Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Trade Days Kick Off

The first annual Trade Days in Prescott occurred on Saturday, May 13, and some organizers say coming Trade Days will likely get better.

Were learning as we go, said Donnie Crain, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office. As more people learn this is going on, itll grow.

Crain said Saturdays event drew some pretty good crowds.

Were extremely pleased, said Mary Godwin, director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce.

Godwin called the event a kickoff and also predicted that the event would continue to benefit the area, If we can keep part of these vendors and add more each time.

Vendors were set up along Main Street and the 100 East block of Elm Street was blocked off for vendors during the event. Crain said that merchants in the area had also taken advantage of the situation by opening for business, setting up sidewalk sales and offering specials designed to capture the attention of those who wandered through town looking at vendor wares.

Betty and Roger Steed were browsing through Pieces of the Past, a store on Main Street. Betty Steed said the event reminded her of the Saturdays of a few decades ago when people came into town not only to shop, but to visit.

Local businessman Labe Haynie was among the vendors set up in the park near the Prescott-Nevada County Library. Haynie, who participates in craft shows all over the region, said hed had a pretty good little crowd. The secret to a successful event, Haynie said, is to get the crowds and plenty of vendors together at the same time. He predicted that the proximity to Interstate 30 could work to the citys favor in this instance.

This could be big for Prescott, Haynie said.

Local business owners Ron and B.J. Glass took time away from their own store to see what other vendors had to offer. Trade Days, in the words of B.J. Glass, was wonderful.

This is absolutely great for Prescott, Arkansas, B.J. said.

Not everyone reported doing a booming business during the event and some said theyd not had the turnout they expected. But even the majority of those said that the city was still much busier than a typical Saturday.

Godwin said one of the goals of Trade Days was to bring in those who may not often get to Prescott at all. Walking along Main Street Saturday, Godwin said she though that had been accomplished as well.

Were seeing faces we dont recognize, she said.

Trade Days will be held the second Saturday of each month. To ask about booth spaces, the community yard sale held at Saxtons or other inforamtion about Trade Days, contact Crain at 887-2101.