A space at the corner of Block Avenue and Meadow Street will soon be the new home of Flying Possum Leather.
Staff photo, Fayetteville Flyer
It’s been almost a year since a fire claimed the life of beloved Fayetteville resident Bruce Walker, but it appears as though Walker’s iconic business and the city’s favorite leather shop will soon return to town.
It’ll be in a new spot this time, however.
Bruce’s brother Bob Walker moved to Fayetteville from his home in Chico, Calif. a few months ago, and plans to re-open Flying Possum Leather at 33 N. Block Ave., right at the corner of Meadow Street.
“I really felt the pull of Fayetteville,” Bob told us. “It’s just a great community, with great people, and it feels like the right place to be.”
Bruce opened Flying Possum Leather at 526 W. Dickson St. in 1976, where it became one of the longest running businesses on the street. Bob said he recognizes the significance of the original spot, but said that several factors led to his decision to relocate to Block Avenue.
“The parking situation is a lot better up there,” he said. “You’ve got the Farmers’ Market coming up, and lots of other retail. Plus, it’s right there on the corner, and once we get the sign up, it’s going to be really visible. We’re just thrilled to have it.”
Walker decided to reopen the shop himself after negotiations fell through with one of Bruce’s former apprentices who had hoped to buy the business from the Walker family.
For a brief period, Walker said he considered reopening the business as a bar concept called Flying Possum Saloon before ultimately deciding to re-open the leather shop.
“I realized that’s a young man’s game, and a young man I’m not,” he said.
Bob said the store will continue to sell many of the same products that Flying Possum fans are accustomed to, including Birkenstocks, custom sandals, shoes, boots, belts, and guitar straps.
Renovations of the space, which until recently was home to an attorney’s office, are currently underway.
Walker said he hopes to have the store up and running sometime in March.
Sad that it’s leaving Dickson Street, but this looks like an excellent location! Block Street seems to be on the upswing! Good luck to Bob Walker and Flying Possum in their new home.
Another business not locating on Dickson. No parking problem huh?
Good stuff. Bob is a heck of a guy and sounds like he knows a thing or two about leather work as well. The Flying Possom name lives on.
Block Avenue keeps getting better. Great news.
Also, any word on what will become of the former space on Dickson?
Haunted. Almost certainly.
Obviously, I’m kidding, but I know I wouldn’t want to open up a shop in that location. Too much baggage. Too many memories. In a way it seems almost respectful to just let the place be.
Word is that another bar is coming which is going to be owned by the same owner of Ryleigh’s and Sideways
Can’t wait for the grand opening. I’ve got 3 pairs of Birks that need new soles. Call me sentimental, but it just seemed wrong to have anyone else besides a Walker work on them.
Agreed! I haven’t bought a new pair of birks since the old Flying Possum burned down and mine could really use a re-sole!
That north-facing wall is begging for a mural to be painted on it. Maybe a way to memorialize Bruce?
Great Idea!
It’s a good fit for block. Especially that stretch of retail.
Woo-Hoo! I’m so excited I think I peed a little bit! Just as Bruce was one-of-a-kind, Bob is also one-of-kind with a heart of gold! I wish him much success on his adventure & happy to see Bruce’s legacy carry on in whatever way, shape or form his brother thinks it should! Can’t wait to see what Flying Possum Leather has in the works! I’m sure it’ll be awesome!
really, I wonder what it would take to get a mural on that wall? This city needs more. I have missed the ones formerly on North College since Sharp’s and the tarot card place renovated and removed theirs. Remember that sweet dragon mural next to the Glass Pipe? yeah….something awesome like that.
This post brought tears to my eyes. Happy to see Bruce’s legacy living on. He shared a particular distaste of the Dickson Street Parking situation, which many Fayetteville residents echo. Block is truly the perfect location to re-open this store. Now maybe the Square will be up-and-coming retail and restaurant area. Makes me curious if Dickson will become primarily bars and nightlife? Hard for businesses to sustain themselves when customers have to make a dedicated effort to buy from places that require you pay to park your vehicle outside, then pay again for the product.
I do understand the parking problem of daytime business on Dickson, but Block and the Square are retail and restaurant areas!! I am sure that this will help bring more business, but the upswing for this area has been in the works for more time than this article!
Mural, love the thought! It’s an ideal location for it! An opportunity to preserve a little bit of the city’s history while helping towards the success of a new local business owner continuing on a new chapter! I think a mural of the old flying possum somehow would be very nice, but imagine the City would never go for it or allow it! I’m thinking that the sign restrictions are tough to work around for something like that! I wonder if the original sign from the old Dickson St. store will be used! That’d be nice to see again!
Dickson St. gave up on being Dickson St. I think Block Ave is the new Dickson St. Long live Block Ave.!
Five bucks says the old Flying Possum with be another bar.
No mural guys. Fayetteville had an ordinance against them. Not too long ago they painted over a 100yo Coke ad.
Are you sure? I thought the sign ordinance just prohibited commercial ads not murals of a more general nature.
Yeah, that’s what I thought. As long as it isn’t a “commerical.”
Not letting them restore that Coke ad was ridiculous. I couldn’t believe it.
I think it all boils down to whose idea it is. They can’t grant a variance for a historic, old Coke Ad, but they can get propose a variance for a tree covered in Christmas lights….. Just doesn’t seem sane or equal.
I agree that an exception should have been found or an amendment made for restoring the sign under the ordinance, but the city did not cover over the Coke ad. That was a business decision by the owner, finding it cheaper to spray that gunk over the bricks rather than repoint the wall and seek an amendment for the sign. It might have been nice if those of us who wanted to keep it had lobbied the owner and the council, but I found it easier to complain, as do most of us.
I think you oversimplify it. The issue was that the business couldn’t get a ruling from the city allowing them to “restore” the sign. It was a choice of “leave everything as is” or don’t have the mural because restoring it after repairs wasn’t allowed under the ordinance.
so sad about no murals. Fayeteville’s sign ordinance really stifles creativity.
What about the dog? I really hope he is gets to chill in the new leather shop all day like he used to.
I don’t think the sign ordinance prohibits murals. I think the problem with the old ad on the building being repainted was that it was a “Coke” ad, and the sign ordinance prohibits advertising products that are not sold on that premises.
If there was a ban on murals, there wouldn’t be one at Teatro Scarpino, or the recently installed on over by Jammin Java.
We need a ruling from a city person, and then we need some artists, and then we need to give those artists a little money, and boom…mural.
Isn’t Fayetteville supposed to be a “preserve history” town? If so, then why don’t they do it! Everyone I’ve ever talked to has fond memories of the old flying possum store & are so happy to hear it returning! I would think the city would want to try to keep such an iconic business in one of its most known areas of the city a fond memory for all even though its relocating! I’m betting that the old sign wont even make it in from what I know of the city’s restrictions! I wonder if it would be possible to grandfather it in somehow if it doesn’t, or even the mural since the store had been around for 35 years or so? That’s a long time to not get some kind of leniency somehow!
Yessssssssss
What about the dog?
You go, Robert ! I’m glad to hear that you are returning to AR and carrying on the tradition of the Flying O’Possum Leather in Bruce’s memory. Keep us posted on the progress.
Don’t see it mentioned in the article, but Bob actually made boots and sandals for years in Chico, CA back in the ’70s, and was known for making a durable and comfortable custom-made product that was formed to the individual’s foot. He was sorely missed by many when he moved to Santa Cruz in 1979. Most comfortable sandals I ever owned, and I wore them for a decade! Resoled twice or three times, I think.