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Statewide Bentonville Calico Rock DeQueen Eureka Springs Fayetteville Fort Smith Hamburg Heber Springs Hope Hot Springs Little Rock Magnolia Morrilton Mountain View Petit Jean State Park Rogers Searcy Springdale Tontitown
Women’s History Month is about celebrating what women have accomplished. But it’s also about celebrating what women in Arkansas are accomplishing now. With that in mind, here’s a look at some women-owned businesses where Arkansans can shop, eat, sip a cup of coffee and know they’re supporting amazing Arkansas women.
Art & Books
Monica Diodati and Rachel Stuckey-Slaton of Two Friends Bookstore
Two Friends Bookstore – Monica Diodati and Rachel Stuckey-Slaton opened their Bentonville bookstore after successful pop-up bookstores and offer great reads, coffee and a selection of sweets and sandwiches in their cafe.
Bookish: An Indie Shop for Folks Who Read – Sarah Putman and Jennifer Battles co-founded Bookish in 2018, Fort Smith’s only independent book shop. The shop has two locations in downtown Fort Smith: Brunswick Place on N. 10th Street and At the Bakery on S. 7th Street.
Pyramid Art, Books & Custom Framing – Founded by Garbo Hearne, Pyramid has showcased books, art and more since 1988 in Little Rock. The shop was founded around a passion and appreciation for Black art and culture.
Wilson & Wilson Folk Art – Sylvia and Blakely Wilson are the mother/daughter duo behind this American Folk Art shop in Eureka Springs. They sell framed art, prints, notecards and more of their classic Americana style.
Make.Do – Jo Ellis is the founder of this non-profit that focuses on the positive impact of creative activity. The organization offers classes and events like Sewing 101, crochet, quilting, crafting and more at their location on 119 N. Spring Street in Searcy.
Coffee & Sweet Stuff
Dempsey Bakery – Paula Dempsey started her gluten-free bakery in 2008 when her husband was encouraged to go gluten-free for health issues. She offers gluten, soy, nut and wheat-free treats at her shop in Little Rock.
Nellie B’s Bakery – Nellie B’s Bakery is a mother/daughter venture that offers freshly baked pastries and sweets, breakfast items and more in Fayetteville.
Hebrews 11 & 1 – Arnetta is the woman behind this family-owned coffee shop in Hope, Arkansas, famous for its butter pecan coffee, lunch specialties and more.
Confident Coffee Roasters – Amber Dietrich founded her Fayetteville small-batch coffee roastery to bring fair trade, exceptionally roasted beans to the area. You can grab a cup or a bag at the Fayetteville location.
Petit Jean Coffeehouse – Stephanie Buckley is a well-thought-of community builder in Arkansas, her coffee shop and mercantile on beautiful Petit Jean Mountain serves up delicious Airship Coffee, comfort foods, and plenty of fun and encouragement.
My Brother’s Salsa – Helen Lampkin’s successful brand is based on a family recipe and is now a regional success. Look for it in stores across Arkansas or order is directly from mybrotherssalsa.com.
Ivy Vacations – Virginia Ivy is the name behind this full-service professional management company. Ivy Vacations handles short-term property rentals around Calico Rock, Mountain View and Heber Springs.
Stephens Old Tyme Milling Company – Roxy Stephens and family offer cornmeal-based mixes, jars of pickles, salsas, jams and much more from their De Queen-based business.
Freckled Hen Home & Gifts – Natalie and Luke Freeman’s shop came out of Natalie’s blog about restoring and decorating their farmhouse outside of Fayetteville. The shop is an expression of Natalie’s tastes for simple, seasonal and local decor and products.
Honeycomb Kitchen Shop – Melissa Turpin and Dana Smith are the team behind this downtown Rogers shop that specializes in curated kitchenware and offers classes with local chefs to inspire creativity and home-cooking.
Yours & Vine and Flowers by Design – Derenda Stanley brings her love of agriculture and small-town together in this unique flower shop and local plant nursery in Hamburg.
