Little Rock, a review. (Lincoln: best, gay, work)

[RogMar]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

Hi, feyleona13. We're looking forward to having you.

If you've been away from the US for a while, you'll be stunned at how ridiculously consumerist a nation we've become. I think the posts here by our resident 'urban hipsters' are quite telling. I feel sad for them. I've always been able to find things to entertain me no matter where I am. My goodness, rather than spending my Saturday griping about how limited our sushi bar selection is, I run up to Pinnacle and hike or jump in my car and drive a short distance to a river I can float.

To those who complain about retail in LR -- Here's what I can tell you...LR is open to whatever, whenever. Restrictions are few. The simple fact is that this is Wal-Mart and Dillards' back yard. That makes some retailers hesitant to come here. The LR area's demographics and income composition are also reasons for our perceived lack of retail. There's nothing the City of LR can do to make retailers come here -- besides waive property taxes and such -- but if the City does that, that means you and I have to pay the retailers' share of taxes. I'm not willing to do that just so the 'urban hipsters' can have another cheesy corporate shopping option.

Golf clap....

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

To those who complain about retail in LR -- Here's what I can tell you...LR is open to whatever, whenever. Restrictions are few. The simple fact is that this is Wal-Mart and Dillards' back yard. That makes some retailers hesitant to come here.

I am sure this has a lot to do with it. That and the fact that when once every decade or two a significant retail development is proposed, the citizenry of Little Rock band together to oppose it (think Summit Mall, Shoppes at North Hills).

Originally Posted by strumpeace

The LR area's demographics and income composition are also reasons for our perceived lack of retail.

Not so. Jackson and Des Moines both have worse demographics and median income yet can support better retail. Little Rock's demographics are very favorable for a city this size.

All in all, retail isn't that important. If you need something special you can drive to Memphis or Dallas or simply order online these days. That said, its usually one of the first things I hear transplants complain about. For me, I would be fine with the lack of retail if we had a more vibrant cultural scene.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by strumpeace

Hi, feyleona13. We're looking forward to having you.

If you've been away from the US for a while, you'll be stunned at how ridiculously consumerist a nation we've become. I think the posts here by our resident 'urban hipsters' are quite telling. I feel sad for them. I've always been able to find things to entertain me no matter where I am. My goodness, rather than spending my Saturday griping about how limited our sushi bar selection is, I run up to Pinnacle and hike or jump in my car and drive a short distance to a river I can float.

To those who complain about retail in LR -- Here's what I can tell you...LR is open to whatever, whenever. Restrictions are few. The simple fact is that this is Wal-Mart and Dillards' back yard. That makes some retailers hesitant to come here. The LR area's demographics and income composition are also reasons for our perceived lack of retail. There's nothing the City of LR can do to make retailers come here -- besides waive property taxes and such -- but if the City does that, that means you and I have to pay the retailers' share of taxes. I'm not willing to do that just so the 'urban hipsters' can have another cheesy corporate shopping option.

I hope I'm not accused of being an Urban Hipster.
I hate shopping.
I've lived the vast majority of my life in small towns and rural areas. Little Rock was by far the biggest city I had lived in up to that point.
I now live in a much larger city that I like well enough, but I was serious when I said I'd rather live in the boondocks.
Like bchris02 just said, it's the transplants that I'm worried about. They shouldn't move to LR expecting it to be typical of a city of 180k with a MSA pushing 700k. It just doesn't live up to that.

I climbed up Pinnacle on a daily basis. It's one of the few things I enjoyed about living there. Not everyone who moves to a metro of 700k is looking for the great outdoors, however. Maybe they should, but that's another thread.

I also don't think Wal-Mart or Dillards had anything to do with other retailers moving in. Dillards simply isn't that intimidating. Besides, Target and J.C. Penny's have operated in the area for decades. It's the people and the local government that have consistently been anti-growth over the years. Never mind that the population kept on growing.
I don't think it's too much to ask that a city does whatever it can to provide enough stuff for the population that it has.

[iColt1]

maybe i AM an Arkansan. maybe i should go to your favourite state and talk bad about it's capitol and you would be offended to.

[jenni-b]

Okay, LR doesn't have a Nordstrom or a Macy's. And it doesn't have a Galleria Dallas caliber of mall. Of course it doesn't!

It's a small city, and yes, it's in a conservative state. It's not an artist mecca, and it's not going to have an arts scene on the level that a larger city would.

