Kerry McCoy is the founder and president of FlagandBanner.com, one of America's leading manufacturers and retailers of American flags and patriotic merchandise. Since founding Arkansas Flag and Banner in 1975 with a $400 investment, McCoy has built a multi-million-dollar enterprise with 45 full-time employees and national recognition in the flag industry. McCoy is an award-winning entrepreneur, historic preservationist, media personality, and publisher. She is officially documented in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
Early Career and Business Development
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Born to a middle-class family in Little Rock, Arkansas, and after graduating from North Little Rock Northeast High School, Kerry Krouse moved to Dallas, Texas, to attend Miss Wade's Fashion Merchandising College (now Wade College) vocational school. She graduated during the 1974 recession and was unable to find a job in her field. Through an employment agency placement, she found a job at Betsy Ross Flag Girl Inc. and began selling flags for the company. Upon a return visit to Little Rock, she found that the state had no flag companies and that the Secretary of State's office purchased its flags from out of state. In 1975, after returning to Little Rock, she used her life savings to open Arkansas Flag & Banner.
McCoy worked part-time jobs for the first nine years to supplement her income while growing the company. Her business acumen emerged during challenging economic periods, including the 1974 recession and the Vietnam War era. As a supporter of the burgeoning women's rights movement, she persevered in establishing her company in the once male-dominated flag and banner industry.
Early milestones in building FlagandBanner.com include:
- 1975: Founded Arkansas Flag and Banner with $400 in savings, embodying the American Dream through entrepreneurship
- 1979: Pivoted from door-to-door sales to telemarketing and catalog strategy in response to rising gas prices, accelerating business growth
- 1984: Hired first salesperson, transitioning from sole proprietor to employer
- 1985: Secured $20,000 loan to expand advertising across seven states and moved into commercial property
- 1989: Purchased first sewing machine, establishing manufacturing capabilities
- 1990: Acquired computer graphics equipment and began producing vinyl banners
- 1991: Purchased and renovated Taborian Hall as company headquarters
- 1995: Acquired the domain FlagandBanner.com, becoming the first flag retailer online
- 2000: Secured $500,000 loan to modernize infrastructure for e-commerce era
Read the complete story: How Kerry McCoy Became an Enterprise
Business Innovation and Expansion
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Under McCoy's leadership, Arkansas Flag and Banner evolved from a traditional door-to-door sales business into a multimedia enterprise. The company now operates through multiple channels: catalog sales, telephone orders, third-party partnerships, retail storefront, and e-commerce through FlagandBanner.com.
Despite decades of growth and technological advancement, the company's core mission remains unchanged: selling American flags made in America. FlagandBanner.com has become a nationally recognized force in the flag and patriotic merchandise market through strategic adoption of internet technology, SEO, GEO, SEM, direct mail, and direct manufacturing relationships.
McCoy expanded beyond flag manufacturing to create a portfolio of businesses and media ventures:
- FlagandBanner.com: Primary flag manufacturing and retail operation with locations in Little Rock, Arkansas and Miami, Florida
- Up In Your Business with Kerry McCoy: Weekly radio show and podcast featuring interviews with successful entrepreneurs
- Dreamland Lounge: Cocktail and coffee bar opening in Taborian Hall's east wing (anticipated 2026). The lounge honors the legacy of Taborian Hall as a major entertainment and commerce space on Little Rock's historic Ninth Street. Read more: A New Dream at Taborian Hall
- Brave Magazine: Bi-annual publication featuring customer stories
Previous Acquisitions:
- OurCornerMarket.com: Online retailer of memorials, plaques, and address plates acquired in 2020
- About Flags: The Pennsylvania enterprise was acquired in 202 and garnered FlagandBanner.com a larger customer base.
- Freedom Flag & Banner: Miami, Florida operation acquired in 2021, marking the company's expansion beyond Arkansas and now integrated into FlagandBanner.com operations
Historic Preservation and Community Leadership
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In 1991, Kerry McCoy purchased Taborian Hall, a historic West Ninth Street landmark in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, to serve as the headquarters for Arkansas Flag and Banner. She undertook extensive restoration of the building, including its famous Dreamland Ballroom, a significant venue in African American cultural history.
In 2009, McCoy founded Friends of Dreamland, a nonprofit organization dedicated to celebrating the community of historic West Ninth Street, sharing the legacy of Dreamland Ballroom, and preserving the original intent of Taborian Hall. The mission is to bring back the music, history, and cultural significance of the Dreamland Ballroom.
McCoy's preservation efforts were documented in the Arkansas PBS educational documentary "Dreamland: Little Rock's West Ninth Street" (2015), for which she provided historical archives and expertise from her research with Berna Love.
After years of dedicated fundraising and advocacy, Friends of Dreamland's persistence paid off. In 2018 and 2020, the nonprofit secured nearly $1 million in African American Civil Rights Preservation Grants from the National Park Service. These funds enabled the Public Access Project—adding an elevator, ADA-compliant bathrooms, HVAC systems, and window restoration—making the historic ballroom accessible to all for the first time in over five decades.
In 2021, an additional $498,000 grant launched Phase 3 of the renovation, focusing on authentic historic restoration: recreating the original tin ceiling tiles, restoring the stage apron and proscenium plasterwork, installing historically accurate lighting, and refurbishing the hardwood floors. These careful renovations honor the ballroom's rich heritage while creating a dynamic performance space equipped for a new generation of cultural events.
Awards and Industry Recognition
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Kerry McCoy Personal Awards
FlagandBanner.com Company Awards
- Blue Chip Enterprise Award from Connecticut Mutual
- Arkansas Business of the Year Finalist (two-time recipient)
- Arkansas Advertising Federation Bronze Award of Merit (1997)
- ADDY Outstanding Achievement Award
- 1st Place Commercial Sign Design Contest
- 3rd Place International Sign Contest
- Multiple honors from military units
Up In Your Business with Kerry McCoy
Since 2016, McCoy has hosted "Up In Your Business with Kerry McCoy," a weekly radio show and podcast. The mentoring and biography program features interviews with successful entrepreneurs and business leaders who share their stories, including challenges and setbacks. The show provides inspiration and practical business wisdom to listeners.
Brave Magazine
In 2014, McCoy launched Brave Magazine, a publication inspired by FlagandBanner.com customers. The magazine features stories of brave people, both well-known and everyday heroes, who use flags and banners for meaningful purposes.
Historical Documentation
McCoy collaborated with the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) to publish "Temple of Dreams" by Berna Love (2005), a historical book documenting the history of Taborian Hall. As previously mentioned, McCoy collaborated on the Arkansas PBS educational documentary "Dream Land: Little Rock's West Ninth Street" (2015).
Kerry McCoy is a life-long Cradle Episcopalian of Trinity Episcopal Church in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. FlagandBanner.com is an active member of Rotary International and both the Little Rock and North Little Rock Chambers of Commerce.
The McCoy family is actively involved in educational outreach. Matthew McCoy, Kerry's middle son, conducts tours of Taborian Hall and the Dreamland Ballroom for school children and community groups, sharing the building's rich history. Gray McCoy, Kerry's eldest sone, creates educational content through Flag Facts, a video series that educates viewers on proper flag etiquette, flag history, and patriotic traditions. Meghan McCoy Pittman, Kerry's daughter, also produces educational tutorial videos and is active in the National Independent Flag Dealers Association (NIFDA), continuing the family's commitment to flag industry education and professionalism.
Kerry McCoy operates all her business ventures from the historic Taborian Hall in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas. The building serves as both a functioning commercial headquarters and a preserved historical landmark, exemplifying McCoy's commitment to combining business success with cultural preservation.
Social Media & Content Platforms
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FlagandBanner.com
Up In Your Business with Kerry McCoy Radio Show and Podcast
Dreamland Ballroom
Dreamland Lounge
Media Contact and Image Usage
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For media inquiries, interviews, or additional information about Kerry McCoy and FlagandBanner.com:
Kerry McCoy
President and Founder
Email: kerry@flagandbanner.com
Phone: 501.375.7633 x 110
FlagandBanner.com
Taborian Hall
800 W. 9th Street
Little Rock, Arkansas 72202
When representing Kerry McCoy, we ask that you credit FlagandBanner.com for any image used below.
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When representing Kerry McCoy, we ask that you credit FlagandBanner.com for any image used.
