Sisters open Daisy Kay Crystals in Elkader, inviting others on a rock journey
Sisters Myah Davis and Ashley Schoenfeldt stand in front of a display in their first business, Daisy Kay Crystals and Gifts, which opened in Elkader on Feb. 11.
By Willis Patenaude, Times-Register
There’s a new business in Elkader—one that looks to take you on a personal rock journey. The owners are two effervescent sisters who have an affectionate bond with rocks and crystals, and despite a 10-year age gap with each other, they want everyone to know there is a rock journey in all of us. “No matter what stage you’re at in your journey, there is something for you.”
While the store, Daisy Kay Crystals and Gifts, opened a short three weeks ago, the journey travels from a childhood in Luana, where the sisters grew up on the family farm.
Ashley Schoenfeldt, the eldest sister, is an MFL MarMac graduate who attended the University of Iowa for communications and psychology. It’s the communications part that both sisters suggested helps the business, the human interactions and explaining various rocks and crystals—when conversations veer off into the metaphysical, the holistic nature of crystals, or the “witchy vibes,” as the business Facebook page says.
After graduating, it was the family bond that brought Ashley back home. She also met her husband, who is from the McGregor area. If you ask Ashley, the rock journey helped with this by putting an intention out into the world. Explained simply, it means writing an intention on a piece of paper and putting a specific crystal on it.
As for Myah Davis, the youngest sister and recent high school graduate, her rock journey, like Ashley’s, started when she was a kid. It was originally a form of imitation. But what started as a hobby from a single rock has been influenced by Ashley’s rock collection, an artsy disposition and the sort of lifestyle they promote: one driven by positivity, good energy vibes and the power of the mind to bring about positive outcomes.
The root of the journey to Daisy Kay, which is named in memory of Ashley’s dog who recently passed away at the age of 15, began in 2019 on Instagram. At first, it was just posting pictures from Ashley’s rock collection that she’d accumulated over the years. That eventually progressed into hosting some live shows and having Myah model rocks and crystals that were “ready for a new home.”
This progression came with its own backstory, and involves the need for a distraction. The loss of Daisy Kay, combined with a husband who travels to put out forest fires and was away in Oregon, Ashley needed something to fill the hole. So, equipped with the artsy Myah, a love of photography and family support, the Instagram hobby was born.
At the time, there were no serious business aspirations, and as Myah put it, “we were just winging it,” but the entrepreneurial spirit, admittedly, was there.
It was around 2020 when Daisy Kay, still in a nebulous form, was put on hold and the sisters helped with another project. Their parents had become co-owners of Spook Cave and Campground, and all their resources were marshaled into the business, which was curbed by the pandemic. As they worked there, Ashley helped on the administrative side and Myah as a tour guide; they learned valuable lessons about running and operating a business.
So while they “fell behind a bit” on Daisy Kay, the learning process meant, when they returned, they wouldn’t be winging it anymore. During this time, the sisters did do a few pop-up shows at Spook Cave and started to hear chatter from tourists about the unique shops in Elkader, but there was no shop dedicated solely to rocks. The closest is around two hours away, so there was a hole in the market. They were also aware of Art in the Park and felt a rock and crystal shop would add to the overall arts and culture aesthetic.
At the end of the 2021 season for Spook Cave, Ashley and Myah returned to Daisy Kay and the rock world and started thinking about what to do next. They got the Instagram back up and running, make connections with collectors, They also found a location which, as rock luck would have it, they discovered quite easily in downtown Elkader because their cousin already had a place picked out for her small business venture. They all decided to share the space.
In January, the “winging it” approach was replaced by getting software installed, creating an inventory, building shelves and creating the right type of rock energy in their shared little space. Within this space there are rocks, crystals, books, puzzles, novelty gifts, dog and cat treats and fudge made in Wisconsin. There are also a few unique aspects that highlight the family bond, such as handmade bracelets, soap that is made by an aunt and, of course, hand crafted wooden items made by Ashley’s husband, or in this particular case, the “Driftless Woodsman,” as he has been nicknamed.
But that’s not all that makes Daisy Kay unique. They also try to get as much inventory from local suppliers as possible, which supports and promotes local businesses, keeps costs down and provides a more hands on selection process. When they can’t, they make every effort to procure rocks from ethically sourced places—largely Brazil.
Another aspect important to Ashley and Myah is promoting women’s businesses, in part because they are women who now own a business, but also because they believe in the advancement of opportunity. As such, in the store, you can purchase products made by women like Paint Creek Soaps, which are made by their aunt, and Pure Energy Apothecary, which specializes in plant-based skincare products.
When it comes to the rocks and crystals, the sisters acknowledge each journey is an individual experience—an experience they claim is “easy to get hooked on.”
But why are rocks and crystals so important and why are they wrapped up in the identity of the sisters?
On this topic, Ashley’s passion was outwardly evident and every word was spoken with a defined authenticity in the belief and power of crystals. Crystals, to those “open to the rocks,” contain individual meanings, hold healing powers, they call to you and they last forever, she said.
On her rock journey, Myah, who is admittedly still learning, found a belief in the mystique of the rocks, or the metaphysical side. For Ashley, crystals have expanded her life, opened doors, introduced new people and influenced choices. She explained how rocks have frequencies that can interact with your own energy. They possess a sort of meditative effect.
“Crystals always have the best intentions,” Myah added.
Whether you’re a novice or a longtime traveler on the rock journey, everyone is welcome at Daisy Kay, and everyone leaves with a free gift, a small token of the sisters’ generosity and their willingness to assist on your journey. The journey can start or continue on their Instagram or Facebook page, or their soon to be launched website. People can also visit the store at 107 Cedar St. NW, each Thursday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
