Little Rock — Building owners announced today that the Metropolitan National Bank Building will be renamed to the Cupid’s Lingerie Tower. Naming rights for the building have been in active negotiations since Metropolitan bank announced bankruptcy last month.
Flake & Kelley Commercial, the building’s developers, began searching for a new namesake for the building with a set of very specific criteria.
“First and foremost, it has to be an Arkansas owned and headquartered company. When we built the tower we ensured that would always be the case,” John Flake, Chairman of Flake & Kelley, tells us. “That immediately rules out half the companies in the area. We wanted a company without an existing building, one that was willing to relocate their headquarters to the building, and one within a stable industry. With the instability in banking lately we decided to go a different direction. When we began looking at what companies were left, Cupid’s was the obvious choice. We are just glad they agreed.”
Cupid’s was founded 11 years ago in Little Rock, and has quickly become the largest lingerie and adult novelty store in Central Arkansas. Cupids operates 6 store locations around the Central Arkansas area. “We have experienced rapid growth over the past 11 years. We are very excited about the opportunities that branding the largest building in Little Rock, and opening our 7th store will bring,” Cupid’s president Spencer Elmen tells us.
Metropolitan will begin removing their signage beginning next week. Officials tell us they will vacate their offices and first floor bank branch by the end of the month.
Cupid’s will transform the first floor space into a new flagship downtown lingerie and sex toy store, including a new try before you buy area. The exterior signage will be replaced with their signature purple neon signs.
Flake & Kelley tell us that they are excited to bring a strong Arkansas icon to downtown. As part of the naming rights Cupid’s will be allowed to cover the tower to look like a large dildo annually on November 4th for national sex toy day.
*Image credit: Clay Wells
10 Comments
Ha!
I was trying to keep this a secret! Great reporting. I need to find out who the source of these leaks.
That would be funny!
That would be funny!
That would be funny!
Are they serious? A giant dildo?
wow
I think one of the requirements to put your name on that building would be that you go bankrupt.
A bank branch has to give 90 days posted notice of intention to close. Story is false.
Seriously?… SERIOUSLY?!
They should reshape the top of the building…