CONWAY, Ark. — A Louisiana-based sports bar franchise plans to open its first Arkansas location this year in the latest sign that Conway is riding a hot streak when it comes to commercial real estate in this part of the state.
“It's a really neat little big town,” said Audie Alumbaugh, the spokesperson for Lewis Ranch development, where Walk-Ons will break ground next month.
“It's still got that small town feel to it but it's got the population to support a development like this.”
Alumbaugh and her boss Bill Lewis say the 50-acre site right by I-40 and a series of new roundabouts is drawing interest from several franchises and national retailers.
The property sits north of relatively new strip mall with a Sam’s Club as an anchor and surrounds two car dealers to the northwest.
“When this piece of property is completed, Conway will have a defined retail corridor that will start around Sam's, go all the way through Lewis Ranch and up through the Commons,” said Alumbaugh.
“We're a county of around 130,000 people, which when you look back is a really big number from where we were 20 years ago,” said Jamie Gates, the executive vice president of the Conway Area Chamber of Commerce.
That population makes Faulkner County one of the fastest growing places in the state, just shy of a 10% increase from 2010-2018 and right there with Northwest Arkansas and Saline County, each with double-digit population growth.
The first tenant for Lewis Ranch will be a sports bar called Walk-Ons, which is part-owned by NFL star Drew Brees.
The new franchise owner, Chris McJunkins, says the three colleges in town and the way the city draws young people was key to starting here.
That choice means a Saint will be set up where Cowboys once roamed.
“We used to run cattle on this whole piece of property,” said Bill Lewis of the land that’s led him from being a rancher to being a real estate manager. “It's changed a whole lot. I've run horses and cows all over this place.”
“We're proud of the role that we play in helping it become more attractive and helping it grow,” said Gates.
The other tenant already inked to move into Lewis Ranch is Denny’s, which would mark the return to Arkansas for the diner chain.