NW Ark. Industrial Base (Fort Smith: houses, to buy, construction)

[Spence&Kim]

As most of you have read from a few other postings I am very passionate about my home state. I amd still trying to find a way to get back there as soon as I can. The way things would have to work for me is to be able to open another store (I already run one here in Virginia) that sells a higher end line of work shoes and safety boots. I can't mention any brands but lets just say there's a certain hockey team we share a name with.

I would like to hear from those in the know what kind of industrial, manufacturing, heavy equipment, construction, ect businesses there are in the northwest part of the state. I really want to be able to put a store there but I need these kinds of businesses to keep out doors open. We do get the average Joe in off the streets to buy our boots but we rely HEAVILY on the industrial accounts.

Any thoughts.

P.S. - thanks for the postings on my other thread, makes me proud.

[DC at the Ridge]

The major companies in Northwest Arkansas are Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and JB Hunt Trucking. Wal-Mart has numerous warehouses in the area that might potentially be a market for industrial boots and shoes, Tyson Foods (along with Cargill), have several processing plants. You might be able to market to the truck drivers of JB Hunt, but with the exception of the maintenance workers I would think that company would be fairly limited. Besides poultry processing and warehousing, there is Bekaert Industries, Wood Specialty, Specialty Oil, Little Debbie, Dennis Electric, etc. I believe Whirlpool and Hiram Walker are still operating in Fort Smith. You might want to contact the area Chambers of Commerce for more information. They can provide you with complete lists of companies here, and also with the names of some of the construction contractors working on the numerous road and public projects going on throughout the area.