FARMINGTON -- The construction project underway on Main Street between Briar Rose Bakery and Dollar General will be part of an overall development called Farmington Village, according to owner Larry Bowden with Bowden Properties.
Farmington Village will include all property from Twin Scissors hair salon at 14 E. Main St., east to the Dollar General property. In all, Farmington Village has about 4 acres. When the new project is finished, Farmington Village will have 22,000 square feet in the buildings and a total of 95 parking spaces.
The new part of Farmington Village will be a standalone restaurant for Damon's BBQ & Grill with 2,400 square feet, a 40-foot by 60-foot outdoor pavilion and six adjacent tenant spaces with 7,200 square feet.
"The spirit or goal of this is that it will be the nicest place we can make it for Farmington," Bowden said. "It will be a centerpiece."
He did not want to construct a big, rectangular building with glass across the front for different tenants. Features include roofs with different heights, a metalized roof above one unit and other architectural designs, such as dormers.
"We intended for this to be very different," Bowden said. "It's a different type of environment for the community."
Bowden's vision is that the outdoor pavilion located behind Damon's BBQ will become a community center for Farmington.
From his many travels, most communities have a town square or a place that is considered a gathering place. Farmington does not have that, Bowden said.
He believes the pavilion could be used for events such as school fundraisers, live music, a beer garden geared toward a family-type atmosphere (not party atmosphere) and other community-oriented activities.
Bowden said one idea he has is an Ocktoberfest event with pretzels and beer.
"We thought when people want to gather, they will have a place to go," Bowden said.
The pavilion will have a stone fireplace on one end and flaps that can come down on the sides for protection during colder months. It will have a combination of traditional tables and chairs and picnic tables. A grassy area will be available for customers to one side of the pavilion.
A possible idea in the future is to install a small playground for children in the grassy area.
"The kid-friendly thing is important to us," Bowden said.
The name for Damon's BBQ is a family name. Bowden, his father and his son all share the same middle name, Damon.
The new restaurant, located at 60 E. Main St., will seat 52 customers but is not a big place, Bowden said, noting it is designed for a city the size of Farmington, not a city with a large population.
Damon's will have an expanded menu to include salads, appetizers, desserts and other items. It will use the same smoker and outdoor grill that have been used in the past for the business. Both will be parked behind the restaurant. Bowden said hours will probably be 10:30 a.m to 9-ish in the evenings to provide lunch and dinner opportunities for customers.
For now, he's "shooting" for the restaurant to open in May, dependent on weather, "with fingers crossed."
The second building on site will have space for six tenants with an address of 68 E. Main St. Five units have 1,000 square feet each and the largest is on the east end with the possibility of a drive-through window and 2,200 square feet.
Bowden said he is in the "official, full-scale recruiting drive" to find tenants for the units. He has at least two preferences. He hopes one will be a walk-in medical clinic and is working on that now. Another idea he has for a tenant is a spa. He is looking for stable businesses that would be willing to sign five-year leases and believes that is possible with the estimated 22,000 vehicles that travel along U.S. Highway 62 on a daily basis.
Bowden said he wants Farmington Village to be a destination point for Farmington, not a spontaneous shopping center that people may drive by and decide to stop on the spur of the moment.
Bowden calls this part of Washington County the "quad city corridor," referring to Fayetteville, Farmington, Prairie Grove and Lincoln, and his goal is that people from these communities will travel to Farmington Village. For that reason, he's looking for tenants that fall into a "destination" category.
Other ideas Bowden is incorporating into the project include reusing a large stone that at one time sat next to the old dairy. He is going to use the stone in a sitting area. He's also incorporating some of Farmington's history while decorating the restaurant. He had to cut down some Walnut trees on the property but plans to use the wood from the trees as benches and tables.
"We're kinda all in on Farmington," Bowden said.
Jim Key with Key Architecture is the architect for the project and Marcus Nall with Integrity Construction is the contractor.
General News on 01/23/2019