7 years at 108 W. 6th St. - Downtown Little Rock

7 Years on 6th Street

Recently, I realized something that kind of stopped me in my tracks…
we were never fully open here before COVID shut us down.

It’s taken years to reflect and even begin to understand what actually happened during that time.

I navigated burnout from what I had built, then the pandemic craziness, then the slow process of putting everything back together in a way that felt right. I learn best through experience, and at this point I’ve accepted that entrepreneurship is just one big, ongoing experiment.

In 2019, I made some of the biggest decisions of my life.
I signed a lease on a bigger shop, purchased an antique button collection, and hopped on a plane to India.

When I got back, we made the move.

We went from a tiny 350 sq. ft. space tucked inside the lobby of the historic Lafayette Building at Louisiana & 6th… to about 1,200 sq. ft. with a storefront right on 6th Street. Still a one-way street, but just off Main and so much more visible.

We opened our doors during 2nd Friday Art Night that April.

We settled in, found our rhythm, and had a really strong first holiday season… and then, like everyone else, everything shut down. Suddenly it was all online, and I had no idea what “normal” even looked like for a space that had just tripled in size, inventory, and overhead.

Fast forward to now.

The past few years have been about recovery. From burnout, from the pace I had set, from building something that—at the time—demanded more from me than I could sustainably give.

And slowly, I’ve rebuilt Bella Vita in a way that feels better. More grounded. More realistic.

Now I have 7 years of data at 108 W. 6th Street.
I can set expectations that actually make sense. I understand my rhythms—what works, what doesn’t, and what I’m capable of.

My wholesale business has found its place too. I exhibit in NYC twice a year at a one-day trade show called Spotlight. It’s exactly what I need—simple, focused, and manageable. I used to push myself to do the big shows, multiple times a season, and didn’t realize until later how hard that was on my nervous system—or how much hustle it really required.

So… things have changed. Shifted. And honestly? Things are OK. Slower, more intentional.

We have two more years in our lease here at 108 W. 6th Street in downtown Little Rock. After that, we’ll see what’s next.

The dream is to own a building—to create a permanent home for this business. But it has to be the right place.

And for now, the right place is still downtown Little Rock.

So if you know of a good building for sale… holler at me. :)

And truly—thank you.

Thank you for shopping local. Thank you for choosing us.
I literally look at every single order at the end of each day. I see your names. I recognize so many of you.

I see you—and it means more than you probably realize.

If you’ve been shopping with us, sharing us, bringing friends in… thank you for being part of keeping this little shop going.

And if you love what we’re building here, tell a friend.
You’d be amazed how many people walk through the door and say, “I had no idea you were here!”

We’re here. And we’re building something really special—together. 💛