Jonesboro is Growing- New Business Means New Jobs!

Have you noticed the tremendous increase of activity in Jonesboro over the past year- more specifically the past 3 months?! Jonesboro, being the 5^th most populated city in Arkansas[1], is well on its way to becoming the emerging leader of Arkansas’s economy.

Believe it or not, but Jonesboro is one of only 26 cities in the 363 metropolitan statistical areas in the U.S. that has not only recovered jobs lost from the economy’s recent downfall but has added to them[2]!

Currently, Jonesboro located along U.S. Highway 63 (soon to be Interstate 555), serves a trade area of about 500,000 people in 20 counties in Arkansas, Missouri and Tennessee[3]. That’s a pretty good size! It also has steadily grown over 40% in size since 1990 and is estimated to maintain that same or greater level of growth over the next 20 years[4]!

With that being said, you can now understand the level of importance the growth of Jonesboro has on not only this 80 square mile city but also on the surrounding areas.

Recently my future sister-in-law mentioned to me that the hype of all of the new businesses coming to Jonesboro is the reason her husband wants them to move from Arkadelphia, Ark. to Jonesboro. That is about a 3 ½ hour drive.

You can imagine the impact these new business will have not only in creating new jobs (bringing in more money flow) but also in increasing the population. But it’s not just new businesses coming into the area that is creating a lot of anticipation. There are also many areas around town that are expanding and adding on to their original developments to meet new demands. How exciting!

Because of all the latest excitement in Jonesboro’s economic growth, our company decided to document some of the main developments in town.We put together a little packet for your use. Above you can see a map of developments in Jonesboro. If you click on the map above, or CLICK HERE, it will take you to a more detailed write up on each of these properties, including Google Map links of these locations and Loopet links of properties in the surrounding areas that are open to lease, build to suit, and much more. Better jump on the band wagon fast! All the good locations are going to be gone before you know it!

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[1] Jonesborochamber.com/view/economic-development

[2] Businessinsider.com

[3] Jonesborochamber.com/view/retail-trade-area

[4] Jonesborochamber.comview/population-trends

1,000 Fans and Counting…

Since we launched our Facebook page in August of 2011, we’ve had a goal of hitting 1,000 Facebook fans. We’re excited to say that in only 8 months, we’ve hit our goal! Thank you to all of our fans for the constant feedback and support. Not only have we gained over 1,000 fans, we’ve increased our fan engagement by over 1,000%, which is incredible.

Did you know that we had over 280 likes, 50 comments, and 46 shares on our Kirkland’s post back in January? We posted a photo of Kirkland’s logo and asked how many of our fans would love to see them in Jonesboro. We shared this awesome feedback with Kirkland’s, and it actually played a part in the business coming to Jonesboro! We just announced a deal earlier this week to build a stand-alone Kirkland’s on Highland in front of Target (which over 65 of our fans have already liked!).

We would love to continue using our social media accounts to do awesome things. Please continue to COMMENT, LIKE, and TELL US which restaurants, retailers, or other businesses that you would LOVE to see in Jonesboro. We’re always evaluating and calculating the data, adding up just how many times fans request a certain business, or which of our posts receive the most feedback. We encourage you to write on our wall, like our posts, or even upload photos to our page of businesses that you would love to see in Northeast Arkansas. You never know just what your feedback could do for the city of Jonesboro…

Haag Brown Brochure

You may have seen this awesome graphic floating around our Facebook and WordPress Blog the past few months. It just happens to be the cover of our new brochure that we have been developing. We wanted a publication that introduced our company, explained our services, included past clients, and also introduced our team. We plan on giving these brochures to our clients.

We’re excited to give you an online look at the finished product! You can flip through the pages to get more of an actual feel of what it looks like. Click the link below to view:

http://issuu.com/haagbrowncommercial/docs/haagbrownbook?mode=window&printButtonEnabled=false&shareButtonEnabled=false&searchButtonEnabled=false&backgroundColor=%23222222

Academy Sports: Construction Update

 

Construction has begun on the latest tenant of the Craighead County Fairgrounds re-development! Academy Sports + Outdoors purchased a 7+ acre plot of land behind Panera Bread and Sissy’s Log Cabin in early February. Academy will be accessible through Stadium Blvd., as well as Fair Park Blvd. in front of Lowe’s. It’s expected to be approximately 75,000 square feet, and planned to be opening this fall.

