Shoppers Love Variety!

Looking for more shopping variety on your next vacation?  Then check out the unique, one-of-a-kind outlets found in the Gateway Region.

Handcrafted Items & Works of Art
Fine-quality, handcrafted items are offered in shops at Mountain View, Hardy, Newport, Batesville, Salem and Mammoth Spring.  Original works of fine art may also be found in these and other towns across the region.  The Arkansas Craft Guild and the Ozark Folk Center, both famous for their unsurpassed local artistry, are located in Mountain View. Dozens of other shops provide a wide range of shopping opportunities, including musical instruments, foods, clocks, wrought-iron, paintings, jewelry and more.

Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour
The 7th annual "Off the Beaten Path Studio Tour" will be held September 18, 19th and 20, 2009. Twenty five artists, representing a wide variety of 2-D art and fine crafts, are participating in this free self-guided driving tour.  These talented artists will open their private working studios to the public on this special weekend from 9 am to 6 pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 10 am to 4 pm on Sunday.

All studios are located within 30 miles of the Court Square in Mountain View, Arkansas, including Calico Rock, Pineville, and Fox. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to meet the artists in their own environment and see where and how they work.

[For More information] or for registration information call 870-269-8068 in Mountain View or 870-297-4129 in Calico Rock, visit www.offthebeatenpathstudiotour.com.

Antiques in Old Hardytown
Old Hardytown is a haven for craft and antique shoppers.  This little Spring River bluff town hasn’t changed much since Model-A’s traveled its narrow streets. The entire downtown historic district is filled with small shops and mini-malls offering everything from 19th century furniture and restored automobiles to niche cafes and on-site artists.

Freshwater Pearl Shop
The state’s only Arkansas freshwater pearl shop is located in Newport. While the business sometimes buys newly-found river pearls, it relies heavily on a storehouse of loose gems amassed by a Newport businessman more than 70 years ago. Pearls Unique, founded in 1985, contracts with silver and goldsmiths around the country to create special mountings for their home-grown pearls. Freshwater pearls were discovered in the region in 1897 and caused a “boom” that attracted international attention on the White and Black rivers for 20 years.  Visit www.pearlsunique.com for more information on the subject.

The Gateway Region boasts many interesting places to shop. Calico Rock is an historic bluff town overlooking the White River and surrounded by the scenic Ozarks. Treasures abound in the little shops along Main Street. Salem, Pocahontas, Walnut Ridge and Mammoth Spring offer boutiques and locally-owned stores filled with surprises and friendly people.  Our larger towns also have nationally-known superstores, discount outlets, mini-malls and historic downtown shopping.

Click here for a list of retail stores