Restaurant Development in NW Arkansas

[Aporkalypse]

They used to have a location off Walnut in Rogers, but it closed a while back. I went by there Sunday and it was completly finished. It's good to see something other than the Walmart and the Arvest opening up there.

BYB is wonderful, I thought they had already made their way up there. For fast food that was always far and away my favorite burger.

[DickSonstreetDFW]

BYB is wonderful, I thought they had already made their way up there. For fast food that was always far and away my favorite burger.

There's been one on College Ave for as long as I can remember.

[Mith242]

Yeah the one here in Fayetteville has been here for quite a while. I think it came in a few years after I moved here.

[strmchsr77]

It looks like the TGI Fridays restaurant has now opened in Fayetteville. We went by there for lunch and stopped by only to be treated to a free lunch. They were doing some sort of training. I am guess they will be opened up for regular hours soon if not already.

[Mith242]

It looks like the TGI Fridays restaurant has now opened in Fayetteville. We went by there for lunch and stopped by only to be treated to a free lunch. They were doing some sort of training. I am guess they will be opened up for regular hours soon if not already.

I don't know if it's officially open or if it is for how long but I noticed TGIF is open while I was out and about in the city recently. There was also an article about Racha Restaurant here in Fayetteville the other day in the paper. Racha is a Thai restuarant, but it looks like in April they will be making some menu changes and also start offering Vietnamese food. Interesting because I don't know if there are too many restaurants in the area that serve Vietnamese food. You may have to go down to Ft Smith.

I beat you to it. Of course I didn't get a free lunch or anything.

[mcheiss]

It looks like the TGI Fridays restaurant has now opened in Fayetteville. We went by there for lunch and stopped by only to be treated to a free lunch. They were doing some sort of training. I am guess they will be opened up for regular hours soon if not already.

I did the same thing at Backyard Burgers the other day. I love when new restaurants open, great way to mooch a free meal.

[Mith242]

I did the same thing at Backyard Burgers the other day. I love when new restaurants open, great way to mooch a free meal.

Hmm...I must go at the wrong times or something. Seems like any time I go to a new restaurant I don't get anything free.

[Mith242]

There's an article and a bit of a review about Mama Fu's and Moe's Southwest Grill, both right nex to each other, in today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette is there's anyone interested in those restaurants in Bentonville.

[vbfl85]

There's an article and a bit of a review about Mama Fu's and Moe's Southwest Grill, both right nex to each other, in today's Arkansas Democrat Gazette is there's anyone interested in those restaurants in Bentonville.

Never heard of Mama Fu's. Moe's however has a nice atmosphere and has great burritos. I think Moe's would do very well in fayetteville, its popular among college students here in Florida.

[mcheiss]

^

One of my good friends just got a job at Mama Fu's. He says it's a quick setting sit down asian restaurant. It's right off of 102. Moe's would do good around the University and Downtown area, but I prefer Qdoba or Flying Burito.

[Mith242]

Never heard of Mama Fu's. Moe's however has a nice atmosphere and has great burritos. I think Moe's would do very well in fayetteville, its popular among college students here in Florida.

I believe Mama Fu's is like a scaled down PF Changs. I haven't been to either so I'm just going off of impressions I've gotten from others. Moe's does sound like something that would do well in Fayetteville. Not sure if they have any plans to put a location here as well. Maybe they feel there's too much competition from other restaurants here in Fayetteville.

I also forgot to mention Sushi King in Bentonville. They apparently thought they had gotten the okay to reopen and served food the other day then realized they hadn't and had to close again. Although I got the impression it will be open again soon.

[das450]

Drove my the future site of the Fayetteville Shogun today (on Joyce Street just east of McAllister's), there is a sign up next to the Shogun sign saying, "Opening Soon Sushi Grill".

Thought I would pass it along, I also got confirmation today that an Arby's is going in just west of Taco Bueno on Joyce.

Thanks

[Mith242]

Drove my the future site of the Fayetteville Shogun today (on Joyce Street just east of McAllister's), there is a sign up next to the Shogun sign saying, "Opening Soon Sushi Grill".

