When I first met Mac, he kept a rock in his pocket — just an ordinary rock he had picked up off the ground. He also wore a ruby ring that he couldn’t lose — he gave it to me to wear once and I lost it in a hotel in Melbourne, but sure enough it turned up in the lobby and was handed in. It was his lucky charm, although he had led a life which was novelistic in its drama and variety. An accident at one of the three jobs he juggled in Vancouver led to blood poisoning in the hospital, which led to a stroke and the loss of his marriage, houses and all his possessions, but Mac took this as a cue to travel the world. Mac is very stoic and open-minded, and so every problem brings a new perspective in his view, and new opportunities.
Rozelle Crystals came about by accidentally. We had fallen in love and travelled around Canada, and then came back to Sydney to apply for Mac’s permanent residency. He wasn’t allowed to work, so we started doing market stalls selling junk. Mac couldn’t believe how much great stuff was thrown out in Sydney. We went to auctions, and his love of crystals was rekindled when he bought some agate. One night at a dinner party, a friend who was into spiritualism was complaining about her life, and Mac gave he her his lucky rock and a big talk. Much to my surprise, she was adamant that the rock had turned things round for her. Within months she met the love of her life and they ended up buying land and starting a business!
I am more sceptical than Mac about crystals, but I have also grown to love them for their beauty and incredible variety. The shop is extraordinary — it was started with hundreds of dollars rather than thousands, .and Mac has built it up to stock almost every crystal anyone might conceivably ask for. People generally take a shine to Mac, so he gets great deals from suppliers. Mac is a savvy buyer and he passes the savings on. The shop isn’t a patchouli smelling lovely showpiece like most crystal shops; you can buy almost everything there cheaper than anywhere else because the rent is not high, particularly large unique pieces. Mac loves doing deals. He wanted the shop to be more of an old fashioned repository rather than new age, and it is. It’s out of the way, opposite Callan Park gates, but we have already had crystals featured in Home Living magazine and used by designers for photo shoots and in weddings — in large part because Mac loves doing good deals for people and buying more crystals!
485 Balmain Rd, Lilyfield
0403 530 368