Jonesboro, AR – JonesboroRightNow.com -Bruce Burrow, the influential commercial real estate developer whose projects helped shape the economic landscape of Jonesboro and much of northeast Arkansas, died Thursday, Feb. 26, 2026, at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House. He was 83.
A native of Wilmington, California, Burrow began his career as the first real estate developer for Taco Bell. In 1968, he chose to leave the corporate world and strike out on his own. Having spent summers visiting relatives in nearby Lake City as a youth, Burrow selected Jonesboro as the place to build his future — a decision that would prove pivotal not only for his career, but for the region.
Over the next several decades, Burrow successfully developed numerous commercial centers across Arkansas and Missouri, many anchored by national retailers such as Walmart. His most visible and lasting local achievement was the development of the Mall at Turtle Creek, which opened in 2006 and helped establish Jonesboro as a regional retail destination. The mall later suffered extensive damage during a tornado in March 2020.
From 2003 to 2010, Burrow partnered with fellow developer Jerry Halsey in Burrow Halsey Realty Group, Inc., during a period Halsey describes as Burrow’s professional prime.
“He knew more about real estate than anybody I know,” Halsey said. He recalled attending national shopping center conventions with Burrow, where industry leaders from around the world sought him out. “We would walk in and people would say, ‘Hey Bruce, how are you?’ Everybody knew him. They either wanted to do a deal with him or were asking for advice.”
Halsey said Burrow’s influence on the city is impossible to overstate.
“Jonesboro would not be what it is today without Bruce,” he said. “Any of us who work and live in Jonesboro stand on his shoulders. He was a one-man show, and I will miss him.”
Halsey also urged the community to remember Burrow for the breadth of his work and resilience throughout his career.
“I hope the public can pay tribute to the glory days of the Bruce Burrow expertise without the cloud of the last few years of struggle,” Halsey said. “Timing is always critical. Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi once said, ‘We didn’t lose the game, we just ran out of time.’ Bruce had failed projects in the past, but he always came back bigger and better. This time, he just ran out of time.”
Beyond his business accomplishments, Burrow served on numerous local boards, as well as the Arkansas Real Estate Commission and the Arkansas Economic Development Commission. In 2005, he was named Business Person of the Year by Business Today and was widely admired nationwide for his real estate expertise.
He was also known for his personal passions — his love of family, antique cars, commercial real estate deals (once describing himself as a “deal junky”), his devotion to St. Louis Cardinals baseball, and a deep affection for the country and people of Cuba, which he visited 45 times.
Burrow is survived by his wife, Sherry; his children; grandchildren; and great-grandchildren. All services will be private. The family requests memorial contributions be made to First Church of Jonesboro or the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice Center of St. Bernards.
