Downtown Rison Sees New Construction

RISON - Downtown Rison is seeing its first new commercial construction project since 2015 as work is well underway on the new Rison Pharmacy building that will be located in the 300 block of Main Street. Lynn Wilson, owner of Rison Pharmacy, said the new 5,000 square foot structure will provide more space for the pharmacy and gift shop as well as space for a new membership gym that will be located at the back of the building. She said the projected opening date is late spring 2024, should there be no construction delays. The last new commercial construction project in downtown Rison was the new Gateway Bank building at the corner of Main and Second Streets. That 2,400 square foot structure was opened in July 2015. Rison Pharmacy is currently located in the former Pine State Bank building on Pine Street in the downtown area. The new facility is being built directly behind it on with the front of the new business facing Main Street. Wilson said both the pharmacy and gym will be under the same roof. She said the new pharmacy/gift shop will be 50 feet wide and 72 feet long (about 3,600 square feet) while the gym will be 50 feet by 28 feet (about 1,400 square feet). She said the new pharmacy is about 1,000 square feet larger than the building they are currently in. Overall, there will be 32 parking spaces at the new business with parking being available on both the north and south sides of the building. The entrance to pharmacy will be located along Main Street while the entrance to the gym will be facing Third Street. Wilson said they will continue to offer drive-through service using a window that will be located on the south side of the building. Plans are to construct two entrances along Main Street with one located north of the building and the other south. Customers using the drive-through will be able to circle around the building to access the drive-through before exiting onto Main Street. T...