Love From Within The Earth

Gregory, Katja, Otayah and Noriah Langholz-Tronier

By Katja Langholz
Co-owner of Mineral Amorphia

Introduce us to your business. Mineral Amorphia is co-owned by myself and my husband, Gregory Tronier. “Amorphia” consists of amor, which means love in many languages, and morphing, which is to change from one state of being to another. In our opinion, crystals and minerals are the love from within the earth. They brighten our reality with their beauty. The diversity found in the mineral kingdom can inspire us to celebrate and express our own uniqueness and transform our physical reality from a mundane state of existence to a fulfilled life.

How would you describe your shop and how long have you been open? Mineral Amorphia offers a wide variety of crystals and minerals to the discerning collector, crystal healing practitioner and enthusiast. Every piece in the store is hand-selected by myself, the criteria for selection being beauty, rarity, aesthetic and unusual formation, uncommon mineral combinations, outstanding color and energy. We strive to bring to our customers the highest quality of crystals and minerals available on the market. In addition, we carry our own line of gemstone jewelry created by myself and a large selection of silver jewelry, which features crystals prominently. The store opened in March 2008.

Where are you from? Why and when did you move to Kaua’i? I was born and raised in Hamburg, Germany, and lived in London for 10 years prior to moving to Kaua’i in 1998. Greg is from Salt Lake City and moved to Kaua’i in 1995. Both of us greatly appreciate nature and enjoy active outdoor lifestyles. We love what Kaua’i has to offer and value what a special place this island is, and we both felt at home the moment we set foot here. Not a day goes by without us feeling gratitude for calling this paradise home.

Why are you passionate about minerals/rocks/crystals? I have a background in fine art and never cease to be amazed at the exceptional beauty that the mineral kingdom offers. After 17 years of being intensely involved with minerals, my fascination with them still grows as I discover what a vast subject it is. It fulfills my curiosity to learn about different aspects of crystals and minerals, such as the way in which they form. I have studied with a number of schools and teachers of crystal healing, and over the years have developed my own approach to working with crystals and minerals as a result of my research and experience.

Where do you source your inventory? I travel to gem and mineral shows and have a wide network of suppliers from all over the world who often reserve the cream of their crop for us. Many of these suppliers are owners of the mines. I like to go directly to the source as much as possible. Over the years we have formed friendships with many of our suppliers, who are among the world’s leading mineralogists, gemologists and entrepreneurs, as well as artists who work with the crystals and create pieces of artwork with them.

How did you get the idea to open this store in Kapa’a? I founded the first incarnation of Mineral Amorphia in London in 1996 and sold the business upon moving to Kaua’i. In 2005 we took up the selling of rocks again, attending craft fairs and doing shows monthly in our home, as well as having an eBay store. We established a local following and long-term mail-order customers who had come across us visiting the island. We decided to open the store in the beginning of 2008 and everything rapidly fell into place supporting our decision, which we saw as a sign that the new form of the business was truly meant to be.

What would you be doing if you weren’t doing this?

No idea. We are living our passion and dream. Why would we be doing something else?

Who comes into your shop? Many people who are drawn to the store are equally as passionate about crystals and minerals as we are. Among them are serious collectors who appreciate the quality and diversity we offer. We are happy to supply crystals and minerals as companion tools to the practitioners of crystal healing and people who utilize them in their personal healing journey and self-development. We are always excited to see the amount of children and young people who are building their collections from our inventory; minerals are an amazing tool for learning, in terms of geology, physics, chemistry, geography and so much more. Our customers come from all walks of life, with a common fascination of the treasures of the earth. We deem ourselves lucky to have such great customers, many of whom have become friends over the years.

Does Hawai’i or Kaua’i have any precious stones/minerals? The Hawaiian Islands do not offer much to the rockhound. Kaua’i has some calcite, the small green stones found in lava rock, and on beaches with black sand is olivine and occasionally one finds small specks of chalcedony and quartz. The Big Island has Pele’s Hair, which is obsidian, a volcanic glass.

If you could go to one source in the world, where and for which mineral would it be?

I would love to go to South Africa and Namibia, for a large number of incredible minerals are mined there. Following that is a long list of countries I am sure we will visit one day.

What are your plans for the future of your business?

The next step is the creation of our website, which is long overdue. Many visiting customers keep in touch because they have enjoyed what we offer and have been urging us to have a website. We also have had many requests to open a Mineral Amorphia in other places around the world, and a couple of more serious inquiries from people who would like to be part of a franchise. Those ideas may become realities in the longer term. We believe in going with the flow and where a new door opens easily, supported by our desires and external factors. Our two sons (ages 8 and 10) are very interested in fossils and they are planning to have a fossil section in the store.

What do you do when you’re not in the shop? We love animals, have rescued more than 60 cats, dogs and birds, some of which still live with us now, as well as our herd of beautiful horses.

Mineral Amorphia, 4-1372 Kuhio Hwy., Kapa’a, 821-0990