Shopping for a Building & Other Little Rock Adventures

I got to be neighbors with my "old" neighbor, Jen. I lived in the house behind hers for about two and half years.

  So if you follow my newsletter or my facebook page you probably know I was in Little Rock last week. I try to get to Little Rock twice a year and this was my Fall trip. I participated in the Hillcrest Harvestfest on Saturday which is always fun! It is a great little show I've done for the past two years in my old neighborhood.

  The rest of my time was split between meeting with friends/artists/business people, shopping for a building to house my retail store (when we move back), working and teaching at Argenta Bead, and doing a little hanging out with friends!

  I found some really beautiful buildings in LR. One of my favorites was the old Buice Drug Store building on Markham in the Stift Station neighborhood. I got a chance to walk through the space and immediately fell in love with it. It is really large though, there is a second retail space beside the drug store and an apartment that spans the length of the building. This space is for sale for $360,000 and that is probably way out of my price range as a first time investor. I have tons of ideas flowing through my head... The building itself needs a lot of repairs and restoration. I am not completely giving up though, Matt and I are going to research business grants for women and for historic buildings to see if there is any way this could work out. Even if it doesn't it is really exciting to dream about. 

  If the drug store space doesn't become mine (which it probably wont) I think I narrowed my decision down to the neighborhood around South Main St. I feel like there is more parking and more business in this up and coming pocket of Little Rock. We will see though... so much research and so much planning is in my future!

The old sign for the drug store.

Inside of the drug store, original built in cabinetry. How perfect would those be for jewelry display? I'd also like to have a museum type display of antique buttons in honor of my Grandmother. :) I also love the original ceiling and while I was in there I noticed the original wallpaper is on the walls above all the wood work.

Beautiful building detail. I just had the best day walking around downtown LR. Peeking in windows and wondering about the businesses that used to thrive there.

A much more appropriate building for a first time investor. The price is feasible but it is only around 400 sq. ft. It used to be a barber shop... not sure if it is way to small.