# OKCpedia > Businesses & Employers >  It's Official! Anthropologie coming to Triangle at Classen Curve

## Goodengroup

ANTHROPOLOGIE TO OPEN STORE ON THE TRIANGLE AT CLASSEN CURVE IN OKLAHOMA CITY

Anthropologie Joins Whole Foods Market to Anchor New Development

OKLAHOMA CITY, OKLAHOMA, MAY 20, 2011  Anthropologie, a national womens retailer known for sophistication and style, will open its first store in Oklahoma City at the Triangle at Classen Curve. The Triangle at Classen Curve is part of the growing Western, Grand and Classen Avenue area in north central Oklahoma City across from Chesapeake Energys campus and north of Classen Curve, a combination retail and entertainment development.

Founded in 1992 and owned by Philadelphia-based Urban Outfitters, Anthropologie is known for its innovative store design and eclectic assortment of womens lifestyle merchandise, accessories, gifts and home decor. Anthropologie operates 153 stores worldwide including a store in Utica Square in Tulsa, Okla. The stores appeal to urbane women 28 to 45 years old.

Anthropologie is delighted to enter the Oklahoma City market with our first store at the Triangle at Classen Curve. We are extraordinarily careful on where we locate our stores. When we toured Classen Curve and the Triangle at Classen Curve, we knew this was a special opportunity for Anthropologie to be part of a very unique and exciting retail development with tremendous architectural style and character, said Lorraine Adney, Director of Midwestern Region for The McDevitt Company, international real estate consultants for the Urban Outfitters brands. Our research confirmed that a vibrant and savvy local retail scene is expanding in Oklahoma City, propelled by a stable economy driven by the consistent creation of well-paying jobs the past three years. We love the presence of strong independent apparel merchants in Classen Curve and Nichols Hills and the easy accessibility of the Triangle at Classen Curve from the entire metro.    

The new 10,000 square footage Anthropologie store joins Whole Foods Market as the initial tenants in the Triangle at Classen Curve, developed by Chesapeake Energy.   The 35,000 square foot Whole Foods Market opens later this year.   Anthropologie plans to open in February 2012. Elliott + Associates Architects of Oklahoma City is designing the architectural shell to receive Anthropologies store design. 

We continue to be encouraged by the positive reaction of retailers to both Classen Curve and the Triangle at Classen Curve retail developments, commented Tom Blanton, president of Blanton Property Company, the company handling the leasing activity. Anthropologie is a powerful brand on the national retail scene. As a result, the signing of Anthropologie sends a strong message to the national retail industry about the attractiveness of Oklahoma Citys market for upscale and stylish retail. The two national retailers signed for the Triangle at Classen Curve are ideal complements to local retailers signed for Classen Curve, further solidifying this area as one of the most desirable destinations for retail in Oklahoma.      

The Anthropologie brand encompasses inspirational and imaginative concepts such as innovation, optimism, beauty, style and discovery, said Rand Elliott, president of Elliott + Associates Architects. Their global influences, creative store designs and artful products perfectly complement our desire to create an authentic experience at both Classen Curve and the Triangle at Classen Curve. By bringing such an established coveted retailer to our city  with stores on 5th Avenue in New York City, in Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington, D.C.  we are one step closer to developing Oklahoma City into the leading destination for chic retail.

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## Pete

> Anthropologie plans to open in February 2012


Wow, that's still 9 months away!

You'd think they'd really want to be open before the holidays, especially since the shell is already well along.

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## metro

I don't get Chesapeake or Gooden PR in their tactics.

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## betts

I don't know why it was pushed back since they were originally hoping to open in October.  When I talked to my daughter last week she said January, but didn't know why the opening has been delayed.  Regardless, I don't understand why they took so long to announce it.

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## betts

They don't say destination for whom.  I suspect they're hoping to make it a leading destination for people from Norman, Chickasha, Shawnee, etc.  No one is coming from Dallas to shop here.  Probably not even Ardmore.  It probably will be a leading destination for people from smaller towns in the area.  Five years ago it would have been a plum ot get an Anthropologie, but at this point in time it was more an embarrassment that we didn't, considering what cities did have one.

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## ljbab728

> They don't say destination for whom.  I suspect they're hoping to make it a leading destination for people from Norman, Chickasha, Shawnee, etc.  No one is coming from Dallas to shop here.  Probably not even Ardmore.  It probably will be a leading destination for people from smaller towns in the area.  Five years ago it would have been a plum ot get an Anthropologie, but at this point in time it was more an embarrassment that we didn't, considering what cities did have one.


