UPDATE NOVEMBER 25, 2023
It’s been over a year since we told you about the Hispanic market that bought the former Brown’s restaurant on Interstate 30. Now, Supermercado La Alianza is finally open.
They announced Saturday, November 25th, that they’re welcoming customers beginning at 2:00 p.m. They will be open until 9:00 p.m. for this #ShopSmallSaturday.
Keep reading!
See them near on the north frontage road at 18718 I-30, Benton, AR 72019. Read more below ? about what they offer. See their Facebook page at this link.
PREVIOUS UPDATE JUNE 24, 2022
Formerly Brown’s Country Restaurant, the property in Benton, Arkansas recently sold.
Well Saline County, you have tagged and texted me enough that I’m certain a large number of you have seen the “SOLD” sign in front of the former Brown’s restaurant on Interstate 30 in Benton. If you don’t remember, the Brown family announced in April 2020 that they were retiring after 47 years in the restaurant business.
The questions I’m getting are, “Who bought it? What’s it going to be? When’s it going to open again?” I can answer one-and-a-half of those questions.
I spoke with a representative for the buyers, who was able to give me part of the information. The rest is still in the planning stage. A group of private investors in Arkansas purchased the property very recently. The sale is not yet listed on the assessor’s website. The purchase included the restaurant and parking lot, but not the truck stop next door.
The plan is to renovate the building and open a Hispanic market. You will be able to find food items that are typical in Hispanic recipes. There will also be a panaderia – that’s a Hispanic bakery of breads – and a custom butcher shop that will include special cuts and marinades that you wouldn’t usually find at the local grocery store.
In the future, there is a possibility for grab-and-go items such as salads and quesadillas. If you are about to ask, yes I said that many people will drive for miles to buy a dozen tamales – fishing for info on whether those would be available. The investors aren’t ready to give specifics on that phase of their business plan, so we’ll have to watch and see what happens.
The goal is to supply the local Hispanic community with the products that are difficult or impossible to find in Saline County, but also appeal to American customers who might otherwise be timid to shop in a Hispanic market. They do not have a projected opening date or a name that they can share with us at this time, but we will be checking back with them on the progress and give an update.
See the previous articles about Brown’s Country Restaurant at the links below:
Owners of Brown’s Country Store and Restaurant to Retire and Close the Business Permanently
Brown’s to Liquidate the Store in June Before Closing Forever