Norwich — If you're looking for either items to showcase your love of Norwich or profanity-laced greeting cards, jewelry, aprons and socks, look no further than the new downtown boutique Woombs & Wankle.

But before going any further, let's talk about that name.

No, it's not a maternity store, the effervescent 19-year-old owner Aviana Lozano tells those who come in confused.

When she was little, Woombs and Wankle were the names of her imaginary friends. They were based on two stuffed animals she had: "Woombs" came from "mushrooms," and Wankle was the mushroom king.

The name "represents who we are — creative, fun, imaginative people," Lozano said of she and her mother, co-owner Suki Lagrito.

The shop, whose owners dubbed themselves "purveyors of marvelous goods," opened at 48 Franklin St. in October, and the Greater Norwich Area Chamber of Commerce held a grand opening ribbon-cutting ceremony there on Thursday.

A section of the store feels like a shrine to Norwich, between the Norwich greeting cards, "Someone in Norwich Loves Me" mug, 06360 patches, and coasters with a rose design.

Lozano was born in Washington state but spent most of her life hopping around towns in Connecticut, living in North Stonington, Waterford, Portland and Niantic before settling in Norwich in 2014.

"Out of all those towns, Norwich is my favorite," she said. "I love Norwich so much. There is so much diversity here, like with food."

Along with the Norwich goods are items Lozano would call "raw" or "edgy," the ones that reflect her desire to appeal to young people, a market she feels needs to be built locally from the ground up.

An apron and an oven mitt each read, "Bitch I am the secret ingredient." Greeting cards read, "Bah (expletive) humbug" and "Merry Christmas, (expletive) heads." Socks ($10.99-$12.99) bear the messages, "This meeting is (expletive)" and "Busy making a (expletive) difference."

Lozano calls her shop a judgment-free zone, and she wants people who come in to be able to look at some of the items and think, "I say that, too."

For something less edgy but even more unique, there are the Sorcery Science wooden earrings that are shaped like molecules and infused with the scents of vanilla, peppermint or rose ($18).

Lining one wall are solid Jerzees hoodies ($20) in neon orange, neon pink, bubblegum pink, lime green, forest green, coral and red.

Other finds include tie-dyed shirts, earrings shaped like mushrooms, a unicorn-printed reusable bag, SallyeAnder handmade soaps, chocolate, candles, Christmas tree ornaments designed like golden rubber ducks, and work from local artists, such as Christian Cepeda and Steve Starke.

"When you come in, it's like seeing a wonderland of sorts," Lozano said, saying she wanted it be like a party, with music — and sometimes cartoons — playing.

Lozano said she and her mother ended up in Norwich so she could go to Norwich Free Academy, for its Arabic program. She also learned Portuguese through spending the year following her 2018 graduation from NFA in Brazil.

As part of the Rotary Youth Exchange program, Lozano lived with three host families and went to a high school in the city of Ipatinga. She said the experience made her more independent, gave her a broader perspective than if she just stayed in Connecticut with occasional trips to her mother's native Canada, and helped her think on her feet.

These are skills that have helped her in owning a business, a goal Lozano said dates to elementary school.

Lozano said of her unconventional path after high school, "Really, it's your own time. You're not competing with anyone else. You're competing with yourself." She added, "I do plan to go to college, but right now, I think this is giving me a much better education."

e.moser@theday.com