Editor,
I have been coming to Eureka Springs for years for the art and atmosphere and I love weekend getaways there once in awhile. It’s such a quaint little eclectic town, there is nowhere like it. The people, the artists and the history, it’s just a great place to re-energize and relax. I even have a few paintings hanging in a gallery there.
While recently trying to plan a night or two in Eureka with friends and make reservations so we could enjoy the nightlife it was brought to a halt by a friend saying, “why would you want to go there, it’s just a biker town now.”
And wow, and I got to thinking this is how Eureka is viewed now? I can’t say that I totally disagree and I began to wonder how the residents of such an awesome little town feel about the bikers and how I felt just as a visitor when the bikers started to infiltrate Eureka. His comment really made we think about a lot of things.
I know when I visit and try to set on any balcony of any of the restaurants or simply walk around the peacefulness of Eureka is stained by the sound of loud bikes and it takes away from the natural tranquility and good energies of Eureka. It’s hard to enjoy a meal or a cocktail when you have 20 plus or bikes roaring by and forget trying to have a conversation. I do think this is unacceptable and I may speak for myself here or those that I know feel this way. I know many who no longer do visit Eureka because of the bikers, no one really wants to listen to loud pipes and hear trash talk.
I know bikers bring money to little towns like Eureka and some shop owners are thrilled with the revenue it brings while others not so much, because their clientele is not bikers. I have spoken to a few about this.
So if you think about what the bikers bring to Eureka you must also think of what they are taking away from it? Just a thought and my opinion.
Karena Isaacs
In the last couple of years the biker/visitor population in town has been WAY down. Three years ago and longer the roar was almost constant at times, but that has diminished greatly in the last couple of years. Someone said that they listened to an NPR article that stated that a lot of the bikers were getting older and trading the bikes in for sports cars. Not sure about that, but there are certainly a lot less of them around now than in the past.
My guests have been telling me this for at least 3 years. They no longer want to go into downtown because of the noise/motorcycles. Also lack of parking downtown is an ongoing problem. I think the town is losing business because of loud motorcycles and noise and guests/visitors WILL find other places to go. Word of mouth is HUGE – can make or break a tourist town. I know I don’t want to sit outdoors downtown any more – on busy nights — the noise is deafening. We are not a “biker town” but if that noise is all guests remember from their visit we might as well be. I think ES needs to make the “main street” 1885 authentic – pedestrian or horse/carriage only – shut off all traffic except necessary delivery trucks and maintenance vehicles and parades, add parking outside downtown and make people park on the edges and walk into downtown. How peaceful and pleasant (and memorable) it would be downtown again.