Innovators in Rural Community Economic Development
Earlier this month, I was back in Helena, Arkansas to facilitate a meeting to begin a process of thinking about tourism planning for Helena. I’m lucky to be working with David Brown of Solimar International, as they are experts on sustainable tourism. Prior to the meeting, I finally was able to make some time to paddle with my friend, John Ruskey of the Quapaw Canoe Company in Clarksdale, Mississippi. I had hoped to paddle on the great Mississippi River, but, as John was very busy, we had to shift plans a bit. In the end, I did have the opportunity to paddle with an afterschool program of teenagers (called the Spring Initiative) on the Sunflower River just behind Quapaw Canoe Company’s headquarters. It was wonderful to see these teenagers paddle for the first or second time ever and connect with the natural world. And while I was in Clarksdale, I experienced my very first juke joint, the BluesBerry Café, where I listened to real Delta blues.
Our tourism development planning meetings were held at the Delta Heritage Trail State Park and the Mississippi River State Park and involved park managers, birding enthusiasts, outfitters and others. We discussed tour itineraries that can be offered right now, as well as the ideal tour itineraries we would like to be able to offer in the future, as well as the types of groups that would want to participate in these itineraries. The goal is to have Helena be the premier regional location in the Mississippi River Delta for outdoor recreation access.
Julia Malinowski of the Helena Advertising and Promotion Commission (A&P Commission) invited me to join her for lunch with the Helena Rotary Club, which was held at Phillips Community College. I met a variety of interesting people who care very much about the City of Helena.
One barrier for Helena in becoming more of a tourist destination is the lack of a nice restaurant; there are restaurants, but the feeling is that tourists would like something a step above what is currently available. Julia has approached chefs to see if they might be interested in opening something in Helena; there is a feeling on the part of these chefs that the demand is not there. However, research done by the Helena A&P Commission shows that there is leakage out of the community when it comes to finer dining; people looking for a nicer restaurant are traveling to Clarksdale, Mississippi or Memphis, Tennessee. To attract potential investors and chefs who might want to open a restaurant in Helena by showing that there is demand, Julia has thought up and planned a Pop-Up Restaurant event called Interstate Grocery, opening up for one day only (May 10) in an empty storefront in historic downtown Helena. Shane Henderson, Executive Chef with Ben E. Keith, and Chef Jason Godwin are collaborating with the Helena A&P Commission and Main Street Helena to serve a four-course prix fixe menu highlighting the culinary traditions of the Arkansas Delta. This pop-up event is being launched in coordination with this year’s Arkansas Heritage Month theme: Come to the Table. Assuming the event is a success, there will be additional pop-up restaurant events in the future.
