Helena-West Helena One of Six Cities Selected for AEDC's 2026-27 Retail Academy
Helena-West Helena is one of six Arkansas communities selected for the Arkansas Economic Development Commission's 2026-27 Retail Academy. On October 6, AEDC announced this year's cohort: El Dorado, Hamburg, Helena-West Helena, Pocahontas, Sheridan, and Texarkana.
We're proud to share that Delta Magic applied on behalf of our community, and our leadership team will represent Helena-West Helena throughout the program year. Board President Kevin Martin-Arnold, Board Secretary Grace Brown, and Co-Founder and Managing Director Drew Smith will be in the room learning, building relationships, and bringing what they learn home.
"Helena-West Helena has always had the assets: history, culture, the Mississippi River, and people who believe in this place. What's new is the level of coordinated investment happening right now. We're grateful to AEDC and Retail Strategies for this opportunity, and we're ready to put the data and training to work bringing new businesses to the community." — Drew Smith, Managing Director and Co-Founder, Delta Magic
What is Retail Academy?
Retail Academy is a year-long program that equips rural Arkansas communities to recruit and support retail and restaurant businesses. It was developed by Retail Strategies, a Birmingham, Alabama-based firm specializing in retail recruitment and downtown revitalization, and is administered by AEDC's Community Development Division.
Participating communities receive online education, market research, and hands-on technical assistance, including:
Customized training for local leaders
Peer analysis comparing each community to similar markets
Demographic overviews of the local trade area
A retail marketing guide to use with prospective businesses
Networking opportunities with retail professionals and fellow communities
Access to online courses
The goal is simple: give local leaders the data, tools, and know-how to bring in the grocery stores, restaurants, and shops residents want. And it's working. According to Retail Strategies, the first two cohorts have already produced nine new retail and restaurant openings and more than $1.5 million a year in new state sales tax revenue.
The program year runs through September 2027, and the cohort will gather for an in-person workshop in Conway this November.
Why Delta Magic Applied
We applied because retail recruitment connects to work we're already doing alongside many partners in Helena-West Helena:
Showing up for local businesses. Through our Business Building Program and business spotlights, we spend a lot of time listening to local entrepreneurs about what they need to start and grow and then identifying the resources they need to reach their goals.
State and national relationships. We're fortunate to work with partners across Arkansas and beyond. We’ve invested in our own development and relationships by attending state and national conferences, going through training programs like CDI, 75Strong, and IEDC’s certification programs. Those events, trainings, and relationships always lead to more inspiration, ideas, and resources for the Delta. Retail Academy is a chance to keep learning from experts and bring good ideas home.
Downtown development. We're one of many groups working to bring downtown buildings back to life, and new shops and restaurants are an important part of that story. We attend Main Street conferences and workshops regularly to learn about the best practices and new ideas that are reactivating downtowns all over the country. Retail Academy will be one more tool in our tool belt to continue that work.
Kevin, Grace, and Drew are grateful for the chance to take part. We'll share what we learn with city leaders, Main Street Helena, property owners, and entrepreneurs so the whole community benefits.
Our Fellow Communities
We're excited to learn alongside five other Arkansas communities in this year's cohort:
El Dorado, represented by the El Dorado-Union County Chamber of Commerce
Hamburg, led by Mayor Dr. David Streeter
Pocahontas, represented by the Randolph County Chamber of Commerce
Sheridan, led by Mayor Cain Nattin
Texarkana, represented by the Texarkana USA Regional Chamber of Commerce
Each of these communities is working toward the same goal we are: understanding its local market and attracting the businesses residents want and need. We look forward to trading ideas and building relationships with each of them over the coming year.
An Honor, and a Vote of Confidence
This selection is an honor. Retail Strategies noted that this year's applicant pool was so strong that narrowing it to six communities was genuinely difficult. Being chosen from that field says something about where Helena-West Helena is headed.
We see it as a symbol of the state's optimism about our trajectory. AEDC is investing in communities it believes are ready to turn training into results, and Helena-West Helena is on that list. That confidence reflects years of work by residents, business owners, local government, and partners who have kept believing in this place.
We're grateful to AEDC and Retail Strategies for the opportunity, and we're ready to get to work. Stay tuned to the Good News blog for updates as the program unfolds.
Read AEDC's full announcement: Six Arkansas Communities Selected for 2026-27 Retail Academy Program