By Ashlyn Brothers
SPRINGDALE, Ark. (UATV) — Rumors of revitalization have echoed inside the empty buildings that line Emma Avenue since the Downtown Springdale Alliance was first organized in the last decade. Many have described the initiative as a “hurry up and wait” process, but an investment from big businesses just might be the catalyst for big changes.
“It’s clear that there is a lot of interest in Downtown Springdale and a lot of very exciting projects coming up,” said James Smith, co-owner and co-founder of James & James. “I think we still have a way to go, umm, but in five years’ time or less Downtown Springdale is going to be unrecognizable from what it was even just a few years ago.”
Smith said he is excited to be at the forefront of this movement. He wants James & James to draw people in from all over NWA to see the historic experience he and his partner hope to create. Walton’s Runway Group announced its first multi-family, mixed-use development outside of Bentonville. The Downtown Springdale project includes 55 apartments, two restaurants, several commercial spaces, and a public gathering space called Traveling Public which features Candlepin Bowling. This will be situated where Ryan’s Department Store once sat.
According to Bill Rogers, vice president of communications for the Springdale Chamber of Commerce, nearly 100 high-end apartments will likely be ready for occupation within a year and a half.
“The dominos, if you will, that have continued to fall—starting with the Razorback Greenway, starting with Tyson Foods bringing 400 IT people downtown and rennovating their facility, buildings being purchased by investors who have intentions to build and bring things downtown—all that has happened,” Rogers said.
However, instead of riders passing by, business developers hope they’ll stop and stay for a while.
“You drive downtown and you see cars and people walking on the sidewalks,” said Rogers. “It needs to be a whole lot better, but it’s better than it was.”
He thinks they’re close to a tipping point, meaning now is the time to invest before property value goes up. Rogers said it all boils down to investment; people will take a chance on money assuming they can get a return on that investment.
“Investors who’ve been waiting in the wings will realize, ‘okay now’s the time to get involved,’” said Rogers “It’s very much a chicken and the egg process.”
Big businesses aren’t the only ones looking to make a profit off of these projects. James & James has been in Springdale since they moved out of their garage nine years ago, bringing their furniture store and woodworking together. While they sell 70% of their product online to be distributed across the country, the showroom and shop are a huge part of the experience. Moving into The Watson will grow their current showroom space more than double. Smith said many customers care about the sustainability of the product.
“We bring the wood in one door in Springdale and we deliver our furniture to our customers out the other door,” said Smith. “We’re able to cut out a lot of middle-man markup and a lot of greenhouse emissions that usually take place in distributing furniture to the final destination.”
While James & James’ products are being distributed nationwide, the two owners are rooted in Springdale.
“We’ve been looking for the last year, about a year, for a place where we can bring our store and some of our woodworking together to create an experience where customers can come smell the sawdust and see the furnature being built,” Smith said.
They’ve searched all across Northwest Arkansas, but James said the unwavering support from the community made staying in Springdale the obvious choice.
“Springdale, of course, as most people know has a rich, deep history in blue-collar workers that get the job done and work with their hands, & so what Springdale represents is very, very similar to what we represent at James & James, as a team of craftsmen,” Smith said.
James & James will open its doors to the public as early as the end of March, showcasing a workspace and store where you can actually watch them build furniture. That’s not the only thing to occupy The Watson. In fact, if you were to go upstairs you would see six apartments under construction along with a rooftop terrace.
Downtown Springdale is notorious for naysayers. Only, Smith said investors can’t wait to rise to the challenge.
“One of the things that I love about being in Springdale is that we are very much the underdog and sometimes people look down on Springdale for completely illegitimate reasons,” said Smith. “[W]e’re just so excited to prove them wrong and show them that Springdale is going to be the place to be.”
Smith told UATV he doesn’t want to be the next Bentonville or Fayetteville. Smith said he is heavily invested in the area because he believes in what is happening downtown. He thinks Springdale, rich in history, was and will always be a land of makers.
“One of the most exciting things about this Watson building is that it, of course, used to be a furniture store back in the 50s, 60s, 70s, & so bringing furniture back to The Watson is just such an exciting experience,” Smith said.
