May 21, 2009

New gift store ‘Arm’ed with ‘unique’ giftsBy Mark KoopmansHerald-Zeitung.com

Downtown New Braunfels has a new kid on the block.

The Flying Armadillo is “a new, unique gift shop with an old world commitment to excellence,” owner Phillip Lovin said recently.

“The most unique thing about The Flying Armadillo is that everything is handmade and absolutely nothing is imported,” said Lovin, who also is a full-time counselor. “In this age when it’s hard to find anything that is still 100 percent made in the USA, we remain dedicated to carrying only American-made gifts such as fine pottery, hand-blown glass, jewelry, woodcraft and more.”

Lovin said his store, which is located at the plaza in historic downtown New Braunfels, has a strong Texas focus that currently features work from more than 30 regional artists.

The gift store’s name choice may seem odd; however, Lovin has an explanation for his business that is, “as Hill Country as the armadillo, except we won’t dig up your yard.”

“Our gifts, which range from about $20 to $800, are unique and interesting — just like the armadillo — but that’s not how we came up with the name,” he said. “When my daughter was very young, I referred to her as ‘my little armadillo.’ Now, she is a teen, and although too young to drive, Megan is working toward her private pilot’s license.

“Naturally, I now call her a flying armadillo. Thus the name.”

He said the name also reflects how the store is a family business.

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