But still, I have to ask: exactly what cultural and retail experiences you expecting to find here that LR is utterly devoid of? Because I think some people just aren't looking. Maybe if they'd venture east of I-430 they'd find that there's more out there than they think.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by jenni-b

Okay, LR doesn't have a Nordstrom or a Macy's. And it doesn't have a Galleria Dallas caliber of mall. Of course it doesn't!

Little Rock couldn't support anything on par with the Galleria, but take a look at Jordan Creek Mall in Des Moines or Augusta Mall in Augusta, GA. Little Rock needs and could support a mall on that scale. Even something like Renaissance at Colony Park in Jackson would be nice. Both of Little Rock's malls are mediocre at best. Park Plaza is actually pretty nice but is TINY, and McCain Mall is fast becoming so ghetto I don't expect it to survive much longer.

Originally Posted by jenni-b

Maybe if they'd venture east of I-430 they'd find that there's more out there than they think.

Agree. If more people were not afraid to go downtown it would become more vibrant. The market is there, its just convincing people that downtown is safe after dark.

Originally Posted by northbound74

They shouldn't move to LR expecting it to be typical of a city of 180k with a MSA pushing 700k. It just doesn't live up to that. Not everyone who moves to a metro of 700k is looking for the great outdoors, however. Maybe they should, but that's another thread.

Agree. Our outdoor recreation is a great asset and in my opinion the one thing that makes Little Rock not seem so bad, but most people would expect a metro of 700k to offer more. This isn't Fort Smith we are talking about.

I dont take to cold weather in the slightest bit (send me to Florida or South Texas!) and I get cabin fever around here during winter months because there is absolutely nothing to do.

Originally Posted by iColt1

maybe i AM an Arkansan. maybe i should go to your favourite state and talk bad about it's capitol and you would be offended to.

There hasn't been much said here that was a lie or an overexaggeration. It has thus far been a civil discussion on the negatives and positives of the Little Rock area when compared to other cities, both peer and larger.

[northbound74]

Originally Posted by jenni-b

Okay, LR doesn't have a Nordstrom or a Macy's. And it doesn't have a Galleria Dallas caliber of mall. Of course it doesn't!

It's a small city, and yes, it's in a conservative state. It's not an artist mecca, and it's not going to have an arts scene on the level that a larger city would.

But still, I have to ask: exactly what cultural and retail experiences you expecting to find here that LR is utterly devoid of? Because I think some people just aren't looking. Maybe if they'd venture east of I-430 they'd find that there's more out there than they think.

Little Rock isn't necessarily deprived of anything, it just doesn't enough stuff to keep up with the growing population. Being in a conservative state doesn't have anything to do with that. If anything, it's the American-brand 'liberalism' that keeps business out. They protest everything down there. That anti-growth mentality is cute out in the rural parts, but when you live in a growing city, you've got to keep up with demand. Little Rock is growing, and they don't seem to be doing a whole lot to stop it, as much as some of it's residents would apparently like for them to.
Don't get me wrong, I don't like sprawl and unnecessary build-up as much as anybody.

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by northbound74

Being in a conservative state doesn't have anything to do with that. If anything, it's the American-brand 'liberalism' that keeps business out. They protest everything down there. That anti-growth mentality is cute out in the rural parts, but when you live in a growing city, you've got to keep up with demand.

Little Rock is a very fiscally liberal place but on social issues its rigidly conservative and traditional. These two qualities combined drive away both businesses and the creative class.

[iColt1]

last thing Arkansans want is businesses rushing in and kill our trees that make our oxygen so we as a species can survive. ALL WE WANT TO DO IS GO UGH IT DON'T HAVE A MALL IT'S NOT INTERESTING. your trying to find a reason to put it down if you wanna live in a HUGE CITY move to ny. but don't come down to Arkansas expecting open arms for businesses that just care about profit and the enviroment. if it doesnt help the enviroment then its a waste. you could help awareness about the use of pesticides that's killing our bats in WV, Pennsylvania, NY, and up north. like it or not our little helpers are going extinct. penguins found in south America and Florida. Polar bears are disappearing FOREVER and they will NOT come back. so what are you doing?

[grmasterb]

Originally Posted by iColt1

......but don't come down to Arkansas expecting open arms for businesses that just care about profit.....

Hello?! Wal-Mart!