When this newspaper called, Zach Anders had a hard time finding time for an interview because he was so busy.
Zach is the owner/operator of Events by Zachary, located at 123 S 2nd Street. He offers full-service event planning, serves coffee and food, and sells housewares and clothing.
The store features exposed brick walls, a coffee bar, shelves for merchandise, and comfortable seating. It serves as the home base for his flexible floral arrangement and event planning services.
“I can do start to finish, I can be as involved as you want,” Zach said. “If you just need flowers, and you want to do arrangements yourself, I can do that. I can do it all.”
Though floral arrangement is his main passion, the various aspects of his business work well together. For example, he expects the event planning side of things might slow down a bit in the summer while food and drink sales remain strong.
Zach admitted that, at times, it can be hard to balance so much. “It’s like three businesses in one. So it's hard if I’m busy over here, then I don’t have time to do something special over here,” he said.
Luckily, he has relatives to help. While it’s his name on the door, running the shop has been a family affair. His niece and nephew have helped in the store after school. His parents come at night, and his sister-in-law helps out during lunch.
From Dream to Reality
Zach grew up in Calhoun County, attending Hampton High School before earning his bachelor’s degree in elementary education from Southern Arkansas University. He then taught in both El Dorado and Hampton for several years.
He announced his event planning business in December 2020. As the demands of the business grew, Zach struggled to balance his teaching obligations and his business.
“It got so busy last year that I was going to work, and I was coming home and working, and it was exhausting,” Zach said.
Instead of returning to teach for the 2023-2024 school year, he went full time on his dream of opening the store.
Zach expected to be open in August, but a series of construction challenges -- including one particularly devastating one -- pushed the opening back.
When he started renovating, the building had been empty for quite some time.
“There was plaster all over the walls, and there was a toilet. And that was it. There weren’t any walls – it was just an open building,” Zach said.
A construction crew spent months renovating the store, bringing his vision to life. But just as he was preparing to open, disaster struck.
“January 12, when the storm happened, they were coming over here and they were supposed to finish that day. The only things they had left to do was seal my floors, do a little bit of trim work, and seal my windows,” Zach said.
The damage was extensive. 'The main guy who spent so much time here asked, 'Do I want to go in?'” Zach said. “I just told him to be prepared.”
When the construction worker came out, he was crying. “You question God, and you ask why,” Zach said. “You go through tests and trials, and I truly believe it was a test and God is faithful.”
Despite the setbacks, Zach rebuilt and opened the shop in April. In addition to his current services, Zach is thinking about ways to expand his offerings.
“I have a ton of tricks up my sleeve,” he said.
