Antares Fossils & Minerals

You will know this place by the giant plaster dinosaurs out front. The store is small, but well packed with a huge assortment of rocks, gems, and fossils. The owner was really friendly and helpful. Even with an assortment of other customers in the store he made sure everyone’s questions were answered and took the time to give little tidbits of information on a stone anyone was looking at. His prices were really reasonable compared to other rock shops we have shopped at. We will make sure to stop in again any time we are in the area.

An amazing variety of minerals packed into a small shop. Tony is most welcoming and happy to explain the shop, identify the amazing range of Green River fossils and help sort rocks to send to a kid for Christmas. Prices quite reasonable and pretty much something for everybody.
A great stop for any rock geek.

OK, so ya gotta pardon the pun, but this place «rocks!» Being from Northern Arizona, we’ve seen our share of rock and gem shops, but we really enjoyed this place. They stock the «usual» stuff, like amethyst geodes, peacock copper, crystal spheres, etc., but they have some truly exceptional items too. The shop’s owners travel all over the world to obtain their wares, but the really interesting stuff literally comes from our own back yard: just outside of Fossil Butte National Monument on privately owned ranch land, there is a treasure trove of lake-​bed fossils that these guys have exclusive mining rights to, and they bring back tons of these fossils to not only sell in the shop, but use as teaching tools for geologists from all over the world. While we were there, we were invited into the «back room» where Robby, one of the owners, was «prepping» the latest shipment of fossils (fish, ferns, crustaceans, etc.), where they scrape the top layer off with a small air tool (similar to what dentists use to scrape tartar off your teeth) to expose the fossil underneath. He let my stepson actually prep one himself, AND let him keep the sample — which he absolutely loved. While he was doing this, a Dutch gentleman came into the room, from what I gathered, he’s a staffer at a prestigious geological museum in the Netherlands who makes regular trips over here to obtain fossils and other rocks and gems. Apparently this little small-​town shop is quite well-​known in their «community;» geologists from all over the world come to this little shop to obtain samples, perfect their techniques, etc. Tony, one of the other owners, is super-​nice too. We left the shop with a «grab bag» for my stepson, which ended up containing shark teeth, small dinosaur bones and a soapstone figurine. Out in front of the shop are a couple of metal dinosaur sculptures. When we left, we heard one of them speak — «hey kid, come here and scratch my nose» he said. Turns out they have a microphone hidden in the «belly of the beast» and the shopkeepers have tons of fun messing with the kids. Long story short, if you’re ever passing through Evanston Wyoming, this shop is definitely worth a stop!