With input from potential patrons, the POA's newest amenity got off to a strong start on the holiday weekend, Tommy Lee, POA director of business development said. The Gear Garden at Blowing Springs Park is now open for business on Wednesday through Sunday, from 2 p.m. to dusk.
The Gear Garden serves beer and soft drinks near the popular mountain bike trails around the park. Patrons can relax in the shade at one of the picnic tables in the area. It was designed as a one-person operation, Lee said, and POA bartenders rotate in and out of the Gear Garden from the other POA restaurants.
During the planning stage, the POA considered a complete wrap of the former shipping container, featuring a forest motif, but Lee said they decided a partial wrap was more attractive.
The POA partnered with Bentonville Brewing and features one beer exclusive to the POA, Trailhead Lager. It can be purchased at the brewery or at POA establishments. Other craft beers are also available.