A Cool Flea Market Looking to Be the Hottest Thing Going: Armadillo Indoor Flea Market Mall Opens Friday, August 4, Giving Away $20,000 in Shopping Sprees and a New Truck.

HOUSTON -- The Armadillo Indoor Flea Market Mall opens its doors Friday, August 4, at 10 a.m. The first order of business, according to owners, is to give away $20,000 in shopping sprees for people to use at any of the 300 merchants inside the air-conditioned flea market, the size of three football fields.

"Opening a flea market in August in Houston takes some courage, and you definitely have to have a new twist on an established concept," said owner Larry Gottula. "We're going above and beyond in two ways: We're moving things inside in a climate-controlled environment with added advantages, such as wireless Internet, no admission fee, free parking, and we're giving people reasons to stop in and take a look around."

Those reasons include $100 in Armadillo chips to the first 100 people in the door with the second hundred receiving chips worth $50. Those first 200 people also have the chance to win an additional $2,000, $1,000 and $500 worth of free shopping. Opening weekend also features free t-shirts to the first 200 people, free balloons all day for the kids and Arnie the Armadillo meeting and greeting. Everyone (of legal age) is invited to enter to win a 2007 Chevy Silverado (purchased from Munday Chevrolet) at the Armadillo's grand opening in October.

That level of promotion and advertising has drawn hundreds of merchants to the Armadillo with more signing up each day to fill the market's 240,000-square-foot building. The Armadillo offers kiosks and space as small as 100 square feet up to 10,000 square feet or more. The mix of retailers and merchants for opening weekend includes clothing, edgy fashions, mobile phones, furniture, home decor, professional art, designer shoes, premium candy, snow cones, gelato ice cream, hot tubs and spas, sun glasses, granite etchings, discount books, custom framing and even a recording studio.

"This an indoor flea market, carnival, expo and farmers market all rolled into one," Gottula added. "We're calling it 'Texas-style shopping, food and fun' because it's big and it's grand, just like Texas. We believe Houstonians are going to love shopping at The Armadillo." The Armadillo has scheduled a host of activities each weekend. On Sunday of opening weekend, it will host a health fair with special booths and presentations from area providers and health care organizations. Over the next several weeks, the Armadillo will give away free water bottles, free armadillo beach balls and pinatas for the kids. In addition to providing music and entertainment, it will also offer face painting and a special fitness day later in August.

The Armadillo is located at 431 E. Airtex Drive, Houston. It will be open four days a week on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m. In the fall, the Armadillo plans to start hosting a regularly scheduled outdoor farmers market.