Sal LaMarco will always remember the burly South Philly man who walked into his retailer, Mineralistic, in search of a pink crystal that some individuals consider promotes love and therapeutic.
“He needed a rose quartz however he was speaking like he was shopping for medicine as a result of he didn’t need anybody to listen to him,” LaMarco mentioned.
He didn’t maintain it in opposition to the shy man. Heck, in 1989 when LaMarco began his enterprise — which makes a speciality of crystals and tumbled stones however has offered every thing from meteorites to dinosaur fossils — he wasn’t into all that metaphysical stuff both.
However now?
“I don’t wish to get too woo-woo mystical about it however when you’re round these items each day, you possibly can’t deny it,” LaMarco mentioned. “I don’t know if it might have an effect on anyone else the identical method, nevertheless it simply turned very apparent that there was some constructive components to metaphysics that might profit individuals.”
However not like the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there’s no Time Stone on this one to show again the clock. Enterprise at Mineralistic has steadily declined since 1998 and for the final six or seven years, LaMarco and his spouse, Janice, have been the shop’s solely workers.
And so, after 35 years, the couple is making ready to shut their store and take a while for themselves.
“No one needs to work seven days every week,” LaMarco mentioned. “However we do love this place and we love the individuals. Due to that our complete existence revolves round right here — our social life, our financial life, so this can be a huge transition for us.”
Written in stone
LaMarco was working as a manufacturing supervisor in New York Metropolis’s garment trade when his divorce from his first spouse propelled him to Philly within the late 80s, the place he had kin and the price of dwelling was cheaper.
His nephew needed to begin a retailer and LaMarco had the cash. So in Might 1989 they opened Mineralistic’s first location, a small house at 608 S. 4th St., the place they offered principally crystals, minerals, and wooden carvings.
LaMarco mentioned his inspiration for the identify got here from Madonna’s tune, Materials Lady, about being a materialistic woman.
“I simply took that and added mineral to it,” he mentioned.
Janice LaMarco, a Northeast Philly native, was dwelling on 4th Road on the time and started working on the retailer for LaMarco on weekends when he went to go to his daughter.
The South Philly couple don’t keep in mind precisely how their romance took root (they agree it was probably over drinks) however they do keep in mind each of their weddings. The primary was in 2004 within the entrance seat of a Nissan 350Z convertible on the drive-thru of the Little White Wedding ceremony Chapel in Las Vegas and the second was the next yr in New Jersey throughout a snowstorm and an Eagles playoff sport on the Linc.
The legendary inside
Mineralistic remained on the 4th Road location for 4 years, throughout which era LaMarco purchased out his nephew and started increasing his stock. Sal and Janice LaMarco then moved the shop to 335 South Road earlier than touchdown of their present location at 319 South Road in 1996.
The house was beforehand house to the Snyderman-Works Galleries, and its homeowners Ruth and Rick Snyderman rented the house to the LaMarcos.
The couple teamed up with John Christinzio Jr. to assist design the shop’s fantastical inside. A group of seven artists painted a cloud-covered blue sky on the tin ceiling tiles, inexperienced marbling on the ornamental molding, and scenes of sizzling air balloon rides and lizards on the partitions.
The open staircase to the basement, which has an indication that reads: “Workers solely all others shall be…Devoured,” incorporates a portray of an offended dragon surrounded by skulls on the backside and sculptures of human palms reaching down from the ceiling above.
Even the tree branches adorning the shop have been sourced regionally, proper out of Fairmount Park, LaMarco mentioned.
The legendary inside design paired completely with the shop’s choices and theme, even when the LaMarcos have a tricky time defining precisely what that theme is.
“It’s stuff no person else has the nerve to promote,” Sal LaMarco mentioned.
‘A lesson in ego’
Whereas stones, crystals, jewellery, and statues have been mainstays, Mineralistic has carried every thing from chess units and water fountains to meteorites and dinosaur fossils.
At this time, just one massive fossil stays, the pinnacle of an 85-million-year-old mosasaurus. A number of years in the past, LaMarco offered his beloved triceratops fossil that held on the wall for greater than twenty years.
“I miss it lots. It was virtually a lesson in ego,” he mentioned. “I noticed I used to be figuring out myself an excessive amount of with possessions.”
