Tag: Arkansas Business

The Downtown Connection

Aerial Downtown Little rock Arkansas USA

As published in Arkansas Business, March 14, 2021
by Hank Kelley

 
At Kelley Commercial Partners, we focus a lot on downtown properties because it’s been home to our company for so long. When we tour the market with out-of-town clients, we proudly tell the stories of our landmarks and the amenities that define us.

James and Deborah Fallows, the authors of “Our Towns: A 100,000-Mile Journey Into the Heart of America,” helped shape my view of Little Rock and central Arkansas. The couple traveled the country for five years focusing on thriving flyover communities and outlining attributes common to each of these progressive cities. After they published their book, they visited Little Rock to discuss their findings. They believe communities that have positioned themselves to thrive possess these traits:

  • People work together on practical local possibilities, rather than allowing disagreements about national politics to keep them apart.
  • Citizens can name local patriots.
  • The phrase “public-private partnership” refers to something real.
  • People know their civic story.
  • They have downtowns.
  • They are near a research university.
  • They have and care about a community college.
  • They have distinctive, innovative K-12 schools.
  • They embrace diversity.
  • They have big plans. Municipal governments are where real improvements can be done.
  • They have brewpubs and/or distilleries where the product is made and served in a setting that encourages people getting together.

This is a good list of priorities worthy of focus, commitment and action to help Little Rock become its best. But of those priorities, the Fallowses believe a downtown is the best single marker of the condition of the town. Downtown Little Rock has changed for the better since we first moved into the Simmons Tower 38 years ago, thanks to the combined efforts of city leaders and the private sector championing progress. Today, downtown is home to the arts, history, retail, housing and entertainment. From historic Robinson Center to the $142 million Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts, from boutiques to farmers markets, from historic homes to high-rise condos, there’s something for everyone. The past decade has added marinas to both sides of the Arkansas River, along with hundreds of apartments and homes for those who want to live in an urban environment.

Speaking of North Little Rock, Argenta plays a huge role in our downtown. Dickey-Stephens Park, Simmons Bank Arena and the restaurants that line Main Street provide countless entertainment opportunities. With two cities across one river, we punch well above our weight in concerts, performing arts and local dining options. While the Arkansas River may seem to be a dividing line, the cycling, walking and running along the Arkansas River Trail connect us.

With 33% of the local total commercial real estate inventory (12.7 million SF), downtown is the largest submarket in the metropolitan area and offers the greatest value. In fact, businesses, offices and residents have never had a more exciting and diverse menu of amenities downtown — benefits that can’t be replicated in suburban areas. Downtown boasts the lowest average cost per square foot in the area and can satisfy the needs of users large or small. And the Interstate 30 rehabilitation will provide the best regional access to downtown for occupants and visitors.

Whether it’s a national grocery store, restaurant chain, fashion retailer, office user or manufacturer, all our prospective commercial real estate clients want to know what’s happening downtown, which is why we must think of downtown when making key decisions about infrastructure, business expansions, education initiatives and other items on the Fallowses’ list.

These prospects know that American downtowns serve as benchmarks as to where a community is headed. We need visitors to clearly see new developments happening on both sides of the Arkansas River, making this place a great place to live, work and play.

So I challenge you to reread the Fallowses’ observations. Where does Little Rock stack up? Where are we going? What do you want to see next? If you want to listen to the music I hear, call me. Let’s meet and walk to lunch! In downtown of course.

Maggie Hogan: Nominee for Arkansas Business CFO of the Year 2021

Maggie Hogan, CFO

At a luncheon to be held on November 3 at the DoubleTree Hotel, Arkansas Business will honor chief financial officers from small private companies, large private companies, nonprofit organizations, public sector organizations, education, banking, and hospitals.

For the past 13 years, Arkansas Business has recognized the men and women navigating these challenging and often behind-the-scenes positions. Kelley Commercial Partners’ Chief Financial Officer, Maggie Hogan, is among the finalists for CFO of the Year in the small private company category. Other finalists in this category include Scott Dendler of Assembled Products Corp. of Rogers, Stuart McLendon of Dyne Hospitality Group of Little Rock, and Scott Rosenberg of Travel Nurse Across America of North Little Rock. Lifetime achievement awards will be presented to Vickie Judy of America’s Car-Mart, Inc. of Rogers and Johnny McCaleb of Simmons First of Pine Bluff.

We salute all the CFOs being honored as well as those yet to be recognized for the essential work and support they provide to their companies. We are especially proud of Maggie Hogan for her leadership and dedication to our firm.

