Smith

***crossing my fingers for a mattress store***

Ozark Escape of Fayetteville is opening a location at 711-715 Main Street in Argenta. Not sure what was located here previously but it has been empty for awhile. They have already begun construction. Buildings are gutted and Ozark Escape has signage up. This place is extremely popular in NWA. The Argenta location will have three themed rooms. With the new Asian restaurant going in the Argenta Market space a block and a half away, there will be a nice draw for people to that end of the "strip". Along with all that, Orbea moving across the river and Core Public House expanding their kitchen and menu, Argenta is really moving full steam ahead.

Chick Fil A is now open and Pie Five Pizza opens 10/3. The Movie Tavern construction should be starting any time now (if it hasn't already in the couple of weeks since I have been out there). Permits have been approved and they have a mid 2017 opening date I believe.

Kamikaito by Kiyens has been announced as the new tenant for the Argenta Market/Good Food by Ferneau space. It will be a pan-asian sushi and hibachi place with a few Korean specific dishes. Being put together by Kiyen Kim. Same guy from Kiyens on Chenal. I wish it would be a full out Korean restaurant but it's better than an empty building.

The Shell station at 8th and Broadway is no more. It has been demolished to make way for what plumbing permits are calling a Coulsen Oil Store and THV11 called a Road Runner gas station.

Midtown Billards caught on fire today over the lunch hour. Employees are saying it is a total loss.

Two floors of the Tower building will be empty when the Dept. of Arkansas Heritage moves to their new space on LaHarpe.

DQ actually has a plumbing permit for Sherwood.

McDonald's on Markham (in front of Outback) has a plumbing permit for a remodel.

Maybe it was listed wrong and should be 4B? Arby's still lists this location on its website. From permit site: TACOS 4 LIFE GRILL, LOT 4D, SHACKLEFORD CROSSING**REC'D 7/21/2016**

Lewis Crossing is just about ready. Signs on buildings are up and work looks just about done. It is a massive area and I wish it was there while I lived in Conway. Starbucks is coming to the corner of Donaghey and Dave Ward, just east of the First Security. Just down from that, Andy's Frozen Custard has been open for a couple months now. Two other buildings along the same strip are up but not entirely sure what they are. Burger King is one of them (plumbing permit). No signage or plumbing permits from what I can find on the other. I used to live in the apartments behind there and always wanted things to be close so I could walk and not drive. It was always crazy to me that there was not more things that were walking distance from campus. When I got a primo parking spot, I wasn't giving it up. The kids there now are living it up. Fancy football field, expanded student center, more new buildings than I can count. The Donaghey Hall looks to be pretty nice as well. Something called Uncle T's Deli is locating in the ground floor.

Tacos 4 Life out of Conway has applied for a plumbing permit. It says Lot 4D so I am not entirely sure where that would be in the complex.

Tazikis has applied for a plumbing permit to locate in the Grove Plaza. This should be the smaller strip building near Dave and Buster's. The Chick Fil A is up and should be opening fairly soon.

I was curious about this new McDonald's so I swung through at lunch. It was very large inside compared to other stores. It was almost too crowded. Every table is very close together. A couple of places you had to uncomfortably squeeze through if there was someone sitting there. No computer ordering screens like I read previously. The drink machines worked nicely. No funny tasting Dt. Coke. There were a lot of visible fingerprints so it was kind of gross to touch it when you knew you would have to touch your food too. I also miss the slanted parking outside. Being in a truck, there almost wasn't enough room to swing out and park straight. The few inches they gained inside are honestly needed outside, IMO. At the end of the day though, it's still a McDonald's.

McCain McDonald's is reopening today. It is supposed to be the largest McDs in LR/NLR and will have touchscreen drink machines (the diet coke better taste right or so help me..) and two computer ordering stations at the counter. The building it self if kinda blah but it is in the newer style. It has three drive thru windows as well.

I sat and looked at the map trying to figure out maybe they were trying to face it towards something that can't be seen in the photos. I can't do it. There are buildings on all sides. Maybe they were trying to showcase the drive thru because parking is minimal. Easier access for people to use the drive thru? Maybe? I really don't know. Perhaps we shall all be pleasantly surprised when it opens.

I really enjoyed JJ's when I lived in Conway. Live music and $1 beer specials, can't beat that. Great addition if it can last. Parking will be an issue over there though, especially at lunch.

A building has started going up in the last week or so next to Chuy's. Chuy's is 5105 Warden Road. A plumbing permit for Hideaway Pizza was filed for 5103. It is an Oklahoma place with several stores in OKC and Tulsa. This will be it's first in Arkansas. Looks to be along the lines of Mellow Mushroom. https://www.hideawaypizza.com/content/specialty-pizzas

Converse opens May 26. I do not know about the Starbucks.

I drive by the corner everyday. It will be nice to see this instead of an empty lot. Here is the full presentation: http://posting.arktimes.com/media/pdf/20160509_presentation4.pdf

I honestly thought it had closed already without me knowing. My wife and I cut through there from the Target a couple of weeks ago and there was maybe 3 cars in the parking lot on a Saturday afternoon. It was a sad sight.

Don't forget an AT&T or Verizon Store. Oh and throw in a mattress store just in case.

The equipment was auctioned off in January and the owners sold to people converting it to a liquor store. Also, Buffalo Wild Wings and Holiday Inn Express are moving in across Alcoa from Target, Kohls, etc.

There was an Arkansas Business article a couple months back that listed golf simulation as part of the wishlist for The Grove area behind the outlet mall. I do not know if TopGolf would qualify. I have been to TopGolf before and it is a lot of fun. They have very aggressive expansion plans and want to have 50 locations by 2020.

The McDonald's on McCain is definitely a rebuild. Drove by last night and it is a large hole in the ground. Probably smart to do it now. It's passed the holiday shopping rush but before school is out for the summer.