Kelli Lancaster

I think that if a person is interested in looking for a place to locate a business, whether it's a small business or an industry, Arkadelphia is ideal.  It's just a great place to live.  I've lived in numerous places and I always come back here.  I just appreciate the small-town feel and atmosphere of the community.  We also have the convenience of larger metropolitan places, but don't have to deal with the day-to-day hassle.

As a small business owner, I can brag on the tight-knit group of Main Street retailers.  We help each other by working together and looking out for our common interests.  One thing may not work for one person, but it will work for another.  Even this morning, I was talking to another merchant and he was telling me about how his holiday traffic went - we can encourage one another and talk about what things are working.  By having discussions and offering positive feedback, we can help build our businesses.  It's not cut-throat, it's more of a community feel. 

We've got some great, unique businesses in Arkadelphia, providing shoppers more opportunities to find interesting things that aren't mainstream.  For small business owners, I have found that our banks have flexibility regarding lending and it's easier to launch a business here than in other communities.

Our residents really try to shop locally and I try to provide service that's above and beyond what they expect.  If you are looking for something specific, I will try to hunt it down and get it in the price range you need.  This is also a draw for regional residents and tourists.  I really believe the level of customer service is unusually high throughout Clark County.