BARBERVILLE, Fla. — Some refer to it as lawn ornaments or garden ornaments, but most prefer to call it yard art — colorful decorations that homeowners display across their lawns to enhance the look of their property.
What You Need To Know
- Barberville Yard Art Emporium is one of the largest yard art stores in the southeast
- The emporium customizes the pieces by welding and painting items to customer specifications
- Yard art includes giant dinosaurs, elephants, roosters, horses, and eagles and much more
- Barberville Yard Art Emporium is open to the public every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
One store in the small town of Barberville is one of the largest yard art shops in the southeast.
“This place is so big. I need a Segway to go around,” said Carlos Pendola, owner of Barberville Yard Art Emporium.
For 34 years, visitors from around the country flock to Barberville Yard Art Emporium to browse and purchase items, fulfilling their obsessions with one-of-a-kind yard art.
Baberville Yard Art Emporium (Spectrum News/Randy Rauch)
Pendola says many of his customers drive from across the country just to shop at his 3-acre store where he says his inventory is mind-boggling.
“I would guesstimate that we carry a good 800,000 items at any given time,” said Pendola.
The store is located off State Road 40 and U.S. 17 in Barberville in Volusia County, population less than 2,000 people.
When you pull up to the shop, you will see a potpourri of giant aluminum statues that include a rabbit, giraffe, elephant, horse, dinosaur and much more.
“People love animals. There are eagle people, fish people and rooster people,” said Pendola.
Pendola spends his days walking and riding his Segway along what seems like mile long aisles, filled with custom lawn art.
The creations are constructed in Mexico and Indonesia and then shipped to Carlos and the team where they customize the pieces by welding and painting them into one-of-a-kind collector items.
Baberville Yard Art Emporium (Spectrum News/Randy Rauch)
“Customers choose a specific piece, and we weld it on a mailbox, or we create what they are looking for,” said Pendola’s son, Wesslie.
Lawn, garden, and yard ornaments comes in all shapes and sizes and range from $2 to $10,000, depending on the size and detail of the item.
One man who likes large and unique lawn art is Ormond Beach resident Blake Rudman.
Rudman purchased four dinosaurs from the Barberville store, including a 20-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex, that sits on his front lawn.
“So, my daughter Selah could have her own Jurassic Park,” said Rudman.
Blake says his neighbors don’t seem to mind the dinosaurs and most come by with their kids to take pictures with the creatures.
Barberville Yard Art Emporium is open to the public every day from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Baberville Yard Art Emporium (Spectrum News/Randy Rauch)