As a relative newcomer to El Dorado, I vividly remember the impression it made on me when I first drove into town.
Having traveled through a number of small southern towns, I was prepared to see the usual boarded up storefronts on every block as I made it to the downtown area. Boy, was I surprised when I saw nearly every storefront filled and that there was a variety of shops, eateries and businesses you just don’t see in most small towns any more.
It reminded me of a number of college towns I have visited that are alive with a vibe all their own. You could tell that downtown El Dorado was anything but a typical small southern town. Without a doubt it has the neatest downtown area I have lived in with more variety and unique privately owned businesses I have ever seen.
Now, three years later, downtown is transforming once again with the near completion of Phase I of the Murphy Arts District that is sure to bring a steady stream of visitors to our area. Next year’s completion of Phase II will be the icing on the cake with the renovation of the Rialto Theater and McWilliams building as an in-residence arts center. A project of this size and caliber is something many small towns can only dream of, and thanks to the vision of local business leaders it is a reality for downtown El Dorado.
The Downtown Business Association has worked for a long time to bring the stores, shops, eateries and other businesses together to forge a continued effort to help make downtown El Dorado the jewel that it is. Each business owner has a passion for their operation, customers, and for our community. They have at the forefront a focus on personal service and working together. That’s more than encouraging when you see personal service nearly disappearing in the modern day business environment.
When you deal with the businesses downtown, you are more than just another customer with money in your pocket. You are a part of the community, just like they are, and they want to make sure you are satisfied. It’s great to know who you are doing business with and that if you have a problem they are there to make it right.
I don’t know about you, but I love personal service, and in an age of online and big box shopping, personal service is a refreshing change. It’s good to know that much of what you are looking for is right here in downtown El Dorado. Whether you are looking for latest trends in women’s wear, jewelry, gourmet food items, baked goods, sport and casual wear, fresh flowers, home decor items, antiques, art and framing service, full service spa, health foods, beauty and hairstyling, embroidery service or formal wear, you will find it downtown. You can also find a place to book a cruise or vacation trip, or shop for insurance, find a Realtor, reserve a meeting space or reserve accommodations for out-of-town guests.
When it comes to eateries you will find a great variety of choices including soups, salads, sandwiches, original plated dishes, pizza and fine dining.
Yes indeed, there is more than meets the idea in downtown El Dorado with businesses operated by local people who are ready to welcome you. Starting in today’s paper on pages 6 and 7 of the Living section you will find advertisements from many of the members of the Downtown Business Association. We invite you to check out their ads for the next 24 weeks as they remind us all of the variety of offerings in goods and services they have.
On second thought and for your consideration, this is our town and when we all support each other we grow stronger everyday. We are blessed with many people who have a vision for their business and they are passionate about what they offer the community.
You will find many downtown business owners actually working in their shops everyday along side many of your neighbors and friends who work with them. So the next time you are tempted to go online or maybe go out of town to shop — check with your friends in downtown El Dorado first. I think you’ll be glad you did.
Ronnie Bell is the general manager for the News-Times.