About Lonnie Ayers
Lonnie Ayers is a veteran SAP consultant, digital marketer, and co-founder of Brown County Souvenir. He focuses on strategy, automation, and regenerative commerce.
My Indiana Roots
I was born and raised in Brown County, Indiana. I attended a small elementary school called Van Buren Elementary and later, Junior and High School in Nashville, Indiana. I graduated from there in 1978. My family have lived and worked in Brown County since the early 1800s. While I have lived and worked all around the globe, I always come back home to Brown County. It's just where I feel at peace.
Why I Started Brown County Souvenir
Like many Brown Countians, I never really played tourist when I was young. I grew up helping to raise a garden, hunting, fishing, mushroom hunting, trapping and participating in all the local sports. Over the years, I found arrowheads, learned more about the skills and crafts people practiced in the county. I also became a license water well driller, a private pilot when I was 16 and learned to operate all manner of heavy equipment. I wanted to start a store to share that with visitors. The funds go to help my mom out with her nursing home bills.
What Makes Brown County Special
To me, what makes Brown County special is how many things there are to do here, and places to visit, though you may not realize it. For instance, apart from Nashville, Indiana, a tourist mecca, we have covered bridges, the artist colony, an outdoor lifestyle, an a never ending parade of dogs, cats, deer, turkey, raccoons, minks, muskrats, snakes and birds. It's country living, at its finest.
There are year round traditions that few appreciate, unless they visit, again and again. Antique tractors, mushrooming, fishing, hunting, 4-H, Drag Racing, Bicycling, and many more.
From Aviation and SAP Consulting to Ecommerce
My career path has been anything but ordinary. Long before launching Brown County Souvenir, I served as a U.S. Air Force Flight Engineer on the legendary C-130 Hercules aircraft, where attention to detail, discipline, and problem-solving were critical every single day. After my military service, I built a global consulting career helping companies improve operations, supply chains, analytics, and marketing systems through SAP consulting, project management, and inbound marketing strategy.
Over the years, I worked with organizations ranging from manufacturers and retailers to fast-growing businesses looking to improve efficiency and better serve their customers. But despite working in highly technical industries, I always remained connected to my Indiana roots and the simple things that make places like Brown County special — small-town culture, local traditions, country living, and the kind of memories that stay with you for life.
Brown County Souvenir was created as a way to combine entrepreneurship, creativity, storytelling, and a genuine appreciation for Brown County Indiana. What started as an idea gradually evolved into a growing collection of apparel, mugs, gifts, and lifestyle products inspired by the people, places, humor, and experiences that make Brown County unique. Today, the goal remains simple: create products that make people smile, spark memories, and help visitors take a small piece of Brown County home with them.
The Philosophy Behind Our Products
We believe a product must be both high quality and unique. Thus, all of T-Shirts have custom images, usually based around one of the key themes we believe people want to know about when it comes to Brown County.
Beyond our shirts, we are also extremely concerned with soil health and its impact on people's health. That's why our soil testing service, compost and worm castings are all based on the concept of the Soil Food Web - nature's way of feeding and nurturing your plants.
Our Most Popular Brown County Collections
These are currently some of our most popular collections.
- Dogs Collection
- Farm Life
- Coffee Mugs
- Covered Bridge apparel
- Garden & soil products
Life in Brown County Indiana
There is something special about life in Brown County Indiana that keeps people coming back year after year. Maybe it is the rolling hills, winding back roads, covered bridges, and beautiful scenery that change with every season (all 17 of them). Maybe it is the slower pace of life, the local shops in Nashville Indiana, the hiking trails, art galleries, small restaurants, and family-owned businesses that give the area its unique charm. Or maybe it is simply the feeling people get when they arrive here — a chance to slow down, reconnect, and enjoy the simple things again.
Brown County is well known as one of Indiana’s most popular tourism destinations, especially during the fall season when visitors travel from across the Midwest to experience the famous autumn colors. But locals and longtime visitors know there is far more to discover throughout the year. Spring brings blooming hillsides and outdoor adventures. Summer is perfect for exploring shops, local events, parks, and outdoor activities. Fall transforms the region into one of the most scenic drives in the country. Winter offers a quieter and more peaceful side of Brown County, where visitors can relax, shop, and enjoy cozy cabins, coffee shops, and small-town hospitality.
