A New American Town - Bentonville, Arkansas
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A New American Town - Bentonville, Arkansas
The Hub 2.0- Building Community by Giving Riders A Place To Land
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We sit down with Josh and Sean from The Hub to talk about Hub 2.0. It’s designed for everything that happens around the ride, from a good cup of coffee to start the day to swapping stories after a bike ride. The goal is a space that feels easy and welcoming, where visitors start to feel like regulars pretty quickly. They’ve recently expanded both their menu and their space, and partnered with Santa Cruz Bikes to offer rentals as well.
We get specific about what makes the Hub a true cycling experience center in Northwest Arkansas. Josh explains how the bike shop side works, from the Santa Cruz demo experience and rental fleet to the “white-glove” setup that helps you find the right ride, whether you’re brand new or chasing bigger lines. Sean shares how the original vision started as a community gathering place and why growth was unavoidable once the lounge became more popular.
Then we dig into the parts that turn a cycling trip into a full itinerary: live music, DJs, group rides, and partnerships with local organizations that keep the community connected. You’ll also hear the practical details people actually need, like how to book rentals ahead, how the greenway leads you in, and what to order when you’re refueling, from happy hour deals to brunch favorites. Make sure you subscribe, share the episode with a friend, and leave us a review so more people can find it.
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Welcome And Why The Hub Matters
SPEAKER_02Welcome back, listener, to a new American Town. I am your host, Graham Cobb, and I'm thrilled to get to talk Hub 2.0 today with Josh and Sean from the Hub. Welcome, guys. Man, what a community asset. The hub. It is where to go. Um, folks flock to Bentonville for cycling experiences. You know, it's the mountain bike capital of the world, top cycling destination. The trails attract people here, but it's the places where the visitors gather, where they refuel, where they connect. That's a critical part of the experience. You guys have been a part of that uh from the
The Original Vision: A Gathering Place
SPEAKER_02jump. Before we talk about what's new at the hub, describe the original vision for the hub.
SPEAKER_00Um, yeah, the original vision, I've been with the hub for two years. And since I got there, the first thing that I was told is we're a gathering place for the community. All right. We're a place for storytellers to gather and share what what they've been doing, where they've been, and you know, head back out there. So the original and the most important aspect of the hub is a community gathering place.
SPEAKER_02What did you learn from maybe that first version of the hub about writers, visitors, and the local community as far as what they were looking for?
SPEAKER_00Aaron Powell Definitely uh the gathering place aspect of it, the watering hole, you know, a place to uh hang out and re-energize and recoup for the next one. And that demand just kind of kind of took off and grew and you know it it filled our our little lounge pretty quickly and and kept us going.
SPEAKER_02Aaron Powell
Why Hub 2.0 Had To Grow
SPEAKER_02Why not just make a bigger lounge? Why did what what was the reason for the investment and like a new experience?
SPEAKER_00Well, the uh there was a need for growth also. You know, we were busting at the seams and ready for more. Uh there was also we've got a really talented chef in the back who could, you know, he we wanted him to stretch his wings a little bit, show us what else he could do. You know, we've got wings and burgers and fries and a little more food and bev program. Yeah. As well as uh we brought our original office back in. So PTD was kind of where it all started.
SPEAKER_02Progressive trail design.
SPEAKER_00Progressive trail design. Yeah. Um Woody started that when did Woody start that? Oh, there it is. 2007. Yeah. On the hat. Oh, what yeah. So I mean he's he's been doing it for a while. And uh in about 2020, he opened the hub because he noticed that those trails were filling up and he needed a place for people to gather. And that gathering space is kind of in the community, is what drove us to be bigger.
SPEAKER_02Josh,
Bike Shop Perks And Demo Fleet
SPEAKER_02talk to our listeners. Like, what do they need to expect when they roll into the hub? Uh the best margaritas in town. Best marks in town.
SPEAKER_01For sure. And then we got the bike shop aspect of it. So we're uh Premier Santa Cruz kind of demo center experience center.
SPEAKER_02Okay, so can they people can check out bikes, buy bikes?
SPEAKER_01Yeah, we got a full demo fleet. Uh we also can sell bikes as well. So, you know, I'll walk you through the process of all that, give you that white club service we're looking for. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02Outstanding. Yeah. So a great cycling trip involves much more than just time spent on these trails. And I could go anywhere and refuel after after a bike ride. How does the Hub 2.0 make this experience kind of unique?
SPEAKER_00Well, we got you from the uh the beginning. Whenever you get into town and you're looking for a rental, and uh, you know, we can start your day with a cup of coffee as Josh is getting your bike ready, you know, and then we can set you up with somebody to tour you through all the awesome trails that we have here in Northwest Arkansas, and then you know, you're back at the hub to refuel, and we got awesome food and hub buritas, and you know, we'll get you fueled up and ready for the next one.
SPEAKER_02Is this a deal where I just I roll into Bentonville and I find you guys, or can I reach out beforehand? How do I how do I make my hub experience the best it can be?
