Familiar businesses closing doors in Benton County
BY JEFF MORES Benton County Daily Record
BENTON COUNTY — While plenty of new businesses have opened their doors or are scheduled to do so in Benton County in the coming weeks and months, some familiar names have closed over the past couple of weeks.
Two weeks ago, Oscar’s Steakhouse, located in the heavily-traveled Scotsdale Center in Rogers, served up its last cut of meat. The restaurant supplies have been cleared out, the lights are off and the real estate sign has been posted near the main entrance.
The Vineyard Restaurant, at 3200 S.W. Regency Parkway in Bentonville, recently served its last meal as well. The parking lot is empty and the doors are locked.
And on June 6, the downtown Bentonville Square will say goodbye to a non-restaurant business that developed quite a name for itself over the past three years.
First Fridays at Fusion Art Gallery have been among the most popular events in the downtown Bentonville area since the art supply store and gallery venue opened its doors in 2005. The first Friday of every month, a new exhibition featuring local artists opened — and Fusion’s doors opened to masses of art enthusiasts. It was a monthly celebration of not only original art, but local art.
But the First Friday event scheduled for June 6, which will feature every artist that’s even shown at Fusion, will be the last. Owner Cindy Suter recently made the decision to close Fusion Art Gallery for good.
“It’s going to be difficult,” Suter said of closing the business. “When the economy is struggling the way it is, artwork, galleries and art supplies are normally the first to go. People have to buy groceries, put gas in their car and pay their mortgages. We’ve clearly felt the effect of what’s going on in the economy today.”
Suter, who has made a name for herself as local artist, said she started Fusion because she was having trouble finding the quality of art supplies she needed. But when the two-story building at 109 N. Main St. came available, her business plan started to evolve. She purchased the building and, in addition to selling quality art supplies, turned a significant portion of the first floor into a gallery of original, local art. The second floor was turned into a space for art classes for children through adults.
“I would say up until the economy began to go downhill, we were seeing a nice steady growth in our business and sales — even through last year,” Suter said. “In October, we began to see not quite as much as it had been, but we were still growing some. But when the new year came around, it’s been a reversal.”
Suter said sales leveled out in January and continued to decrease ever since. Suter said she spent a great deal of time coming to her decision to close Fusion, but she said there really was no other option.
Suter owns the 4,000-square-foot building and said once she has liquidated her inventory, she will attempt to lease the space.
“We’re excited about our final First Friday, because it really will be a celebration of local art,” Suter said. “But it will be emotional when it’s all over.”
Publication:Northwest Arkansas Times; Date:May 23, 2008
