Saged Souls: Rock Falls self-care shop aims to soothe the soul

ROCK FALLS — For owner Suzy Simmer, Saged Souls is more than a self-care shop, it is a sanctuary.

Tucked along Prophetstown Road behind the Hinders Field sports complex in Rock Falls, the business offers a curated blend of wellness services and products, including tea, crystals, meditation classes, red light and salt therapy, and incense. But for Simmer, the shop is more than a place of commerce, it is a welcoming space for people to relax and heal.

“Come in and hang out with the crystals,” Simmer said. “People often come in and you can feel their anxiety or whatever’s going on in their life, and they just melt a little bit when they come in. We welcome that...I like for people to feel better about whatever’s going on in their life.”

The inspiration for Saged Souls began long before the building was ever purchased. Simmer has been practicing holistic self-care for years, creating a peaceful haven inside her own home long before owning a commercial space was ever on her radar.

“I used to have my meditation room in my house,” she said. “It looked very similar to this one, minus the tea and crystals, but it had the directions and the incense and everything. I had it in my living room.”

That personal journey deepened one day when she stumbled across a Facebook post by Gramma’s Saltz & More, a former crystal shop in Sterling. What started as casual curiosity turned into something more.

“I saw this article about someone selling rocks, and I thought, ‘I love rocks,’” Simmer said. “I had to go check the place out. I walked in and it was just... rocks everywhere. Well, minerals. They come from the earth, and we’re part of the earth. They kind of speak to you. You’re just drawn to them. Before you know it, they’re all over your house, all over your person.”

That love for crystals, connection and natural healing eventually led Simmer to buy the property at 1510 Prophetstown Road, a space that included a house and two buildings with room for multiple businesses. She credits a friend for planting the idea.

“I was sitting on one of the tables here when she told me the place was for sale,” Simmer said. “She was concerned because she didn’t know if they’d be able to keep offering their services. I went home and asked my husband what he thought. He’s always loved this property. We lived out in Indian Ridge, and he used to drive by it all the time.”

With a clear vision and her handy hubby at her side, the couple transformed the space into a vibrant center for healing. The standout feature is the Salt Therapy room where seven reclining lounge chairs sit atop soft Himalayan sand, surrounded by textured stone walls. A Halogenerator pumps fine salt particles into the air during 45-minute sessions designed to benefit skin, lungs and peace of mind.

“It’s very good for your respiratory and your skin,” Simmer said. ”It’s also a good place to hang out with your friends.”

The meditation classroom features warm wood floors, hanging crystal lamps, and cool-toned walls accented with colorful, geometric-patterned rugs and custom stone décor. It is used by local yoga instructors and is available for corporate retreats or quiet reflection.

Simmer rents out the other spaces to small businesses whose services complement the self-care mission, including massage therapy, reiki, psychic readings and spray tanning. She still has one unoccupied space for rent.

Simmer juggles it all while working full time as a supervisor at Wahl Clipper in Sterling and raising her two young granddaughters, ages 1 and 3.

“They’re both very involved. They love walking the property and they think they own the place,” Simmer joked. “They walk through all the businesses, and everybody always has snacks and treats for them.”

For Simmer, Saged Souls is the manifestation of a lifelong love for holistic healing – one rock, one breath, one peaceful space at a time.

For more information, call 815-535-3510 or visit the Saged Souls Facebook page.