SPEAKER_00Josh has set up a booking uh program to rent the bikes. I'll let him kind of elaborate on that. How do we get in touch with you on that?
How To Book Rentals Ahead
SPEAKER_01So for the bike rentals, you'll just go to our website and go to shop and there will be a you know icon for the demo process of it set up. Got a good solid fleet, I think about 16 bikes right now. So pick and choose what works for you, and then we'll get you set up to your riding style and weight and all that and get you ripping.
SPEAKER_02And does it have to be like you know, do I have to be a shredder?
SPEAKER_01No, absolutely not. All right. Yeah. I mean we've got you know, a a few different style bikes. We do have some kind of gravel, flat bar gravel bike, kind of urban bikes, as well as our full on full suspension e-bikes and all that. So obviously we're gonna offer all the pointers we can and get you set up just right on that bike. That way you're having a good time.
SPEAKER_02So From the Food and Bev experience, and maybe who you see in the hub. I mean, is it just cyclists? Who benefits from hanging
The Vibe: Locals, Visitors, And Music
SPEAKER_02out? Like who's comfortable in the space?
SPEAKER_00Everybody. And it definitely started with the cyclists and the storytelling, and they went and told their buddies who weren't cyclists, and they came by and then they told their friends and their family, and we're definitely for everybody. While cycling is at the heart of what we do, um we have grown to be a place for the whole community. Trevor Burrus, Jr.
SPEAKER_02I'm glad you brought that up. So I live in Bentonville, right? I have some friends that I'm pretty sure are at the hub so often that it's a line item on your PL. I won't mention them by name, Chris and Brandy. Favorites. Yeah. Great people. Great people. Yeah. The hubs in their name. So I mean, yeah, what's the mix like of visitors to residents? Like, is it kind of all-comers?
SPEAKER_00It is all-comers, and I think one of the best parts about it is it's hard to tell. You know, you'll have out-of-towners who will visit us two to three times on one trip into town. And so those people kind of become part of our community rather quickly. On the second visit, we notice we're like, oh, hey, they're back to see us again. Let's, you know, try to get something else in their hand and try to, you know, elevate their experience and make it different from the last time.
SPEAKER_02I mean, it feels like more than just a bike shop next to a bar restaurant. What is bringing that together changed? Like, wha what am I sensing when I go there? There's a bit of a different vibe.
SPEAKER_00We have a very unique vibe. You do have a unique vibe. And I think it's one of my favorite parts about it. And at the heart of it, we're an experience center, right? We're going to curate an experience for you, we're going to get you out on the trails, we're going to make sure you have fun back after the trails with food and bef but also entertainment. You know, we've uh grown in the entertainment world also. We've got uh stages so we can do indoor, outdoor music, we've got DJs, live bands, and so it's not just a place to kind of come and recharge, but also like refuel and lift spears and hang out with again the community.
SPEAKER_02How else does community get involved or maybe like utilize the hub?
Group Rides And Community Partners
SPEAKER_02Do you guys have rides leaving from there?
SPEAKER_00We've partnered with several local businesses. You know, uh of course we've we've partnered with Santa Cruz. We're uh I get I like to refer to PTD as our parent company, and they definitely help with some of the coordinating of getting people out on trails and getting them going. And then we use local groups like Bike School Bentonville or Take Fund seriously to ensure that while they're out on the trails or having a good time, whether we connect them with coaches or we connect them with our uh every Thursday we have a group ride that leaves from the hub and comes back to the hub, and that's with Bike School Bentonville. What time is that? They take off at six. Uh usually they're back at about seven fifteen, seven thirty.
SPEAKER_02Nice.
SPEAKER_00And we've we have like uh DJs and drink specials and food specials. I feel like the Thursday night is the perfect combination of everything that is the hub.
SPEAKER_02Oh wow. That's great intel. That's great intel. Other community partners or local businesses, cycling organizations that are a part of the hub that you want to give a shout out to?
SPEAKER_00Uh well, if it wasn't for Progressive Trail Designs, we wouldn't be here. Right. So first and foremost, they set the standard to get us going. Our newest partnership is with Santa Cruz to make sure the experience is dialed in and growing always. And then from there, it is like kind of our local partnerships with Bike School Bentonville, take funds seriously, pedal it forward. People for bikes, we do things with them, lifetime, rule of three. I mean, it's always evolving. We just got off bike fests, which is one of our busiest weeks of the year. So it's it's it's always growing, and we're always open to work with other people to enhance the you know the community and the experience for not only visitors but also the the locals.
SPEAKER_02So for our visitors who might not be familiar with kind of like the layout, right? So let's say I just get done with a gravel ride and I'm rolling through downtown Bentonville. How do I get to the hub? All trails lead to the hub. Yeah. That's what I'm talking about.
SPEAKER_00It's a tag for a reason. You know, just stay on the greenway and you're gonna make it there.
SPEAKER_02Stay on the greenway, maybe head south a little bit and you're gonna get there. How does the hub help visitors feel connected to the locals rather than just simply as an outsider visiting for a little bit?
