Jessie Miller, Jeana Linn-Miller and John Miller gather for a group photo behind the counter at Goldie’s Grill on Thursday, Jan. 30. (Photo by Dayanti Arechiga)

By Dayanti Arechiga

Co-News Editor

The food shop in the Bentonville campus’s Student Center, Goldie’s Grill, hit the public this week with news of its closure. Today (Jan. 31) is the grill’s last day.

Goldie’s Grill was a family business made up of the crew that had previously run Susie Q in Rogers. The historic Susie Q location in Rogers was destroyed in the tornados and storms that struck Benton County on May 26, 2024. According to the Encyclopedia of Arkansas, Susie Q Malt Shop was a restaurant in business for more than 60 years.

The new business at NWACC, Goldie’s Grill, opened at the beginning of the fall 2024 semester. The shop took its name from Shelia Jackson-Edmonson, mother of the two sisters operating the new business. (Her nickname is Goldie). Housed on the Bentonville campus, Goldie’s served students, staff, and community members alike from August 2024 through January 2025.

 Jeana Linn-Miller, the co-owner of the establishment along with her sister, Jessie Miller, stated that their favorite part of having Goldie’s Grill was the community, working with family members day to day, and the students.

“Students’ faces are what keeps us going,” she said. “Students come by asking for advice, and we have their names remembered as well! We love talking to them.”

Linn-Miller said the difficult decision to close came because there was not enough support to keep the business running. A statement posted on the Goldie’s Facebook page explained, “…we cannot continue to throw good money after bad money!”

However, even with having to make that hard decision, Linn-Miller said they understand that not everyone could support them throughout the year. “Students are on budgets and that’s okay,” she said. “We understand.”

When asked about the possibility of the establishment moving to other places, that idea was quickly quelled. The sisters said they were glad to have given continuing the malt shop’s legacy a chance, but decided this would be the end. Goldie’s Grill Facebook page stated their goodbyes in a post with this part of the message: “We are forever grateful for the loyalty and love. Onward and upward.”

An email sent to the NWACC campus community late Thursday afternoon stated that Friday (today) would be the last day for the restaurant. “Due to unforeseen circumstances, tomorrow will be the last day for Goldie’s to be open on our campus. Food options may be limited based on inventory,” the email stated. “We want to thank Goldie and her team for serving us for the last several months and we wish them all well. Café 211 will remain open with hours 7:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. and we are exploring other options to serve our campus community.”