Hermosa Ave. shop has ‘more than just crystals’
Olivia Lomanco and owner Rebecca Lasko inside Earth’s Elements on Hermosa Avenue. Photo
Customers who walk into Earth Elements, an energy healing shop on Hermosa Avenue, are in for a surprise.
For some, it’s the technicolor display of crystals that dominate the front room, shimmering underneath the stained-glass skylight. For others, it’s the fact that the store is there at all: people still walk in from time to time, expecting to find Greeko’s, the sandals and head shop that opened in the late ‘60s and epitomized Hermosa’s hippy past; or Yak and Yeti, the Tibetan-themed retail store that replaced it.
Earth’s Elements opened in December in one of the most notable locations in downtown Hermosa. Greeko’s changed ownership in 2008, and closed in 2012. Yak and Yeti, a retailer of Hindu- and Buddhist-influenced clothing, jewelry, and sculptures, took over, then closed in August of last year. Although the quirky architecture that helped make Greeko’s famous — a stretch of cobblestone sidewalk, the exterior a swirl of brick, shingle and colonial touches, interior lit by stained-glass windows — remains, Earth’s Elements is trying to establish an identity of its own,
“Some people come in thinking that they have walked into Yak and Yeti and realize that it is different, but not…The vibe is on-trend, but then they realize that Earth’s Elements has more items along the lines of crystals, candles, incense, and jewelry, whereas Yak and Yeti had more clothes,” said employee Kelly Davis.
Store manager Rebecca Lasko said customers expecting to see an old, dark smoke shop are pleasantly surprised to see the transformation. She is eager for Earth’s Elements to bring wellness and meditation knowledge to Hermosa. All of the employees have their own stories of how energy healing played an important role in their lives.
“I was in a dark place when I met Rebecca, and she told me to come into the store and come meditate. I came in as a customer and ended up getting a job and working here— it changed my life,” Davis said.
Another employee, Jacklyn Nicolle, was already in touch with her spiritual side and was working on a healing elixir of her own when introduced to Earth’s Elements.
“I was guided by spirits one random Wednesday afternoon. My car wasn’t working, and something told me to come [to Earth’s Elements]. When I arrived, I met Rebecca and we immediately clicked,” Nicolle said. “I had just quit corporate America when I met Rebecca. It was synchronistic and divine timing. She tried out my elixir and we decided to work together.”
To those who might not buy into the idea of energy healing and the powers of crystals, Nicolle urges “be open-minded, be curious, and ask questions. There is no right or wrong way of healing yourself: We are just here to help.”
Upon walking into the store, it can be hard to pick a starting point. Earlier this month, customer Molly Leimbach stepped inside for the first time, and used multiple senses to take it in.
“I love how [the shop] smells and how informative and user-friendly space is,” she said. “I feel like anyone could come in and find something that they resonate with, it is so welcoming and warm.”
The first floor is home to artwork, meditation guides, singing bowls, candles, incense, and other tools with healing purposes. Head for the back, and a staircase leads up to the second-floor wellness den. This small space offers classes like guided meditation and yoga, some of which are donation-based, taking place three times a week. Owner Lasko also offers individual hypnotherapy sessions.
Muktha Ananda first visited out of curiosity, after hearing about “a magic little shop that offered spiritual healing,” and has since returned multiple times.
“Earth’s Elements is bringing wellness in a tangible way to Hermosa. There are so many tools to use that I would not otherwise have access to. I can always rely on the space to provide healing resources. It is a beautiful holding space for the community,” Ananda said.