If you’ve never seen an Academy before, the finished product will look similar to the photo below:

 

Expect a huge assortment of hunting, fishing, and camping equipment, as well as sports products, apparel, footware, and much more!

Learn more about Academy Sports + Outdoors on their social media sites, and continue checking our Facebook page for construction updates…

Website: www.academy.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/academysportsandoutdoors
Twitter: www.twitter.com/academy
YouTube: www.youtube.com/academydotcom

Photo source: www.academy.com

Welcome to Jonesboro Five Guys Burgers and Fries and Bullritos!

Two new restaurants are headed in Jonesboro’s direction!

We have put a “build-to-suit” together with a local developer who we represented in buying a significant piece of real estate at 2100 Stadium in Jonesboro. We put leases together on the site with Five Guys Burgers and Fries and also a new concept out of Texas named “Bullritos”.

They will be in a new, modern looking retail duplex behind Office Depot, and right in front of Cheddar’s Casual Cafe. Construction is set to begin immediately.

Both restaurants are expected to become favorites among Arkansas State students.

Five Guys is a family-owned restaurant that serves hamburgers, cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and french fries, with over 250,000 possible ways to order a burger. Five Guys has a fun, family-oriented atmosphere, and there are over 900 locations in the U.S. and Canada.

 

 

Visit their website at http://www.fiveguys.com for more information, or visit their social media sites:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fiveguys
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/Five_Guys

Bullritos is a unique Tex-Mex restaurant that was inspired by the “Running of the Bulls,” in Pamplona, Spain. They serve burritos, tacos, nachos, and more. They have a “bag-n-go” philosophy that allows each order to be completely customizable. Customers “grab a bag,” “customize it,”and then Bullritos “builds it” (see photo below).

 

Visit their website at http://www.bullritos.com/ for more information, or visit their social media sites:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bullritos?ref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/bullritos

We’re very excited about these new additions to Northeast Arkansas! Keep checking our Facebook page for construction updates and announcements on opening dates.

Photo Sources:

http://www.cityave.org/listings/Five-Guys-Burgers-and-Fries.html

http://www.bullritos.com/

Haag Brown has a New Location!

Haag Brown Commercial has moved! Our new building has a lot of character and is in a central location for our in-town and out-of-town clients. It is located at the corner of Browns Lane and Executive Drive in Jonesboro. Please stop by and visit us at our new location:

Haag Brown Commercial Real Estate and Development
2915 Browns Lane
Jonesboro, AR  72401

Below is a photo of our new building. Let us know what you think of the new place!

An Economic Earthquake: NEA Baptist on Highway 49

As most of you know, NEA Baptist is well on its way in the construction of a brand new 400 Million Dollar health care campus on Highway 49. What you may not know, though, is that it is the largest real estate transaction in the history of Northeast Arkansas!

With this new campus comes even more new development. We are having huge success on Highway 49, and we predict that Jonesboro will quickly become one of the largest medical hubs in the state. We can’t wait to see exactly how huge of an economic earthquake this new campus will be!

Click the video below to check out an awesome digital fly over of the campus. It will give you a visual feel of exactly what is about to rock Jonesboro…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hfiUKTo27M&sns=fb

Eden Spa & Boutique: Boosting Jonesboro’s Confidence

Haag Brown Commercial Business of the Week  Eden Spa & Boutique

    “Jonesboro has a lot to offer,” said Dr. Brooke Gibson, family practice physician and owner of our very first Haag Brown Business of the Week: Eden Spa and Boutique. “It’s just a great place. Jonesboro is the perfect size. It’s not too big, not too small… My husband and I love this area, so we decided to stay.”

    And boy, are we glad they did. Dr. Gibson bought Eden Spa and Boutique last November as a way to boost confidence levels in Jonesboro.

    “I work with people who are looking for ways to build their confidence… it’s very rewarding when I see people walk in wanting something, and they leave with not only what they came for, but just having that confidence and feeling much better about themselves.”

    Eden is a full (and we mean FULL) service spa and boutique located on Union Avenue in downtown Jonesboro. According to Gibson, Eden has three “sides:” the “boutique” side, the “esthetitian” side, and “physician” side. Within all three “sides” of Eden, services include:

• women’s clothing
• prescription skin care lines
• makeup
• massages
• facials
• hair styling
• mani/pedi
• botox
• injectable fillers
• weight loss programs
• hormone therapy

    And that’s just to name a few.In the boutique, they offer women’s clothes, shoes, and accessories such as jewelry, purses, and scarves.

