Here’s a Look Inside Orbea’s Plans for Downtown Little Rock

Orbea, the Spanish bicycle manufacturer, said Thursday that it is moving its North American headquarters from North Little Rock to the former Stephens Media office at 119 Main St. in Little Rock.

This facility will house Orbea’s North American sales, marketing, finance and after-sales service teams along with global product and marketing positions.

“Downtown Little Rock was a natural choice,” Tony Karklins, Orbea’s North American managing director, said. “The redevelopment of Main Street is changing the face of Little Rock, and we are proud to be part of it.

“With quick access to the River Trail network, our new facility is easily connected to almost every neighborhood of central Arkansas. We look forward to hosting our dealers from around the country and showing them the outstanding cycling culture of central Arkansas.”

Arkansas Business reported in June that Stephens Media planned to move The Times and the rest of its central Arkansas newspapers operation from the Main Street site to the U.S. Bank Building at 1 Riverfront Drive in North Little Rock.

Now with Orbea’s installed, the Main Street location will include a new project dubbed “Orbea on Main,” a joint venture between Orbea and one of its retailers, Spokes. The 3,500-SF Orbea on Main will be a retail showroom for all products distributed by Orbea plus “a select few items” from its partners.

“We look forward to pioneering retail in the Main Street redevelopment and expanding the Spokes brand in central Arkansas,” says Mat Seelinger, owner of Spokes, an Orbea dealer at 1001 Kavanaugh Blvd.

Orbea said its Main Street showroom will also be used for product launches, media interactions, dealer events and video creation. 

Construction on the new space is underway. Orbea expects the offices to be operational by the end of the month, and the showroom is scheduled to open “late in the fourth quarter.” 

Arkansas Business reported Monday that Orbea sold its 15,313-SF North Little Rock site, at 600 N. Broadway, for $820,000 to Diamond Bear Brewing Co. 

Orbea originally acquired the property for $467,000 in August 2004 from Hendricks Commercial Properties LLC, led by Kenneth and Diane Hendricks.

Orbea’s announcement came the same day developers marked the opening of the Mann on Main project, a $22 million mixed-used complex at Main and 4th streets downtown.