Getting to Know Our Neighbors
At Somewhere Over the Rainbow, we’re not just enthusiastic about our own shop. Small businesses, particularly those in Small Towns need to support one another, to carry that idea of Shopping Local to the next level. We have to Live Local, to remember our neighbors, visit their businesses and choose to keep our own dollars in the community whenever it is feasible.
To those ends, we want to use space on our website to promote our friends and neighbors in Fort Davis, and all the neighboring areas. Look for a post about a business or local attraction we’re just wild about at least once a month on this website.
Davis Mountains Rock Shop
What better place to start than with our next door neighbors (and landlords) Jim and Sue Franklin of Davis Mountains Rock Shop. Located on picturesque State Street in Fort Davis with Sleeping Lion Mountain as a backdrop, this shop is a gem in its own right. Once you pull yourself past the front porch with its fascinating assortment of Metal Art and outdoor decorations (everything from cactus to full size aliens, from porcupines to dinosaurs; and whimsical objects that challenge the imagination) and enter the light and airy shop, there are delights in every direction.
The store, opened in July of 2019, is filled with everything rock, from rough to tumbled and polished, enthralling gemstones and weirdly beautiful fossils. There is jewelry, minerals pottery, fine art and all sorts of items fashioned from and with gem material and stone.
Sue creates amazing artwork, creating plaques, often with a cedar background, of meticulously cut stone. Jim does cabbing, copper and custom work. His cabs are well known to silversmiths all across the Southwest.
Besides Sue’s and Jim’s own work, the shop hosts the work of seven other local artisans.
601 N State Street Fort Davis TX
The rock shop happily provides custom work for their customers. Specialty work such as slabbing, polishing, drilling and wire wrapping— pretty much anything that can be done with rocks.
Davis Mountains Rock Shop is open Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Other days check if you’re in town. They are often open other weekdays as well.
Balmorhea Blue Rock Shop
If you head North and a bit East through the Davis Mountains on Hwy 17, you’ll find the lovely little town Balmorhea (Think Springs and Lake). Sue Franklin is owner of the Balmorhea Blue Rock Shop as well as the Davis Mountains Shop in Fort Davis.
This pretty shop, located on 102 South Main Street behind the Cactus Motel is managed by Sheila Reid. Each store has its own character, but both are great destinations for not only gem and mineral enthusiasts, but lovers of all sorts of art, or fans of the earthy and unique.
To contact Sheila (Custom Inspirations) call 517-320-2462.
I hope you enjoyed this short tour. Be sure and look for our next Feature.
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2 Comments
James Vernon Franklin
Thank you for such a great write up. Your store is fantastic and your kids are great too.
Gwen
Thank You, Jim!
It was my pleasure. I love your shop, and feel like I’ve found some good friends in you and Sue.
All the Best,
Gwen