LARA JO HIGHTOWER
lhightower@nwadg.com
The 13th annual Northwest Arkansas Boutique Show makes a big move this year to a much larger space at the John Q. Hammons Center in Rogers.
“We are so excited to have more parking, more booths and so many great restaurant options surrounding the venue,” says producer and co-founder K.C. Pummill. She says that she and a group of friends and colleagues started the event in 2006. “We built this show essentially during a recession to help small business owners stay afloat when many couldn’t afford to have physical stores. For many merchants, this is still their main source of revenue for the year.”
The show boasts more than 180 vendors, and Pummill says the team makes careful vendor decisions that benefit both vendor and shopper equally.
“We have hundreds of applications, and we sort through them meticulously during merchant jury to select exactly the right mix for our audience,” she says. “We stay really focused on our target audience. Returning merchants have first right of refusal each year. Then we look for merchants that bring something unique to the show or round out the mix. We look carefully at what they’re planning to bring — limiting overlap is important to us, so shoppers get the most variety possible and merchants have less competition.”
“We have more boutiques under one roof than both the Northwest Arkansas malls combined,” says Julie Smith, social media coordinator. “Seriously — you could knock out your holiday shopping in one day. [You can] visit 180 boutiques that would take you weeks to explore if you were going around town. So save gas money, come to the show and finish up your Christmas list!”
“We work really hard to cultivate a collection of incredible, quality merchants that bring unique items to Northwest Arkansas,” adds Pummill. “There’s a fun vibe, lots of energy, and it’s a great kickoff to the holiday season. We’ve got festive music, decor and food. People are like, ‘Are you pumping oxygen in this place?! It’s like Vegas in here!’”
The show features a few special events during its two-day run. A VIP Shopping Event today from 9 to 11 a.m. gives shoppers “first dibs” on vendors’ items in a decidedly holiday atmosphere: Rachel Billingsley and Jamie Lockhart will provide live Christmas jazz, and free food, beverage samples and a swag bag are also included with the price of admission. A Girls Night Out event from 5 to 9 p.m. today features a DJ, cash bar and tasty food from local eateries like JJ’s Grill, Local Lime and Big Orange.
Pummill says the show also has a community focus and benefits several local nonprofit organizations.
“Over the last 13 years, we’ve been able to give tens of thousands of dollars away to local charities,” she says. “We have a heart for small business and for our community. We’ve supported the projects of the Junior League of Northwest Arkansas, Fayetteville Junior Civic League, Salvation Army of Northwest Arkansas, The Women’s Auxiliary of Northwest Arkansas, Northwest Arkansas Arts Foundation, local schools and churches, CASA — and dozens more.”
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FAQ
NWA Boutique Show
WHEN — 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 22; 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 23
WHERE — John Q. Hammons Center, 3303 S Pinnacle Hills Parkway in Rogers
COST — $5 general admission
INFO — nwaboutiqueshow.com
