Asbury revival sweeps the nation Arkadelphia loses community staple

BY ALFONSO GONZALEZ GOMEZ Staff Writer

The Arkadelphia Sonic mysteriously closed on Feb. 7. This has baffled members of the community and left faithful customers without their favorite place to eat.

For many students at Ouachita, the tragedy has struck deeply. Gael Gonzalez, an avid Sonic customer, explained his devastation over Sonic’s abrupt closing. “I haven’t felt like myself since its closing,” Gonzalez said. “Thursday afternoons have gone from being a delightful indulgence in a burger and fries to a devastating reminder that Sonic is still closed.” I believe Gonzalez’s comments represent the feelings of the community and showcase why Sonic has been a staple of Arkadelphia for the last five decades. In addition to the chaos, this event has also raised speculation as to why Sonic closed in the first place. The Arkadelphian, Arkadelphia’s local newspaper, suggests there was mismanagement of the franchise. Anonymous sources claim the store wasn’t able to pay for ingredients and salaries despite doing well the first week of February.

In spite of all the negatives surrounding Arkadelphia’s favorite drive-in, one man has taken action, Ace Andrew Collins. Collins is a best-selling author who has lived in Arkadelphia for over ten years. Three days after Sonic’s closing Collins made a Facebook post where he poked fun at his wife’s need for Sonic ice. However, Collins quickly began to notice the true effect the restaurant’s shutdown had on the locals. People who had their lunch breaks at Sonic suddenly felt a shift in their dayto-day lives and the small-town connection.

As a response, Collins began the “Sonic Gate” series on his Facebook, where he has made parodies about the event in order to garner attention. The parodies range from “Star Wars” to “Godzilla,” but they all encapsulate the message that people miss their local Sonic.

“Sonic has been a tradition here for literally decades,” Collins said. “People who are retired now were going to Sonic when they were in college and high school.” He continues by noting that since the Sonic was around in the 1960s that means two-thirds of Ouachita history has been marked by a Sonic around the corner.

Besides being a staple for the Arkadelphia community, Sonic is also a place the town counts on for employment. To Collins, making sure the workers are able to stay afloat is important, and he hopes to highlight that with his videos.

Arkadelphia needs its Sonic back. For the sake of those who crave a quick lunch to those who rely on their employment at the restaurant.