Small Business Sunday: Luna Amatores

Welcome to the very first Small Business Sunday! Small Business Sunday is a monthly feature that aims to cast a spotlight on some wonderful witchy businesses. This month, we're thrilled to showcase Luna Amatores and its passionate owner, Korin. Her unyielding passion for crystals radiates through the devotion she pours into her business, which, by the way, has grown quite impressively (it's no longer as small as it once was!). This feature holds extra significance for me because Korin is not only a close friend but also someone whose business journey I've been privileged to witness and be a part of. Back in 2020, I crossed paths with Korin on Instagram when I joined her crystal pre-sale group and snagged a mesmerizing smoky quartz tower. From that point on, our friendship blossomed alongside my growing collection of crystals from her shop. Our collaboration even extended to a crystal information social media calendar last year, where we unveiled one of her exquisite crystals each day in December, complemented by my crystal information cards. Over the time I've spent knowing Korin, I've seen Luna Amatores evolve remarkably—from an exclusively online presence to a charming shop nestled in the heart of Carlisle city centre. Today, it's with genuine excitement that I get to introduce you to her beautiful business.

 What I love about Luna Amatores

 Before I hand over to Korin, who kindly agreed to be interviewed for this post, let me share with you what truly makes Luna Amatores a standout experience for me, extending beyond my role as a supportive friend.

• The Crystals: Luna Amatores boasts crystals of exceptional quality. Each time I receive an order, I’m always awestruck at the beauty of even the most common crystals in her shop. My recent purchase, an amethyst tower, outshines any other amethyst in my collection—a testament to the calibre of her offerings.
• Ethical Values: Ethics play a crucial role in my crystal purchases, and here, Luna Amatores shines brightly. Through numerous conversations with Korin, I've come to understand her commitment to ethical mining. Her close collaboration with suppliers ensures fair wages and optimal working conditions for laborers. Additionally, her principled stance against stocking copyrighted carvings—think Disney, Star Wars, Pokémon, and the like—resonates deeply with me as a small artist who values copyright integrity. Having personally experienced IP theft, I find solace in knowing that Luna Amatores upholds copyright respect.
• Championing Small Businesses: What I find really special about Luna Amatores is the unwavering support she extends to fellow small businesses. Korin generously promotes other ventures on her social media platforms. Her store serves as a haven for a diverse array of artists and enterprises (including my own crystal cards), and her willingness to guide customers to other crystal establishments when she lacks a specific item showcases her selfless dedication to the community.
• Meet Freya: A highlight that I simply can't overlook is Freya, the lovely German Shepherd who graces Luna Amatores' stories. Just catching a glimpse of Freya adds a touch of joy to my day, and her presence embodies the warmth and authenticity of the shop.

 How did Luna Amatores and your interest in crystals start?

Luna Amatores starts in 2014 as a small jewellery business on Etsy, however I’ve always been interested in crystals. It was an interest I shared with my nan and a very young age and I’ve always been fascinated by spiritualism. Overtime this love for crystals also evolved into a love of purchasing and creating crystal jewellery which is why I set up my Etsy page. Eventually I realised there wasn’t enough variety with crystal suppliers in the UK, so I decided to start sourcing and importing crystals myself, so I had a variety available to make my jewellery. This led to other collectors and jewellery creators asking to purchase from me so I started sourcing additional crystals, and eventually started sourcing display pieces and crystals that could be used for different practices. After I decided to stock more variety, my business quickly grew and in 2021 I was able to leave my full-time job as a delivery driver and focus on Luna Amatores full time.

I opened my very first shop in 2022, which was by appointment only, however I very quickly outgrew this shop and picked up the keys to my new shop in November of the same year and worked hard getting it ready to be opened to the public. It was so exciting to decorate my very own retail space, and I worked hard repainting and upgrading the shop myself ready for my opening night. My new shop is so much bigger than the old one and I was thrilled to be able to offer the extra space to some amazing small businesses.

What other businesses are stocked at Luna Amatores?

I have so many diverse and brilliant small businesses that I’m honoured to stock in my shop. I really wanted to create a place where you could come and explore lots of magical, one-of-a-kind products and create the feel of a little treasure trove. I’m a huge advocate for small businesses, and my main goal was to create a “rent a shelf” service that was affordable, with my rates being very competitive to other businesses. I also understand that sometimes a long lease isn’t something that is financially available when you’re just starting up a business and this inspired me to offer a feature shelf, where you can rent a shelf for a month only. This gives the small business in question exposure and the chance to test the market and means that I get to offer lots of diverse and unique businesses. I’m so pleased to say that the rent a shelf scheme has been a huge success for everyone involved so far.

Some of the small businesses you can find in my shop are:

• Dahlia Moon who makes stunning crystal jewellery
• Eden Skies Soapery who makes the most gorgeous, scented soaps.
• Oak & Stone Organics who makes heavenly scented bath and skin care products.
• Fellside Candles who makes deliciously scented candles.
• All Things Nice by Ashley who makes beautiful resin products.

There are many more businesses stocked in store, and you can head over to my Instagram account to see them all. I always make sure I’m regularly promoting them. When I opened applications to rent shelves, I was very conscious of making sure they fit well within the witchy vibes of my shop. I’m also very strict with copyright with my vendors and don’t allow anything that is copyrighted, or even hints of anything copied from other artists, and I don’t stock anything copyrighted myself (like character carvings). I think this goes hand in hand with ethics as art theft isn’t ok and this is something I stand very firm on. I’ve previously had jewellery designs stolen from me, and despite repeated requests for copyrighted carvings, or Disney homeware I will always refuse as these principles mean a great deal more to me than making easy money.

What is your favourite crystal?

My favourite crystal changes all the time! As I’m constantly discovering new crystals or going back to old favourites. Currently I love all kinds of fluorite (especially British and Mexican fluorite), labradorite and moss agate. I could spend hours looking at all the colours and patterns.

What does the future hold for Luna Amatores?

Currently I’m unsure of where I want Luna Amatores to be in the future, but I do have some exciting things planned! I love the idea of staying as a small independent business that works hard to bring quality, ethically and consciously sourced crystals to people with a wide range of budgets and beliefs in mind. I’m just happy that I get to bring crystals and positivity into people’s lives, and that this is my job!

As I wrap up the very first Small Business Sunday post, I’d just like to say a huge thank you to Korin for agreeing to be featured and answering my questions. If you’d like to check out Luna Amatores, you can find the website here, Facebook page here, Instagram page here, and TikTok page here. I highly recommend you do check out Luna Amatores if you’re looking for crystals, whether you want tiny tumbles or beautiful statement pieces. You can rest assured knowing that the crystals you are buying are of the best quality in Carlisle. I’m so proud of Korin’s journey and honoured to call her my friend.

I hope you enjoyed this feature, and if you would like to be featured on a Small Business Sunday post, please send me an email over at polkadotteapotdesigns@gmail.com. Thank you for joining me on this Small Business Sunday adventure, and remember, when you support a small business, you're not just making a purchase—you're shaping a dream. We’re real people, and every sale, share, and support mean the world to us.

Laura