Whether you are on a personal spiritual journey, seeking assistance in various aspects of your life, or simply looking for new ways to beautify your home and brighten your day, Amanda Polehn, owner of Starseed Curiosities and Gifts in The Dalles, has something for you.
Opened in February, Starseed Curiosities and Gifts is a local, ethically sourced crystal and spiritual shop, selling over 90 different types of crystals and minerals along with items such as plants, candles and incense, herbs, tinctures, tarot cards, books and more. According to Polehn, a born and raised The Dalles native, it was while she explored her personal spiritual journey during the pandemic that the idea for the shop came to be. “During COVID, I really leaned into my own spiritual practice, and had a lot of life changes happen, and coming out of it I needed some sort of income, and so, I kind of took my knowledge and experience in retail, and then put it with my spiritual practices of the crystals and all of these things and combined it to the brainchild of Starseed and what this is now,” said Polehn.
“I just saw that there was a need for it here and kind of jumped all in and decided that’s what I was going to do,” said Polehn, “so that’s what we did, and ... it’s been really good.”
While there are spiritual aspects tied to the items she sells, Polehn welcomes anyone interested in her products for any reason they are drawn to them. “My thought with the crystals is that … they can mean whatever they want to you,” said Polehn, “so if you want to come in and just pick out something that is pretty because you like it and it brings you joy… then that’s what you should do. And if you come in and you have like a specific thing that you’re hoping ... to help aid… then then we can help point you in the direction,” she said, “all of us are really good about encouraging people to wander around and kind of feel what calls out to them and that go with those stones. But there’s plenty of different uses for them.”
“We have a variety of perspectives amongst the staff too, different types of knowledge and different types of interest,” said Starseed employee Beth Slowik.
According to Polehn, an important aspect of her business is the ethical sourcing of her products, ensuring that the crystals she sells, which she obtains through gem shows and other small businesses, are sourced using methods such as safe labor and mining practices. “Everyone I buy from, I have read their stories… where the sources are coming from. So there’s a collective of different types of shops and businesses I buy from, but they are all practicing ethical harvesting,” said Polehn.
Besides crystals and minerals, Starseed sells a variety of items such as plants from Dufur-based business Nicole’s Nursery, planters, natural beauty products, candles and more. “Even if you are not on a spiritual path per se, we still have a lot of different things in here that can beautify your home,” said Polehn, “there’s definitely something for everybody.”
Overall, Polehn hopes Starseed Curiosities and Gifts will be a safe and healing space for everyone in the community. “I hope that everyone that comes in, leaves feeling a little bit better. Whether it’s just because they found something that makes them smile, or they found conversation between us and them was helpful and healing,” said Polehn, “that’s our goal, I think, for anybody that comes in, is that they leave feeling this is a nice place to go.”
Starseed Curiosities and Gifts is located at 404 Washington St., The Dalles, open Monday – Saturday from 11 - 5 and Sundays 11 - 3. For more information, visit their Facebook page Starseed Curiosities and Gifts, their Instagram starseedcuriosities, or call 541-965-0065.
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