Driving down Lawson Road, one can’t help but notice the charming red cottage nestled among the trees with rows of garden beds lined up neatly beside it. On the other side of the garden stands another small building and a beautifully-painted sign prompting weary commuters to stop for a while at Mother Vine Market.
Kirk and Leigh Ann Wallace opened the market in April, after life prompted them to slow down and make a home in Little Rock, where Kirk was born. Their own story is as intriguing as the business they’ve cultivated.
The two met somewhat accidentally in 1999, and it was love at first sight. After six years together, they traveled to Sydney, Australia, where they wed and began the first leg of life’s adventure together.
As with every great adventure, theirs was not without its challenges. In 2011, the couple found themselves in financial difficulty and decided to become oil rig drivers because the pay was lucrative.
“For the next decade, we hauled crude oil across Texas, Oklahoma and New Mexico,” Kirk says. “It was challenging but rewarding."
“Ultimately, this work taught me that I wasn’t afraid of hard work, but it also showed me the importance of balance,” Kirk says. Leigh Ann says she learned the meaning of the quote, “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
In 2021, Kirk experienced a health scare that motivated them to move closer to their loved ones. The two previously had stumbled upon the listing for the home on Lawson, but it had several offers on it so they did not pursue it.
Only months later, the home was back on the market, and Leigh Ann and Kirk jumped at the opportunity to buy it.
“The property had the right amount of land, offering us space without the isolation we experienced in West Texas. It was an ideal fit for us with plenty of room for Wylie, our mini Australian Shepherd, and potential for a large garden, something we had long desired,” Kirk says. “It felt like everything aligned to bring us back to where we started, closer to family and ready to begin a new chapter.”
Luckily for the community, Kirk and Leigh Ann decided to start that large garden and invite other local growers and makers to share their goods, as well.
“We named our market Mother Vine Market inspired by the long, sprawling wisteria vine located on our property. A mother vine nurtures its offshoots, and we envisioned our market as a nurturing ground for local makers and growers, helping them thrive and connect with the community,” Kirk says.
However, the transformation was not an easy one, Kirk explains. “The physical labor was intense. Leigh Ann and I transformed our plain-grass lawn into the market mostly by ourselves, battling through all weather conditions and fatigue. It was a true labor of love.”
Now the 2-acre space features a 5,000-square-foot raised bed garden and a climate-controlled indoor shop that accommodates local handmade, homemade and home-grown products year-round.
“Additionally, our grounds are home to a flock of chickens and three heritage breed pigs, which are a delight for both children and adults to feed and interact with,” Kirk says. “And, of course, there’s Wylie, the unofficial ‘boss’ of Mother Vine.”
The couple’s mission is simple, “to source as much goodness from our local community and region and support local makers and growers.”
“Ultimately, our focus at Mother Vine Market is to nurture a robust local ecosystem where consumers support growers and makers, creating a cycle of economic vitality that enriches our entire community.”
The market is open from Thursday through Sunday, and the couple say many of their “regulars” are Thursday and Friday afternoon commuters enjoying a welcomed bit of peace at the end of a busy work week.
“The daily interactions with our customers often include heartwarming comments like, ‘This is my happy place’ or ‘I feel so at peace when I shop here,’" Kirks says. “It’s these expressions of joy and contentment that reinforce the value of what we’re doing.”
Mother Vine Market is located at 17900 Lawson Road in Little Rock. For more information, follow @mothervinemarket on social media and visit MotherVineMarket.com.
“The daily interactions with our customers often include heartwarming comments like, ‘This is my happy place’ or ‘I feel so at peace when I shop here.'"
— Kirk Wallace