Local Business & Places Shoutouts

 I wanted to raise awareness of some cool local businesses and places my wife and I have discovered over the years, in hopes of getting more folks to go and support them. As long we live under capitalism, I think one of the best ways folks can make a living without having to exchange joy for money, is to make a small business around doing something they enjoy. These people - I presume/hope - have managed to do so, and I want to support them being able to pay their bills doing something they enjoy rather than slaving away for some big fat miserable corporation. Some of the places I'll feature are also non-profit places who exist purely to help others, and thus definitely deserve support as well. So, onto the places!

First up is Rymolene's Pies, a local restaurant that sells wonderful pies and sandwiches. Gay friendly, nice staff, cozy atmosphere, gluten free options. They even have board games!

Donuts Donuts is a nice local business that sells...you guessed it...donuts! They have also have delicious kolaches, and lovely hot coca. The staff is really nice and friendly too. :)

The Hip Cafe is located near a local clinic. They've got some very yummy vegetarian and vegan food options. Cozy little place, and there's a big painting of a dog on the wall! That alone adds 5 coolness points. (photo by Linda f )

 

Rock Bottom Books is a local comic shop my family and I have enjoyed for years. It's a little cramped inside, but they have tons and tons of books and comics among other assorted nerdy goodies. (Photo by D.D. )

George's Majestic Lounge is a music venue on Dickson Street, a popular area of Fayetteville that has a lot of events, although parking anywhere near there is a pain. In addition to a nice big concert room for local bands to put on shows, the lounge also has a bar, balcony and the whole place is nice and roomy. Last year, my family and I went there to see a concert by video game band, Bit Brigade.

JJ's Live is another local music venue I visited last year. They seem to attract a lot of punk and metal bands which is cool. I saw Flogging Molly there myself, and I know they also recently hosted a performance by Cradle of Filth & DevilDriver. The place is spacious, with balconies and plenty of standing space. They also have a snack bar and drinks. 

Nomad's Trailside is a cool little bar/kitchen/stage venue my wife and I discovered alongside the Fayetteville bike paths. The place is filled with cool and funky artwork. The salads are delicious and big, and the booze is nice too. If crowds bother you, don't worry - when my wife and I went it was a lot more quiet and chill  than it looks in the photo. The place seems to full up quickly with folks whenever they're hosting performances. As you can probably tell by the photo, they're also a gay friendly business. (Photo is from the band The Idioms, from their facebook)

Boston Mountain Brewing is a local brewery/bar that seems to really like Halloween, so they caught my eye last October. They hosted both a Horror Movie trivia night and a Stephen King trivia night, both of which were a lot of fun. They have a small menu of snacks, and booze of course! The first time I visted there was also a cute baby pig hanging around. In the same parking lot is also a Subway and a Mexican convenience store, so this is located in a nice place to get food as well. (Photo by Mike Jones on google)

Dicksoon Street Bookstore is nicknamed as "The Tardis Bookstore" by my wife and I because once you go inside the building feels huge and maze-like. Kind of like Rock Bottom Comics, the walkways are  cramped, but if you can handle that there is a massive amount of books. The place also has a nice rustic atmosphere to it. In addition to traditionl books, you can also get video games, magazines,  comics, and music cds here too. Last time I visited I found some old  Xbox games, as well as some vintage video game magazines from the 80s - in awesome condition!

On the subject of books, One of the treasures of my town is the Fayetteville Public Library. This place was huge when I first moved here, and it's only grown bigger since. You can borrow books and cds, buy them, attend movie screenings, use the computer lab, watch celebrity interviews, and much more. The library has had public appearances by folks such as RL Stine, Henry Rollins and Levar Burton. In an age when hateful republican freaks are trying to limit access to information in schools, places like this are extremely important.

In addition to these cool places in Fayetteville, my wife and I also visit Eureka Springs once in a while as there are some really cool places there too, well worth the hour long drive.

Three Bird Cafe is a lovely restaurant my wife and I have gone to for breakfast multiple times when staying in town. The food is wonderful, and they're very gay friendly and pleasant folks. (Photo by Cheyenne McDaniel on google)

Turpentine Creek is a big cat rescue group on the outskirts of Eureka Springs. In addition to being able to tour the area and learn about the animals they've rescued, you can also visit their gift shop, and they have on site lodging with  bungalows and "gramping" tents. These areas also include a nice hot tub. A great place to stay for a weekend getaway and a good cause to support.

Last on my little tour of local places is the Crescent Hill Hotel in Eureka Springs. My wife and I haven't had a chance to stay here yet, but we visited for their ghost tour. It is a huge, eerie old building and the tour is a lot of spooky fun. (Photo taken by Paul Puckett)