The Front Porch – A Unique Country Blend

BY JACLYN ROSE –

Jerry and Lori Price have a unique talent of taking the ordinary and turning it into something truly extraordinary.  The couple, who married in 1981, have a lot of history in Polk County.  “I was born and raised in Mena and Jerry moved here in 1981, when we got married.  In 2001 we moved, following our jobs and our careers, but recently our only grandson, Tuck, moved back to Mena, so we decided it was time to come back,” explained Lori.  Jerry and Lori have two daughters, Le Shonda Price and Montana Sterner, who assist with the store on weekends.

While living in Beebe, Arkansas, the Prices had a booth at a popular flea market.  “We had been flea marketers for about 3 years when the market with our most successful booth was going out of business.  So many talented people would be without a space so we started a store there.  When we decided to move back to Mena, we didn’t want to close that store and thought that Mena could use one too, so we opened The Front Porch on February 7, 2015.

With a unique blend of merchandise, including new and repurposed products, The Front Porch has taken local shopping to the next level.  “We love repurposing, junking and finding a bargain and turning it into a jewel,” explained Lori.  Jerry also makes breathtaking handmade furniture and the couple researched and produced their own line of mineral paint, which is identical to the popular chalk paint used by many crafters, but it is much less expensive.  “We have both wedding and baby registries and a custom line of canned jellies and pickles made from only fresh, Arkansas products,” Lori added.

The Front Porch also houses booths and consignment items from over 20 local vendors that have found great success at the Front Porch.  “I was worried and questioned if I would do okay with my booth and I’ve been totally impressed with how well the community has supported my booth and the store.  Lori and Jerry are more than friends, they are like family and they treat everyone who walks in the door like family.  The Front Porch offers so many unique items that you may never see again,” said Amy Scott, owner of The Mustard Seed.  “I have truly found new friends in Lori and Jerry, they are so easy to work with and work hard to promote our merchandise and increase our sales,” added Lisa Rose, owner of Handpicked with Love by Mammy and Pappy.  “Lori and Jerry are always positive and so willing to do whatever it takes to make our sales grow,” said Holli Plunkett, owner of The Southern Pea.   “What a blessing The Front Porch is to our community, they offer such a great shopping experience for not only our local customers but for our tourists.  At our booth we carry traditional and fun children’s clothes and can do all types of personalization and custom work.  I really want to challenge all local people to check out this unique store,” stated Casey Cox, owner of Kennedy’s Boutique.

On March 21, 2015, The Front Porch will host a Grand Opening.  “We have some fun stuff planned, including a vintage photo booth with real vintage props.  We will have a great prize for the person who posts the best picture online.  Please make plans to come and join us on this exciting day,” said Lori.

The Front Porch truly has something for everyone, with baby gifts, unique furniture and home furnishings, as well as lots of nostalgia, they work hard to raise the bar for other stores and provide a wonderful shopping experience for local citizens.  “We feel that competition is great for the local economy and the more good and quality stores that open in Mena, the more tourists we will get, and the less people will be going to Fort Smith, Hot Springs, and Texarkana to shop.  Our store is a wonderful gift store with items for anyone and all price points.  We try to keep it happy and full of nostalgia and memories; we want to remind people of happier days.  We keep good music on and keep it upbeat.  If you don’t want to shop, come in for a little therapy.  I like to say that you will never find a junk truck in front of a therapist’s office, we do our own therapy,” said Lori with a smile.

The Front Porch is open Tuesday through Friday from 10 am until 6 pm and Sunday from 1 pm until 5 pm.  You can reach them by calling 479.216.9866 and can stay up to date on specials and fun new merchandise by looking at their Facebook Page, Mena’s Front Porch.

About Author

Jeri Pearson

Jeri is the News Director for Pulse Multi-Media and Editor of The Polk County Pulse. She has 10 years of experience in community focused journalism and has won multiple press association awards.

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