Fayetteville, Arkansas

[Mith242]

It looks like Fayetteville will get another Starbucks location. There is a request before the subdivision committee for a coffee shop as part of a larger development at the NW corner of Mission and Crossover in east Fayetteville. I'm surprised they haven't put one downtown somewhere. I had a student athlete from another university stop me and ask where the nearest Starbucks was. She was disappointed when I told her it was about 5 miles north of us. I did direct her to Common Grounds although I don't know if she went.

Yeah I figured one was coming somewhere. Still not sure whatever happened with the old LJS being turned into a coffeeshop. Guess whoever it was backed out of that location. Starbucks is alright, but I guess I just don't see it being any better than most of the local coffeeshops personally.

[mzweig]

Yeah I figured one was coming somewhere. Still not sure whatever happened with the old LJS being turned into a coffeeshop. Guess whoever it was backed out of that location. Starbucks is alright, but I guess I just don't see it being any better than most of the local coffeeshops personally.

I have heard we are getting a Starbucks on campus in the ground floor of Brough. I don't know if this is true or not but construction has started on the Dickson St. side of Brough.

Mark

[Sammy00]

It's true.

There will also be a Mexican restaurant.

It's under construction now.

[thewizard16]

I'm kindof surprised nothing was mentioned about that. The Brough Commons building on the University Campus will have the opening of a Starbucks, Quizno's, and a Taco-Bell-esque restaurant whose name I can't recall off the top of my head. The University originally wanted to tie these new restaurants in with the Arkansas Union, but could not find a space they could justify using for this.

EDIT: These restaurants will be opening before the University has it's Christmas break. Probably November, but might get lucky and see it in October. I realize this doesn't affect 95% of the people here, but it's interesting, and it is more quick-order restaurants near downtown.

Edited September 10, 2007 by thewizard16

[mzweig]

I'm kindof surprised nothing was mentioned about that. The Brough Commons building on the University Campus will have the opening of a Starbucks, Quizno's, and a Taco-Bell-esque restaurant whose name I can't recall off the top of my head. The University originally wanted to tie these new restaurants in with the Arkansas Union, but could not find a space they could justify using for this.

EDIT: These restaurants will be opening before the University has it's Christmas break. Probably November, but might get lucky and see it in October. I realize this doesn't affect 95% of the people here, but it's interesting, and it is more quick-order restaurants near downtown.

It's great for me since I work in the WCOB building across from Brough. Thanks for the info.

M

[thewizard16]

It's great for me since I work in the WCOB building across from Brough. Thanks for the info.

M

I've probably seen you and never known it then. On that note, do you know what they have at those little food courts in the new Walker Hall and JB Hunt building? I hear they're just like little quick order shops, but I've never been there during a lunch time.

[Sammy00]

I've probably seen you and never known it then.

Ditto...I got out of class in the WCOB about 30 min's ago.

The little place in the Walker Building is not very impressive.

It's pretty much a cheap sandwich place...although the prices aren't cheap.

I can't believe there are no computer labs in the new buildings. The ones in the WCOB are most always PACKED during the day.

[thewizard16]

Ditto...I got out of class in the WCOB about 30 min's ago.

The little place in the Walker Building is not very impressive.

It's pretty much a cheap sandwich place...although the prices aren't cheap.

I can't believe there are no computer labs in the new buildings. The ones in the WCOB are most always PACKED during the day.

That's surprising. I would have never guessed that, especially with the University's desire to increase student enrollment. A lot of things don't seem to be adding up about that lately. I'll have to try and find out if there's something planned I haven't heard about yet. I only stopped in those buildings out of curiousity and looked at the lobbies and stairwells (I like the architecture on the new Law Building's interior, I wanted to see what they'd done with these), I've never been in them when they were in session, or explored beyond the first floor. I just saw they had food courts, relatively interesting lobbies, and some unusual staircase placement.

[mzweig]

That's surprising. I would have never guessed that, especially with the University's desire to increase student enrollment. A lot of things don't seem to be adding up about that lately. I'll have to try and find out if there's something planned I haven't heard about yet. I only stopped in those buildings out of curiousity and looked at the lobbies and stairwells (I like the architecture on the new Law Building's interior, I wanted to see what they'd done with these), I've never been in them when they were in session, or explored beyond the first floor. I just saw they had food courts, relatively interesting lobbies, and some unusual staircase placement.

The Walker building is pretty nice to teach in. The restaurant deal, while not great, is better than the vending machines only we have in the current business building where I have my office. The new classrooms are really nice to teach in. I like having natural light. There are no computer labs but we do have some computers for email access and such in the common areas. Classroom technology is state of the art. And it is nice to have some gathering places to meet and talk. I like that.

[Mith242]

Looks like Fayetteville is having another Master Plan charette for the Walker Park neighborhood later this month. Anyone heard of anything going on around Walker Park? I don't get over to that area too often.

[strmchsr77]

I'm kindof surprised nothing was mentioned about that. The Brough Commons building on the University Campus will have the opening of a Starbucks, Quizno's, and a Taco-Bell-esque restaurant whose name I can't recall off the top of my head. The University originally wanted to tie these new restaurants in with the Arkansas Union, but could not find a space they could justify using for this.

