If you live in the Lake Travis area, you probably drive by YES Imports all of the time. If you haven’t stopped by to check it out, you should definitely add that to your to-do list. YES Imports, located at 3307 Ranch Road 620 N, opened in May 2011, and has been delighting Austin with rustic Mexican furniture, clay pottery, interior and outdoor artwork, blown glass and more ever since.
Need a 5-foot-tall pink flamingo? They’ve got one. Looking for a herd of metal longhorns? Check. A cowboy boot? A herd of flying pigs? Check and check. It’s impossible to walk through the huge, colorful lawn of YES Imports without cracking a smile.
The selection of yard decor is plentiful and a lot of it is made from recycled metals. What’s interesting about this is the owner, Rigo Lizaola, initially questioned whether or not this fanciful, clever and quirky metal art would sell in Lake Travis. Rigo quickly learned that even out here by the lake, residents embrace their Austiny selves and love recycled art that keeps LT weird.
In addition to yard art, YES Imports sells furniture and crafts from various artisans in different regions of Mexico. You can find jewelry, blown glass, fountains, vases and Talavera pottery. Authentic Talavera pottery is especially unique because it only comes from the city of Puebla and the nearby communities of Atlixco, Cholula, and Tecali. The quality of the natural clay is essential and so is the production process.
In fact, the elaborate process used to create Talavera pottery has basically not changed since the early colonial period when the craft was first introduced. This is certainly one of Rigo’s most popular collections and he has even done custom order for customers who want their new Talavera planter to match the color scheme of their home.
Rigo travels into Mexico every two months to scout original art and furniture for his showroom, so he’s always adding new inventory to his 6,000-sq ft space (inside and outside). He also likes to visit his artisans and meet new ones. He takes pictures of the artisans during his travels, so his customers can see the true craftsmanship that goes into each piece he sells.
Everything in his store (and yard) is 100% authentic and truly unique. He currently has a collection of colorful Talavera pumpkins, so get ’em while they last!
