Today we’d like to introduce you to Susanne Ali and James Ali.
Susanne and James, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
The store was started in 1970 by Dave Douglass and his parents June and Lincoln Douglass on Chicago Avenue, just North of Dempster. In 1976 the store moved to 704 Main Street, Just West of Chicago Avenue in Evanston, so that it not only doubled the retail space, but Dave was also able to show his very extensive collection of fossils (many self-collected, in the lower level of the store, his Pre-Historic Life Museum, which is one of the largest collection on display in United States. It is free to the public, and often hosts filed trips from schools in the area. In 2015 the store moved to the other side of Main Street to 711 Main Street and is now owned by Dave’s brother-in law and his wife. Dave is happily retired in New Mexico.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Any family owned business will have its up and downs. But when the store moved from 704 Main Street to 711 Main Street the employees really stepped in to make the almost over whelming task a much much easier task. Rock shops are often thought about as dusty little shops with a few specimens, but are surprised when the walk in the see the array of specimens as well as the variety of prices starting from 90 cents going up to several thousand dollars. We also have been lucky that we gain a lot of business word by mouth.
Dave’s Down to Earth Rock Shop – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
As mentioned in the previous panel, we try to have something for everybody, no matter their budget for the day. We believe in sharing what Mother Earth creates with everybody at an affordable price. We are also proud of the museum downstairs, which is free of charge, so anybody can get a close up look at items dating back to over 1.2 billion years old of a whole cave bear skeleton from Romania. Our staff takes pride in what we sell and have a wealth of knowledge.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
Moving the store to its current location, where we feel everything is displayed in a way it is easy to enjoy.
Contact Info:
- Address: 711 Main Street, Evanston, IL 60202
- Website: www.davesrockshop.com
- Phone: 847/866-7374
- Email: davesdowntoearthrockshop@gmail.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/davesdowntoearthrockshop
Image Credit:
Ali Photography
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
