Store provides service for hog-wild fans

The Hog Pen Corner has gotten a boom in business after the Arkansas Razorback football team has made back-to-back appearances in a New Year's Day bowl game.

It doesn't hurt that there is a former Conway High School standout entered into next weekend's NFL Draft. The success of Peyton Hillis, along with former Arkansas backfield-mates Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, have brought attention to each player's hometown.

"That was big having players like that, especially for Peyton Hillis," Hog Pen Corner co-owner David Edwards said. "When Peyton had the game that he had against LSU, our remaining jerseys just flew out of the door. A lot of things in Arkansas are football-based, so we're anticipating a lot of excitement for football season."

Toad Suck Daze is the biggest money-making weekend for several businesse, in the first weekend of May. The Hog Pen Corner has something to please those who are Hog-crazy. The store has anything from football merchandise to golf bags.

"We really kick off around Toad Suck Daze," Edwards said. "So we're really looking forward to our kickoff day. We're fortunate to be right dead in the middle of it. That's our biggest three days of the year. We've thought about moving out, but then we thought, 'We can't miss that three days.' Of course, from about May to December it's kind of seasonal, but we want to be here all times for people so we stay open."

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Edwards, along with his wife Cindy, bought the store in February of 2007. The store was originally located on the 1300 corner block of Oak Street but since have moved a couple of spaces over to the west.

"We had this space open so we wanted to move over here. With the help of our family, we moved from over there to over here in a matter of a day," Edwards said. "We expanded back. We also have in the plans to expand to (University of Central Arkansas) stuff. We have some expansion in the forefront that will happen either before Toad Suck or during football season."

The hiring of Arkansas coach Bobby Petrino brought a buzz around the state. Strangers, friends and customers wasted no time to weigh in on the current conditions of the Arkansas football program. All of the hype on and off the field often helps with the sales of the stores that carry the merchandise.

"We've heard a lot of comments about Petrino coming in," Edwards said. "We really anticipate a lot of excitement especially in the spring game."