On the heels of the awaited grand opening of Harps Food's enlarged and modernized store in Bella Vista, sitting on the doorstep of Walmart's turf and a great Allen's Food Store; one has to wonder what made this event such a grand Bella Vista clamor? It is a fabulous new store for the community and we are so thankful to Harps management for the capital investment into this growing community.
However, if you cross Lancashire for a visual study from the opposite corner; one has to scratch his head and wonder why Harps was adventurous enough for this investment before the Cooper Company steps up to the deterioration that surrounds this new store. From across the street, it appears the picture of sparkling, new creation surrounded by 1960s dilapidation. If the eyes carry you on across the highway, it becomes an even more pitiful sight.
It's very sad that travelers by this intersection can only see the sad deterioration as a portrayal of Bella Vista and not this beautiful new shopping area constructed behind the Cooper Company decay. It appears the Cooper Companies would prefer to continue building more mid-size homes for profit than the long-time residents who fight them would prefer to live among, rather than take responsibility for structures they built years ago. In this day of multipurpose commercial/residential properties growing all over the country, you have to wonder at the lack of vision or lack of community commitment with the Cooper Companies.
In the meantime to Harps management, we say thank you for making your area a great place to get to, once you've passed by Cooper Company's blight.
Denise Griggs
Bella Vista
Editorial on 10/16/2019