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.<\/p>\n
Tamara Roberson, director of sales for the chamber, said the city has been drawing entrepreneurs from across the country and beyond.<\/p>\n
\u201cA lot of the new businesses, they\u2019re not people from Paragould, Bono, or Jonesboro,\u201d Roberson said. \u201cThey\u2019re people from Montana, California, other countries that have decided to make their home here in Jonesboro.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roberson said 85 percent of chamber members are small businesses.<\/p>\n
Out-of-state owners find a home in Jonesboro<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy son had moved to South Dakota and my daughter had moved to North Carolina,\u201d Hill said. \u201cWe literally put our fingers on the map, came down south where it was warmer, and hit Jonesboro, Arkansas. Never even heard of it before.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hill said the city\u2019s outlook convinced him to stay.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s very growth forward,\u201d Hill said. \u201cEverybody is thinking about the long term, building infrastructure, and getting ready to bring other businesses in. So it\u2019s very business-friendly community. Especially compared to where I came from.\u201d<\/p>\n
Downtown draws local entrepreneur<\/p>\n
Tave Baker, a Jonesboro native, opened The Cotton Club in the downtown area after years of watching the space develop.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve 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,\u201d Baker said.<\/p>\n
Baker said Jonesboro\u2019s appeal lies in its balance of growth and community feel.<\/p>\n
\u201cJonesboro is a great town, or city that continues to grow, but still has a local feel at the same time,\u201d Baker said.<\/p>\n
Baker said he sees continued opportunity as the city expands, including connections between Arkansas State University and the historic west end of downtown.<\/p>\n
Manufacturing sector draws major investment<\/p>\n
Jonesboro is also attracting larger companies. The Craighead Technology Park is home to businesses including Stouffer\u2019s, FedEx, and Nestle. The city is adding to that roster with a $105 million investment from InnovAsian.<\/p>\n
Steven Lamm, vice president of economic development for Jonesboro Unlimited, said the project will bring approximately 200 jobs.<\/p>\n
\u201cInnovAsian and Nichirei Global Foods are both huge suppliers for the planet around the entire globe around frozen ready to eat meals,\u201d Lamm said. \u201cThat\u2019s kind of been a core competency for Jonesboro, so we\u2019ve had a long, lengthy conversation with them about locating a facility here, and so we\u2019re very excited that they\u2019ve chosen to move forward.\u201d<\/p>\n
Roberson said population growth is driving opportunity across all business sectors.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt helps businesses to have more people,\u201d Roberson said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot of entrepreneurship going on, there\u2019s a lot of manufacturing going on, there\u2019s a lot of new restaurants. It\u2019s just a very exciting time for Jonesboro.\u201d<\/p>\n