    “We want to offer a wide range of things you can’t just get at the mall,” said Gibson. “In all price ranges for all ages… We want someone to be able to come in and get taken care of from top to bottom, from their accessories to their shoes.”

    Plus, it just so happens that all fall and winter merchandise is currently marked down to 75% off.

    They have a variety of premium prescription skin care lines that can’t easily be found in Northeast Arkansas. Eden has Obagi, Vivitè, Revision, and even a men’s prescription line: Jack Black. Eden’s “esthetician” side has a number of licensed professionals that offer a long list of relaxing products and services. Men and women alike can come in for massages, facials, and spray tanning. They even have a cosmetologist for hair styling, manicures, and pedicures.

    “A lot of our customers come in just needing a break,” Gibson said. “Our goal is to help them relax and get rejuvenated.”

    Offered in the “physician” side of Eden, customers can benefit from botox, injectable fillers, latisse lash serum, the HTC weight loss diet, and bioidentical hormone therapy, all from Dr. Gibson herself. Sklerotherapy (vein treatment) is even on the horizon, and will be offered at Eden within the next month. According to Gibson, Eden tries to keep something in the medical aspect of their store on sale every month. They are currently running a special for $150 off any injectable filler.

    With all the great things Eden has to offer, their main focus is the health of their clients, and bringing a big city spa experience to Jonesboro.

    “Everyone is aging…Making sure someone’s skin is healthy, making sure their weight is healthy, making sure their hormones are balanced… it all works together to help you age more gracefully,” Gibson said. “My goal over the next few years is to have everything here that somebody could possibly need without having to travel… We’ve got a lot going on and a lot we’re adding. We’re very excited!”

    Eden is launching a brand-new website within the next few months, but for now, you can become a Facebook fan for more information at http://www.facebook.com/edenjonesboro. Visit their store at 411 Union from 9:00am-6:00pm, Monday-Saturday, or give them a call at 870-931-3223.

Panera Bread: An Exciting Jonesboro Addition

If there is one question that most Jonesboro residents have been wondering the past few weeks, it’s “When is Panera Bread opening?” Since construction began, and especially throughout the past few weeks, that is one of our most frequently asked questions by people in Northeast Arkansas.

Well Jonesboro, the time is finally here! Panera Bread held it’s ribbon cutting this morning. This new Jonesboro favorite is now open to the public! They are on the hard corner of Parkwood and Stadium Blvd. on an out pad of the exciting new Fairgrounds Development. They join Cheddar’s Restaurant, Sissy’s Log Cabin, and a few other BIG retailers we are working on.

You may ask, why is Panera Bread so great??

If you’ve ever visited one before (closest locations include Fayetteville, Little Rock, and Memphis), you know that Panera is not your average sandwich shop. Panera bakes all of their breads and creates their soups and salads on-location daily, which means everything you eat at Panera is fresh and extra delicious. The atmosphere is laid-back and welcoming. Panera employees are genuinely friendly. Plus, their white cheddar macaroni and cheese is incredible. It will likely be a frequent spot for local college students, business lunches, family outings, and quick breakfast stops (try a cinnamon crunch bagel… great start to your day). You can check out their website for full menu options: www.panerabread.com.

We urge you to visit the first major restaurant opening in Jonesboro during 2012. We are excited to see the success Panera will have in Northeast Arkansas!

If you would like any information on the development, please feel free to give Joshua Brown or Greg Haag a call @ 870 336 8000. Or send us an email @ info@haagbrown.com. We hope you enjoy Panera Bread Company. Click here to visit their Facebook Page.

Best Time to Buy and Finance Real Estate in 50 Years!

We were having a discussion about interest rates this morning over a cup of that delicious Haag Brown coffee and a few observations came out of that and I thought they might be worth sharing. . .

 

Having been in real estate now for 32 years, I have seen interest rates as high as 17% and as low as, well actually as low as they are today. Now I began to think about that 32 year time span and how I would never have guessed as recently as 10 years ago that you could borrow money for commercial real estate as cheaply as we are now able to. I also wondered how long it had been since the last time this would have occurred, so I began to dig around. Below is a Federal Reserve chart of the Prime Rate over the past 71 years.

From looking at the chart, it would appear that you have to go back over 5o years to see a time when you could borrow money as cheaply as you can today. Now I do not know when and where interest rates might be headed , but it does appear to be an extraordinary opportunity to buy and finance real estate.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             ~ Greg Haag, CCIM