Thought I would pass it along, I also got confirmation today that an Arby's is going in just west of Taco Bueno on Joyce.

Thanks

Thanks for the update. I'm still wondering if Shogun is going to move. I've seen a sign over by the mall for a long time now and nothing has been done. I wonder what's the holdup or if they have changed their minds and simply haven't taken the sign down.

Hey Matt, I guess I hadn't realized you had tried Flying Burrito and Qdoba down here in Fayetteville.

[mcheiss]

Thanks for the update. I'm still wondering if Shogun is going to move. I've seen a sign over by the mall for a long time now and nothing has been done. I wonder what's the holdup or if they have changed their minds and simply haven't taken the sign down.

Hey Matt, I guess I hadn't realized you had tried Flying Burrito and Qdoba down here in Fayetteville.

Yeah, I've enjoyed both of them quite a bit. I was down there about 2 months ago for meetings and ate both times there.

[Mith242]

Yeah, I've enjoyed both of them quite a bit. I was down there about 2 months ago for meetings and ate both times there.

Have you ever gotten around to trying La Huerta of Oseguerra's?

[Aporkalypse]

I hate to rain on anyone's parade but Benton County really is where the money is. The list of developments costing over $5 Million in 2006 has Fayetteville with 12... Rogers has 18 and Bentonville has 11, that's 12 for Washington County and 29 for Benton County. That's not including the many developments costing under $5 Million going up this year in Benton County. The majority of new homes are being built in Benton County... mainly in west Bentonville and Centerton. Where are the Million Dollar mansions being built? Benton County.

And yes it is a good thing Fayetteville has the University because without it there wouldn't be a Fayetteville. On the same note I'll say without Wal-Mart there wouldn't be a Benton County. At least none that anyone would ever hear about or find worth talking about. Also, it was the Walton Family Foundation that donated $300 Million of the $1 Billion the University raised in the last couple years. Might as well thank the Walton Family for $600 Million of the $1 Billion because the catch was that the University had to match the Walton donation or lose it.

Washington County may very well be a buffet but Benton County is a coat & tie affair.

Benton Co is 98% tract housing and generic strip malls. There's little there that you can't find in the farthest-flung suburban corner of any mid-major metro. Fayetteville gives NWA its character, don't dog it.

[masons_dad1]

Benton Co is 98% tract housing and generic strip malls. There's little there that you can't find in the farthest-flung suburban corner of any mid-major metro. Fayetteville gives NWA its character, don't dog it.

The facts I post here may not rub everyone the right way, but keep in mind they're just facts. Everyone has their own opinions about NWA and not everyone will agree about which city is better or worse in NWA. I didn't "dog" Fayetteville when I said there's more money being spent in Bentonville and Rogers than in Fayetteville. Those facts are about money, not character.

As for "tract housing" in Benton County... that's history. It's all "upscale" mini-mansions being built in Bentonville over the last several years. Rogers is starting to catch up with the "upscale" subs popping up all over the place. Just do a real estate search in Benton County and you'll find anything but "tract housing".

As for "generic strip malls"... 2 new movie theatres, 2 new "major" shopping centers, 2 new hospitals, 2 thriving "historic" downtowns, the Embassy Suites Hotel, the new Hammons Convention Center, the Pinnacle Hills Business Park, the future Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, "upscale" restaurants, new "very expensive" schools, the NWA Regional Airport... the list goes on. There's close to a billion dollars being spent on developments in Benton County this year.

Fayetteville does give NWA it's "college town" character, but Northwest Arkansas is a "hot spot" because of Bentonville, not Fayetteville.

[Aporkalypse]

The facts I post here may not rub everyone the right way, but keep in mind they're just facts. Everyone has their own opinions about NWA and not everyone will agree about which city is better or worse in NWA. I didn't "dog" Fayetteville when I said there's more money being spent in Bentonville and Rogers than in Fayetteville. Those facts are about money, not character.

As for "tract housing" in Benton County... that's history. It's all "upscale" mini-mansions being built in Bentonville over the last several years. Rogers is starting to catch up with the "upscale" subs popping up all over the place. Just do a real estate search in Benton County and you'll find anything but "tract housing".

