JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – The Jonesboro Chamber of Commerce celebrated 150 ribbon cuttings in 2025, with many of the new businesses arriving from well outside Arkansas.
Tamara Roberson, director of sales for the chamber, said the city has been drawing entrepreneurs from across the country and beyond.
“A lot of the new businesses, they’re not people from Paragould, Bono, or Jonesboro,” Roberson said. “They’re people from Montana, California, other countries that have decided to make their home here in Jonesboro.”
Roberson said 85 percent of chamber members are small businesses.
Out-of-state owners find a home in Jonesboro
Tyler and Kathy Hill relocated from Montana to Jonesboro early last year and launched Jonesboro Living Magazine. Tyler Hill said the city was not on their radar before the move.
“My son had moved to South Dakota and my daughter had moved to North Carolina,” Hill said. “We literally put our fingers on the map, came down south where it was warmer, and hit Jonesboro, Arkansas. Never even heard of it before.”
Hill said the city’s outlook convinced him to stay.
“It’s very growth forward,” Hill said. “Everybody is thinking about the long term, building infrastructure, and getting ready to bring other businesses in. So it’s very business-friendly community. Especially compared to where I came from.”
Downtown draws local entrepreneur
Tave Baker, a Jonesboro native, opened The Cotton Club in the downtown area after years of watching the space develop.
“I’ve always looked at different concepts and ideas of what I would do down here, so when the opportunity came along, I jumped at that to create the Cotton Club,” Baker said.
Baker said Jonesboro’s appeal lies in its balance of growth and community feel.
“Jonesboro is a great town, or city that continues to grow, but still has a local feel at the same time,” Baker said.
Baker said he sees continued opportunity as the city expands, including connections between Arkansas State University and the historic west end of downtown.
Manufacturing sector draws major investment
Jonesboro is also attracting larger companies. The Craighead Technology Park is home to businesses including Stouffer’s, FedEx, and Nestle. The city is adding to that roster with a $105 million investment from InnovAsian.
Steven Lamm, vice president of economic development for Jonesboro Unlimited, said the project will bring approximately 200 jobs.
“InnovAsian and Nichirei Global Foods are both huge suppliers for the planet around the entire globe around frozen ready to eat meals,” Lamm said. “That’s kind of been a core competency for Jonesboro, so we’ve had a long, lengthy conversation with them about locating a facility here, and so we’re very excited that they’ve chosen to move forward.”
Roberson said population growth is driving opportunity across all business sectors.
“It helps businesses to have more people,” Roberson said. “There’s a lot of entrepreneurship going on, there’s a lot of manufacturing going on, there’s a lot of new restaurants. It’s just a very exciting time for Jonesboro.”
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