Fantasia Crystals

A metaphysical/crystal store located in Phoenix Arizona.      It began when Dave and Diane Maerz moved from New Jersey to Arizona in 1977 and sometime shortly after created 'Maerz Enterprises’, which focused on making gold electroplated jewelry with Arizona minerals. They attended many craft and gem fairs around the state and sold to the Smithsonian Institute as well.          In the fall of 1989 they opened ‘Fantasia… The Crystal Source’ on McDowell road. After a year they moved to the store’s current location on 7th street and changed the name to ‘Fantasia… A Magical Place’. They offered a variety of crystals, metaphysical and occult goods, books, jewelry and also held many free classes each week. Amy, their daughter, spent much of her childhood at these gem fairs and worked at Fantasia for 4 years as a young adult.     Dave passed away in 1997 due to complications from a heart attack. It was a difficult time for everyone. Amy decided to go back to work at Fantasia in 1999 due to the stress at her hospital job and to help her mother out.     Mike ran an online occult shop that started in 1999 and then opened a weekend only retail store in Glendale called 'Majestic Darkness' with a focus on music, clothing and occult items. After a year the shop name was changed to ‘The Northern Winds’ and Mike moved the store into the backroom of Fantasia.     Fantasia and The Northern Winds operated as two separate stores within one location, which had many benefits as well as some issues. The Northern Winds offered all of the items that Fantasia didn't carry, with a focus on Pagan and Heathen traditions, and held many classes and meet-ups as well. Things went incredibly well for The Northern Winds, relying heavily on Fantasia's customer base, but also offering some new clientele into Fantasia. Overall it was of mutual benefit to have the two separate stores in one location.     In 2014, and after nine years operating as two distinct stores, Diane officially retired and Amy and Mike purchased Fantasia from Diane. They legally merged Fantasia...A Magickal Place and The Northern Winds in May 2014 and renamed the store 'Fantasia Crystals LLC'. The inventory of the two stores was quickly merged and the old Northern Winds store space was transformed into the classroom that you see in the store today.     Fantasia Crystals focused on dramatically increasing the inventory and worked very hard to represent and offer merchandise for as many different spiritual paths as they could. The transition was difficult (and expensive) and Amy and Mike decided to extend the store hours, bring in more staff and to take different roles within the business. It was an exciting and busy transition! Diane continues to help out in the store; rolling magical candles, making Essential Oil and Chakra kits and helping to bag herbs. Erik, Mike and Amy’s son, is now the third generation learning to make magical products from his mom, dad and grandmother.