Flying Fish heeds Walton’s call
by October 13, 2011 2:57 pm 240 views
You might have heard about the Flying Fish restaurant coming to Bentonville’s downtown square.
The hope had been to open in time for the opening of Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, but Flying Fish co-founder Shannon Wynne said that’s a long shot at this point. The restaurant is still waiting for final approval from the State of Arkansas, he said.
Perhaps more interestingly, Wynne said word that Crystal Bridges founder Alice Walton encouraged him to consider a Bentonville location is accurate. The two met through a mutual friend, he said.
“She flew us up there [about 18 months ago] to show us the museum and show us the town,” Wynne said. “What’s not to like?”
There apparently was enough to like to induce Wynne to expand into “a smaller town than usual.”
The seven current Flying Fish restaurants are located in and around cities like Dallas, Little Rock and Memphis. Wynne said catfish easily is the biggest seller on the menu, but shrimp, oysters, salmon, tilapia, gumbo, fish tacos and more also are available.
As for the eatery’s atmosphere, Wynne said customers are encouraged to bring in their Billy Bass plaques, and efforts are made to incorporate “some of the best-known local characters.”
“It gets to be homey real fast,” he said.