According to some retailers, crystals have been used for their healing and spiritual properties for thousands of years and continue to be popular.
The natural beauty of stones and crystals also makes them fun to collect or give as gifts.
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After years running a children’s disco business, Sarah-Jane Nichols needed a change of pace due to health issues.
She found herself helping out at her mother’s crystal shop Crystal Spirit in Swindon and it was there she fell in love with the trade.
(Image: Verity Hoper) Together with her mum, the idea for Crystal Spirit Emporium was born and the shop opened in the historic market in September.
Mrs Nichols said: “This first year has been a dream come true, I have enjoyed every minute.
“The shop looks amazing now and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve had some amazing feedback and wonderful five star reviews on Google and Facebook.
“I’m overwhelmed by all the love and well wishes.”
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Mrs Nichols added: “I had a massive surprise when an extremely wonderful celebrity came into my shop last month. I however will not name names, but she was absolutely lovely and I felt privileged that she came in.
“What I like most about being in the market is how everyone comes together and supports each other. It’s literally like an extended family.
The trader said she has recently added a crystal called Fulgurite to her rarities collection.
“Fulgurites are formed when lightning strikes sand or rock, fusing the material together to create a glass-like tube or crust,” she added.
“I also loved finding out this year all the darker blue in King Tutankhamun’s funerary mask is in fact lapis lazuli. It’s so inspiring to see that people have been using crystals for thousands of years.”
The shop owner said she loved to chat to customers about what kind of crystals they were looking for.
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Mrs Nichols added: “I also love seeing the expressions on people’s faces when they open the lucky dips we sell. It’s become really popular and the videos I’ve been filming have been going viral on TikTok.”
She said crystals were dug up from various locations around the globe, and ranged in price from 50p to more than £1,000.
No guarantees are given regarding the potential effect any crystal could have.
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About the author
Andy is the Trade and Tourism reporter for the Oxford Mail and you can sign up to his newsletters for free here.
He joined the team more than 20 years ago and he covers community news across Oxfordshire.
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