As for "generic strip malls"... 2 new movie theatres, 2 new "major" shopping centers, 2 new hospitals, 2 thriving "historic" downtowns, the Embassy Suites Hotel, the new Hammons Convention Center, the Pinnacle Hills Business Park, the future Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, "upscale" restaurants, new "very expensive" schools, the NWA Regional Airport... the list goes on. There's close to a billion dollars being spent on developments in Benton County this year.

Fayetteville does give NWA it's "college town" character, but Northwest Arkansas is a "hot spot" because of Bentonville, not Fayetteville.

That's nice. My family save myself was all born and raised in Benton Co and I've spent a good bit of time there over the course of my life, so I have a right to my opinion. Every year we have our family reunion at Lake Atalanta. I guess all of the things you are bragging about are fairly ordinary, things I grew up with in Little Rock and things that are still around and things every suburban county down here in DFW eclipses. Both downtowns are pretty unimpressive and that's something we've discussed here before as I'd like to see more done with both, especially B'ville. Rogers has a lot of deteriorated areas in the older parts of town that need facelifts. Overall it's a place nice, I have no issues with people that live in Benton Co but rather with those that dog Fayetteville with some sort of superiority complex. Remember, while in Arkansas Benton Co's growth has been remarkable it's not THAT remarkable nationally. Its 80th on the list of the 100 fastest growing counties over the last 5 years. 14 Georgia counties, 12 Texas counties,and 10 Florida counties are ranked ahead of it and surprisingly (to me) 3 Utah counties and an Alaska county were in the top 50.

If I moved to NWA without a doubt it would be because of Fayetteville. If you took the campus away I think NWA would bore me to tears. There would be no bars, nothing but generic chain restaurants, no music scene, no diversity, no sports, no concerts, etc. I guess if your idea of a nice place to live is a place where you can drive to work, eat at TGI Fridays' and go home to greet your kids who go to moderately above average public schools it's great. In addition, most of Benton Co (obviously save Bella Vista) is really flat and plain and at least Fayetteville has some topography to it. The character and scenery of the campus, Dickson, and the square in Fayetteville are essentially the only thing that gives NWA a sense of place and culture. I don't understand why you would knock Fayetteville, without it Benton Co would be quite a boring place.

As for tract housing, unfortunately someone decided to build some up very cheap tract housing up the street from my brother's new home just outside of Rogers' city limits and now it's probably 90% illegal immigrants, something he's not that happy about. Zoning in Benton Co is decades behind the times. Also, the Hispanic immigration is causing big issues in Rogers schools as we've discussed here before. There's plenty of tract housing up there, and I fear a lot of what you would call minimansions I call tract housing.

[mcheiss]

Well, I'll add some some good Restaurant news for the thread.

Joey's Only Seafood has been confirmed for Pleasant Crossing, and should be completed by 2007.

[Julles]

That's nice. My family save myself was all born and raised in Benton Co and I've spent a good bit of time there over the course of my life, so I have a right to my opinion. Every year we have our family reunion at Lake Atalanta. I guess all of the things you are bragging about are fairly ordinary, things I grew up with in Little Rock and things that are still around and things every suburban county down here in DFW eclipses. Both downtowns are pretty unimpressive and that's something we've discussed here before as I'd like to see more done with both, especially B'ville. Rogers has a lot of deteriorated areas in the older parts of town that need facelifts. Overall it's a place nice, I have no issues with people that live in Benton Co but rather with those that dog Fayetteville with some sort of superiority complex. Remember, while in Arkansas Benton Co's growth has been remarkable it's not THAT remarkable nationally. Its 80th on the list of the 100 fastest growing counties over the last 5 years. 14 Georgia counties, 12 Texas counties,and 10 Florida counties are ranked ahead of it and surprisingly (to me) 3 Utah counties and an Alaska county were in the top 50.