Betts, of course this store isn't going to be a draw for customer from out of state.  But it will be a counterpoint to those who keep posting here about how OKC doesn't have stores that will keep our shoppers in town.

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## Pete

I deleted about 10 posts for obvious reasons.  Please stay on topic.

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## MikeOKC

I thought discussing a direct quote from the official press release was about as on-topic as one could get. But, we go on.

Yes, it's just great to have this store coming.

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## Spartan

Not much else to say here. We've pretty much talked this topic to death, in about 3-4 different threads on the topic (Chesapeake empire marches on, Classen Curve, Whole Foods official, Anthro official). 

In order to make Triangle at Classen Curve _the_ leading destination for chic retail, we will need another Wal-mart. I want to see Rand design it, partly to see what the press release says about it.

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## metro

> Betts, of course this store isn't going to be a draw for customer from out of state.  But it will be a counterpoint to those who keep posting here about how OKC doesn't have stores that will keep our shoppers in town.


Disagree, we will get people from Amarillo and Texas panhandle area, as well as visitors in town from out state.

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## MikeOKC

> Disagree, we will get people from Amarillo and Texas panhandle area, as well as visitors in town from out state.


Amarillo is actually about 20-30 minutes closer to the already open Q Street store in  Albuquerque than the OKC store at CC.

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## metro

Mike, that may be true, but I run into people all the time here from Amarillo, ask some of our fellow retail owners on the board, such as Urbanized. Most Amarillans I know prefer OKC and many have family here.

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## Spartan

> Mike, that may be true, but I run into people all the time here from Amarillo, ask some of our fellow retail owners on the board, such as Urbanized. Most Amarillans I know prefer OKC and many have family here.


Wait. So we're supposed to ask the Bricktown merchants if Amarillo customers are significant to OKC retail?

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## poe

I live in Amarillo and would rather go to Oklahoma City. Albuquerque is ok; just not my choice for a weekend destination.

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## betts

I just got an invitation to the Anthropologie private opening the evening of January 26th.  I assume they'll be open for business the next day.  They're also taking down the half wall that has been up, but the metal ribs of the wall are still standing.  I continue to be confused about what the intention of that wall was.  If it was supposed to be temporary, why not build it out of 2x4s?  It looks like they're starting to work on interior of the building adjacent as well.  The outdoor covered area has me a bit confused as well, unless there will be a restaurant on the SE end of the second building.

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## Pete

Thanks for the update, betts.

There should be a building permit issued for the other building once it's turned over for tenant finish out and I guess then we'll finally know who it is.

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## Tydude

do we know what is going to be at the 3rd building

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## betts

I've heard there will be multiple stores in that building, and I've also heard there will be a liquor store.  As I said, the one thing that confuses me is the outdoor covered area between the third building and Anthropologie, because it looks like a covered patio for a restaurant.

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## Pete

McClendon has said there will be a prominent national retailer in that 3rd building but I have no idea who it might be.

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## metro

Here is a pic from the far NW corner of the building last night. The inside of Anthro looks very weird, they have an old brick planter good sized in there that looks like the inside of an outdated mall. I will have to get pics soon.

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## betts

Anthropologie usually has very interesting windows - they have a visual manager who is given a theme and some freedom of choice as to design.  Inside, the store usually has some found antiques.  One of the owners shops in Europe and buys antiques which are distributed throughout their stores and which are for sale.  They'll have furniture scattered throughout the store and most of the interiors are quite eclectic.  Usually one side of the store is clothing and the other side housewares, with bedding towards the back.  We'll see how this one is arranged.  But it won't look like any other store in Oklahoma City, I can guarantee.

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## Decious

So did anyone make it by today? My wife was itching to go, but our wee little baby girl has the sniffles.

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## betts

I went to the party the night before the opening today. It's a fairly small Anthro, and relatively contemporary in design. They don't have shoes, which I hope is temporary. The line to check out was an hour long, so I suspect they were happy with the sales total. I went by today and saw a lot of cars, but I spent enough last night that I think I'll stay awY for awhile.

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## Decious

Thanks Betts! My wife will pick up where you left off... and... hopefully have the same sense of "completion" when she's done. Peace.

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## Brett

I dropped in to see the new store and to see what the hubbub was all about. Definitely a store for the ladies. No real merchandise for the guys. I was in and out in about two minutes.

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## metro

Yeah I don't get it, although much "desired" it offers nothing new to OKC retail, as local shops already carry the same stuff. Although not as sexy opening a Crate and Barrel or Container Store, or even an H&M or Urban Outfitters first would have drawn much more people from all over the metro and state. Anthro only reaches a very select niche of yuppie females. CB or Container store would have drawn a larger and broader demographic.

