The Story of Agate Factory
Agate Factory Outlet is a family-run business built around a lifelong passion for rocks, minerals, and the natural beauty of the Earth.
Our story begins with Mark, a dedicated rock hound who has spent nearly 60 years exploring the outdoors in search of unique and beautiful stones. What started as a hobby became a lifelong passion. Mark has always been fascinated by the incredible colors, patterns, and one-of-a-kind characteristics found in nature’s creations.
In the early 1970s, Mark owned and operated a rock shop in La Grande, Oregon. As his family grew, he made the difficult decision to step away from the business and pursue a more stable career path. Even though the shop closed, his passion for collecting never faded. For decades, he continued rock hunting, mining, cutting, and collecting whenever he could.
Today, Mark is retired and finally has the opportunity to devote more time to what he truly loves. He has maintained a mining claim for nearly 20 years and has built an incredible collection totaling approximately 85 tons of agates, thundereggs, opals, petrified wood, geodes, and other treasures from the Earth.
To say Mark loves rocks would be an understatement. In fact, he even took his new bride rock hunting on their honeymoon! (Yes, they’re still happily married today.) His wife has always been supportive of his passion and continues to help keep the operation organized and running smoothly.
I’m Alex, Mark’s son. After seeing the incredible collection he had built over decades of rock hunting, mining, and collecting, I knew it deserved to be shared with fellow rock enthusiasts around the world. With my years of experience in online sales and modern e-commerce platforms, combined with Mark’s extensive geology knowledge and passion for the hobby, we decided to join forces. Together, we’re building an online presence that allows us to share his remarkable collection and lifelong passion with collectors, lapidary artists, and rock lovers everywhere.
Together, we combine old-school rockhound knowledge with modern technology to create a great experience for collectors, lapidary artists, and anyone who appreciates the beauty of natural stone.
Whether you’re looking for a stunning display piece, lapidary rough, a unique gift, or simply want to admire some incredible finds, we are here to help you find what you are looking for.
Be sure to follow us on social media to see mining adventures, new discoveries, behind-the-scenes content, and highlights from Mark’s massive collection.
Thank you for visiting Agate Factory Outlet. We appreciate your support and look forward to sharing our passion for rocks with you!