Dick's Rock Shop ... and Bead Store

Diana

Casey

 Sammy

Diana Wing is owner and operator of Dick's Rock Shop.  Having taken over the store in 2002, which she had helped run with her sister, brother-in law, and aunt (all passed away now), Diana has seen her business steadily increase.  Our clients followed us when we moved, plus our new location has introduced us to many more.  Part of our sucess was due to two regional rock shops shutting down, leaving Dick's Rock Shop as one of the few rock shops to be found along I-25.  Customers visit from as far away as Raton, NM, Canon City and Pueblo - plus many out of state visitors, besides those via our web site.

People like to purchase unique gifts from around the world.  They like the petrified wood and natural stone bookends, stone lamps, water buffalo horn carvings, jewelry, unusual rock specimens and birthstones.  We carry turquoise jewelry from Gallup and Zuni reservations, as well as in-the-rough turquoise from Cripple Creek, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Recognition

The Southern Colorado Bead Society recently featured our store in its monthly newletter.  Several recent articles have highlighted our family business in The Gazette.

Cat Donovan, bead society president, recently said in The Gazette: "She's been really good to us.  Seventeen member shops offer discounts, and she gives one of the better discounts.  Diana has stuff that nobody else has - really unique rock items and prices on beads.  People really should stop by and check out the store."

Community Involvement

Diana is a member of the Southern Colorado Bead Society.  Dicks Rock Shop has been a member of the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society since 1978.  The Rock Shop has also mentored a young lady in the finer aspects of the "rock businesss", and is open to sponsoring another person wanting to learn  about the rock business.

History of Dick's Rock Shop

(Aug. 2004) - When Dick's Rock Shop lost its original owners within two years of each other, it looked like the end for the then 25 year old establishment.  But with some encouragement from customers and lots of help from her friends, Diana Wing, a relative of the owners, decided to keep the business going.  Two years later the little shop on highway 85/87 just north of Highway 16 is still rocking.

Richard Stearns of Minnesota had retired from the US Army and had been introduced to stone-cutting and jewelry-making by Cecile Burghard, the aunt of his Colorado-native wife, Flossie Wing Stearns.  Richard had a knack for the hobby and Cecile encouraged him to turn it into a career.  Cecile and Richard opened a lapidary shop and gift store in August of 1978.  Flossie quit her accounting job to work with them handling the books and working in the store.  Cecile did jewelry-making, stone cutting and silver-smithing while Dick used his skills for repairing, designing and creating pieces of jewelry from rocks and gem-stones found on rock hounding trips and from folks who brought them in from all over the world.  They enjoyed all the people they encountered as clients, business associates, rockhounds, jewelry-makers, sculptors, crafters and artists.

The venture proved to be more than just a career.  Through the business they made many life-long friends.  The Stearns became active members within the community and in less than 10 years Dick became the president of the Colorado Springs Meterological Society.

Illness overcame Dick and he passed away in the summer of 2000.  Flossie's sister Diana Wing, an accountant with some background in the gold, silver and jewelry business, moved from Aurora to Security to help out.  Under Flossie's guidance, she began to learn the basics of the lapidary business and attended trade shows - meeting vendors, artists and tradesmen.  Her on-the-job training was going very well when Flossie passed away unexpectedly in the Spring of 2002.

Diana was shaken and unsure of her ability to carry on the family business.  Friends and customers convinced her to give it a shot.  Even competitors like Ackley's, Chapita Gems and Claim Jumpers have been and continue to be supportive.  Diana has made some changes since she took over, but prides herself on maintaining the friendly atmosphere and service customers have come to expect.