Franks Dermatology adds SKN at Franks Dermatology

 

Rachel Sims Hayden Franks

Rachel Sims, RN and Hayden Franks, MD partner to add SKN at Franks Dermatology

Franks Dermatology opened in Suite 320 of the Simmons Plaza Building at 4220 N. Rodney Parham Rd. in 2017. Dr. Hayden Franks and his wife, Lynne renovated the 2,064 s.f. suite and created a beautiful space for his patients from the moment they enter the reception area and into each examination room. They thought of every detail with the patients’ care and comfort foremost in their design. After practicing for more than 20 years, Franks has built a reputation for providing exceptional care. His staff shares the same commitment to the patients. Franks specializes in medical dermatology, surgical dermatology, and skin cancer.

In March, Franks partnered with Rachel Sims Miller to open SKN at Franks Dermatology located in Suite 102 of Simmons Plaza. This 1,977 s.f. space was also renovated to create a welcoming and relaxing space for clients. SKN offers high-end skin care and a wide range of aesthetic products. Miller is a registered nurse and an aesthetic nurse injector with more than seven years of experience. Her training and continuing education keep her informed of the latest, safest, and most effective products and procedures available. She has also developed her own skin care line, Miller Marsh Cosmetics. Like Franks, Miller is passionate about her work and dedicated to providing superior care to each client.

Senior property manager, Cheryl White, says Franks and Miller have been a pleasure to have as tenants. “I wish them great success with their newest endeavor. SKN is a wonderful addition the to the building and community,” said White.

Kelley Commercial Partners leases and manages properties to suit a variety of medical practices. If you would like more information about what we have available, please call 501.375.3200.

Dog Days? Pretty Paws!

Breckenridge Village

Is your pooch looking a little unkempt during these “Dog Days” of summer? Well, our newest tenant at Breckenridge Village Shopping Center, Pretty Paws Pet Grooming, can get your fur baby looking and feeling great again. Tabbitha Taber and Dominick Maida opened this boutique pet grooming salon on May 20th of this year.

Tabbitha and Dominick make a great team. She handles all the pups in the front of the shop, while he handles all the biz in the back. Of course, Dominick will often step out of the office to play with a pup or two. Can you blame him?

Tabbitha has been grooming dogs for about seven years, and in spite of the daily occupational hazard of a dog bite, she absolutely loves what she does. She says, “I love all animals!” At home she has four dogs, four cats, and a rabbit.

Tabbitha started her pet grooming journey as a bather at a shop in Bryant and as she observed the groomers, she knew right away that she had found her passion. Anxious to learn, she spent the next year training in Bryant with a groomer who specialized in show poodles. Since then, she has worked at a number of veterinary clinics and grooming salons before the opportunity to open her own place presented itself. One evening the couple was visiting Angie Creal, owner of Axis Salon in Suite A7 of Breckenridge Village when they noticed the “For Lease” sign in the window of the space downstairs. “It just happened to be the perfect size and had some other features which were exactly what I was looking for to open Pretty Paws,” says Tabbitha.

Working with leasing agent, Brooke Miller and property manager, Missy Cherry, Tabbitha and Dominick signed a lease and got to work. The result is a fun, colorful space designed to keep the animals happy and safe. “It’s all about the animals,” she says. Of course, she loves to please her two-legged clients too, but Tabbitha readily admits, “If I didn’t have to have money to live, I would do this [job] for free!”

Pretty Paws is located in Breckenridge Village Shopping Center at 10301 N. Rodney Parham, Suite A3. They are open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and are currently offering a 20 percent discount to customers who send a referral. Military and senior citizens (65+) always receive a 10 percent discount.

Hank Kelley: featured keynote speaker

Arkansas Business Executive Leadership Academy

Hank Kelley joins Scott Ford, Myron Jackson, Marta Loyd, and Darrin Williams as a keynote speaker at the Arkansas Business Executive Leadership Academy Spring 2021 Program. The five-session program is designed to encourage personal development and professional growth for the state’s emerging business and nonprofit leaders. Participants will benefit from personal and professional strength assessments, on-on-one coaching, and mentoring from some of the state’s top CEOs and nonprofit executives.

Kelley will be the featured speaker for the April 16 session. Having led the company through a recent ownership and name change, he will share his expertise on “Leading through Organizational Change.” In May 2020, Kelley finalized an amicable stock purchase from former partner John Flake and the firm was renamed Kelley Commercial Partners.

Applications for the Spring 2021 sessions must be completed by February 22. The first session will be held March 5 and the final session on April 30.