Black Cat Minerals, new name same aim as old store

Julie Zeithaml was going through a rough time 18 years ago, struggling with alcoholism when a friend asked her to come work at Black Market Minerals in Gurnee Mills.

Back then, a bathtub filled with minerals of all colors attracted customers into an incense-scented, calming space. Stones and totems dangled from the store's wood racks, with an assortment of positive symbols like yin-yang mirrors, weeping Buddha statues and rose quartz pendants for sale.

Working at the store of healing symbols helped Zeithaml heal, personally. She was inspired by her friend and coworker's similar struggle with addiction. Sadly, her friend died of health issues related to alcoholism.

"That gave [the store] a personal meaning for me," Zeithaml said. The memories of her friend helped Zeithaml with recovery and kept her working.

"I was six months sober when I started at Black Market Minerals in July 1994, so I didn't know how to act with the public," Zeithaml said. "I'm a free spirit, and I liked that working there I didn't have to dress or act a certain way."

The more she worked, the more customers would approach her.

"People started to open up to me about their own recoveries," she said. "People in recovery tend to become spiritual, so they were attracted to our store."

Because the store was so important to her, Zeithaml was shocked and upset to hear that the store would close this January.

"They closed because Macy's is coming [in the same wing] and they couldn't afford to remodel, but the mall wanted us to stay," Zeithaml said.

"I woke up one day and just started crying because the store was closing and I didn't know what else to do," she said.

"The owner told me, 'As a thank you for the 18 years you put into the store, you can have all the store fixtures and I'll help you get a good deal on the rocks and jewelry.'"

On May 14, Zeithaml opened her own store in Gurnee Mills, Black Cat Minerals, located near Entrance A, which is modeled off Black Market Minerals.

"It's frustrating sometimes because I don't know how to do things, but I 'Forrest Gump' my way through it," she said. She's taught herself to do taxes and payroll, and runs the store much the same as she ran Black Market Minerals.

"God is my mentor," Zeithaml said. "I want to do a good job and be less selfish every day. I want to be a gracious hostess to my customers."

Jacque Romano, who worked at Black Market Minerals since 2004 and works at the new store, said the old store was much more cluttered and the new store is nicer. Most customers like the change, she said.

Zeithaml chose the new name so Black Market Minerals' customers could make the connection between the old and new store, and also because she loves cats. "I'm involved with Spay And Stay in Grayslake," she said. Spay And Stay is an animal rescue group in Lake County, which focuses on saving feral cats by capturing and spaying or neutering them, then releasing them. Zeithaml takes donations at the store.

Many customers believe in the healing properties of certain minerals.

"I don't really practice that, but a lot of people believe they work," Zeithaml said. "People will come in with a specific problem – sometimes a health issue like cancer, or an attitude problem they want help with. Maybe they're depressed. People come looking for healing stones like quartz, or jade for luck."

On a Monday afternoon, Beverly Kerns from Pleasant Prairie, Wis. and her brother Larry Koenig were browsing the new store.

Kerns said she has health problems, and has been reading about the healing properties of stones.

"I don't know if I'm convinced yet," she said, pulling at her rose quartz and labrodite necklace, which she said is for healing and good health. "It's just self-improvement."

Romano said that from a scientific perspective, some minerals have healing properties if ingested or placed on the skin.

"I don't know about wearing them as charms, but good luck is a matter of perspective," Romano said.

"In these weird times with the war and the economy, people are looking for spiritual meaning and comfort, and they find comfort in the rocks," Zeithaml said.

To learn more, call 847-856-8106.