Ghost Town

We used to browse the River Market quite a bit, grabbing lunch, drinks after work and trinkets at the cute shops. Since moving to another part of town, we’ve slacked off. And apparently, so has the River Market’s Ottenheimer Hall. The strip right inside the front door is deserted these days. Community Bakery is gone, as is Scapetto’s Deli and the little pizza place. Three stores. All in a row. So now, it looks like this:


We were crestfallen when Jody Hardin decided to leave the River Market because we loved indulging in his fresh strawberry shortcake cups and dishing up our own salad creations. (We’re pumped about his involvement in North Little Rock’s Certified Arkansas Farmer’s Market and for his new shop in Argenta.) But it looks like he picked up on the clues earlier than anyone else.

The number of food court style vendors is dwindling in the main area, and filling the open spaces with additional seating is not the answer. Maybe rent is too high in Ottenheimer Hall or maybe the boom in restaurants downtown has pulled diners to other River Market locations. Whatever the issue, the staff need to remedy it ASAP. Just think about how this ghost town will look to tourists stopping in during summer conferences …