Tucked away in the Mill Avenue courtyard shops is a small store with unique finds students won’t come across anywhere else in Arizona — or America for that matter.

Students can get a taste of different cultures with accessories and clothing from Yucatecan Imports.

“I’m trying to bring the world to you,” owner Clay Poulson says.
Poulson travels about every other month visiting countries like Guatemala, Ecuador, Nepal, Thailand, Russia and Italy hand-selecting items for his store.

The walls of the 550-square-foot store are covered with hammocks, tapestries, wall hangings and décor that make it seem more like a foreign artisan market instead of a shop off Mill Avenue.

Students can find anything from Guatemalan hand-embroidered shirts to Italian glass earrings and silk ties from Thailand. These are among the handicrafts from over two-dozen countries sold there.

Poulson has been in the import business for 20 years now. It all began while he was lying in a hammock on a beach in southern Mexico when he came up with the idea of importing products.

“I just wanted to travel for a living in a way,” Poulson says.
When he returned he found a way to do it by saving up his money, traveling, purchasing products and selling them at an Arizona swap meet.

After eight to ten years of doing this, he was able to open his own store. The Mill Avenue location was not his first store, but after discovering the courtyard behind Mill Avenue he decided to move his business there.

And that’s where it has remained for the past ten years, which Poulson says comes as a shock to most first-time customers who say they often “stumble upon” the store.

“Gazillions of people miss my store,” Poulson says.

Consumers won’t be able to find a store Web site either because Poulson doesn’t own a computer or even a cash register. He hand writes all the receipts and most of the labels and price tags on items are also hand written. Not to worry though, the store does accept both cash and credit card.

When he is not traveling, Poulson says he is working seven days a week between his two stores (the other is in Scottsdale).
Poulson has seven employees also helping out including his brother and sister-in-law.

As several shoppers peruse the store, Poulson describes what they are looking at and where he obtained the piece from.

Whether he is describing the use of the prayer wheel during Buddhist monk’s rituals in Nepal or the worry dolls sold in Guatemalan markets, this often encourages customers to ask more questions.

Also scattered about the merchandise are Poulson’s personal photographs and maps. These, too, stir up conversation, adding to the atmosphere of the store.

“I love the feel [of the store], the pictures and the stories,” ASU freshman Regina Escalante says while shopping.

Escalante also said that she likes the authenticity of the products.
“I love the jewelry here, you can tell it’s not American-made,” Escalante says.

Poulson said one advantage of his business’s location is that he offers customers items they won’t find anywhere else in the Valley.
“I’m lucky, I’ve got a unique product. And that’s the only thing that’s keeping me alive, is having stuff that’s not at the mall or Target,” Poulson said. “And I sell a bit of a fantasy. I sell the travel fantasy.”

Poulson says he would be willing to give travel advice and encourages students to travel, often convincing many to take their first trip.
“Buy the tickets and go,” Poulson says.

Aside from scoring unique items at reasonable prices and hearing a good story, students can also receive a free Central American woven bracelet just for visiting.

So there’s no reason not to take a peek into Yucatecan Imports and see what the world has to offer right off of Mill Avenue.

Reach the reporter at nicole.ethier@asu.edu.