Little Rock’s small businesses are reopening on Monday following the EF-3 tornado in March

Little Rock, Arkansas – For the first time in seven weeks, businesses in Little Rock’s Pavilion at the Park are once again open.

Small businesses in the shopping area prepared food and cleaned the floors before their doors reopened.

“It was so much fun, we were so excited, everyone just walked in the front door, it was like a receiving line at the front door you know hugging and just all of the familiar faces,” Trio’s general manager Stephanie Caruthers said.

“It’s great to see cars in the parking lot, not just construction workers,” Curations Home, owner Eric Doud said.

The shopping mall was shut down by the city of Little Rock after the tornado on March 31 because of safety concerns owing to the extensive damage, but they are now finally reopening after many weeks.

“It’s been a long process, just looking at the calendar there is so much that has happened in the seven weeks but it also feels like seven years,” Doud said.

The general manager of Trio’s, Caruthers, stated that in order to open on Monday, they have been preparing food for four days as well as setting up equipment and making sure everything is in working order.

“Making sure everything works and it’s clean and then restocking and baking and chopping,” Caruthers stated.

Just a few stores away, Curations Home was able to reopen for business as they were frying up cuisine.

“We will all be getting back into the swing of things so we are excited and certainly want to thank all of our patrons for being so patient and willing to come out and support us,” Doud said.