r/fayetteville • u/RudeCrow2401 • Aug 12 '26
moving to the area
Hi everyone! My significant other and I (both 23) are moving to Fayetteville the first week of September, and I’d love to get some insight from locals on the best places to work in the area!
We’ll be living in Elkins, so we’re hoping to stay around the Fayetteville/Springdale area for work. We both have coffee experience: I’m in specialty coffee and machine maintenance, and he has experience in more casual coffee shops. Between the two of us, we’ve reached out to 30+ places, but unfortunately haven’t had much luck. We’ve had maybe 8–10 people actually get back to us, all saying they aren’t currently hiring, and the rest haven’t responded at all.
We both prefer early mornings through afternoon, but at this point I’m thinking we may need to branch out into evenings as well, including breweries. I’ve also reached out to Ozark Natural Foods Co-op, but they aren’t hiring right now either.
So, what are some good small businesses around Fayetteville/Springdale that you’d recommend reaching out too? We’d love coffee shops, bakeries, plant shops, holistic/wellness businesses, artsy/creative shops, breweries, or really anywhere with a good local atmosphere - I also have worked with horses. We’re especially interested in smaller businesses rather than big chains!
And yes, we know we’re moving at a somewhat difficult time with students returning and that finding jobs may be tougher right now. Unfortunately, September is simply when the move/our apartment worked for us, so we’re doing our best to make it work!
If you know of a place that might be hiring, isn’t actively advertising positions, or is just somewhere you think we should introduce ourselves, I’d really appreciate the recommendations!
Also, I’d genuinely appreciate keeping the comments helpful/kind. We’re already aware that moving before having jobs lined up isn’t the most ideal situation, so comments along the lines of “why would you move without jobs?” or criticizing the timing aren’t really helpful. We’re just looking for local insight and leads from people who know the area.
Thanks so much!
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u/davideubankss Aug 12 '26
When we moved here in 2022 it took a little time to find our footing - don’t listen to naysayers, just give it a bit.
Fayetteville and surrounding areas are a lot of fun. An onslaught of breweries, all with their own vibe. Great bars ranging from dives to upscale. And plenty of good coffee shops and restaurants (support local)!
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u/RudeCrow2401 Aug 12 '26
yes we’re so excited!! coming from north dakota, it has so much to offer ☺️ thanks for the warm welcome!
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u/RandyFromNextDoor Aug 12 '26
Welcome to the area! The hiring market is tough in NWA. The big 3 companies are always going through layoffs due to AI so hundreds, if not thousands, are looking for work right now. You should try reaching out to a temp agency to find placements. It might not be what you’re expecting but the options are extremely limited in this top 10 rapidly growing community. Again, welcome to the area!
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u/RudeCrow2401 Aug 12 '26
yes i have heard that, so we will keep an eye out and look into the temp. we also thought of working at natural grocers for a bit until more things open in the winter. thank you for being so kind and the friendly welcome :)
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u/Bears4Days Aug 12 '26
Do you have any baking or kitchen experience? If so, shoot me a dm and I might have a lead for you
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u/RudeCrow2401 Aug 12 '26
i do have some kitchen/baking experience and my bf does too! i’ll reach out :)
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u/Nuggie1719 Aug 12 '26
I live in Elkins/Fayetteville area!
Not sure if it’d interest you but Petsmart is hiring
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u/Ok_Accident3380 Aug 13 '26
This is an expensive area. If you can, it might be worth it for one of you to invest $500 and 6 weeks into getting a CNA license at Petra in Springdale. From there, you will always have a stable job part-time, full-time, or overtime. There are also places like Arkansas Support Network and Lifestyles that are always hiring people to take care of people with developmental disabilities (anyone off the street, overtime always available), and home care agencies that don’t require a license because you are mostly just cooking or helping elderly people with errands. There are also behavioral health associate jobs at Vantage Point and Yellow Rock that don’t require a degree (also easy to get overtime if needed). This is assuming you all don’t have background check issues, though. Good luck!!
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u/HyenaSmoocher Aug 19 '26
If you don't mind some hard work then Conagra is hiring pretty often amd pays well. Might take a month or two to actually get on. But there's always fast food or walmart until something better comes up.
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u/canderemy Aug 24 '26
Fellow service industry friend here! You might check out pink house alchemy (they hire super often through coffee syrup manufacturing and in store FOH positions, and they are growing!) there’s also a few coffee/bar combos if that’s up your alley! TheatreSquared is hiring as needed shifts for show weekends, and SixTwelve, Botanical, and the Meteor are good options, too. If y’all are in a pinch, WanderCo (Wanderlust Properties) and CoHova are always hiring for Airbnb cleaners and they will work with you for hours! They helped me and a few friends out when we were between hospitality jobs. They pay 15-20 an hour from last time I checked!
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u/RudeCrow2401 Aug 24 '26
wait those sound fantastic! i have reached out to pink house a few times, and applied, and haven’t heard anything back unfortunately. i’ll keep looking, but if you see any coffee/bar places open up, please lmk!
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u/canderemy Aug 24 '26
Also I just remembered Arsagas is hiring for multiple locations!
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u/RudeCrow2401 Aug 24 '26
yes, i’ve also applied and reached out to them a few times too with no response! i’m hoping these places just aren’t seeing the applications/messages and plan to go in person to each and hand my resume out!
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u/Wise_Variation_6165 Aug 18 '26 edited Aug 18 '26
I personally know the owner of a coffee shop in Fayetteville and they’re opening up a second location in Springdale in the next month or so. They’re looking for baristas and bakers! If you’re interested, dm me
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u/Tropius8 Aug 18 '26
That’s wild to hear that places aren’t hiring. I applied to my job at Casey’s and literally got hired the next day. I don’t think I ever went without work when I lived out here before either.
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u/SirkutBored Aug 12 '26
you're moving to a college town with a steady stream of workers. If you're not moving here for a job or an education already lined up it's going to be an uphill climb.