Natural State Range at Benton will be located at 1900 Fleming Drive. The former Gayla’s Costume Shoppe was owned by the McCoy family. See a photo gallery at this link.
ORIGINAL ARTICLE FEB 10, 2026
UPDATE FEB 11, 2026
A former beloved costume shop is gone and a hotel and indoor shooting range will be built in its place. I spoke with the owner on Wednesday, and he shot me straight on everything that this new business will be. Read more and see the list of upcoming amenities below.
The former Gayla’s Costume Shoppe at 2018 Congo Road was long empty and sold. A Tru Hotel (Hilton brands) will be built on that lot and the adjoining lot. Right next door, a construction crew is currently building a gun shooting range called Natural State Range at Benton.
The new facility address is 1900 Fleming Drive, Benton, AR 72015, behind Popeye’s Chicken and beside Wood Grill buffet restaurant.
The business aims to open in summer 2026, according to information provided. The website is naturalstaterange.com, and social media accounts are currently in the works.
The above properties are listed by the Saline County Assessor’s records as 2012 Congo Road (outlined in yellow), 2018 New Congo Road (outlined in red), and 1900 Fleming Drive (outlined in blue).
Plans for the shooting range include:
- 16 total shooting bays
- 8 bays at 25 yards
- 8 bays at 15 yards
- Training classrooms and a strong emphasis on training and safety
- Safety officers monitoring activities, and what is brought in and out
- Cameras throughout the facility
- A secure gun locker area
- A gun repair shop
- A retail store with apparel, firearms, and ammunition
- A coffee shop and VIP lounge
- Memberships and shooting competitions
- Family-friendly focus and female trainers
Pictured above is an illustration of the shooting range and parking spaces, currently under construction in Benton, Arkansas. Click the image to see a larger version.
The building is being constructed with high-density noise reduction materials, and is described as a solid concrete structure designed to prevent outside noise.
The facility’s general manager is Lindsey White. He would love to meet the community when the range opens.
The shooting range will be located behind Popeye’s Chicken and beside Wood Grill. The parking will be on both sides of Fleming Dr.
The project involves multiple parcels of land, including the former costume shop property and additional land purchased later.
According to Saline County Assessor records:
- Parcel #805-15022-000 — 1.75 acres at 2012 Congo Rd
Purchased June 3, 2022 by Vue Hospitality LLC for $675,000 - Parcel #805-15055-000 — 0.87 acres at 2018 Congo Rd
Purchased June 3, 2022 by Vue Hospitality LLC for $675,000 - Parcel #800-57202-000 — 1.67 acres at 1900 Fleming Dr
Purchased June 19, 2024 by Natural State Range LLC for $450,000
Pictured above are the elevation views of the future Tru Hotel (by Hilton).
The hotel and parking lot will span between Old Congo Rd and the south Interstate 30 Frontage Rd.
Gayla’s Costume Shoppe was owned by the McCoy family and served customers for 35 years. It has been 17 or more years since the shop last operated at 2018 Congo Road. The property’s history stretches back much further.
The sign in front (east side) of Gayla’s Costume Shoppe while it was still in business in 2006, shows the address to be 2018 New Congo Rd. but the Saline County Assessor’s record shows this to be just Congo Rd. Photos by Shelli Poole. See a full photo gallery of Gayla’s on the outside and the inside, at this link.
The yellow house that stood on the property until recently — and has now been demolished — was built in 1931 by the Fleming family. According to Anne Fleming Packebush, the family first built on the land around 1900, but the original home burned and was a total loss.
Packebush shared that the Flemings had 14 children, and the property remained tied to the family through generations before eventually being owned by others, including Gerald Baxley and later the McCoy family.
A local resident also recalled that her father, Mr. Baxley was the one who painted the house yellow in the mid-1970s.
We’ll continue following this project and provide updates as more confirmed details become available. See a full photo gallery of Gayla’s on the outside and the inside, at this link.
In the meantime, we’d love to hear from you… Do you have memories, photos, or stories from inside Gayla’s Costume Shoppe — or from the old house and property?
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