The town of Nashville Indiana sits at the heart of Brown County and has become known for its local shopping, artisan culture, country charm, and welcoming atmosphere. Visitors can spend the day exploring unique boutiques, souvenir shops, art studios, outdoor recreation areas, and locally owned restaurants while enjoying the natural beauty that surrounds the area. Whether people come for hiking, horse back riding, shopping, photography, live music, motorcycles, family vacations, or simply a weekend escape from city life, Brown County offers an experience that is difficult to replicate anywhere else.
That connection to rural life, tradition, creativity, and community is a major part of the inspiration behind Brown County Souvenir. Many of our products are designed to reflect the humor, lifestyle, scenery, and memories that people associate with Nashville Indiana and Brown County. For many visitors, Brown County is not just a destination — it becomes a tradition that families return to for generations.
Beyond Souvenirs: Building Businesses and Solving Problems
While Brown County Souvenir focuses on apparel, gifts, and products inspired by Indiana country life, entrepreneurship and problem-solving have been central themes throughout my career. For many years, I have worked as a business consultant helping companies improve operations, marketing, analytics, supply chains, and business performance. That experience has allowed me to work with organizations across multiple industries, from manufacturing and retail to technology and professional services.
Much of my professional background centers around helping businesses simplify complex problems, improve customer experiences, and build systems that support long-term growth. Whether it involves project management, digital marketing, ecommerce strategy, or operational improvement, I have always been drawn to the challenge of building things that work better for both businesses and the people they serve.
That same mindset carries over into Brown County Souvenir. Even though this business celebrates small-town culture and rural living, behind the scenes there is still a strong focus on quality, customer experience, continuous improvement, and building a brand people genuinely enjoy supporting. Every collection, product idea, blog article, and customer interaction is approached with the same attention to detail and long-term thinking that has guided my consulting work for years.
At the end of the day, whether I am helping a company solve operational challenges or creating products inspired by Brown County Indiana, the goal is ultimately the same: build something meaningful, useful, and memorable for the people who interact with it.
Thank You for Supporting Small Business
In a world filled with large online marketplaces and mass-produced products, choosing to support a small business truly means something. Every order, every visit to our website, every shared post, and every kind word helps support a real family business built on creativity, hard work, and a genuine appreciation for Brown County Indiana and the people who love it.
Brown County Souvenir was created not only to offer unique apparel, mugs, gifts, and lifestyle products, but also to celebrate the culture, traditions, humor, and memories that make this part of Indiana so special. Whether you discovered us while visiting Nashville Indiana, searching for a gift, exploring Brown County attractions, or simply looking for products that reflect country living and small-town values, we are incredibly grateful you found your way here.
One of the best parts of running this business is hearing from customers who return to Brown County year after year, families who have made visiting Nashville Indiana a tradition, and people who simply want a reminder of a place that feels peaceful, welcoming, and authentic. Those stories and connections are a big part of what inspires us to continue growing and creating new products.
From our family to yours, thank you for supporting small business, supporting entrepreneurship, and supporting the spirit of Brown County Indiana. We hope our products bring back great memories, start conversations, and remind you of the places and experiences that matter most.
Frequently Asked Questions
Potential FAQ topics:
- Are you local to Brown County?
Yes, we are. But you can buy our products from anywhere.
- Where are your products made?
Our shirts are printed, based on our custom artwork, at various plants around the United States using state-of-the-art presses.
- Do you design your own apparel?
Yes, we design all of our own apparel. Ever image is created by us, and ultimately, used to create custom apparel and sizes.
- What inspired the store?
Our experience growing up in Brown County and realizing that no matter where we go in the world, when people ask where are you from, we answer Brown County, and they often had visited, we knew people wanted more. As it happens, we have setup and operated numerous ecommerce based stores on behalf of clients, so we were able to leverage that experience to quickly launch.
- What are the most popular souvenirs?
This is a tough one - there are so many 'best sellers'. If you count worm casings as authentic Brown County souvenirs, (we do, as we, or rather or worms, produce all of it in our operation located in southern Brown County)., then they are at the top of list. When it comes to our shirts, it varies by season. Coffee Mugs almost always do well. All of our Clarence Roberts Murder Mystery items are popular, as they are based on a story written by our mom, Helen Ayers, formerly a reporter for the Brown County Democrat. That story was also featured on Unsolved Mysteries.
