geologically formed,” Trevor explains. “We sold one mined in 1912,” his wife added.
While some customers seek out crystals with origin countries they have ties to or particular ages they’re inspired by, Waddell says most often people say they’re just drawn to the energy.
“I hear, ‘Oh my gosh, you have crystals, they’re so beautiful, I used to have these when I was little!’” said Waddell. “They’re in search of something nostalgic.” But, more often, “people are very interested in the energetic properties and associations of crystals” or even the “chakra balancing” connection.
Other than the skincare and makeup sold at Take Care, their spa includes facials and Reiki healing treatments. During Reike, crystals are brought into the treatment room to move energy and align chakras. A technique now recognized by hospitals like Johns Hopkins, Brigham and Women’s and the Cleveland Clinic, Reike has grown into a more recognized healing technique originally valued in Eastern medicine.
“One of the really special and sacred parts of District Mineral to me — and honestly of Take Care” — Becky reflected, “is that people often come in when something’s not right in their lives. Their friend is ill, they’re going through a loss, they’re going through a breakup. There’s usually something. And they’re looking for a place where they can anchor their energy. These specimens do help anchor their anxieties, their feelings, and they can sort of start to move on. Or to grow… Sometimes, people come in trying to grow into something… [and the crystal] is a tool to help them focus their energy to get to where they want and need to be. That’s a very private, sensitive experience, so it’s really special when they’re coming here to explore that. We want to give them as many opportunities to take care of their needs as possible.”
Some, she admits, will “charge” their crystals in the light of a full moon, others will cover them in salt – but apparently, for her customers, “any healing is welcome.”
With Halloween upon us in Georgetown, I might not have found a witch, but it’s a healing touch and spirit that Becky says keeps crystal enthusiasts coming back.
Interesting article. and, a great vehicle for introducing potential customers and clients to the Georgetown commercial community.