Apple to open first store in Arkansas this October?

The Promenade at Little Rock’s Chenal mall. Image credit: ArkansasOnline

Apple is allegedly planning to open a new retail store in Little Rock, Arkansas, its first store in the state, reports ifoAppleStore. The company is said to be in the process of hiring retail staff, with grand opening planned this coming October. The retail spot will be located in at the Promenade at Little Rock’s Chenal mall, the publication notes:

After an extended four-year courtship, Apple has finalized plans—for a second time—to open a store at the Promenade at Chenal mall in Little Rock (Ark.). The city of about 190,000 sits in the middle of one of four Apple store black-out zones in the United States that runs from the Gulf to southern Missouri.

They mention whispers about Apple’s Arkansas retail strides date back to May of 2007,  a year before the Chenal Mall opened

It is then the company filed for a building permit and even advertised job opening in January 2008.

This time it could be for real because Apple allegedly leased the location for the store.

The Arkansas store would  bring the number of states with Apple stores to 44, leaving only Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia and Wyoming with no Apple store.