EDIT: These restaurants will be opening before the University has it's Christmas break. Probably November, but might get lucky and see it in October. I realize this doesn't affect 95% of the people here, but it's interesting, and it is more quick-order restaurants near downtown.

Yeah, I think I mentioned it a couple of months ago, but I put it in either the restaurant or the UA thread. But it has been quite a while since I have heard anything about it.

[thewizard16]

There's been substantial progress made on it recently. They've put some of the big countertops in and Starbucks is getting to work on their glassed in seating area. I noticed they also put up a light-up Starbucks logo in the window. Trying to build a little hype I guess.

[strmchsr77]

There's been substantial progress made on it recently. They've put some of the big countertops in and Starbucks is getting to work on their glassed in seating area. I noticed they also put up a light-up Starbucks logo in the window. Trying to build a little hype I guess.

Thanks for the update, I had no clue as to how far along it was.

[Mith242]

Anyone see the article in today's Northwest Arkansas Times about the city worrying a bit about Crystal Bridges expanding to performing arts and not limiting themselves to visual arts? With the Walton Arts Center wanting to expand I keep worrying that they may consider Benton County also. Tie it in to Crystal Bridges. Maybe have the major performers play in Bentonville but keep a few smaller performers down here at the current location. I hope I'm just worrying for nothing. But I wouldn't be too surprised if something happened either.

[strmchsr77]

Anyone see the article in today's Northwest Arkansas Times about the city worrying a bit about Crystal Bridges expanding to performing arts and not limiting themselves to visual arts? With the Walton Arts Center wanting to expand I keep worrying that they may consider Benton County also. Tie it in to Crystal Bridges. Maybe have the major performers play in Bentonville but keep a few smaller performers down here at the current location. I hope I'm just worrying for nothing. But I wouldn't be too surprised if something happened either.

Yeah, I read that article. I hope that getting the new parking structure done soon will help keep them from even considering leaving. I do think that they really need to build a larger auditorium on Dickson that they could use to bring in larger shows after they get this garage done.

[OnDickson]

I'm not sure if someone has posted this in another thread already, but there's a great article in the Sept 7th Washington Post titled 'Green Valley in Wal-Mart's Back Yard'. It has some very interesting information about what has been dubbed Fayetteville's 'Green Valley Initiative' (the effort to become the center for sustainability). Also has some very flattering things about Fayetteville as a whole. This is an amazing opportunity for Fayetteville to become not only the regional, but the national and international center for sustainability. I may have had some differences of opinion with mayor Coody in the past, but in this effort I support him 100%.

"....local officials hope Fayetteville will become to sustainability what Detroit is to the automotive industry and the Silicon Valley is to technology. In fact, they've coined their own term for the vision: Green Valley." Great stuff

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7090602689.html

You may have to register to read the article (not sure because it was forwarded to me in an email), but it's definitely worth a read.

[strmchsr77]

d

I'm not sure if someone has posted this in another thread already, but there's a great article in the Sept 7th Washington Post titled 'Green Valley in Wal-Mart's Back Yard'. It has some very interesting information about what has been dubbed Fayetteville's 'Green Valley Initiative' (the effort to become the center for sustainability). Also has some very flattering things about Fayetteville as a whole. This is an amazing opportunity for Fayetteville to become not only the regional, but the national and international center for sustainability. I may have had some differences of opinion with mayor Coody in the past, but in this effort I support him 100%.

"....local officials hope Fayetteville will become to sustainability what Detroit is to the automotive industry and the Silicon Valley is to technology. In fact, they've coined their own term for the vision: Green Valley." Great stuff

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7090602689.html

You may have to register to read the article (not sure because it was forwarded to me in an email), but it's definitely worth a read.

What a great article, until the end. I really thought we were getting somewhere until this paragraph.

That's why Sanker moved his wife, Jane, and two sons from Santa Monica, Calif., to rural Fayetteville three weeks ago. They used to walk to Trader Joe's and shop at Nordstrom. Now, there are bales of hay lining the two-lane country road leading to their home.

Why do they always try and make our city into some small hick town? Hopefully we can prove over the next decade that we are a progressive, rapid growing mecca of high tech industry.

[masons_dad1]

That has to be the first news article I've read that describes Fayetteville as a "sleepy college town, half an hour from the company's [Wal-Mart's] headquarters in Bentonville."

What's even more curious is how the news article makes Bentonville and Rogers sound like the bigger cities of the region... at least it would seem that way to an outsider reading the article who wouldn't know better. Based on some quotes from the article it even seems like the article is trying to represent Fayetteville as a small town on the fringe of the metro.

"Wal-Mart's magnetic power has brought explosive growth to Bentonville and nearby Rogers. Scores of vendors who supply the merchandise for Wal-Mart's shelves -- from massive conglomerates like PepsiCo to smaller players like Sassy baby products -- have opened satellite offices in the region to keep up with their most important client. Construction cranes dot the landscape, and strip malls are clogged with traffic.

