Harrison, Ark. restaurants report $6 million increase in revenue compared to 2019

HARRISON, Ark. (KY3) - Restaurant revenue in Harrison is up $6.1 million from 2019, according data from Explore Harrison. This data is compared to revenue numbers prior to the pandemic.

“Now that we’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel and people are starting to travel more, we have seen tremendous growth,” said Matt Bell, the executive director at Explore Harrison. “We have a wide outdoor community that we reach and being able to still do that all through the pandemic has lead more people to travel around here.”

To someone passing through, it may seem like Harrison is only fast food franchises.

”There’s not a whole lot, mostly fast food,” said Joshua Devall. “Slowly but surely we’re getting more mom and pops. I’ll take that quality over speed anytime and it’s nice to have more of those.”

Several of those restaurants have been bouncing back from the pandemic. Explore Harrison and Harrison Chamber of Commerce say this is the result of several factors.

”For 2021 versus 2019, which would’ve been pre-pandemic, we have seen an increase in sales of over $6.1 million in the city of Harrison for restaurants,” said Bell. “We were on an incline prior to the pandemic but hadn’t see progress like this.”

Aside from travel, introduction of delivery services such as Door Dash have also pushed restaurant sales as dine-in options make their way back.

“It’s crazy, since that started, we’ve seen a good percentage of our sales come from online orders,” said Jamie Akers, owner of Jamie’s Restaurant.

While restaurants have seen large success, some of that success is coming from rather small places.

“We do have several great quality food trucks in the Harrison area already,” said Bell. “It has added another dimension to our food options here in Harrison.”

”I think it’s great, you know diversity is good in pretty much any aspect,” said Devall. “Its kind of the next edgy thing and people like to go to one place and have several options.”

Eddie Adams and his wife Cindy saw the opportunity with their food truck, Pappy’s Smash Burgers.

“I had seen the success that they were having in other places that were not far from here,” said Adams. “I knew there were other food trucks, but none doing smash burgers like us.”

With more food trucks seeming to pop up daily, the city is working to organize a food truck park.

”I think it’s a good idea, it supports local business,” said Adams.

The proposed location of the park is next to the Harrison Skatepark, just south of the square.

“I don’t think the location is the best, it seems everything is going more on the north side of town,” said Adams. “I think it will have success anywhere and the good thing with the trailer is you can go anywhere.”

”I think it’s going to be very well accepted within the community and then with travelers as well,” said Bell.

City leaders say there are obstacles to the food truck park such as infrastructure and space designation. For instance, with limited spaces, a lottery style system has been suggested for temperament trailers. But the hope is, ideas like it will continue to bring new business and revenue streams.

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