About

Hello Local’s story began in 2016, when founder Dana Schlagenhaft launched a small T-shirt brand in Bentonville. What started as a single-product idea quickly grew into something bigger—a curated showcase for the creativity of Arkansas makers. The vision was simple yet powerful: connect the community with high-quality, locally made goods and give small businesses a place to shine.

In September 2018, that vision found a home in downtown Springdale at 101 E. Emma Avenue. Co-owners Dana Schlagenhaft and Mark Cloud opened the “Experience Store,” a welcoming, low-risk retail space where more than 30 local vendors could display their work—from Onyx Coffee Lab to Pozza’s Pasta and Simkins Brothers’ Sweets. The gallery-style layout, paired with a commission-only sales model, made it easier for small businesses to reach new customers without heavy upfront costs.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, Hello Local shifted gears. The Springdale storefront closed, but the mission stayed the same. The business leaned into online sales, home delivery, curated gift boxes, and seasonal gifting services—continuing to connect shoppers with local products while adapting to the times.

By 2025, Hello Local had come full circle, returning to Springdale with a cozy new space inside Onyx in downtown Springdale. We also offer online shopping with free local delivery and our unique curated gift program. Hello Local now supports over 30 local vendors and counting, most from Northwest Arkansas. Keeping our original mission alive celebrating local talent and making it easy for the community to shop local.

Hello Local is proud to share a portion of our profits with For The Love, a nonprofit food truck serving Northwest Arkansas. Driven by a mission to feed the hungry, cultivate community, and fight poverty, For The Love brings free meals directly to those in need and builds connections across our neighborhoods.

We’re honored to support their vital work—helping ensure no one in our community goes hungry.