By Chelsea Sherman
Randy “Doc” McCoy has been collecting rocks since he was a kid. When he served in the Army, he added rocks and gems from all over the world to his collection.
So when it was time to retire from his career as an Emergency Field Surgeon for the Army, he knew what he wanted to do. McCoy went back to school to study geology. He graduated from Appalachian State University with a double major in geology and recreation management.
In 2007, McCoy and his wife Trina started McCoy Minerals—a jewelry retailer, cutting and appraisal store—out of a small 8×10 shed. “In college, my focus was geology in the Appalachian Range, so I wanted to incorporate that educational piece into what we do,” McCoy says. “Now McCoy Minerals is backed by the Watauga Board of Education for our focus on teaching regional geology.”
In 2020, to accommodate the growth the business has experienced, McCoy Minerals moved into a larger building on Main Street in Blowing Rock. “Visiting McCoy Minerals is a family-friendly experience. Young or old, everyone can have fun and learn something new here,” McCoy says.
McCoy Minerals can turn your rocks and rough gemstones into beautiful pieces of jewelry. There, you can watch as they cut and set the gems. Customers can also browse the store’s collection of precut gemstones, jewelry, watches and even fossils.
“We have a lot of rare gems from all over the world that you won’t find in most jewelry stores,” McCoy says. “We also have local gems, like rubies from Macon County.” Throughout the summer, McCoy Minerals offers “Rock Hound” digging trips, where you can take a trip to the nearby mines and learn how the gemstones are formed and how to mine for them.
Over the years, McCoy Minerals has been a well-loved fixture of the High Country due to their quality craftsmanship, educational opportunities and community impact. “We’re heavily involved with the local cancer center, we have connections with schools and colleges, we have a Boy Scout and Girl Scout merit badge. It’s just great to have such strong connections in the community,” McCoy says.
Wanna Go?
mccoyminerals.com
537 Main St, Blowing Rock, NC 28605
