Shop Celebrates Fourth Anniversary

HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE EVENTS THIS WEEKEND

PRAIRIE GROVE — The Locals Flea Market is celebrating its fourth anniversary in business and will be open Friday and Saturday with food, prizes, sales and giveaways.

Its anniversary coincides with holiday open house events going on in downtown stores in Prairie Grove. Stores will have music, refreshments and lots of holiday items and Christmas gifts for sale.

The Locals at 128 E. Buchanan will have “A Local Affair” from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 13 and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 14.

Daisies & Olives will have its open house, called Friends in Flannel, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Nov. 13. Summit Hill Cottage is having a “Cozy Cottage Christmas” from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Nov. 13. The Crescent Store will be open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. with its holiday open house.

The stores are located along Buchanan Street in downtown Prairie Grove. Other stores may be open also with special hours.

Kay Shreve, owner of The Locals, said the business has about 40 vendors and the store is open seven days a week. Its vendors feature antiques, vintage, repurposed items, retro and home decor.

She and her husband opened the shop as a place to sell his primitive wood furniture and to provide a place for a craft flea market. The Locals still has crafters but it has grown to include many other items.

“Flea markets are always changing,” Shreve said. “People are always looking for the latest fads.”

A few years ago, painted furniture was the rage. Now, Shreve said, people seem more interested in unpainted furniture. Repurposed items are popular. Shreve pointed to a large wreath made out of pages from an old church hymnal as an example of a repurposed item.

The Locals is located in the former Mock Clinic, a doctor’s office and hospital. Shreve said she understands the building was built in 1829. She and her husband picked the name of their business because they wanted to give local people a place to sell their crafts and individual works.

Two women from Bells, Texas, Marla Heath and Gwen Conner, were browsing through Prairie Grove’s antique stores and flea markets last week. The women came to northwest Arkansas to visit relatives, see the fall colors and shop. Heath said they love Prairie Grove and its stores and were looking forward to their girls’ trip away from their daily responsibilities.

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADE Marla Heath, of Bells, Texas, looks over Christmas items at The Locals Flea Market. She and a friend were shopping in Prairie Grove stores during a girls’ trip last week. Several stores in Prairie Grove will have holiday open house events all day...

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Kay Shreve is owner of The Locals Flea Market in downtown Prairie Grove. The store is celebrating its fourth anniversary.