work accident turned into a lifelong dream when Irv Pils , a carpenter at the time , got injured on the job and had to take a summer off . He had always loved rocks and decided to take advantage of this recovery time to further explore his interests . He read a book on how to facet gems , purchased an old used faceting machine , and proceeded to learn gem cutting . He fell in love with it .
Hunting for sapphires in Montana was a favorite pursuit , because he then faceted them into beautiful gems . He became an exceptional gem cutter and soon people were asking him to facet their gems . Liz took an interest at a young age . When she was eight years old her father made her a necklace for her birthday . It was a banded agate with the swirls forming a perfect number eight . “ That felt kind of magical to me ,” she reminisced . “ I remember going on a “ real ” gem hunting expedition when I was around nine years old . I cut my first gem at age 13 , and well , I really could not believe I had done that .” In 1980 , the year Mount Saint Helens blew , they decided to open a store and go “ all in .”
Irv and Liz filled their store with beautiful rocks , crystals , and gems and began to fulfill another need — educating and guiding others interested in the diverse hobby of rocks . They stocked tools , supplies , and equipment . Learning and discovering , they found , was a big part of the fun when it came to geology , gems , and crystals . After the passing of Liz ’ s father and mentor Irv Pils , Sr . in 2001 , Liz ’ s husband Dave joined her full time in their store on Trent Avenue in Spokane Valley , Washington . The addition of Dave ’ s experience was monumental to the success they enjoy today .
At Irv ’ s Jewelry Rocks and Gifts , they teach lapidary arts and are happy to share their years of experience with others , often doing free demonstrations in their store . When you visit you will find plenty of books on everything from finding rocks and gems to identifying them , their metaphysical attributes , gold prospecting , and geology . They are a fully operating lapidary shop ( cutting and polishing stone ) which makes them completely unique . They consider themselves nontraditional when it comes to the jewelry they get to create and their customers tend to be similar .
“ The people who come into a store like ours are typically pretty engaged with the enjoyment of life ,” says Liz . “ Many have multiple hobbies already . Others are looking for something new and
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