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Berryville is one of six Arkansas communities selected by the Arkansas Economic Development Commission to participate in the 202526 Retail Academy Program, the AEDC announced Wednesday, Sept. 10. The others were Arkadelphia, Malvern, Nashville, Russellville, and Walnut Ridge.
The Retail Academy program provides rural communities with online education, market research, and technical assistance to assist them with recruiting retail opportunities to their region. The program provides local leaders with the resources and knowledge needed to recruit and support retail and restaurant businesses in their communities.
“Building strong communities requires many different elements, including retail opportunities, to attract and retain residents, fueling local growth,” said Clint O’Neal, executive director of the AEDC. “The Retail Academy Program is designed to help local communities with retail attraction, offering specialized training and resources to grow their retail base. AEDC is proud to announce the latest cohort of communities to participate in the Retail Academy program and looks forward to seeing these communities attract new retail companies.”
“This is a great opportunity to better understand the retail business for our community,” said Berryville Mayor Tim McKinney. “The funds we generate from retail sales is a large part of the city operations. This will give the people of our community more shopping opportunities, so they don’t have to leave town.”
Retail Academy was developed by Retail Strategies, a Birmingham, Ala.-based municipal consultancy firm focused on retail recruitment and downtown revitalization, and will be administered by AEDC’s Community Development Division. Specific services and resources offered during Retail Academy include customized training, peer analysis, demographic overviews, a retail marketing guide, networking opportunities and access to online courses.
“Rural communities need intentional support in retail recruitment because it is a vital part of a holistic economic development strategy,” said Lacy Beasley, president of Retail Strategies. “AEDC understands the importance of equipping rural Arkansas towns with the tools to compete, and their support allows these six communities to participate in the Retail Academy program. We’ve seen proven success from communities that have gone through the program in past years, and we are excited to continue that momentum so Arkansas can capture more national retailers and restaurants. These investments lead directly to stronger sales tax revenue, increased property values, new jobs, and ultimately an enhanced quality of life for residents.”
“The vast majority of our revenue for the City of Berryville general fund comes from retail businesses,” said Dean Lee, economic development director for the City of Berryville. “This opportunity with the Retail Academy program will enhance our efforts to attract and support retail businesses in our community and stimulate economic growth.”
The 2025-26 Retail Academy program begins Thursday, Sept. 25, and will run through September 2026.
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