When you walk into Crystals of Mind located on Westfield’s Main Street, you’ll most likely be greeted by one of the store’s owners, Lisa DiLuzio.  

In thinking of someone who may own a shop of all things metaphysical, a ‘hippy shop’ if you will, Lisa is a walking stereotype. 

A shorter woman with a big personality and even bigger hair to go with it, she dresses in warm colors, decorating herself with crystal pendants and rings. 

she’s evidently humble, yet confident; speaking with intention, but mostly her hands; her tight blond curls bob with each word. 

Her words of welcome feel like a warm embrace, drawing you from the store’s entranceway within.  

In imagining a life behind someone owning a store surrounding crystals and the metaphysical, you may assume crystals have been a lifelong passion of Lisa. However, they were a passion she only recently discovered through the time awarded by the 2020 shutdown.  

From Nurse, to Crystal Enthusiast, to Small Bussiness Owner: All in a Pandemic’s Work 

Prior to any thought of crystals or opening a storefront nevertheless, the couple devoted their working lives to careers in the healthcare field.  

Lisa, a nurse by trade, had a decade under her belt as the executive director for an assisted living facility in Holyoke.  

Kris, a CNA carrying over 25 years of experience, works alongside Lisa at the facility.  

Amidst the pandemic, the two split their time between the hospice center in Holyoke and their home in Westfield. As the situation surrounding COVID progressed, their line of work became increasingly stressful; both mentally and physically exhausting.  

“Everything just started spiraling with COVID, and I was getting really burnt out at work,” Lisa said.  

In search of an outlet, Lisa began watching live streams of two crystal wholesalers from Illinois, Wendy, and Todd.  

“During COVID, you couldn’t go out or anything, so we discovered crystals,” Lisa said.  

Lisa worked to educate herself on the healing properties of crystals, and the metaphysical practices surrounding them. Her spirituality evolved along with her knowledge.  

As her crystal collection grew and seemingly absorbed her home, Lisa’s son made a half-kidding comment “you have so many crystals, why don’t you just open a store!” 

Although hesitant at first, Lisa decided to see what this journey may entail. After reflecting on the past couple of months at her job amidst COVID, she recognized her dissatisfaction with her field.  

“I just didn’t want to keep doing this [nursing], I didn’t want to be regulated.”

Lisa said during an interview with the Voice, “We both come from a field of helping people, and we wanted to continue that somehow.”  

Getting into Business 

Lisa’s son, within his suggestion of opening a store, pointed out the new vacancy of space that used to be occupied by a Metro PCS on Main Street in Westfield.  

“We drove by, we talked about it a little bit; what that would look like and feel like. Kris and I drove by a couple of other places and then I just said – to hell with it!” Lisa said.  

They went ahead and booked a tour with the property owner. Following the tour, they told the owner they’d need a couple of days to think about it – but with each passing day, they kept coming back to the original location.  

“When you think about what the shop’s surrounded by – you’ve got the spa on the end, next door is a massage parlor, then you have us. I think the whole building got a really good vibe going,” Lisa said. 

Within three days of looking at the available property, they signed the lease. With that, they were given a 30-day deadline to get the store together for the cold opening.  

An already difficult feat to tackle, the universe then seemingly went to test their commitment.  

Within two days of signing the papers, Lisa got sick–really sick. Kris’s decline in health soon followed along with the rest of their families. For three weeks following, the two new-storefront owners found themselves bedridden.  

“We had 10 days from the time we crawled out of bed until opening day,” Lisa said, 

“And in the middle of a heatwave,” Kris added.  

Never having garnered any experience in retail, Lisa was guided on her mission of opening the store by her own intuition and passion for the metaphysical.  

As if Lisa and Kris hadn’t had enough obstacles thrown in their way, the universe decided to test their commitment yet again.  

Opening the store amidst a global shipping crisis brought by the pandemic, the stock shipment for the store was not going to be in time; none of the merchandise they had ordered would arrive for opening day.  

“I don’t know anything about retail – I’ve never worked retail in my life. What do I know about shipping and getting things in?” Lisa said.  

Without skipping a beat, she leaped into plan B. She ran around to all the different crystal stores in the area, scouring the shelves, and taking from her own collection for merchandise to sell as her own.  

Kris helped by painting the store the colors of the seven chakras – pink, purple, blue, green, yellow, orange, and red. 

When the day of their cold opening arrived, along with a mayoral ribbon-cutting ceremony, the storefront was blatantly bleak. 

“We had, I don’t know, maybe a few crystals on a table, and a few things on each shelf. The place was basically empty.” Lisa said. 

