From boutiques to farmers markets, downtown has something for everyone

Brian Bailey, owner, and manager of Fayetteville’s The Mustache Goods & Wares, knows how to keep customers coming back.

“As a small locally owned store you get to bring in a product you know your customers will enjoy,” says Bailey. “It’s a treat seeing your customers purchase things for themselves or to give to loved ones. I don’t think that kind of care and passion exists in most big box stores or chains.” The Mustache has been a Fayetteville institution, located directly on the downtown square, for almost a decade.

Many communities in Northwest Arkansas have preserved and renovated their downtown squares, turning once shuttered structures into enticing destinations for shopping, dining, events and more.

When it comes to retail therapy, Northwest Arkansas has plenty to offer in the downtown squares and beyond. Residents can shop ‘til they drop in a large variety of shops, from upscale children’s boutiques to repurposed vintage shops.

The boutique shopping experience is much more personalized and tailored to the customer; not only do boutiques specialize in carrying what they know their customers will love, but also the staff is generally more committed to ensuring that the customer has a pleasant shopping experience. The boutique shopping experience, ideally, should make every customer feel like a VIP.

The downtown squares are an ideal place for business because of all the activities that take place in the central downtown areas throughout the year. The farmer's markets are weekly community events in the downtown areas of Northwest Arkansas’ cities between April through October. The Bentonville and Fayetteville squares, as well as downtown Springdale, Rogers, and Siloam Springs each play host to a farmer’s market, which allows local farmers a great business opportunity while also increasing the community’s access to fresh, healthy foods. Fayetteville’s farmers market is also open on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well as Saturday mornings.

Additionally, once a month the Fayetteville and Bentonville town squares turn into giant block parties for the whole community to enjoy. On the first Thursday of the month and the first Friday of the month, Fayetteville and Bentonville’s town squares transform into exciting festivals. Each month has a different theme in each city. Fayetteville’s First Thursdays are all about art, featuring over 40 visual artists working in all sorts of media surrounded by live music, food trucks, and a beer garden. Bentonville’s First Fridays are essentially the same thing, but without the artistic element. Both offer kids activities, making the first market day events perfect for the whole family.

The farmers market and block party events are great for the boutiques and other small businesses surrounding the squares, much like The Mustache Goods & Wears. “I think we have the best retail location in the state and love owning a business on the historic downtown square,” said Bailey. “We definitely benefit from the Farmers’ Market and other like-minded events [First Thursday] that attract our regular customers, and always happy when new customers find us.”

First Thursdays and Fridays offer invaluable direct customer-to-business exposure that helps keep small, local businesses like The Mustache thriving. There are also plenty of other community and downtown events in every NWA locale to keep foot traffic in the downtown community, and therefore the boutiques, in a steady traffic of business. Between the live music, the art, and community engagement, the whole family can find something fun to do downtown.

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