Downtown

Bill and Martha Hegeman, fixtures in the community and in the St. Joseph parish, are serving as honorary chairs of the 98th annual St. Joseph School Bazaar.

The Hegemans went through school together at St. Joseph, graduated in 1953 and were married in 1954. They have been working at the bazaar together ever since. It is St. Joseph School’s largest fundraiser.

“It’s strictly a school event,” Bill Hegeman said. “All proceeds go 100 percent to the school. That money helps reduce tuition that the students have to pay.”

By Rachel Parker Dickerson

Photo by Brandy Strain

Downtown Conway’s newest locale for homemade fare is an enterprise of four women who love to cook.

Debby Saddler, Iris Fason, Debbie Armstrong and Roxanne Jackson opened Vintage Kitchen in November.

“We got together as friends. We thought it would be fun (and) something we could offer Conway,” Armstrong said.

The Downtown Conway Concert in Simon Park Series is off to a solid start, and big things are planned for the future, according to Kim Williams, executive director of the Conway Downtown Partnership.

“The concerts have been really good,” Williams said. “I think 400 people is a pretty good turnout, especially in this heat. We’re expecting even more for the patriotic one on July 2. We won’t have fireworks because we’re downtown, but I’m working on some surprises.”

John and Darren Barry, owners of Conway Music in downtown, have been a father-son team for most of Darren’s life.
The two went into business together 10 years ago. At the time, Darren had been working three years at the store before he and his father bought it from the previous owner. John wanted to help his son get started in a family business.

“I wanted to get started in business — something for (his) future. He knew music — how to play and teach. He knew PA systems,” John said.

The Citgo station at the corner of Locust and Oak Streets in Downtown Conway has only one kind of gas: Regular Unleaded. But the service that goes along with the fuel is Supreme. Pull up to the pump and longtime employees Ed Erbach (43 years) and Roy McElroy (15 years) get busy. They raise the hood and fulfill all fluid needs; the windows are cleaned; tire pressure is checked; air is supplied when needed. Advice is dispensed, sometimes about a tire’s dangerously thinning tread or the need to set a date for an oil change.

When Chris and Ann Martin opened Ann’s Trendy Kidz in downtown Conway, they wanted to be certain they were offering something unique. The couple opened the store in July. They carry clothing for newborn to size 16 in girls and newborn to size 7 in boys. The store offers accessories, bedding, embroidery, and custom items.

Debbie Christian, owner of In b-Tween in downtown Conway, aims to offer moms some variety when shopping for their child’s wardrobe. The store carries fashion and accessories for “toddlers to teens and everyone in between,” Christian said. She opened in June after operating as an online business.

Kristen Woodard and Rose Cottage recently joined Conway’s thriving downtown. The store features seasonal items, home décor, gifts, and a bridal registry.
After many years at 813 Oak St. in the shopping center at Oak and Harkrider Streets, Woodard reopened the business at Oak and Chestnut Streets on Oct. 5. She has owned the shop six years of its 20-year history.

Kim Williams, director of the Conway Downtown Partnership, said the revitalization of downtown is continuing with more new additions and new ideas.
“People are opening their eyes to downtown. It’s like a reawakening,” she said.
Downtown is already a “gift shop Mecca,” Williams said, and dining options are still growing. She said downtown offers one-stop shopping for everything from gifts to furniture.

The word “Pilates” conjures images of Hollywood-types in their pricey athletic-wear, sipping bottled-water; however, Pilates of Central Arkansas is debunking that myth by offering classes in a relaxed atmosphere in downtown Conway.
Pilates of Central Arkansas is owned by Elizabeth Grant, a Registered Nurse who lives in Greenbrier and who remains employed by Baptist Health as a part-time clinical instructor. She states that “between Pilates and Baptist, I work six days a week!”