Commercial Real Estate
The Commercial District
South Main's commercial district is centered around the River Park Square and will extend to the multiple Live-Work units on South Main Street. Our commercial will be a mutually supportive mix of retail, restaurant and office space. The South Main neighborhood is uniquely positioned within walking distance of such outdoor activities as kayaking, rafting, climbing, mountain biking and fishing. Our outdoor-oriented retail establishments will cater to residents, renters and visitors taking part in these activities. South Main's authentic urban core is an ideal setting for businesses which support a thriving social scene. Coffee shops and book stores, cafes and bars, liquor stores and restaurants will create in South Main a destination for those looking to enjoy a vibrant and exciting social space.
South Main's authentic urbanism is designed to create the kind of streetscapes and public spaces which put people at ease and compel them to explore. All of our commercial space fronts directly onto a wide sidewalk lined with street trees and protected from traffic by abundant on-street parking. Such design elements ensure that pedestrians feel safe and are drawn from shopfront to shopfront as they explore. Sidewalk seating for our restaurants and cafes will enhance the public realm, creating the type of lively social environment that people will come out to enjoy and be a part of as they have some food or drink and read the paper.
South Main's commercial customers are an organic mix of both full-time and part-time residents, regional and local visitors for whom South Main's commercial core is a destination, and both long-term and short-term renters. Buena Vista is full of life and has a thriving tourist industry during the summer. South Main sits on the banks of the Arkansas River at the site of one of the longest and best whitewater parks in the world. Kayakers and rafters from overseas and across the nation descend on Buena Vista during May, June and July as snowmelt swells the Arkansas to peak flows and creates a boating playground. In May, Paddlefest and the Buena Vista Pro Rodeo draw scores of boaters to Buena Vista and South Main. Throughout the spring and summer, meanwhile, the Arkansas draws thousands of commercial rafting customers, making it the most heavily rafted river in the nation.
During the shoulder seasons and winter, Buena Vista is admittedly quieter. During this time South Main makes an outstanding base camp for outdoor recreation with its unique juxtaposition of temperate weather in the valley and alpine conditions just a short drive away. There are few other places where you can ski or ride powder and enjoy a mountain bike ride or rock climbing session in the same day. Monarch Mountain, a 45-minute drive from South Main, receives 350 inches of snow annually and is renowned for its backcountry snowcat tours. In addition, our vacation rentals are the best lodging option in the area and help ensure that our commercial tenants have a customer base year round, placing visitors in homes that would otherwise be vacant during that time. Our businesses are a part of our Merchants' Council, which provides support services including joint marketing programs.
If you are interested in opening your own business, please contact us today. Below is a list of businesses that South Main hopes to attract:
Rock climbing store and climbing gym
Bike shop providing sales, rentals and repairs
Kayak store
Fishing store and outfitter
Restaurants
Bar
Liquor Store
Cafe
Bakery
Small grocer/ Natural food store
Bed & Breakfast
Small Hotel (under construction)
Book Store