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Updated: October 16, 2022 @ 1:54 am
Sam (left) and Maria Viscome, owners of Harmonic Earth in Oswego.
Sam (left) and Maria Viscome, owners of Harmonic Earth in Oswego.
OSWEGO — Siblings Sam and Maria Viscome recently opened Harmonic Earth, a new crystal, gem and mineral shop in Oswego.
The Viscomes currently live in the Town of Granby and grew up there as well. Sam Viscome was running a CBD shop, Our Remedies, in Syracuse when he first had the idea to start selling crystals. He said that customers would commonly ask about crystals and expressed interest in them. He reached out to his sister about crystals, since she always had an interest in them.
“It all kind of came together,” Viscome said. “(Maria) was my consultant for the first crystal purchase, and we wanted to move it closer to home. I don’t have a lot of roots in Syracuse, but we do in the Oswego and Fulton area.”
There are multiple reasons why the siblings and others are attracted to crystals, according to Sam.
“There are metaphysical properties that a lot of people subscribe to,” he said. “We’re not here to push that, so to speak. They are a tool for energy healers, so there’s that functional aspect of it that I really enjoy, as well as just a collectible thing. All sorts of people had a rock collection when they were a kid, I think we all did. I think that is my favorite part, when there’s a little kid in here picking out little rocks for their rock collection.”
Another reason crystals appealed to him was how selling them would align with his business ethics.
“There was something from the earth, it checked that box and something that isn’t going to turn into trash very quickly, it checked that box,” Viscome said. “Within the market of crystals, there aren’t always ethical business practices, but it’s becoming more popular to be ethical with it and more known, so I can network in that world and give my money to good people and consider every dollar I spend a vote.”
Maria had been living in Florida when the idea for a crystal shop first came to fruition, giving her the opportunity to come back to her hometown. She said that working together as siblings has been a good experience.
“We communicate really well and we always have,” she said. “We’re the two middle children, so we’ve always gotten along really well. It’s great, because being adults and being able to communicate with each other is very different from growing up and fighting and bickering and things like that. So it’s really neat, kind of getting to re-know each other again as adults and growing together with this. It’s been really amazing.”
Harmonic Earth also offers house plants in unique containers, which the Viscomes either make themselves or alter items that are unlikely to be reused otherwise. Herbal teas, medicinal mushroom products and CBD products are also sold at the store, but the main focus is on crystals.
The owners hope to one day have the store packed with crystals. One thing that is important to them is that their products are priced affordably so that they’re accessible to everyone.
“Offering affordable things is really important,” Maria said. “We don’t want to be a high end shop that isn’t welcoming to the entire community. … We really want to be accessible.”
In the future, the Viscomes also hope to have more community involvement. They would like to offer consignment opportunities to local artists and host events such as workshops at the store after hours.
The siblings said that the store is welcome to all members of the community, including their pets. Owners can bring their pets into Harmonic Earth, as long as they can keep them under control.
“As long as you can tame the beast and keep it under control, obviously, and be respectful out in public,” Maria Viscome said. “We have to be able to pet and love them.”
The owners said that they’ve received a positive response from the community, and already have some regular customers.
“We’ve had an incredibly positive response,” Maria Viscome said. “It’s been so heartwarming. My heart bursts every day that we’re here.”
Harmonic Earth is located at 52 W. Bridge St. in Oswego. The store is currently open from 2-7 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and from noon to 7 p.m. on Saturdays, with plans to expand hours in the near future. For more information, visit their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/harmonicearthshop.
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