But they had done it. The world had shoved every inconvenience their way, and the couple handled it with grace, finding a way to achieve the seemingly impossible.  

The Store, Two Years Later …  

Two years later, it’s evident that the one month of turmoil paid off.  

“Over the last nine months, we managed to grow an actual full baby,” Lisa said, referring to her store, “we’ve gotten pretty far.” 

Walking into Crystals of Mind, you can feel the energy shift. The store carries crystals of course, but also goods surrounding Wiccan and the metaphysical. Incense, candles, soaps, intention sprays, handcrafted jewelry, and tarot cards litter the shelves and walls in a satisfying display of organized chaos.  

Getting her stock from a hodgepodge of resources, one of Lisa’s goals in opening the store was to limit her carbon footprint and utilize goods and services from local artists.  

Her inventory features artwork by herself, as well as a plethora of rotating artists. Currently, the store is featuring handmade goat soap and other bath products by Three Birches Farm, which is local to Westfield.  

Lisa is responsible for making the intention candles and sprays carried by the store. She’s also working on a line of pet-friendly products, featuring an anti-anxiety spray and “puppy foot-rub cream”.  

Although focused on retail, arguably the most important aspect to Lisa is education.  

This year, the store’s working to educate its patrons on the wheel of the year. Providing free resources with each passing season, as well as decorating the store in correlation.  

The store also offers metaphysical classes a few times a week, including guided jewelry wrapping and lessons on crystal cleansing.  

The back of the store is where the classes are held and are also home to Lisa’s Reiki room.  

A certified Reiki therapist, and currently amidst a certification in crystal healing, she’s looking forward to offering Reiki crystal therapy sessions through the store.  

“We’re definitely not just retail; I think retail is what gets people through the door – after that, that’s when the magic happens,” Lisa said.  

More than a Retail Space 

Through talking with Lisa, it became evident that what drives her in her work–in nursing, and in her store–is the desire to help people. 

In asking her about the goals surrounding the store, what stuck out was her passion to provide a space for the teenagers in town who’ve phased out of programs, like the ones offered by the YMCA.  

Acknowledging Westfield does a great job providing activities and resources for children, she strives to be a resource for the 14-18 age demographic, providing a judgment-free space for teens to go after school and safely spend their time.  

“I wanted to give teenagers who have essentially phased out of the YMCA or Boys and Girls Club, who are too old. The 16, 17-year-old, who doesn’t have a lot of guidance, it’s the middle of COVID, no one’s going to therapy, everyone’s running around, there’s no school, parents are still trying to work; we wanted to give that group a place to come and be totally nonjudgment,” Lisa said.

“We’re running the flag for the LGBTQ community, and we have a pretty large population of that group who come in and float around,”  Lisa said.  

Lisa, alongside Kris, talked through the list of their identified “adoptees” with pleasure and grace; kids from around town who frequent the store; rarely buying anything but always taking the time to talk with one of the two.  

One of their most avid young regulars will sit on the floor for hours each week, carefully examining each crystal, and always asking for a job.  

“You can see she probably doesn’t have a ton of friends, or a real safe space to come out. So, she comes here,” Lisa said.  

Lost teenagers aren’t the only regulars visiting the shop for conversation. Throughout the years the shop has been open, Lisa has offered her kind words and guidance to all patrons of the shop, even making some friends along the way.  

“It’s about healing, it’s about helping people. I have a lot of people who come in, and they don’t even know what they need,” Lisa said. “We’re probably the least expensive therapy session you’ll ever get!” she slipped in, with a giggle. 

A Deeper Meaning  

Although there’s plenty of rhyme and reason for opening the store, whether it be a change of pace or pleasure, or the desire to help, Lisa’s spirituality seems to be the roots holding it all together.  

When asked to explain her spirituality, Lisa seemingly rambled off a list of religions and spiritual intentions. However, they do ring true.  

“I’m a Roman Catholic, Pagan, Druid, Hedge Witch,” Lisa said.  

Lisa was raised catholic and grew up as an only child in Williamsborough, Massachusetts.  

“It was the middle, of the middle of nowhere,” Lisa said.  

Throughout childhood, she felt closely connected to nature, spending her summers alone and outside.  

“I think [pagan/druidism has] always been a part of who I am,” Lisa said.  

Through the evolution of her spirituality, Lisa has personalized aspects of religions she’s encountered throughout her life and implemented practices to scrapbook together her personal spirituality.  

She claims if it’s peaceful, safe, and nonviolent, she respects all forms of spirituality, deeming a healthy spirituality a necessity of life.  

“I think spirituality makes people okay with the world around them. Everyone needs a belief system to get through those tough times, if there’s nothing you believe in, the world can be a pretty bleak place.”