In addition to an assortment of crystals and minerals, The Laughing Buddah sells jewelry, incense and figurines like the one pictured here, an iconic Buddhist symbol from which the store's name derives. (Contributed photo)After working as a nurse for over 30 years, Mary Jo Thrun is starting a new chapter in her life by opening The Laughing Buddah, which offers rocks, minerals and crystals.
The store, set to open April 21, sells both raw and processed crystals, as well as incense, sage, figurines and jewelry made from rocks.
Thrun's interest in rocks began over 15 years ago and has only grown. Last year she joined the Tennessee Valley Rock and Mineral Club, which meets monthly to visit mines and collect geodes.
"I've decided that in this last chapter of my life I'd like to play with rocks and dirt," Thrun said.
She began envisioning owning her own rocks-and-minerals store when she was still a nurse. That's also when she decided on the name The Laughing Buddah, which comes from an image in Chinese folklore and Buddhism.
Thrun hopes The Laughing Buddah will be more than a store, but also a place for education and community.
"I hope it will be a wonderful meeting place for people and a place where they can come and learn and share what they have," she said.
The Laughing Buddah owner Mary Jo Thrun says her store is unique in that it offers unpolished crystals straight from the mines. (Contributed photo)The Laughing Buddah is divided into three rooms, the first being the "Rock Room" where the majority of the inventory is located.
Thrun said the store is unique not only because it is the only store in Chattanooga devoted to selling rocks, but because it sells unpolished crystals straight from the mines.
"You hardly ever see the raw crystals. Mostly everything is polished and shiny," she said.
The second room, the "Learning Room," is a space that the Rock and Mineral Club or other local groups may use for events. Thrun hopes to partner with local schools and organizations like the Boy Scouts or Girl Scouts to provide educational opportunities about rocks and minerals for children.
"The rocks and crystals appeal to people of all ages," Thrun said.
Finally, in the "Healing Room," people may come for reiki, a form of alternative healing developed in Japan, which Thrun said is similar to laying on of hands in the Christian tradition.
The Laughing Buddah is located at 4810 Hixson Pike, Suite 122, and online at facebook.com/TheLaughingBuddah.