Crystal and geode store closes in downtown SLO
A crystal and jewelry store in downtown San Luis Obispo has closed its doors for good after three years of business.
Gaia’s Gallery at 750 Higuera St. announced its closure on social media on Aug. 22 after “much reflection” by its owner Christine Branco.
“From the very beginning, Gaia’s Gallery has been more than just a crystal and jewelry store, it has been a sacred space for healing, learning, and community,” Branco wrote in the Instagram post about the closing. “You have all been the soul of this space, and I am endlessly thankful for your support, your stories, and your trust.”
In recent weeks, the store’s windows were adorned with yellow and blue “store closing” and “everything must go” signs, with all crystals, stones and jewelry 50% off. The store’s last day was set for Sept. 22, Branco said.
Crystal collector Phil Gouy saw Gaia’s Gallery’s posters announcing the closure and made a $2,000 order, picking up crystals like tourmaline and quartz on Sept. 12.
“It’s sad when I see places close,” Gouy told The Tribune. “There’s a certain person like myself where when other people go shopping somewhere else, this is where I would go with my family.”
Branco declined an interview request from The Tribune but cited “high rent” in the downtown area as the reason for closing up shop.
She said Gaia’s Gallery was “the heart of downtown,” referencing the enormous rose quartz heart in the store’s window, and called the closure “devastating.”
Gaia’s Gallery opened in 2017, when Branco bought the crystal store Unique Selections, rebranded it to Gaia’s Gallery and moved to its current downtown location. Unique Selections used to be at 790 Higuera St., where Buen Dia now resides.
The store reopened with its new name in March 2022.
“Though the physical doors of Gaia’s Gallery are closing soon, the connections we’ve made will always remain,” Branco wrote in the closing announcement. “Thank you for being part of this journey.”
The end of Gaia’s Gallery was the latest in a string of closures in downtown SLO.
Brixton, Ebony, Proof & Gather, Avanti and Antigua Brewing Company in downtown SLO have all closed or are on the verge of closing.