FAYETTEVILLE -- Say downtown Fayetteville, and most people know what you mean.
The square. Block Avenue. Dickson Street.
At A Glance (w/bw logo)
Midtown Fayetteville
To get involved with the branding effort Midtown Fayetteville, contact Chung Tang, economic development director for the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce, at 479-521-1710 or ctan@fayettevillear….
Source: Staff Report
The term Uptown Fayetteville has been used for more than five years to refer to Joyce Boulevard and the area around the Northwest Arkansas Mall.
But what about all of the space in between?
Local businesses and Chamber of Commerce representatives are launching an effort to brand the area Midtown Fayetteville.
"I'm hoping we'll get to the point one day where someone crosses North Street and says, 'Oh, I'm in midtown now,'" Bill McQuade, co-owner of The Whole Pet, at 2423 College Ave., said Friday.
More than 600 businesses operate in the roughly 2 square miles bounded by North Street, College Avenue, Millsap Road and Gregg Avenue, according to Chung Tan, economic development director with the Chamber of Commerce.
Whereas downtown is known for window shopping and bar hopping and the north edge of town is home to multiple big-box national retail chains, midtown is more difficult to describe.
Tan called it a treasure hunt of sorts. It features a diverse collection of restaurants, schools, retail businesses, car dealerships, auto repair shops, drug stores, tattoo parlors, beauty shops, thrift stores, strip clubs and gasoline stations. It's home to a movie theater, running store and retro arcade. Ozark Natural Foods has been selling local produce and health food in the Evelyn Hills shopping center since 2000. Whole Foods Market, of Austin, Texas, broke ground on a 36,000-square-foot grocery store at College Avenue and Masonic Drive last month.
The uniqueness of midtown was celebrated Saturday during the second annual Midtown Music Showcase. Chamber representatives unveiled a new window sticker for businesses.
"We're trying to ramp up involvement of the community and get the word out that we actually exist," said Roger Shuler, one of five to 10 business owners who has been actively involved this year in trying to promote midtown. Shuler Autohaus, at 2722 Drake St., has been open about 32 years.
"I would imagine as soon as these stickers hit the windows, I think you're going to really notice an uptick in the number of people who want to get involved with the movement," Shuler said.
"(The area) very obviously gets overlooked," McQuade added. "It's a traffic route instead of a shopping area, and I hope this will help quite a bit."
Tan said promoting distinct business districts within the city, an effort she called "localized community development," is a tool economic developers use to try to change consumer's habits and revitalize aging areas.
The goal is to increase profit for everyone. That way, businesses might be encouraged to invest money back into their companies. The effort can help draw new businesses to the area, too, Tan said.
"We want to make it cool to be in midtown," she said.
It's also easier to advocate for infrastructure improvements as a group of business owners with a coordinated approach.
Tan said College Avenue sidewalks, more transit stops and unique signage promoting the area has been discussed.
"We want to have that conversation: With limited resources in time, money and labor, what are your priorities?" she said.
Shuler said he's most interested in letting people who live in the area know there are businesses available to them right around the corner.
"They may climb in their car Saturday morning and decide they need a new backpack," he said. "Some of the finest equipment we have to offer is just minutes from their house, at Pack Rat (Outdoor Center), when they might want to drive up to Cabela's, instead."
NW News on 09/15/2014