Described as a “city under a roof,” the Arcade created a lasting impression on its opening night in 1914. Newspaper reporters admired its modernity, and the mayor proclaimed that the Arcade “compare[d] favorably with the greatest marketplaces of the world.”[1] Opening stores included Allen’s Confectionery, Altheimer Dry Goods Company, Cooperman Bros. Grocery, and Terry Dairy Company.<\/p>\n
Over time, specialty stores gradually replaced grocers. The Arcade transformed into a modern mall, including a department store, bookstore, beauty salon, and gift shop. With fewer people shopping downtown, however, the building deteriorated as revenue and upkeep declined.<\/p>\n
In the late 1950s, urban renewal began to take hold in Little Rock, and the Arcade seemed to be a relic of a past that did not fit with the city’s future. Deemed too expensive to rehabilitate, owners slated the Arcade for destruction. Shopkeepers vacated the building by December 31, 1959. [2] Within the next month, owners demolished the building.<\/p>\n
Today, the Arcade’s name lives on through a joint venture between the Central Arkansas Library System and Moses Tucker Real Estate. Like its predecessor, the arcade houses a variety of organizations and businesses, and its location in the River Market District resonates with its original marketplace roots. The new building continues to reflect Little Rock’s growth as a city by reviving memories of historic buildings while meeting the needs of 21st-century Arkansans.<\/p>\n\t
*The banner photo shows the interior of the Arcade, 1957.<\/p>\n\tngg_shortcode_0_placeholder\n
[<\/sup>1<\/sup>]<\/sup>\u00a0“New City Market Opened to Public,”\u00a0Arkansas Gazette<\/em>, June 26, 1914, 7.<\/p>\n [2]<\/sup>\u00a0Owens, Patrick J., “Arcade Tenants Hate to Go – They’ll Miss Friendly ‘Hole,'”\u00a0Arkansas Gazette<\/em>, January 4, 1960, A1.<\/p>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Opening and Closing Described as a “city under a roof,” the Arcade created a lasting impression on its opening night in 1914. Newspaper reporters admired its modernity, and the mayor proclaimed that the Arcade “compare favorably with the greatest marketplaces…<\/p>\n<\/div>\n