Why I Moved Back to Arkansas

Courtesy of Arkansas Tourism

Despite Thomas Wolfe’s assertion that “you can’t go home again,” Arkansas residents Jessica Crum and Matt Fay challenge that notion. These Arkansas natives, after venturing elsewhere, chose to move back, recognizing the value of their home state.

This growing trend of “boomerang” residents isn’t unique to Arkansas; it’s a nationwide phenomenon.  Fueled by the rise of remote work, people are drawn to the affordability, safety, relaxed pace and strong community ties found in smaller communities, leading them to leave congested urban centers. As a result, individuals like Crum and Fay are building fulfilling lives and reinvesting their resources and talents into revitalizing their communities.

Jessica Crum: Arkansas Was the Right Move

At 16, Crum put her hometown of Pine Bluff, AR, in the rearview mirror and chose to move to Los Angeles. As a creative person, she felt stifled by the lack of artistic opportunities and believed it would take leaving the state to find those outlets.

Once in California, Crum got her degree at the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising and soon designed for stores such as JCPenney, Dilliard’s and Aeropostale, while also raising a daughter. Eventually, she met her husband, Justin, a filmmaker and screenwriter from Virginia, and together, they were “living the dream.” When Crum got pregnant with her second child, the long hours, tiresome commutes and big expenses began to loom even larger.

“As much as I loved my career, it felt like we couldn’t see a future where I could be present with the family at the same time,” Crum says. “It was, like, ‘How long can we do this? How long can we hustle?’ When you add another child to the mix, it just gets really hard for 20-somethings to survive.”

At first, they tried moving to other towns beyond downtown L.A., but after much resistance, some tears and a lot of praying, Crum knew the right call to make. They made the “leap of faith” to move to Arkansas with no jobs and few prospects and settled on Conway, AR, because family was nearby, and they felt it was a growing city.

Today, Crum runs her own ad agency, Silverlake Design Studio, which has nine employees and recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. Her career, family and creativity are flourishing, and she’s actively involved in her community. She helped start a women’s conference, art walk festival and downtown co-working space — much of which might not have come to fruition anywhere else.

“In L.A., if I had an idea, it just kind of remained an idea,” Crum says. “When it comes to starting a business, I have felt like the world is my oyster in Conway. Whatever type of entrepreneurship you’re interested in, you can pursue it here. There’s so much support for entrepreneurs.”

Matt Fay: Arkansas Has Everything We Wanted

Matt Fay was born and raised in Smackover, a small city in south-central Arkansas, and got his start as a welder in the oil and timber industry. When work began to slow down, he packed his bags for the Branson, MO, area to switch gears and try his hand at real estate. Fay found professional success and a church he liked, but the pull of home never quite left. He decided to move to Arkansas three years later.

“We were close enough that we still visited north Arkansas a lot, and we kind of knew it was home. It just drew us right back in,” Fay says. “It had everything we wanted, and it was where we wanted to raise our kids.”

Fay chose Harrison, AR, and continues to work in real estate. Because of the affordable land and home prices, he was able to grow his portfolio and now owns about 140 properties across the state. He’s been married to his high school sweetheart, Kim, for 20 years, and they have three children.

His company, FIG Realty LLC, has seven employees, six of whom are family members. While Fay works in the field finding deals, his wife Kim screens tenants and keeps their units filled. They’ve been able to achieve a successful work-life balance in a place that Fay feels many overlook.

“For me, I just love doing business here,” Fay says. “It’s a state that I feel has kind of been underestimated. It has a lot of potential, and it’s starting to really grow.”

When it comes to the impact of his decision to return, Fay has only good things to say about what it’s meant for him and his family.

“I’m thankful,” he says. “I really love what I do. I’m 100% Arkansas. I don’t own properties in any other state, and I’m pretty committed here. This has been the best here for us.”

This article was sponsored by Arkansas Tourism.