Old Town Spring, an historic settlement turned unique shopping town and festival destination, lies just 20 miles from Houston, Texas. Nestled in the center of this charming small town is Fiora Fine Crafts Gallery, a boutique featuring the most intriguing “fine crafts,” from jewelry and stones to accessories and our MOVA Creations. Even in a town lined with over 150 small shops and eateries, Fiora Fine Crafts still manages to stand out with its eclectic items and personalized customer service. Mayra Dorantes, manager of the boutique, sat down with us to discuss the vast history of Old Town Spring and the eye-catching appeal of MOVA Globes to her customers.
Tell us a little bit about your store.
Fiora Fine Crafts Gallery started with the idea of promoting and publicizing the talent of artists who put their heart and soul into their work. This idea, in turn, makes each and every item unique. Our shop has been selling one-of-a-kind pieces for six years, including flowers preserved in silver bases, fossil jewelry, handmade tablecloths, leather bags that are stamped, and hand-painted with semi-precious stones.
How did you discover MOVA Globes and what was your initial reaction?
I was traveling with my family in Galveston and saw the globes in a store. The reaction of my children was very interesting. When the owner of the store explained to us how the globes worked, they captivated our attention. This captivation made me decide to have them at my own store in Old Town Spring.
For those who do not know, where is Old Town Spring and why did you open your gallery there?
Old Town Spring is a historical area that was first occupied by a tribe known as Orcoquisac Indians who depended on fishing and hunting, which they found in abundance in this area. The first merchants in Old Town Spring could be considered to be the Trading Posts that were established by the French and later the Spaniards called “El Orcoquisac” where trade with the Indians was brisk.
Old Town Spring emerged with the steady growth of merchants through the 70′s and 80′s into a favorite site of customers and visitors from all over the world and produces several popular festivals and events such as the Texas Crawfish & Music Festival held each year in April. Old Town Spring is voted one of the top attractions in Texas each year. This town is considered one of the most important touristic areas in Houston, where people can have fun, shop and dine, visit art galleries, and walk around the pretty small town.
To you, which qualities of a MOVA Globe make it a “fine craft?”
Fine craft means the originality and quality of the product. When my clients are watching the globes on display, I explain to them about the origin of ideas from the creator and how they work. I explain the diversity of designs and models, which makes it even more attractive and in that sense, MOVA Globes become works of art made by talented hands and ingenious minds.
What is the atmosphere in your stores like and how do your products reflect that?
In the store, we put a tremendous amount of effort into the personalized attention of our customers, making them feel not only welcome, but also cared for during their stay. We have always had positive comments expressing how different our store is and customers always promise to return. In addition, they recommend our store to their friends. This is an incentive for us to continue to search for even more high quality products.
Which MOVA Globe design is your favorite and why?
Each single globe is unique and special. I really love each one I sell in my store.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
Just that the MOVA Globe is an amazing item. I am greatly anticipating new globe designs like the Death Star and other masterpieces from famous painters around the world.
While Texas is a big state, there’s no reason not to make your way just past Houston to historic Old Town Springs, and to Fiora Fine Crafts Gallery in particular. With a Victorian-style shop or restaurant around every corner block and festivals seemingly every day, Old Town Spring will leave your big city tourist experience in the dust.
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Fiora-Fine-Crafts-Gallery-131143520315219/
Not making your way to Texas in the near future? No problem, find a MOVA Retailer near you and browse through our Reseller Spotlights to learn more about some of our other featured retailers.