Georgia Preschool Franchise Coming to Rogers

Primrose Schools, a private, Georgia-based preschool franchise, is opening its first Arkansas location in Rogers in the Pinnacle Hills Office Park addition at 3724 S. Pinnacle Hills Parkway, at the intersection with Champions Drive.

The franchise will be locally owned and operated. Though the school does not yet have a name, it will likely reflect its locality, as is the Primrose practice for all its schools.

Primrose will accommodate as many as 206 children from six weeks old through Kindergarten, and will also feature afterschool programs. The curriculum includes learning philosophies from Montessori, Piaget, Gesell and Vygotsky. The school is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016 or early 2017.

“We’re really excited to start serving the children and families of Northwest Arkansas,” said Katie Hardy, a Primrose spokesperson.

The proposed development is currently before the Rogers Planning Commission, which will consider the plans at its regular meeting Jan. 5. The large-scale proposal, drafted by Bates & Associates Inc. of Fayetteville, shows the building to be 12,200 SF.

Primrose is also asking Rogers planners to approve a lot split to divide the 4.01-acre tract into two pieces, 1.89 acres and 2.12 acres.

Founded in 1982 in Marietta, Georgia, by Paul and Marcy Erwin, Primrose has 300 locations nationwide. Accredited by CITA as well as SACS CASI, Primrose touts itself as the first educational organization to integrate wireless laptops into preschool and pre-K curriculum.

Primrose has a comprehensive growth model, and in addition to locations across the country, is looking to expand into Little Rock, Tulsa, and to add more schools in Oklahoma City, where there are currently three.

Hardy said the property, currently owned by The Big Fam LLC of Cave Springs, will either be purchased or leased by the franchisee.