Mustache owners plan new home goods boutique on Fayetteville square

Brian Bailey, co-owner of The Mustache Goods & Wears, shows us around the space set to become a new home decor store called The Anchor.

Photo: Todd Gill

The revitalized retail scene on the Fayetteville square is continuing to thrive and expand.

Stores like The Mustache Goods & Wears, Savoir-Faire, Riffraff, Terra Tots, and The Independent have contributed to a bustling shopping scene in the historic storefronts that line the square.

This spring a new boutique home goods shop called The Anchor will add to the growing downtown retail lineup.

The Anchor is the brainchild of The Mustache owners Brian and Ashley Bailey. The new shop is set to soon open at 1 E. Center St., in the space formerly home to Corazon on the east side of the downtown square.

The shop will focus on all manner of home goods and decor, from artwork to kitchen and bath supplies, dinnerware, cookbooks and everything in between.

“In the same vein as The Mustache, we’ll have something for everybody,” Brian said. “We have a similar vision here. We’ll sell things we enjoy, things we would use, and things we would want to give to our friends as gifts.”

Brian said the store will carry items from local suppliers like Sleet City Decor, Perrodin Supply Company, and Noble Dwelling, but the added space will also allow him to expand upon some established regional and national offerings. The idea, he said, is for a little more refined product offering, while making sure to keep things as affordable as The Mustache.

He said he expects to transition some of the home decor he carries at The Mustache to the new store. That move will make more room for gifts, shoes, and clothing at The Mustache while also opening up new possibilities with his decor suppliers at The Anchor.

“Many of the companies we work with at The Mustache have a lot more to offer, but we’re currently only able to carry a fraction of it,” he said. “We’re really excited to be able to carry more of their stuff.”

The Baileys just recently closed their Mustache location in Bentonville, mostly because they were unable to negotiate a new lease with their landlord. The closure will allow Ashley’s mother Lori Fast, who was operating the Bentonville store, to become a partner in the business and help out with the new store.

Renovations are currently underway at The Anchor, and will include a new entrance from the courtyard at the front of the building. The new space will also feature an area to host possible trunk shows for local and traveling artists.

The location, Brian said, was a no-brainer.

“For us, we just really like downtown Fayetteville better than any place else in Northwest Arkansas,” he said. “Being down here makes sense for us because we already know the market. We know the customers, and we know what works.”

If everything goes well, Brian said he plans to open The Anchor on April 1, in time for the season-opening First Thursday (April 2) and Fayetteville Farmers’ Market (April 4).