<body><div><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=33Zjbv_1FVpXDLp00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=33Zjbv_1FVpXDLp00" width="1250" height="937" ><figcaption>Buffalo Base Camp opened in Kingston, Arkansas, in mid-2026. The store, focused on outdoor goods, is housed in what was the Bunch Store, a building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.</figcaption></figure>KINGSTON, ARKANSAS - The small white building on the Kingston square has long sold what locals need. That definition has changed over time. Back when it was the Bunch Store, the likes of general goods and nuts and bolts were what shoppers sought. That’s shifted to today and the opening of Buffalo Base Camp, which sells outdoor-focused goods typically sought by fans of the area near the Buffalo National River. “It means a lot to me to meet new people and build relationships,” says Kellie Schulze, one of the owners. “I'm not out to make a million dollars. Yes, I want to make a living, but I get my motivation from relationships, and I want to build relationships with people, and I want to help.”<figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=43389l_1FVpXDLp00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=43389l_1FVpXDLp00" width="1250" height="938" ><figcaption>Buffalo Base Camp sells clothing, outdoor-related products, snacks and other related items.</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=2UTZLo_1FVpXDLp00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=2UTZLo_1FVpXDLp00" width="1250" height="937" ><figcaption>Kellie and Ashley Schulze own Buffalo Base Camp in Kingston, Arkansas.</figcaption></figure>Schulze and her wife, Ashley Schulze, are local-minded folks. They began visiting the area years ago, leading them to buy property, build a cabin and ultimately move full-time. Schulze – who formerly was a school counselor in Oklahoma – says she even worked as a park ranger for Buffalo one summer. They arrived when the store was open, but it wasn’t selling dry goods at that point. Previously, it was known as Kingston Square Arts and sold the wares of local creators. (You can read more about that chapter in this 2020 Ozarks Alive article.) Later, it was sold, closed and it stood empty for several years. The reason it was empty is part of a larger story, one that ties to the Runway Group, a holding company owned by descendants of Walmart’s founders. Today, the group’s website describes itself as “a holding company making investments in real estate, outdoor initiatives, hospitality, and businesses making Bentonville, and Arkansas, the best version of itself for everyone.”Part of that work included the purchase of properties in Kingston, one of which was the former Bunch Store. “As part of a restoration effort, members of the Walton family acquired three historic buildings on the square in downtown Kingston, intending to update them and open their doors to the community,” as Runway’s website puts it. “While we don’t yet have a timeline for the opening, we will share more when we do.”There was more going on at the time, including an effort to change the designation of the Buffalo National River to a National Park Preserve, which would have put more control in private rather than public hands. (You can read more Ozarks Alive coverage about that from 2023 here.) The bottom line: There was a major public outcry to the proposed reclassification and it didn’t change.Opening a new chapter as Buffalo Base Camp Whether that was tied to the small white store remaining empty for years is unclear, but it did lead to an opportunity when the Schulzes considered the idea of involvement in its next chapter. After it closed and was made available to lease, they had an idea: what if they opened it themselves? They reached out to Runway’s representatives to see what might be possible. “We talked for several months because I think he wanted to know if you were serious,” Schulze says of the person they worked with, noting he needed to see a business plan and some of the merchandise they planned to sell. “Then he's like, "‘Yeah, this is kind of the vision that we would like for this building.’ Then it just kind of took off from there.”The idea forged ahead – including, she notes, work to make the aging building better. “They had people come in and scrape and paint the entire building on the outside,” Schulze says. “They put in all new plumbing on the inside, and then they put in a new HVAC system for us because we have a unit for the upstairs and the downstairs.”The store officially opened in mid-2026. Now it’s got a new chapter as a store geared toward outdoor-minded folks – with merchandise like bags and maps and the “gear-age” room, filled racks of higher-end thrifted flannels and other outdoor wear. It’s also a place for local-minded folks to gather. Eventually, that may include an expanded list of beverages — maybe some beer and wine, hopefully to draw more people in after “chores” at cabins. “I love talking to people. I love telling people how to get to trailheads and where to go and what to do,” she says. “I have a laundry list of things in my head that I tell them where to go and what to do. And that's fun for me too. Because it's fun when people come back in, ‘Oh, that hike was so great.’ That makes me happy.” A landmark moment: “We got invited to the Kingston fish fry last night,” Schulze told me during our visit in August. “It was under the bridge back down over there. So we got to talk to a lot of the old-timers; a lady introduced us to a lot of people.” Evolving sense of community Such moments are part of chapters that feel new but soon will be old; another part of a story that will likely change as time goes on. “The older ladies and gentlemen have come in and told me stories about their dads or grandpas sitting around this fire playing cards or checkers,” says Schulze, “and then getting nuts and bolts out of the back.” In Kingston, too, life continues to shift: The gas station, the only one for miles around, was shuttered when I came through town for this story. In the weeks since, it’s been purchased and looks to soon reopen. A sight that always makes me smile is the Kingston Library, which remains a connection point.The cafe, where locals once gathered, remains closed – but available to lease, per the sign on the door – as far as I know. Schulze says it’s still owned by the Runway Group, and that she hopes it’s not shuttered forever. “It would help the town – it would help me,” she says. “Being selfish, I want it because people would come over here. But also, I could help them, and we could work together. If I had an event, they could cook my food or cater or whatever it is. We could bounce off of each other.”Even as times change, and what it means to be local evolves, a need for community gathering spaces remains a constant. “I went today – this morning – already and took another picture of the phone number,” Schulze says of the “for lease” sign on the cafe. “I was going to make another just general post like, ‘Who wants to be my neighbor?’ Because Kingston needs it, and the townspeople want it.” Want to visit? </div></body>

Block Source: ozarksalive.com

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KINGSTON, ARKANSAS - The small white building on the Kingston square has long sold what locals need. That definition has changed over time. Back when it was the Bunch Store, the likes of general goods and nuts and bolts were what shoppers sought. That’s shifted to today and the opening of Buffalo Base Camp, which sells outdoor-focused goods typically sought by fans of the area near the Buffalo National River.

Buffalo Base Camp now open in former Bunch Store

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KINGSTON, ARKANSAS - The small white building on the Kingston square has long sold what locals need. That definition has changed over time. Back when it wa

Buffalo Base Camp now open in former Bunch Store

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