Eureka Springs keeping shops open

At the malls, the big-box discount stores and the electronics retailers, Black Friday specials drew throngs of early-morning shoppers seeking the best deals on a limited number of “door-buster” deals in a limited amount of time.

Some retailers in downtown Eureka Springs had Black Friday sales, too, though not at 5 a.m.

“We’re not that desperate,” said Dina Landis, who runs the Small World gift shop. “Eureka’s kind of laid back. But it’s definitely a busy weekend.”

Art, dining, lodging and entertainment are the mainstays in the small Carroll County city whose entire downtown is on the National Register of Historic Places. But retailing - absent the chain stores that dominate the business - is a key piece ...