Apr 3, 2008

World of Rocks not your typical gift shopBy Austen SmitYpsilantiCourier.com

After 22 years in business, Gail Kornbluth says she has developed a loyal following.

The owner and operator of downtown Ypsilanti’s World of Rocks, 43 N. Huron St., says after moving her business from Ann Arbor, to Canton, to Belleville and finally settling in their current location eight years ago – she is amazed to see the same people visiting her store as when they first set up shop.

“We stayed in touch with people,” Kornbluth says. “Our loyal customers followed us around to every location.”

Starting out as an arts and crafts vendor – selling decorative rocks, minerals, crystals and fossils – Kornbluth was unable to afford a regular shop in the beginning. She says that she has been able to stay in business because they offer a decent value for the customers’ buck.

“I don’t mark up the products just for the sake of marking them up,” Kornbluth says.

The majority of World of Rocks customers are hobbyists who come for collecting and artists who come for the decorative stones and beads. She says that they do get some customers off the street, but the store remains for the most part a “destination” place for local hobbyists, collectors and artists.

Lately, however, they have been attracting more young people to the store by offering youth classes in bead making, specialty jewelry and wire wrapping, Kornbluth says.

She says getting the kids between eight to nine years old who are interested in discovering rocks and minerals is one of the most fun things about the business.

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