If I moved to NWA without a doubt it would be because of Fayetteville. If you took the campus away I think NWA would bore me to tears. There would be no bars, nothing but generic chain restaurants, no music scene, no diversity, no sports, no concerts, etc. I guess if your idea of a nice place to live is a place where you can drive to work, eat at TGI Fridays' and go home to greet your kids who go to moderately above average public schools it's great. In addition, most of Benton Co (obviously save Bella Vista) is really flat and plain and at least Fayetteville has some topography to it. The character and scenery of the campus, Dickson, and the square in Fayetteville are essentially the only thing that gives NWA a sense of place and culture. I don't understand why you would knock Fayetteville, without it Benton Co would be quite a boring place.

As for tract housing, unfortunately someone decided to build some up very cheap tract housing up the street from my brother's new home just outside of Rogers' city limits and now it's probably 90% illegal immigrants, something he's not that happy about. Zoning in Benton Co is decades behind the times. Also, the Hispanic immigration is causing big issues in Rogers schools as we've discussed here before. There's plenty of tract housing up there, and I fear a lot of what you would call minimansions I call tract housing.

Uh, Aporkalypse, perhaps you need to venture out a little more when you visit here. A couple of your comments indicate that you are basing your opinion on the east Rogers area. I have lived in Benton County for 20 years, and your descriptions of the way things are now, are laughable. If $400,000 homes are tract housing, then bring on the tract housing by all means. Visit the Talamore Subdivision off Hwy 72 towards Gravette. Or Avignon off of Walton Boulevard. Or one of the many others with houses in the $300,000 and up range. Come out where I live and check out all the new, expensive homes built on dirt roads. Wal-mart execs and vendors are buying up acreages on all these little county roads, and building monstrous homes with tennis courts, pools, even baseball diamonds and private golf courses. I doubt you are venturing out to see the things we as residents see.

I don't think you have any idea of the new local restaurants we have here. Visit Mr. B's, or The Sanctuary, or The Vineyard. Again, only a very small sampling of the great local restaurants we have here.

And your comment about no diversity? Before you make that kind of comment, please come and wait outside the David Glass Technology Center at 5:30 as the IT associates are leaving the building (and I'm talking thousands of people here). I can almost guarantee you it is more diverse than most of your neighborhoods in Dallas. We have our own little United Nations going on in my family alone. My husband is East Indian, my sister-in-law is Hispanic, my father-in-law is Portugese/Indian. In my son's first grade class, out of 12 students, one is East Indian, one is East Indian/American (my son), and one is Vietnamese.

Pardon me if I seem a bit irate, but I don't think you are in a position to ''dog'' Benton County; you seem to be holding on to the reality of 10 years ago. Is everything bigger and better where you live now? Of course. You live in Dallas. But when it comes to Benton County, you're only looking at a tiny piece of the puzzle.

[Julles]

I just noticed your comment, Aporkalypse, indicating that our idea of mini-mansions may be your idea of tract housing. The subdivisions and other homes I was referring to are generally 5,000 sq feet and up. The ones on our dirt road have to be at least 7000 sq ft, because our home is 4000 sq feet, and they make ours look like the servants quarters. Is that what you call tract housing? That stuff is going up all over the place here in rural Benton County. And topography? Please. Much of the land in west Benton county requires four wheel drive to navigate in the winter. The drive from our gate to our house scares some people even on a clear summer day.

[tim2462]

The fact is:Neither County would be what it is without the other. They both have their great qualities. If it weren't for Fayetteville and the culture there, most of these companies wouldn't be moving into the area. Let's not forget that the first vendors that came in, came into Fayetteville because of the lack of a lot of things in Benton County. Still, a lot of companies prefer Fayetteville because of its cosmopolitan atmosphere that Benton County doesn't offer. On the other hand, without business in Benton County, Fayetteville wouldn't be seeing quite the amount of growth that it is. Fayetteville does have more topography...it's quite a bit more hilly and scenic due to it being in the foothills of the Boston Mountains. Benton County is IN GENERAL more flat because it's on the Springfield Plateau, which means it's high and mostly flat. That's not saying the area is not scenic, it's just a little less scenic than the Fayetteville area. When you're in MOST parts of Benton County, it's easy to forget that you are in the mountains, since it's so flat and there are no hills or mountains in sight. In Fayetteville, you are constantly reminded of where you are. In closing....there's no need for rivalry, neither would be what they are without the other.

