About The Fossil Cartel

The Fossil Cartel Store Front Since 1989, we have been selling world-class minerals, crystals, fossils, meteorites, and jewelry from our store in downtown Portland, Oregon. Our store offers the largest selection in the Pacific Northwest, and features stones unique to the region.

We began with a cart (-el) in a suburban shopping mall, and now occupy 1440 square feet in Pioneer Place, downtown Portland's premier shopping center. Over 20 years we have developed a deep and varied inventory of the best material out there. Most of our merchandise is hand-picked for top quality.

Many of our customers are from out of town, from places where they cannot find what our store offers. We wanted to make a selection of our merchandise available to them once they go back home – via the internet. This site contains only a fraction of what you can find in our store. If there is something you are interested in but do not see here, please do not hesitate to email us and ask about it. Customer service is our highest priority.

BAM Book The Fossil Cartel and owner Susan Landa are featured for outstanding customer service in B-A-M!: Delivering Customer Service in a Self-Service World, by Barry Moltz.

TESTIMONIALS

"My fabulous son and his wonderful wife love your store; they always come away with beautiful treasures that everyone cherishes. They also are teaching their children to appreciate fine art and all that is natural and precious in our world, this is why your shop gives so much to those who visit and receive all your thoughtful wisdom and information that makes the gifts purchased special and unique."

Betty Tietsort

"You've really got a great store. I've been to a lot of "rock shops" in my travels and most of
the time you have to brush the saw dust off your clothes when you leave. Or, the store is like the one we visited in Aspen this fall...everything's behind glass and you have to take out a second mortgage to buy anything! You've got a great location too (lot's of foot traffic with it being in the connecting tunnel) and it's not an intimidating store. Nor is it a kooky one either - there are some mystical ones out there that make you think twice before entering them!"

April Dunn

Heard From Customers in our Store:

"When I walk in here I feel like I've died and gone to heaven."

"There's so much in your store, you need a tour guide!"

"This is the BEST store in the mall."

"It was quite a memorable experience" - said by 8 year old boy

"I thought the Lennon exhibit was something, but this!"

"I have traveled the world and shopped everywhere. The Fossil Cartel is the best shop I've ever seen." - retired teacher from Texas

"We are in heaven. What a perfect store."

"I love shopping here. It is like finding hidden treasure."

About Susan Landa, founder, owner, and director

Susan Landa was born and raised in Long Island, New York. She studied fashion design at the University of Delaware and fine art photography at the International Center of Photography in New York City. Her first career was designing, crafting, and selling beaded jewelry all over the U.S.A. Through her travels she chose her favorite city, Portland, Oregon, as her base. Susan’s work progressed into a marriage of bead and gemstone. Enamored with the gem/fossil kingdom, in 1989 she opened The Fossil Cartel to share her passion. Eight years later, Susan fulfilled a dream by opening Let It Bead, a full-service bead store.

The new millennium brought Susan and her husband a new kind of gem and jewel: a son Jem, who loves rocks and ringing up sales, and a daughter Jule, a style and jewelry enthusiast.

Read Staff Bios

Store Hours

Monday – Saturday 10:00 am – 8:00 pm
Sunday 11:00 pm – 6:00 pm

We are located in the heart of downtown Portland.

Click here for a map to our store.

Pioneer Place (Concourse Level)

340 SW Morrison Street, #1440
Portland, Oregon 97204

Tel. 503-228-6998

SUSTAINABILITY

In recognition of our indebtedness to the earth, The Fossil Cartel is dedicated to serving the environment and our local community through sustainable business practices.

All electricity use is offset with renewable energy sources (wind, geothermal, and bio-mass).
We recycle all paper, plastic, glass and packaging waste.
Recycled paper is used in all bags, gift boxes, cards and packing material.
Member of international barter exchange. (ITEX)
We give presentations to local school groups to help kids learn more about rocks and to encourage them to pursue their natural interest in the mineral world.