The Green Corner Store – Shelley Green opened her eco-friendly shop in Little Rock to connect customers to producers of local, sustainable and organic products.
Clothes & Boutiques
Handmade jewelry by Brandy McNair at Bella Vita Jewelry Skye on the Town – Kristi Parrish has something for everyone at her women’s boutique shop in Fayetteville.
Impressions – Kathy Clyma and Stacey Shipman, a mother/daughter duo, run this woman’s boutique and gift store in Fort Smith.
Bella Vita Jewelry – Brandy Thomason McNair grew her handmade jewelry business from a craft fair booth to a thriving small business with a presence in 200+ shops in the U.S. and Canada, plus her shop and design studio in downtown Little Rock.
Violets Bridal & Formal – Stephanie Oelschlaeger offers formal wear for proms, weddings, quinceañeras and more at her shop in Tontitown.
The Boutique – Liz Howell recently purchased this Searcy institution from owner Marianne Jones, whose family ran the business for 60 years. They offer unique gifts, jewelry and home decor and have an amazing selection for bridal registries.
Health, Beauty & Fitness
Jennifer Sutherlin and Whitney Lloyd of Arkansas Swim Academy.
Arkansas Swim Academy – Jennifer Sutherlin and Whitney Lloyd founded Arkansas Swim Academy in Rogers to provide year-round swimming opportunities and lessons to families in Northwest Arkansas.
Yoga Story – Lynn Hill is the owner of Yoga Story, located in Bentonville and open since 2010. Find strength, work up a sweat, and relax at one of the many classes on offer.
Chrysalis Day Spa – Cathy Caver heads up this luxurious spa with two locations in Hot Springs. From massage to facials, laser treatment and more, Chrysalis Day Spa meets every spa need.
Southern Girl Soapery – Stephanie Hamling provides handmade soap across the state for all southern girls, partners, kids and more.
Restaurants
Mockingbird Kitchen’s famous mockingbird pie
Susan’s Family Restaurant – Susan Mhoon opened her Springdale restaurant over 25 years ago and serves locally famous dishes like chicken fried chicken and spaghetti, biscuits and gravy, and pie.
The Corner Clubhouse – Alexandra Vaught is the owner of this all-American sports bar in Magnolia where burgers, fries, steaks and potatoes all come with a side of sports.
Hubcap Burger Company – Erin Griffin is the woman behind the burgers and fries and is already a seasoned restaurateur with Cotham’s, the restaurant she owns with her husband. Stop by for the perfect burger and fries in Little Rock.
Bites And Bowls – Sisters Sandra and Laura Carrasco combine a few Mexican ingredients to some American favorites, including their famous waffles, sandwiches, soups, coffee, smoothies and more at their Springdale shop.
These women-owned businesses only scratch the surface of what women entrepreneurs are doing in Arkansas. Use this list to support women in business this month, and beyond women’s history month. And find other women-owned local businesses and share them with friends, family, and more. Together, we can spotlight how women in Arkansas are making history today.
Kimberly S. Mitchell loves journeys, real or imagined. She has hiked the Inca Trail, walked into Panama on a rickety wooden bridge and once missed the last train of the night in Paris and walked several miles home (with friends). She believes magic can be found in life and books, loves to watch the stars appear, and still dreams of backpacking the world. Now she writes adventures to send her characters on journeys, too. Pen & Quin: International Agents of Intrigue - The Mystery of the Painted Book is her debut novel. Find out more at KSMitchell.com.
Kimberly, thank you so much for the mention of our venue. This is such a great article as I enjoyed reading all the listing of women owned business’ and will certainly lend patronage to some new ones as your listing is quite enlightening as I was so pleasantly surprised to see my business listed. Please know how much we appreciate you bringing us to light!
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Kimberly, thank you so much for the mention of our venue. This is such a great article as I enjoyed reading all the listing of women owned business’ and will certainly lend patronage to some new ones as your listing is quite enlightening as I was so pleasantly surprised to see my business listed. Please know how much we appreciate you bringing us to light!