Blakeman to Build Rogers Jewelry Store

Don Blakeman, who has operated a jewelry store in Fayetteville’s Northwest Arkansas Mall for the past 17 years, plans to construct a 7,500-SF building in Rogers’ Pinnacle Hills area to serve as the new location of Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry.

Blakeman said his jewelry store will occupy 4,500 SF of the new building, and 3,000 SF of it will be leased to a women’s shoe store. The move will triple the amount of space for Blakeman’s jewelry store. Construction is scheduled to begin in mid-July. Blakeman plans to close his Fayetteville store after Christmas and open the new store in January.

The new Blakeman’s Fine Jewelry, at 3204 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, will be across the street from the Embassy Suites Hotel in The Shops at Pinnacle Hills.

“We are very excited about our move to the Pinnacle area,” Blakeman said. “It is the geographic center of our market and with parking at our front door we will be able to offer a more convenient shopping experience.”

Blakeman said his family bought the Rogers property several years ago. He wouldn’t divulge construction costs. Blakeman will own the building through Honeycreek Properties LLC.

Blakeman, a Keepsake diamond salesman from St. Louis, moved to Northwest Arkansas in 1985 to work for Bob Perry at Perry’s Jewelry. Blakeman opened his own store in the Fayetteville mall in April 1987. Blakeman said Perry cosigned for the $150,000 loan from First State Bank in Fayetteville so Blakeman could open his first store.