Daisies & Olives Celebrates 20 Years

LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Bonnie Boyd of Siloam Springs shops at Daisies and Olives during its 20th anniversary open house on Dec. 9.
LYNN KUTTER ENTERPRISE-LEADER Bonnie Boyd of Siloam Springs shops at Daisies and Olives during its 20th anniversary open house on Dec. 9.

PRAIRIE GROVE -- When Martha Ritchie started Daisies and Olives in downtown Prairie Grove 20 years ago, she didn't have a vision. She just was looking for something to do.

Today, the store, which boasts 80 vendors, is the anchor for a downtown known throughout the region for shops with outstanding antique, vintage, repurposed and thrift items.

Daisies and Olives celebrated its 20th anniversary with an open house Dec. 9. The celebration included lots of food for customers and live music to enjoy while shopping.

Ritchie attributes the growth of the store to many areas: "We treat our people right, good luck, good timing and great vendors."

She adds, "Any credit for our success is based on our vendors. We call it our vendor family."

The building has 19,000 square feet and Ritchie said she believes the charm of the old building also draws customers to shop in the store.

Twenty years ago, the building was being used for several businesses, including a flea market on one side and a tire shop on the other. Almost as a fluke, Ritchie asked the owner, Mary Bartholomew, if the building was available for sale. Bartholomew said she would be interested in selling it.

They set up a payment plan and Ritchie paid Bartholomew directly to buy the building.

She named her new store after her mother, Daisy, and her mother-in-law, Olive.

In the beginning, Ritchie already had existing vendors. She made repairs and improvements to the building and about five years ago expanded her store to make room for additional vendors.

"We started very humbly and it has evolved on its own to be this," Ritchie said.

The first antique type store in downtown Prairie Grove was Antique Emporium, owned by Marilee Nelson. Ritchie said she has to give credit to Nelson for starting the flea market/antique theme in Prairie Grove. The customer base for flea markets waned for a period but now has surged with a different focus because of the website Pinterest.

Ritchie said she believes Daisies and Olives is so popular because many of the vendors follow new trends created through Pinterest.

The store has been recognized numerous times. It was named Best Antique Store in 2015, 2016 and 2017, in the Best of the Best contest by NWA Democrat-Gazette. Daisies and Olives also has been named Best Flea Market/Vintage Mall by the magazine "Citiscapes."

In 2015, Prairie Grove Area Chamber of Commerce named it as the Business of the Year.

Ritchie is just as excited, though, by the growth of other flea market and vintage stores that have opened in Prairie Grove over the years.

"Downtown Prairie Grove has been brought back to life. My philosophy is the more, the better," Ritchie said.

Vendors in the store compliment Ritchie and the rest of her staff.

Joni Mosher of West Fork has the booth Charlie's Angels and Rusty Rons. She and her husband sell vintage items, painted furniture and homemade crafts.

Mosher said she has been coming to Daisies and Olives since she was young.

"I love it here. When I walk in here, it feels like home," Mosher said. "I definitely think its success has to be with the staff. They are super nice and super accommodating."

Janet Gardner has had her booth, The Yellow Swing, for three years.

"I think people like cute, little Prairie Grove with all its stuff," Gardner said.

Carol Casey of Prairie Grove moved her booth to Daisies and Olives about six years ago.

"Whenever I shopped here, it was always a lot of fun," Casey said. "There's a lot to choose from and good ideas."

Casey also works the front desk at the store and said she has seen the customer base and number of vendors grow over the year. She in particular points to the popularity of the store among college students, looking for ways to decorate their dorm rooms and apartments.

"I love everything about this place," Cox said. "It's artsy and crafty. I'm always getting little things, such as trinkets. I came in today looking for a vintage measuring cup and I knew I'd find one here."

General News on 12/27/2017