Daisy Kay Crystals, Coffee and Gifts now open in McGregor
Daisy Kay Coffee, Crystals and Gifts recently celebrated its opening 211 Main St., in downtown McGregor. McGregor-Marquette Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Jessica Goltz (left) and McGregor Mayor Lyle Troester (right) joined the Daisy Kay family, Myah Davis, Jeremiah Schoenfeldt, Ashley Schoenfeldt and Annette and Chad Davis. (Photos by Audrey Posten)
Daisy Kay has both polished and rough stones, fossils and more. Some pieces are larger, but smaller tumbles are available as well. “You can find a big statement piece here, but if you just want some pocket crystals, we have those too,” noted Myah Davis, who operates the shop with sister Ashley Schoenfeldt.
The sisters are happy to answer questions about their rocks and instruct customers to select crystals that call to them.
By Audrey Posten, Times-Register
McGregor’s newest business, Daisy Kay Crystals, Coffee and Gifts, opened in late May at 211 Main St. The shop offers a wide selection of crystals, rocks and unique gifts along with coffee and drinks and some breakfast and lunch items.
It’s the latest adventure for sisters Myah Davis and Ashley Schoenfeldt, who started an Instagram page and online business centered around crystals in 2019. The two opened their first retail space in Elkader earlier this year, but jumped at the chance to move Daisy Kay to McGregor when the prime downtown location, which previously housed Cafe McGregor, became available.
“We did really like it in Elkader, but the opportunity came up in McGregor for us to buy a building. It’s much bigger and gives us more of an opportunity to do food as a supplement to the retail. We can bring more people in that way,” Davis shared. “I feel like we’re getting lots of good customers, people who are in it for the coffee and food, just the crystals, or both.”
The two also value McGregor’s proximity to the Mississippi River—and the people that draws—as well as the community’s historical charm.
“It’s a really cute town. And there are lots of good people here and good complements to our store,” Davis said.
“In McGregor, we also like that a lot of the businesses are women owned. We kind of promote that in our shop too,” Schoenfeldt added.
Daisy Kay is not only sister-owned—the whole family is involved. Dad Chad Davis and Schoenfeldt’s husband, Jeremiah, offer support and helped get the shop up and running. Mom Annette Davis is the chef and a prime source of encouragement.
“She was a veteran and has a really extensive background in food, so has been instrumental to the business too,” Schoenfeldt said. “We’re from the area, and we’re excited to be part of the community.”
The sisters stressed their menu won’t be as extensive as Cafe McGregor’s, but will include items like hot and toasted sandwiches, nachos, bagels, pretzels, baked goods and snack boxes with vegetables.
“We’ve been getting more excited about food as we’ve worked with it,” Schoenfeldt shared. “That was a big step for us. How do we have the retail in here, but also have a space for people to relax.”
She and Davis are also proud of their Bona Fide Nitro coffee.
“We’re doing coffee a little bit different than coffee has been done. It is caked coffee, so we call it craft draft. It’s made in California and is a shelf stable coffee that offers you consistency all the time,” Schoenfeldt explained. “We said, ‘How can we make it consistent and easy and offer a good product without the full expertise of coffee?’ We also took a coffee class and that helped us understand how it works. Now, we’ve been getting really good feedback and are perfecting what we’re offering.”
In addition to coffee, Daisy Kay also carries Lotus energy drinks, tea and smoothies. All can be enjoyed at booths inside the shop or on the lovely outdoor patio.
But even with the supplement of food and drink options to their business, the sisters said Daisy Kay remains first, and foremost, a rock shop.
“The crystals are our main thing. It started with our love of rocks, so we always want that to be something people are coming to us for, then expanding on that as much as we can,” Schoenfeldt said. “We’ve got some really good sources now, and we’re constantly trying to get new things in and keep it fresh.”
Daisy Kay has both polished and rough stones, fossils and more. Some pieces are larger, but smaller tumbles are available as well.
“You can find a big statement piece here, but if you just want some pocket crystals, we have those too,” Davis noted.
“The main thing for us is appealing to all different types of people, and rocks do appeal to all different types of people. That’s what we’ve found. It’s not just the metaphysical, but a timeless, beautiful thing you can have in your collection for a long time,” Schoenfeldt remarked.
Davis and Schoenfeldt are happy to answer questions about their rocks.
“People will come up and ask, ‘What is this? What does it do?’ They’re curious,” Davis said.
The two tell people to use it however they see fit, whether it’s part of a collection or for healing, meditation or manifestation.
“Manifesting is a big thing now. You can say this crystal is to help me with self love, and every time you look at it, you’re like, ‘OK, I’m trying to love myself a little more,’” explained Schoenfeldt. “It helps you because you’re thinking that more often and seeing that in your space. You’re trying to be nicer to yourself.”
“A lot of times, if you find a crystal you like, that’s a crystal that will help you,” she continued. “I always say people are drawn to different crystals for different reasons. Some people lean toward the healing side, but a lot are just rock lovers.”
Said Davis, “I don’t think there’s a wrong way.”
For her, that’s what’s so exciting about the retail space. An online business didn’t allow people to come in and touch the crystals and see which ones called to them.
“When you’re in a space with the crystals, the energies are stronger. So we really like the aspect of having an in-person business,” Davis stated.
Daisy Kay Crystals, Coffee and Gifts is open Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m., then 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Sunday. Find more information on the “Daisy Kay Crystals, Coffee and Gifts” Facebook page or Instagram, or at www.daisykaycrystals.com/.
