A TRUE GEM
Harmony’s Appalachian Rock Shop and Jewelry Emporium offers unique
experiences and opportunities to hobbyists and connoisseurs all over the world.
BY NICOLE TAFE
T
om Metarko grew up in the Latrobe area and moved back
“home” to southwestern PA in the late 1980s. He met Leslie,
originally from New Orleans, while living in Denver where
they both worked in the oil and gas
industry. They immediately bonded
over their backgrounds in geology.
They both hold advanced degrees
in the subject and were inspired by
dynamic professors during their
studies, which instilled a passion for
learning about the earth. The couple
has lived in Cranberry Township
since 1988 and they have two
children, Andrew and Sarah.
When the oil industry took
a dive in the mid-1990s, Tom
lost his job and wanted to take a
chance on a career outside of the
corporate world. One day, Leslie, a
stay‑at‑home mom with two young
children at the time, went with her husband to visit a shop that was
for sale in Harmony, a