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Brave Magazine

Brave Magazine is a free publication by FlagandBanner.com and is currently distributed to more than 50,000 subscribers across the United States. Click here to learn more about Brave Magazine, our staff or how to become an advertiser. Click on the cover of our latest issue to view the flipbook or scroll down for links to individual articles. Previous articles and issues are available here. Advertiser slides are linked to their website.

The Founding Family The past six months, with everything on lock down, weekends became a very isolated, lonely time with little to do. I rambled around, cleaning out drawers and closets and discovered two suitcases full of old (and I mean ancient) photographs and yellowed newspaper clippings.	Life in the Fast Lane In 1958, I was working at the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission at the State Capitol. A co-worker asked if I would go on a blind date with her date's friend. I said “Oh, no I don’t think I want to.” She replied, “Oh Ann, come on, they are nice guys, both are Lieutenants in the Air Force."	Letters to a POW Eddie met Sally in a boarding house in our nation's capitol in 1942. It was the eve of the United States' decision to join the Second Great War. Originally from Pennsylvania, he was in Washington DC studying to become an FBI agent. She was from Batesville, Arkansas, recruited to help fight the Germans by becoming a typist.
How Kerry McCoy Became an Enterprise This multimedia empire began with $400 and a young woman brave enough to knock on doors. Orchestrating web, retail, non-profit, written and radio forums, Kerry McCoy Enterprises now umbrellas FlagandBanner.com, Dreamland Ballroom, Brave Magazine, Up in Your Business radio talk show and her latest acquisition, OurCornerMarket.com.	The Grady Outdoors Grady was working as a bus boy in a neighborhood restaurant when he met Kerry. Their mutual attraction was magnetic and combustible. They dated throughout Grady’s college years. He spent his freshman year in Fayetteville, but transferred back to Little Rock the next year, distance being the enemy of young love.	Growing Up Together The Flag and Banner office was initially set up in my playroom in our first house on Kavanaugh. Mom appropriated the converted porch, had a phone installed and set up some shelves for flags. I was so excited watching this transformation…until I realized that I was not allowed to play with the merchandise!
Family Style Growing up, Mom and Dad made it clear that their flag business would always be there for me. But, early on, I decided that I would likely never be there for the flag business. While my parents were fixated on every flagpole and convention banner that we saw at the park or downtown or on vacation, I kept myself preoccupied with drawing, zoology, music lessons, martial arts, and youth programs.	Like Mother, Like Son The Dreamland Ballroom has been a part of my life for the whole of my life. Kerry McCoy bought the building in 1990, the year I was born. By the way, my name is Matthew McCoy. I'm the Executive Director of the Friends of Dreamland, an employee of Arkansas Flag and Banner, and middle son to Kerry and Grady McCoy.	Happiness is Homemade Baking is in my blood. When I’m stressed, I bake. When I’m happy, I bake. When I’m (fill in the blank with any given mood), I bake--you get the picture. One of my earliest memories is of my first birthday cake.
The Youngest Pup Who would have thought that in January, when I was renovating the carriage house in my backyard, it would soon be occupied by my youngest son Jack, forced to move home from college because of a world-wide pandemic?	What I Did This Summer This summer was a bit different because of the pandemic happening currently. Everyone is quarantining and is supposed to be staying home and only going out when absolutely needed. A good chunk of my school year happened to be canceled because of Covid-19, so I had to do some online learning.	Family Matters My parents could be labeled average people, they were steadfast citizens with a moral compass and an honest bias. Growing up, my siblings and I never encountered drinking problems, violence, or infidelity from within our family. I was lucky to have been born to them.

The Founding Family

The past six months, with everything on lock down, weekends became a very isolated, lonely time with little to do. I rambled around, cleaning out drawers and closets and discovered two suitcases full of old (and I mean ancient) photographs and yellowed newspaper clippings.

Life in the Fast Lane

In 1958, I was working at the Arkansas Industrial Development Commission at the State Capitol. A co-worker asked if I would go on a blind date with her date's friend. I said “Oh, no I don’t think I want to.” She replied, “Oh Ann, come on, they are nice guys, both are Lieutenants in the Air Force."

Letters to a POW

Eddie met Sally in a boarding house in our nation's capitol in 1942. It was the eve of the United States' decision to join the Second Great War. Originally from Pennsylvania, he was in Washington DC studying to become an FBI agent. She was from Batesville, Arkansas, recruited to help fight the Germans by becoming a typist.

How Kerry McCoy Became an Enterprise

This multimedia empire began with $400 and a young woman brave enough to knock on doors. Orchestrating web, retail, non-profit, written and radio forums, Kerry McCoy Enterprises now umbrellas FlagandBanner.com, Dreamland Ballroom, Brave Magazine, Up in Your Business radio talk show and her latest acquisition, OurCornerMarket.com.

The Grady Outdoors

Grady was working as a bus boy in a neighborhood restaurant when he met Kerry. Their mutual attraction was magnetic and combustible. They dated throughout Grady’s college years. He spent his freshman year in Fayetteville, but transferred back to Little Rock the next year, distance being the enemy of young love.

Growing Up Together

The Flag and Banner office was initially set up in my playroom in our first house on Kavanaugh. Mom appropriated the converted porch, had a phone installed and set up some shelves for flags. I was so excited watching this transformation…until I realized that I was not allowed to play with the merchandise!

Family Style

Growing up, Mom and Dad made it clear that their flag business would always be there for me. But, early on, I decided that I would likely never be there for the flag business. While my parents were fixated on every flagpole and convention banner that we saw at the park or downtown or on vacation, I kept myself preoccupied with drawing, zoology, music lessons, martial arts, and youth programs.

Like Mother, Like Son

The Dreamland Ballroom has been a part of my life for the whole of my life. Kerry McCoy bought the building in 1990, the year I was born. By the way, my name is Matthew McCoy. I'm the Executive Director of the Friends of Dreamland, an employee of Arkansas Flag and Banner, and middle son to Kerry and Grady McCoy.

Happiness is Homemade

Baking is in my blood. When I’m stressed, I bake. When I’m happy, I bake. When I’m (fill in the blank with any given mood), I bake--you get the picture. One of my earliest memories is of my first birthday cake.

The Youngest Pup

Who would have thought that in January, when I was renovating the carriage house in my backyard, it would soon be occupied by my youngest son Jack, forced to move home from college because of a world-wide pandemic?

What I Did This Summer

This summer was a bit different because of the pandemic happening currently. Everyone is quarantining and is supposed to be staying home and only going out when absolutely needed. A good chunk of my school year happened to be canceled because of Covid-19, so I had to do some online learning.

Family Matters

My parents could be labeled average people, they were steadfast citizens with a moral compass and an honest bias. Growing up, my siblings and I never encountered drinking problems, violence, or infidelity from within our family. I was lucky to have been born to them.