[Aporkalypse]

Pardon me if I seem a bit irate, but I don't think you are in a position to ''dog'' Benton County; you seem to be holding on to the reality of 10 years ago. Is everything bigger and better where you live now? Of course. You live in Dallas. But when it comes to Benton County, you're only looking at a tiny piece of the puzzle.

It was in retaliation to some pointed comments made about Fayetteville. You didn't make them so I wasn't trying to direct those at you, nor mcheiss but only a certain poster that far overstates Benton Co's assets and derides Fayetteville. Though I stand by all of my comments as being true.

[masons_dad1]

It was in retaliation to some pointed comments made about Fayetteville. You didn't make them so I wasn't trying to direct those at you, nor mcheiss but only a certain poster that far overstates Benton Co's assets and derides Fayetteville. Though I stand by all of my comments as being true.

As much of a waste of time it is to reply to this line of unproductive and unsubstantial commentary I would like you to please cut & paste any negative comments I've made about Fayetteville in this thread.

How can you say I've overstated Benton County's assets when I haven't even come close to covering all of the new developments in Benton County? If anything I've understated Benton County.

Just admit that the facts I posted about there being more wealth and more money being spent in Bentonville and Rogers than Fayetteville hurt your feelings. I have always been unbiased in my posting and I have posted some very good facts about Fayetteville which you seem to have either ignored or have forgotten.

When I post some great stuff about Fayetteville you say nothing in reply so why do you decide to "retaliate" when I have some great things to say about Benton County?

[masons_dad1]

The fact is:Neither County would be what it is without the other. They both have their great qualities. If it weren't for Fayetteville and the culture there, most of these companies wouldn't be moving into the area. Let's not forget that the first vendors that came in, came into Fayetteville because of the lack of a lot of things in Benton County. Still, a lot of companies prefer Fayetteville because of its cosmopolitan atmosphere that Benton County doesn't offer. On the other hand, without business in Benton County, Fayetteville wouldn't be seeing quite the amount of growth that it is. Fayetteville does have more topography...it's quite a bit more hilly and scenic due to it being in the foothills of the Boston Mountains. Benton County is IN GENERAL more flat because it's on the Springfield Plateau, which means it's high and mostly flat. That's not saying the area is not scenic, it's just a little less scenic than the Fayetteville area. When you're in MOST parts of Benton County, it's easy to forget that you are in the mountains, since it's so flat and there are no hills or mountains in sight. In Fayetteville, you are constantly reminded of where you are. In closing....there's no need for rivalry, neither would be what they are without the other.

I agree with you that Fayetteville has more hills than Benton County. I don't agree that it's more scenic. Take a drive up to Pea Ridge National Military Park. There's a scenic overlook there that's so high you can even see the towers of Old Main as well as all of Northwest Arkansas from up there. Much of Beaver Lake offers scenic drives and the hilliest area in either county has to be Bella Vista! I get car sick every time I drive up there. It's nearly as hilly as the drive to Eureka Springs on hwy 62. There isn't a single house there that isn't built on the side of a hill. Granted, I do like the drive to Lake Wedington as probably the most scenic in Washington County.

As for corporate amenities I think we can all agree that Benton County now offers the most luxurious business parks and office space available in Northwest Arkansas. I mean, come on, Bentonville Plaza is currently considered the largest multi-tenant building in northwest Arkansas and is the first class A office building in Northwest Arkansas to offer a "concierge". Let's not even mention Pinnacle Hills as being the biggest office park in Northwest Arkansas. Then there's South Walton Plaza, practically a corporate city within a city.

But you're right... it's not a competition. All the cities in Northwest Arkansas are doing great jobs with all this growth. Fayetteville is maintaining it's "college town" charm with a very modern/historic Downtown and Dickson Street and offering some of the most affordable homes and attractive community parks in Northwest Arkansas. Fayetteville has great dining and shopping amenities and offers boundless economic development opportunites with the Arkansas Research & Technology Park. See, we agree Fayetteville's not that bad after all.