Northwest Arkansas is an up-and-coming area with several crazy things happening. But I never thought we would have the last thing on the list happen here.
The 5 crazy things happening in Northwest Arkansas include the following: YT industries are coming here, Picklemall is opening up a new facility, and Costco is building a new store. Fayetteville is named the third most bike-friendly city, and a museum is getting another $10 million grant to expand.
Northwest Arkansas is growing, and today, we’re discussing what new things are coming here. So let’s get started!
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YT Industries Building a New Location In Bentonville
YT Industries is a major manufacturer of mountain bikes, and they’re building their second-ever location in Bentonville. Who would have thought that they would build in the mountain biking capital of the world, right? But we have so many manufacturers of various products, including Fox, White Industries, and other industries.
We also have the USA Mountain Biking team, the USA racing team, and other crazy things.
But the main reason I’m excited about this is that I own a YT mountain bike. The other location is in California, and they’re in a hyper-growth mode and a huge competitor to other mountain bike manufacturers.
While they haven’t started building yet, they’ve made the announcement and are planning on hiring pretty soon. They have an opening date set for 2024.
Picklemall Is Coming Soon
There are several athletic activities, which makes this area so exciting. But one of the new and crazy things happening in Northwest Arkansas is that Picklemall is bringing Pickleball to Bentonville.
If you don’t know, Picklemall is a large company that sets up indoor climate-controlled pickleball courts. Bentonville, Arkansas, is their newest location to do this.
Pickleball is a trending sport that’s picking up speed in America, and specifically in NWA, we have plenty of outdoor pickleball courts. But this will be the first indoor set of courts, which is nice because you can use them even when the weather isn’t so nice outside.
While the location hasn’t been announced yet, it will be in Bentonville. This is pretty exciting, as it adds yet another thing to do in Northwest Arkansas, which is becoming a hub of several athletic and outdoor activities.
Fayetteville 3rd For Bicycle Friendly Businesses
Another crazy thing happening in Northwest Arkansas is that Fayetteville has been voted as the third-best city in America for being bicycle friendly. They are very serious about biking over there, which is evidenced by the Razorback Greenway and other tributary trails in the area.
They’ve also decreased the speed limit so that bicyclists are safer. Since it’s a college town, and most college students have bicycles, the town leverages alternative transportation modes so people can get around without vehicles.
Cars are getting more expensive, so it’s really cool that Fayetteville makes it much easier to get around.
Amazeum Gets Another $10 Million Grant
The next cool thing happening in Northwest Arkansas is that Amazeum in Bentonville is getting another $10 million grant to expand its services. They’re adding several thousand square feet to their facility, which will allow them to add several more items for kids to do.
If you don’t know what Amazeum is, it’s like a kid’s dream because there are so many things to do. There are hands-on experiments, ropes, a Walmart market for the young ones, and so much more. You can drop off your older children for the day if you have a family membership.
But this grant will allow the Amazeum to expand its space, which means they’ll be able to offer more exhibits and activities. They’ve also said that they’re going to shake hands with Crystal Bridges, which is right down the road from Amazeum.
They’re starting these projects to ensure they’re connected in several activities over the next few years.
It’s absolutely fascinating to see how much money is being used towards family-friendly recreational facilities. Families move here all the time because of how family-focused NWA is, and Amazeum is just one great example of that.
Costco Is Coming To the Area
(Costco is on a temporary hiatus and might renew plans in 2024 or 2025.)
I never thought this would happen, but Costco is coming to NWA! The recent announcement in May 2023 confirmed that the wholesale giant would build a store in Lowell, Arkansas. This is big news, considering the fact that Walmart and its wholesale club, Sam’s Club, dominate this part of the state.
The only other Costco in Arkansas is in Little Rock, which opened in 2021. I told my clients that the pecking order is usually Trader Joe’s, Southwest Airlines, and Costco. So it’s huge news that I never thought would happen.
Update as of July 2023: While Costco was planning to come to Lowell on the corner of Pleasant Grove Road and Concord Street, the spokesperson of Lindsey management, the company that owns the property that Costco planned to build on, stated that they terminated the contract. However, there might be plans to revisit another location in Northwest Arkansas within a year or so.
Costco has not commented further on coming to NWA, and there are no current plans on their website for NWA locations.
This is an unfortunate setback, but we have so many amazing and positive things to focus on. Keep your eyes open for news about Costco coming here in the future, as I believe it will happen eventually.
Conclusion
And there you have it–several CRAZY things happening in Northwest Arkansas! The area is growing and becoming a mecca of great opportunities. While Costco isn’t in the works anymore, for now, several other positive things are on the way.
As I’ve said several times before, this area has something for everyone, and new things are being added daily. If you’re a sports lover, there’s something for you. If you have kids, you can find several family-friendly activities. Or if you love shopping, we have that too.