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## RadicalModerate

Perhaps it's time for a grand (re-)opening of "*Cranthonies*"?
Or "*Otascoviae*"? (for the dudes)

(At The Curve)

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## Totes24

Anthro will be getting a few styles of shoes/sandals this spring and summer, however they won't always carry a large selection in the okc store.

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## Totes24

Originally, the space was going to be used for the Whole Foods liquor store. However, after the huge response to Anthro, the company is in talks to add an Urban Outfitters, lululemon, and crate and barrel.

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## Pete

> Originally, the space was going to be used for the Whole Foods liquor store. However, after the huge response to Anthro, the company is in talks to add an Urban Outfitters, lululemon, and crate and barrel.


Are you talking about the building immediately west of Anthropologie?

It's not nearly big enough for an UO or Crate & Barrel.  But I know CHK wants to bring more national retailers to the area north of Whole Foods.

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## betts

> Yeah I don't get it, although much "desired" it offers nothing new to OKC retail, as local shops already carry the same stuff. Although not as sexy opening a Crate and Barrel or Container Store, or even an H&M or Urban Outfitters first would have drawn much more people from all over the metro and state. Anthro only reaches a very select niche of yuppie females. CB or Container store would have drawn a larger and broader demographic.


I can't think of a single store that carries much of the same stuff as Anthropologie. There are a few brands of clothes you might find elsewhere, but probably not the same pieces. The housewares and bedding not at all. The shoes, when they get them, are unique as well. It's a nice change from what we jhave already have and should be a great draw for visitors, since there are less than 100 stores in the country, I believe.

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## RadicalModerate

So . . . Is the name of the store a subtle reference to the probable, anticipated need to "apologize" (or "excusify") to one's husband for shopping there?

Sort of like in some episodes of The Honeymooners . . . I Love Lucy . . . and The Dick van Dyke show?

(Anthro= Man) (Apololg[ie] . . . self explanatory)

Of course, the cost-value ratio is so positive that there is no real argument . . .

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## metro

> I can't think of a single store that carries much of the same stuff as Anthropologie. There are a few brands of clothes you might find elsewhere, but probably not the same pieces. The housewares and bedding not at all. The shoes, when they get them, are unique as well. It's a nice change from what we jhave already have and should be a great draw for visitors, since there are less than 100 stores in the country, I believe.


My point is, it is not as large and broad a draw as say Container Store, or Crate and Barrell would have been.

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## redrunner

> My point is, it is not as large and broad a draw as say Container Store, or Crate and Barrell would have been.


Well you can make the same point as compared to having a Nordstrom but it's not relevant.  It's not like there was a trade off between Anthropologie and Container Store/Crate&Barrel.

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## metro

> Well you can make the same point as compared to having a Nordstrom but it's not relevant.  It's not like there was a trade off between Anthropologie and Container Store/Crate&Barrel.


Yes there is, because it's been long rumored these are the other retailers CHK has been pursuing, opening them first would have made more sense IMO.

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## kevinpate

rumor v. reality.  reality won.  imagine that.

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## Oil Capital

> Yes there is, because it's been long rumored these are the other retailers CHK has been pursuing, opening them first would have made more sense IMO.


It makes the most sense to first open the one that has decided to open an OKC store and entered into a property lease.  It makes zero sense to open a store that has not made such decisions.

BTW, great post above, kevinpate.

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## Pete

Frankly, it's amazing that a national retailer like Anthropologie would sign a lease for the first store in a new market where it is a stand-alone building with very little other retail in the immediate area.

It sounds like CHK and the Chamber is committed to getting more national retailers to the Classen Curve area.

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## metro

> rumor v. reality.  reality won.  imagine that.





> It makes the most sense to first open the one that has decided to open an OKC store and entered into a property lease.  It makes zero sense to open a store that has not made such decisions.
> 
> BTW, great post above, kevinpate.


Uh hello... Anthro was just as rumored as the other two I mentioned... CHK only announced Anthro after it was well under construction and we unveiled the rumor here on OKC many months before.... This isn't a reality vs. rumor issue, I imagine it was more of a location issue. The building was already under construction and it's too small for a Container Store, thus why Anthro and a yet to be named other tenant are going in first. Who knows CHK may still want the Container store to go on the SW corner of NW Exp. and Penn as it was originally rumored.Without CHKs plans being public, EVERYTHING is rumor, doesn't mean they aren't confirmed leases.

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## Rinski

FYI...Anthro's shoes are basically already in OKC, it's called Heirloom Shoe. It's a women's shoe store, relatively new, that carries most of the brands that Anthropologie does. Both stores have a very similar aesthetic as well.

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