Life + Culture

A New Spark on Emma Ave

Inside the family-built salon and head spa bringing luxury self-care to Downtown Springdale. Article by Erin Boiger | Photography by Kressa Phillips and Tim Casey Something special is happening in Downtown Springdale. Historic Emma Avenue is experiencing a remarkable revival as restored storefronts, locally owned businesses, and renewed energy shape the city's future. Drawn to the downtown area's rich charm, strong sense of community, and historic character, Mike and Lindsay Embrey chose to...

Wellness

Where Beauty Meets Wellness

How Chantal Crosse-Sumlin built Aesthetica around confidence, connection and a different approach to care in Springdale Article by Bo Simpson | Photography by Travis Smith She hands the client the mirror and holds her breath. It's in these moments that Chantal Crosse-Sumlin loves her work the most. "When you hand someone the mirror and see the smile on their face, just the feeling that you've given them the confidence," she said, "that's what I love most about what I do." It's a small...

Home Services

From One Door to the Next

How a competitive streak and a talent for building relationships shaped Sara Posey's Northwest Arkansas real estate career Article by Bo Simpson | Photography by Provided Five or six years ago, a client walked into Sara Posey's office needing help buying a commercial property in Fort Smith. Today, she has sold that same man a second commercial building, then a third, and eventually his house. Later, his children needed houses—three of them. After that, it was his brother-in-law. And then his...

Arts + Culture

The Art of Standing Behind the Curtain

After Nearly Two Years As a Walmart spokesperson, Erin Boiger is helping Northwest Arkansas businesses find a voice of their own Article by Bo Simpson | Photography by Michelle Bazis For almost two years, Erin Boiger's job was to be the voice of the world's largest retailer. As a spokesperson for Walmart, many of the words she said in public were by design not really her own. She spoke for a corporation with global reach and a reputation to protect. Today, running her own boutique marketing...

Arts + Culture

Finding the Common Rhythm

How Nando Garcia and Moment Theory are using music to bring cultures together in Springdale Article by Bo Simpson | Photography by Provided "We put a lot of effort into each set," Nando said. "We're thinking them through, we're planning them out, but they're supposed to feel like they organically happened out of nowhere." That's Moment Theory in Fernando "Nando" Garcia's own words—the philosophy before the name, and the name before the business. Moment Theory is a local DJ and live music...

Arts + Culture

When Bea Met Bleux

The Story Behind Bea & Bleux on Emma Ave. Article by Bo Simpson | Photography by Jake Ward When Andrea Brown and Molly Merriweather Davidson were in their twenties, they each dreamed of opening a store. At the time, they lived in different parts of the country and had never met. Their ideas were different, too. Andrea imagined a stationery store. Molly dreamed of a children's consignment shop. Neither business ever opened. Instead, Andrea shifted her focus to a pop-up antique shop. Molly...

Life + Culture

All Paws on Deck

Meet the furry faces of our City Lifestyle family Article and Photography by Springdale City Lifestyle Partners Bro ("Brosephine") Sara Posey, Real Estate Broker Bro is as loyal as they come. Half Blue Heeler and half German Shepherd, she has a big personality and an even bigger heart. Whether she's working, playing, or exploring the outdoors, Bro loves being part of her family's everyday adventures. Intelligent, protective, and affectionate, she's always seemed like an old soul. She...

Life + Culture

On the Other End of the Line

Inside the Arkansas Crisis Center’s peer-to-peer text line for teens and the young men and women behind it. Article by Bo Simpson | Photography by Michelle Bazis When a crisis hits close to home, knowing exactly where to turn can save a life. That is why the nationwide 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline was created. It replaced a long, hard-to-remember 1-800 number with a simple three-digit code that is just as easy to call as 911. This change helps reduce the stigma surrounding mental health...

Education

From the Piggy Bank to Tomorrow

Arvest's commitment to financial literacy Article by Bo Simpson | Photography by Provided Whenever elementary school students find out a guest speaker is visiting their classroom, the room fills with excitement. But when educators from Arvest Bank walk through the door, they bring more than a break from regular math class with games, activities, and plenty of shiny new piggy banks. Arvest believes learning how to handle money should start early. Through school outreach and partnerships, they...

Travel

The Perfect NWA Getaway

Inside the family-friendly magic of Big Cedar Lodge Article by Sydney Sullivan | Photography by Big Cedar Lodge There is a particular kind of magic that happens when a family trades the everyday for the wide open Ozarks, and Big Cedar Lodge has built 4,600 acres around that feeling. Tucked into the hills above Table Rock Lake, just under three hours from Northwest Arkansas, this resort has quietly become one of the Midwest's most beloved family escapes. The drive alone sets the tone, and for...