The effect has been less in Fayetteville, a progressive outpost in this largely conservative landscape."

[Mith242]

I'm not sure if someone has posted this in another thread already, but there's a great article in the Sept 7th Washington Post titled 'Green Valley in Wal-Mart's Back Yard'. It has some very interesting information about what has been dubbed Fayetteville's 'Green Valley Initiative' (the effort to become the center for sustainability). Also has some very flattering things about Fayetteville as a whole. This is an amazing opportunity for Fayetteville to become not only the regional, but the national and international center for sustainability. I may have had some differences of opinion with mayor Coody in the past, but in this effort I support him 100%.

"....local officials hope Fayetteville will become to sustainability what Detroit is to the automotive industry and the Silicon Valley is to technology. In fact, they've coined their own term for the vision: Green Valley." Great stuff

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/conte...7090602689.html

You may have to register to read the article (not sure because it was forwarded to me in an email), but it's definitely worth a read.

Very interesting article, thanks for posting that. Looks like someone actually did their homework. I was a little surprised to see some of the references in that article.

d

What a great article, until the end. I really thought we were getting somewhere until this paragraph.

That's why Sanker moved his wife, Jane, and two sons from Santa Monica, Calif., to rural Fayetteville three weeks ago. They used to walk to Trader Joe's and shop at Nordstrom. Now, there are bales of hay lining the two-lane country road leading to their home.

Why do they always try and make our city into some small hick town? Hopefully we can prove over the next decade that we are a progressive, rapid growing mecca of high tech industry.

I guess I just took it to mean they moved to a rural part of Fayetteville, but yeah I do see what you're saying.

[Mith242]

That has to be the first news article I've read that describes Fayetteville as a "sleepy college town, half an hour from the company's [Wal-Mart's] headquarters in Bentonville."

What's even more curious is how the news article makes Bentonville and Rogers sound like the bigger cities of the region... at least it would seem that way to an outsider reading the article who wouldn't know better. Based on some quotes from the article it even seems like the article is trying to represent Fayetteville as a small town on the fringe of the metro.

"Wal-Mart's magnetic power has brought explosive growth to Bentonville and nearby Rogers. Scores of vendors who supply the merchandise for Wal-Mart's shelves -- from massive conglomerates like PepsiCo to smaller players like Sassy baby products -- have opened satellite offices in the region to keep up with their most important client. Construction cranes dot the landscape, and strip malls are clogged with traffic.

The effect has been less in Fayetteville, a progressive outpost in this largely conservative landscape."

When it comes to Wal-mart most of the activity is in Benton County. But yeah with the article focusing on that it does give Fayetteville from a different perspective. While it mentions the U of A, I don't think it specifically mentions that it's located in Fayetteville. While some probably already know this I'm sure there's a number people around the country who don't.

[KJW]

d

What a great article, until the end. I really thought we were getting somewhere until this paragraph.

That's why Sanker moved his wife, Jane, and two sons from Santa Monica, Calif., to rural Fayetteville three weeks ago. They used to walk to Trader Joe's and shop at Nordstrom. Now, there are bales of hay lining the two-lane country road leading to their home.

Why do they always try and make our city into some small hick town? Hopefully we can prove over the next decade that we are a progressive, rapid growing mecca of high tech industry.

strmchsr,

Remember, the writer of this article is from Washington, DC. This part of the USA may be "flyover country" to him if its not on the east coast (Florida, Bos-NY-Wash) or west coast.

Still an interesting article...word is getting out, and Wal-Mart can give a dream such as this clout. (Believe me, W-M is taking this sustainability initiative VERY seriously.)

[JJL]

That has to be the first news article I've read that describes Fayetteville as a "sleepy college town, half an hour from the company's [Wal-Mart's] headquarters in Bentonville."

What's even more curious is how the news article makes Bentonville and Rogers sound like the bigger cities of the region... at least it would seem that way to an outsider reading the article who wouldn't know better. Based on some quotes from the article it even seems like the article is trying to represent Fayetteville as a small town on the fringe of the metro.

"Wal-Mart's magnetic power has brought explosive growth to Bentonville and nearby Rogers. Scores of vendors who supply the merchandise for Wal-Mart's shelves -- from massive conglomerates like PepsiCo to smaller players like Sassy baby products -- have opened satellite offices in the region to keep up with their most important client. Construction cranes dot the landscape, and strip malls are clogged with traffic.

The effect has been less in Fayetteville, a progressive outpost in this largely conservative landscape."

They conveniently didn't mention there are several vendors in Fayetteville including the very largest "Procter & Gamble / Gillette". They also didn't make any mention of Tyson or JB Hunt. Overall it was a complimentary article but given some spin by the author.

[cowbreath]

Trader Joe's or Nordstrom's? What kind of measure are we using here? (in the article)

[das450]

No need to register - http://www.statesman.com/business/content/...908walmart.html

[zman9810]

Great article- very even handed and only slightly playing to the sterotypes of the region. One thing that was of concern was that Sanker looked for space in the Research and Technolgy park and it was booked up. I guess that is a good problem to have but I hope the University and city are looking at adding more space for groups needing to lease it.