Barnaby Group to open Little Rock pub, 23-acre Fayetteville retreat

Two hospitality concepts in the works in central and Northwest Arkansas have ties to the Stephens family and Little Rock-based investment bank Stephens Inc.

Little Rock-based hospitality company Barnaby Group plans to open a pub in Little Rock and a nature-based retreat in south Fayetteville, according to a Sunday (April 6) news release. Barnaby Group was founded by Mary Olive and John Stephens, who is also the co-CEO of Stephens Inc.

The Lady at 5700 Kavanaugh Blvd. in Little Rock is expected to open in early 2027. According to the release, the concept is inspired by the Tudor architecture of the Heights and Hillcrest neighborhoods. It will include a restaurant with street-level and rooftop patios, two bars each with 18 taps, and wine and cocktail offerings.

“The all-day menu will feature pub fare with a Southern accent, ranging from small bites to a rotating family-style roast,” the release shows. It will be open six days a week for lunch, dinner and weekend brunch.

According to Pulaski County property records, a limited liability company that shares an address with Stephens Inc.’s headquarters bought 0.16 acres of commercial property at Kavanaugh Boulevard and North Fillmore Street for $725,000 in December 2022.

South School at 21 E. 19th St., east of South School Avenue, in Fayetteville is expected to blend hospitality, agriculture and nature. The 23-acre retreat will comprise a restaurant and bar, eight cabins, and event space. It’s slated to open in spring 2026.

The restaurant and bar will feature “farm-driven menus and a cocktail program rooted in seasonality,” the release shows. “Guests can enjoy dinner and drinks inside the cozy 45-seat dining room, on the deck overlooking the ponds, or picnic-style across the grounds. An on-site working farm and cooks will drive its food program offering an a la carte and a family-style menu.” Dinner will be served five nights a week. Brunch will be on weekends.

The South School farm will grow produce for the restaurant on the grounds. An on-site brewery will produce ales and lagers for on-site consumption and distribution to all Barnaby Group concepts.

Poncho and Danie Vasquez will work with the Barnaby Group on the South School project. The couple relocated to Fayetteville from California and have supported Michelin star kitchens across the United States and internationally, including Meadowood Napa Valley, The Restaurant at Auberge du Soleil, and Postrio.

According to Washington County property records, limited liability companies that share an address with Stephens Inc.’s headquarters purchased 22.66 wooded acres on East 19th Street for $1.03 million in transactions in November 2022 and January 2024.

A Barnaby Group spokeswoman declined to provide investment costs, building square footages, the contractors and architects, and staff numbers for the projects. She said The Lady comprises new construction, and South School includes existing and new structures. Construction on The Lady is expected to start in May or June, and South School is already under construction, including work on the grounds and landscaping. The farm and its structures were established last year.

Barnaby Group recently applied for a commercial alteration permit valued at $500,000 from the city of Fayetteville. The plan is to alter an existing 1,600-square-foot house at 19 E. 19th St.

Barnaby Group’s first concept, George’s in Little Rock’s Heights neighborhood, opened in 2023. The group recently acquired the Town Pump in Little Rock. The group has three operating partners: David Hesselbein, director of beverage operations; Greg Baber, director of front of house operations; and Wes Mickel, culinary director/operations.