LaMarco nonetheless has different treasures he gained’t half with, like a meteorite from Argentina he traded for “a clutch of seven dinosaur eggs plus money” and a big amethyst geode carved into the form of an alien’s cranium, which he could have bought after one too many beers.
“I purchased it and I’ve by no means been happier. I carried that factor round like a child for 2 days after I first received it,” he mentioned. “Individuals are available in on a regular basis and ask for it nevertheless it’s not on the market.”
Whereas the shop’s cabinets are emptying, there’s nonetheless loads of discounted gadgets for the taking, together with crystals, stones, and jewellery; steam punk clocks, skulls, and mirrors; and statutes of fairies, Egyptian gods, dragons, demons, bats, cats, and cat bats.
Through the years, Mineralistic had three actual retailer cats too — Jet, Furball, and Woodrow. They have been all black and all rescues, however all have lengthy since handed on.
‘The true gems’
When prospects come to Mineralistic searching for stones or crystals to assist them with a particular challenge — like well being, cash, or love — Janice LaMarco, who is aware of the that means of every piece, helps information them.
“Individuals are available in in search of stones to deliver them one thing, identical to Jack and the Beanstalk,” she mentioned. “We get individuals in right here on a regular basis asking what brings luck. I don’t inform them something is sweet for luck. They’ve received to deliver it themselves.”
Sal LaMarco mentioned perception in metaphysical issues like crystals helps to a fill a gap for some individuals.
“If you wish to deliver it all the way down to a phrase it’s consolation. It offers individuals emotional consolation,” he mentioned. “Once you take a look at one thing that’s stunning, whether or not it’s an individual, a scene, or a stone, that opens your coronary heart and as soon as your coronary heart chakra is open, every thing else follows in line.”
Mineralistic’s prospects are as eclectic as the shop itself and the LaMarcos have been in enterprise so lengthy they’ve regulars that shopped on the 4th road retailer who deliver their grandkids in now.
However Sal LaMarco brazenly admits that “not each buyer has left right here blissful.”
On-line opinions on Google and Yelp are sharply divided. In a single camp are individuals who mentioned they acquired “nice customer support,” the homeowners have been “pleasant and useful,” and the shop had a “soothing power” and “superb vibes.”
However different reviewers mentioned they skilled “horrible,” “odd,” or “impolite” service and that the shop had a “damaging power” and “unwelcoming ambiance.”
One Yelp commenter mentioned: “You must earn your respect and pleasant angle, don’t count on it.” Then, there’s the reviewer who broke it down for everyone.
“These opinions are very polarized, and I get it. Welcome to Philly y’all! You don’t prefer it, then get out, and when you like what you see then hurry up…Sure individuals have their very own opinions, sure the power is uncooked and considerable, however these two of us are the actual gems of the shop!” Kamea Freedman wrote on Google opinions.
Sal LaMarco mentioned he tries to be civil, however admittedly, does higher on some days than others.
“I’ve a life exterior of this place. I even have a life inside this place and lots of occasions issues are tough and it’s very tough to be Mr. Rogers if you’ve received private points,” he mentioned. “I do my finest however for the individuals I pissed off, I simply wish to say I’m sorry. It wasn’t something private.”
‘Good for one another’
The LaMarcos started fascinated with closing their store about two years in the past. Once they each suffered sicknesses final December and have been unable to open the shop for vacation consumers, “it was the ultimate nail within the coffin,” Sal LaMarco mentioned.
“In a method, that was a blessing as a result of if that didn’t occur they’d in all probability bury me in right here,” he mentioned.
The LaMarcos don’t know what is going to occur to the house, which they lease, they usually don’t know precisely after they’ll shut. They’re making an attempt to promote as a lot merchandise as potential earlier than shutting the doorways, however Sal mentioned he doesn’t see Mineralistic remaining open past Might 1.
They’ve been slowly breaking the information to prospects as they arrive in and, in flip, have realized simply how necessary their retailer was to so many.
“Philadelphia’s been fairly good to me and I’m very grateful. I imply, I’ve been good to Philadelphia too,” Sal LaMarco mentioned. “We’ve been good for one another.”