The nature of our business generates a lot of questions from our patrons. Here are some of the most frequently asked:
Q. Is your shop wheelchair-accessible?
A. Yes, the curb slopes down to the street, the threshold is on level with the sidewalk, and the displays are spaced far enough apart to allow for the widest wheelchair. Contact us in the winter if there is a lot of snow on the ground – the city sometimes piles snow in the street in front of our walk and makes it difficult to pass.
Q. Where do I park when I come visit? Plymouth is so busy!
A. Earth Lore does not have its own parking lot, so parking is based on downtown availability. There are always spaces, but sometimes it may be necessary to park a couple hundred feet up the block. Generally no further than you would walk at a department store on any given day. During festivals and city events, expect to walk farther or pay for parking in one of the downtown lots. The least busy times to visit are weekdays before 2pm and after 5pm, and during blizzards when you can often park in front of or just to the side of the building.
Q. Can I order online? Can you ship to me if I pay over the phone?
A. Sorry, no and no. Our inventory is fluid and and changes much too quickly as we find new things and sell old ones every day. We don’t do any kind of shipping.
Q. Can you tell me what stone/candle/book to buy for protection/healing/money/love?
A. There’s no advice we can give that is better than your intuition on these matters. We can usually suggest some options or find a reference for you on most subjects, but we will not tell you what you should buy. You must choose items yourself. We do not dispense spiritual advice.
Q. I have a stone/mineral specimen and I don’t know what it is. Can you help me identify it?
A. Yes, if you bought it from us. If you purchased it anywhere, then probably. Otherwise, maybe. Our expertise is in stones and materials called ‘semi-precious’ – that is, things that are not gems but also not random rocks you find in the river. Our entire staff is trained to identify a wide range of semi-precious materials, so we can usually tell you what you have with some accuracy if the material is semi-precious. Singular specimens we don’t charge to identify, but we do charge 10 cents per ID if you want to bring in a whole bag and have them sorted and tagged.
Q. Do you carve/polish/drill stones?
A. No, we don’t do any kind of custom lapidary work in the store.
Q
. Do you have readers/bodyworkers/healers/psychics/etc available at your shop?
A. No, Earth Lore doesn’t offer any services of any kind apart from stone identification.
Q. Do you carry [X]?
A. Give our showroom a call at (734)354-1877 and we will be happy to look for you.
Q. Do you carry entheogenic (ingested to produce a non-ordinary state of consciousness for religious or spiritual purposes) herbs?
A. No. While we recognize and appreciate the spiritual application of different herbs around the world, we do not sell any mind-altering substances.
Q. Do you sell Essential Oils?
A. Yes, we carry a full line of Nature’s Alchemy essential oils. They are very good quality and a well-respected company we have been dealing with for many years. We also carry a few uncommon oils from different, but equally high-quality brands. Give us a call for specific availability questions.
Q. Are your oils skin-safe?
A. Yes, all of our oils are formulated to be skin-safe with the exception of the essential oils, which are natural materials that could cause an allergic reaction if you were sensitive. Do your homework before putting essential oils on your skin.
Q. Can your oils be used in an aroma burner?
A. Yes, all of our oils are non-flammable and can be used safely in common types of heat-based (candles, warmer plates, etc) and passive (lava stone, ceramic, etc) diffusers. We recommend only using essential oils in the ultrasonic (warm mist) diffusers.
Q. Do you buy from local artists?
A. Not usually, though it isn’t impossible. Most of the time we find that people can’t sell their handcrafted work to us at the price we have to offer – the materials and time often cost more than what we can pay and still charge a reasonable price to our patrons. If you have a developed product, however, you can call or visit and we can give you contact information for the owner.
Q. Are you hiring?
A. Maybe. Earth Lore hires seasonal help four times per year. We announce on Instagram and Facebook when applications are available. Applications can only be picked up and dropped off in the store. You can always call the showroom and inquire! (734)354-1877
Q. How old do you have to be to work at Earth Lore?
A. We accept applicants as early as 17.75 (within 3 months of your 18th birthday).
Q. Can I host my class/have a book signing/play music/give readings/offer free massages/etc in your store?
A. No, there is no place in the store that would be good for setting something like that up. We have a small shop and utilize every square foot of our inside space. The sidewalk in front is not wide enough to set up outside without blocking traffic.
Q. Can you hold an item for me until I can come get it?
A. Yes, but only until the end of the day. Items on hold past the end of the day will be restocked in the morning.
Q. Are your herbs edible/safe to use for tea?
A. Yes and No. Yes, most of the herbs we sell are certified organic and our packaging procedure is cleaner than if you were to scoop your own out of a bulk bin. No, because many of the herbs we sell are not edible at all and are meant for incense, sachet, cosmetic, or ritual purposes. Some would be very bad for you to ingest, so you must do your own homework here. We are not herbalists or qualified in any way to tell you what is and is not edible, though we do have reference books available if you would like use them. Also, we have had a couple reports over the years of the strong incense smell in the shop getting into less-pungent herbs and changing the taste of tea.
Earth Lore allows exchange of most merchandise, with receipt and in original packaging/condition, within 30 calendar days of purchase. If you do not wish to find items in the store at the time of exchange, we will issue a store credit certificate that does not expire so you can come back at your leisure. We do not offer returns.
We cannot exchange: