NORTH LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KTHV) – An old elementary school in the Park Hill neighborhood in North Little Rock has been vacant for years while the city tried to figure out what to do with the building.
But that’s not the case anymore. Small businesses are filling the empty classrooms.
"It has such a rich history and beautiful bones,” Stacey Reynolds said. "It's been sitting there but it's such a beautiful building.”
The school has been around since 1924. Stacey Reynolds owns a her yoga studio, Blue Yoga Nyla, just across the street.
She is moving her business into the school next week.
"I'm so excited. "I opened my business in Parkhill. I've been here since the day I opened my business from scratch,” Reynolds said.
Reynolds is one of three businesses that have recently moved in. She said the amount of space is what attracted her to it.
"The Russian Orthodox Church just moved in also and that's just been within last week. If you're not first you're last and I'm just excited about being on the front end of it,” Reynolds said.
She said the added parking will also help out on busy week nights. The building is also wheel chair accessible; a plus for her since some of her students have disabilities.
“After seeing the building and having a vision for what it could be. I’m excited and I want to make it my mission to try to get other small businesses in here,” Reynolds said.
The studio replaced what used to be the school’s library. Reynolds decided to keep some of the room's unique character, including a pencil sharpener and a science lab closet.
“I was walking through the building and [the owner] was showing me around and as soon as he opened the door I went, ‘This is it,’” she said.
While school is no longer in session at Park Hill, Reynolds will just be offering a different type of class.
"There's just a lot of advantages that I'm hoping other small businesses like myself will take advantage of,” she said.