ZRS Fossils & Gifts — Attraction in Minneapolis

This store is absolutely disappointing. With all of Minneapolis detours and road construction delays it was very tough to get to. Then there is no parking available. Once inside the store does look nice. We went there for some sodalite---known as yooperlite (fluoresces under blacklight)...we were sold ten 10 stones and a large one....all said to be. Yeah, when we got back to the RV and to the kids with the blacklight...not one. A total rip-off. I am now the proud owner of 10 rocks that I could have picked up in a gravel bed right outside the RV. Thanks. You are not worth the effort to get back. Keep the money. Jim Yielding

I read your saving face comments concerning my review......So, Whatever Dude. Normally, I would let your saving face comments slide. Not this time. We did encounter detours and road construction and it was frustrating to drive in...true. There was no available parking near the store...also true. We did park at the rear wall of your building where two (2) other cars were parked...again true. BUT, none of that frustration was directed at you or your business. Your female sales clerk never, NEVER, said anything about parking 1/2 block away (she and my wife had that conversation), your female sales clerk showed us where the sodalite was located. I specifically asked her if this fluoresce under blacklight and she said..."YES". We then selected a larger stone as well and I asked to use the stores blacklight and was told that you had it with you. We hurriedly paid and left due to the parking issue. AND that is exactly it. So, truly don't care about any platitudes you may have or anything that will help you sleep through the night. You lied. Your store personnel lied. And I am done with you. The good thing here is---I get to see you in my rearview mirror when I leave. Keep the $10...you earned it or give it to the sales clerk lady for a good sale....

Summary: Racial profiling

I love the selection of crystals and other cool stuff at ZRS. I've been here many times and every experience has been a positive one until today. Usually, the person working is super helpful and excited to answer questions and educate about the crystals. Today, the person working seemed disinterested in engaging with my family and I even though we were the only ones in the store. I'm not sure if they're the owner or not, but they were wearing paleontologist clothing. The energy did not feel very welcoming but I figured it may have been because it was about half an hour until closing.

We looked around a bit and I decided to buy a fairly expensive crystal. I only say that because it made what happened next all the more upsetting. As I'm checking out, my son is a few feet away from us looking at necklaces, and the person working proceeds to stare him down after wrapping my crystal. No words to me or my partner, just staring for an uncomfortably long time at our 8 year-old. At this point, it feels like he is watching to see if he is going to steal something and that the discomfort that my partner and I felt since we walked in was racial profiling (we're Black). I asked him why he was looking at him and he asked if he was going to get something. My partner says no and proceeds to take our son outside. I finished paying and left.

Once I got outside I regretted that I finished my purchase and didn't say something more direct. I hate that this was our experience at a store that usually brings...

It was about closing time when we arrived and were greeted by a warm-hearted man who looked like an archaeologist professor. There wasn’t enough time, I thought, to see the various crystals, stones, fossils and metaphysical finds but he quietly and kindly let us explore his wonderful store! There was so much of an array of one-of-a-kind and rare discoveries that it was extremely difficult to not fall in love with something there. When we asked for some bloodstones, he gingerly showed us some tumbled pebbles from the back and educated us on the quality and color. With a quick lesson to absorb, we then got some “supplies” of two selenite wands, which were beautiful, heavy and priced right. As we were still there past the closing time, he kept his cool as one who knows, that like excavations, time brings discoveries of wonder. And true and behold, seeing we were getting so overwhelmed with choices, helped us around glass cases to offer a beautiful crystal cluster specimen he personally discovered and excavated from Arkansas. Wow! He then introduced us to his world beyond what we saw in the store such as class offerings on how to shape a stone, and excursions to all parts of the globe to take part in mining for these wonderful gems. Truly he was the professor of a great Earth we live in! He definitely made us eager students to go beyond our knowledge of these stones. As for that special crystal cluster, it is happily at home with us bringing with it its positive energy of light and love! Until next time,...