Remember in December when MySaline put out that epic update of business news for Saline County? Let’s do it again. I’ve got several items here to tell about that are sure to captivate your interest.
HASKELL
1.
Someone at the gym asked me just this week what is going in next to Big Red Valero at the corner of Interstate 30 and Highway 67. (I just wanted to say that I was at the gym.) That is going to be a liquor store at 4754 Highway 67 – that’s technically Benton on the address and outside of the Haskell city limits, but everyone calls it the Haskell exit, so everyone will say it’s in Haskell. This liquor store is new, and I’ll update with the name and owner (and the picture below), just as soon as the ABC gets back to me on that.
BRYANT
2.
MySaline has known for some time that plans were in the works to build and urgent care clinic on Reynolds Road, across from the Post Office, where Glenn’s gas station used to be. But it’s taking so long that people – myself included – have begun to wonder if the deal fell through. I have it on good authority now that it’s still coming, they just hit a snag because of the underground gas tanks left behind. Rumors of Starbucks in that space have also been circulating, but at this time it is just that – a rumor.
3.
Next door to the Bryant Post Office, in the little green and white manufactured structure, there sat for a couple of years Bubba’s & Bertha’s Pawn Shop. And for many years on the Interstate 30 frontage road sat the donation offices for the Civitan Services second-hand store. When Civitan opened their new offices on S. Reynolds Road next to their store in 2016, they didn’t need the place on the frontage road anymore and moved out. Soon after that, Bubba’s and Bertha’s Pawn moved in. What’s next for the green and white place next to the Post Office? I don’t know, but… UPDATE Sep 4, 2017: “Bryant Institution” Since 1979 Being Demolished for Its Next Purpose
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- Before the pawn shop moved in.
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- Current location of Bubba’s and Bertha’s Pawn Shop on the I-30 frontage road at Lara Lane.
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- This shows before the pawn shop vacated the green and white building on Reynolds next the Post Office
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- Satellite view of Civitan Store on South Reynolds before expanding with the new building.
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- Civitan Store and adjoining property in 2007.
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- Civitan Store and adjoining property in 2013.
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- Civitan Store and new offices after expanding and opening in 2016.
4.
Sweet Tea Southern Cuisine tried to make another go of it in the restaurant business. The owners at the first location at 612 Office Park Drive (where Desi Den Indian restaurant sits now) closed at the end of 2012, due to a family health issue. Then they reopened with the previous owner teaming up with some new business partners to re-open in the winter of 2015. They had some ups and downs as a partnership and then carried on until early January 2017 when they closed again. We don’t know the detailed reason but there is a notice in the window from Cindy Outlaw, one of the partners. See the caption on the storefront photo below. The location is for lease at this writing.
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- First location before closing in Dec 2012. This Google Street Map is from August 2013.
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- Sweet Tea partners opened and held a ribbon cutting with the Bryant Chamber in December 2015.
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- This Google Street Map image is from Sept 2016. Sweet Tea stayed in business a full year at this location at 500 Highway 5 North, Suite 250, Bryant, AR.
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- Cindy Outlaw, one of the partners, posted a note on the window for customers. “To all my loyal customers — Due to my current family situation and health issues Sweet Tea is closing our doors. Thank you, Cindy & my team”
5.
Related to the above story, Cricket Wireless is applying for a permit for a 3-foot by 13-foot sign in this same shopping center, but in Suite 210. That’s to the left in the above image from Google Street Maps.
6.
I’ve known for a while that the Zoellners, who lived across from Collegeville Elementary were selling the property where they had lived from decades. They zoned it commercial and put it up for sale in early 2015. I knew they accepted an offer from a company, but weren’t talking about who it was. Then I found out who it was but I couldn’t tell either. Now it’s public information that Crye-Leike of Bryant, the real estate company, will build a complex there. Are the trees going away? Yes and no. Trees will have to leave to make room for the big new building, but it’s in the plans to plant new trees. Click images to enlarge them.
If you’re interested, here are some pictures of the Zoellner property in recent history. Click to enlarge images.
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- Google map of the property
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- Google satellite map of the property
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- Google street view Sep 2016
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- Google street view May 2015
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- Google street view Aug 2013
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- Google street view July 2007
7.
Crossroads Liquor Store is going in between Mapco and Bryant Cafe. The address will be Reynolds Road. MySaline published a story about this in October 2016, but the place is getting really close to opening now.
8.
Crush Liquor Store is opening soon as well. It’s located next to Fred’s, at 3345 Highway 5 North. Here are their sign requests for the storefront and street.
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- Storefront. This would be to the left of Fred’s.
9.
Bryant Family Pharmacy, currently located at 3801 Highway 5 North, between Mary’s Place and Bryant Polaris, is losing their parking due to road widening, moving across from Highway 5 North from Fred’s. BFP opened their current location April 1st, 2013.
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- Here is the current location of Bryant Family Pharmacy, shown on a Google Map.
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- BFP went from this look in April 2013…
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- …to this obvious improvement currently.
No specific word yet on when they will move, but they just signed the dotted line on the new property across from Fred’s, so they’ll be just west of Springhill Road, on the south side of Highway 5 North. A very good location right next to the medical complex.
10.
Curtis Ferguson has plans to build a new shopping strip on Marketplace Avenue. Where the heck is Marketplace Avenue? I can’t remember the newer commercial street names either. It’s to the left of Ashley Furniture Homestore.
11.
Simply Chic Salon will be closing at Highway 5 North in the Spring (see them on the map in the Pharmacy item above). Simply Chic has been a longtime advertiser on MySaline, so you’ll recognize their ad.
BENTON
12.
Riverside Park has been under construction for over a year and is now ready to sign people up for memberships. You’ve seen the face of the Interstate change on the south side around exit 116 because the formal entrance to the park is there on the frontage road. If you look at the Benton Proud blog, you’ll see something about memberships, as well as several articles along with photos and video of the project. The Benton Parks and Recreation Department has a special deal where you can set your rate in stone for a lifetime if you sign up right now. There’s so much going on there that you just have to go and see it no matter what. For more information, you can call 501-776-5970 or visit the Parks and Rec web page. Click these images to enlarge and read a brief brochure.
13.
I’ve had so many people ask me about the land at Congo Road and Shenandoah Road. This is across Shenandoah from Big Red Valero. It has been for sale for a while and recently sold to an investor that is cleaning it up to resell. Not a lot of news on that at this time, but I have heard from a reliable source that a couple of entities have already been asking – including a sit-down restaurant.
My question to you is what would you like to see in that spot? Post in the comments. This is a big opportunity to have a say in what comes to town, because you can contact the business you want in that spot – and it’s a very valuable spot, based on the number of cars rolling by there daily and based on the number of questions I’ve fielded about what’s going to be there.
14.
Benton business man Carl West has known since the Spring of 2015 that he would be opening Bodiddle, a liquor store, at 1611 Military Road, to the right of Office Depot. It’s finally open and MySaline will be at his Grand Opening ribbon cutting Friday afternoon at 4 p.m.
15.
And lastly, the Benton Utilities billing office is moving from City Hall on East Street to a newly constructed building on Dale Avenue, south of Riverside Park. Here’s more on that story.
I’m sure I’ve left some things out, but I can always write another blog. This one only took me two or three days!