SPEAKER_01I mean, I would say trail-wise, uh most of the people there are pretty avid riders, especially upstairs with PTD. So I think providing our knowledge on certain trails that we like and and kind of listening to what they're looking to do and helping them out throughout that is is a big thing for sure.
SPEAKER_02Aaron Powell Can I make the assumption that you guys have visited other places that have great cycling or great mountain biking? Yeah. Is there anything comparable to the scene? Given the assets that are in Bentonville, you know, places like the hub. Is this unique or does everybody have a version of this?
SPEAKER_01I think it's unique and it's still growing. I don't I don't see a a roof or a you know a ceiling coming anytime soon.
SPEAKER_02Aaron Powell So why is that important? Like why is that a big deal that these things exist alongside killer trails?
SPEAKER_01Aaron Ross Powell Well, then you would just have killer trails and and what are you gonna do on your off time? So I think providing the music and providing the entertainment and obviously the food and drinks is gonna be kind of a all-encompassing portion of cycling in its own, I think.
SPEAKER_02Aaron Ross Powell Yeah, I think about early days when I would travel to ride mountain bikes, I say early days 10, 15 years ago. And man, we'd ride trails and then we'd go kick it at the house with the people that we came with. We didn't go and get out in the community as much. So I I can see how a place like the hub really does extend that experience and connect you to others in a in a much different way.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. I mean it's definitely unique, the hub in its own. I mean, I I traveled the US and the world doing cycling events and all that, and it's definitely its own thing.
What’s Next For Bentonville Cycling
SPEAKER_02So what do you think is the next stage for Bentonville as far as like cycling assets or destination assets? What can visitors and locals, I guess, expect to see? What do we need? What can we expect? Maybe you guys have some insight into it.
SPEAKER_01I think with the bike park planted where it is now, it's just going to open up Bentonville into Bella Vista and open up that whole scene and just I I you know sky's the limit. I don't think there's a end to it. It's just gonna keep going for sure.
SPEAKER_02So let's say I'm a family who's here, you know, maybe if maybe I've hit the bike park, maybe I've hit Kohler, maybe we've just shredded some slaughter pin, and I have myself and my partner and my kids, and we're rolling back to the hub. Is there a little something for everybody? I mean, is it a I guess it's okay for me to bring my 13-year-old daughter to hang at the hub? Aaron Ross Powell, Jr.
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. I mean, when I first started in the bike shop, I moved here. My son was eight months old, and he basically lived in the bike shop for the first year we were there. Yeah. And it was just a blast.
SPEAKER_00So any new menu items that we need to be aware of?
Menu Highlights, Happy Hour, And Brunch
SPEAKER_00Oh man, since we expanded the kitchen, uh we've definitely added burgers, fries, and wings. The burgers are always a hit. I think it's allowed us to kind of hit a wider audience for dinner.
SPEAKER_02Yeah.
SPEAKER_00Fries are great, but I really love the wings. The honey sriracha wings, they're a dollar during happy hour. I mean, you can't.
SPEAKER_02When is happy hour?
SPEAKER_00Gotcha. Four to six, Tuesday through Sunday. Every day we're open, we have happy hour, four to six with uh eight dollar hubitas and dollar wings, and you can get a cheap beer and six wings and get out of there less than ten bucks.
SPEAKER_02Listener, I'm I'm not a smart man and I know math is hard, but that happy hour sounds like two hours to me. So uh I would get there four to six. Did you say Tuesday through Sunday? Tuesday through Sunday. Man, that's heck. That that is great.
SPEAKER_01Can't forget brunch, too. Brunch. Oh, brunch. Brunch goes hard. Yeah.
SPEAKER_02When is brunch?
SPEAKER_00Saturday, Sunday from nine to one. What am I ordering? What's my order at brunch when I'm I like the French toast.
SPEAKER_01That's French toast. So good.
SPEAKER_00I'm getting the Carnitas burrito. It's like a fat daddy burrito stuffed with pork and it's got a cheese crust on the outside.
SPEAKER_02Outstanding. Uh well, look, Hub 2.0. Last
Finding The Neon Arrow And Closing
SPEAKER_02thing, like is there a landmark? Like how how do I know I've arrived at the hub?
SPEAKER_00We've got this awesome neon arrow that's just stuck down into the building. And so if you see the arrow there in Bentonville, it's right off the greenway, you've made it.
SPEAKER_02You see the arrow headed into the parking lot, and you see 30 bikes out in front. Odds are you're at the hub. Odds are you're at the hub. All right, guys. Anything else our listeners need to know about the hub? We're looking forward to seeing you. Heck yeah, man. We'll see you there. Thank you so much for joining us. Thanks for having us. Josh, appreciate it. Thanks. Ready to explore Bentonville? Check out Visitbentonville.com for dining guides, event calendars, and trip planning tools. Follow us on social media and subscribe to our newsletter. Links are in the show notes. Thanks for listening to a new American town.