# OKCpedia > Businesses & Employers >  R.i.p.

## OKCTalker

This thread announces the closure of businesses in the metro area. As with each business that closes, another usually opens in its place. So when you hear of a business closing down or gone, post it here, including what you hear may be coming next. Here is a partial list of recent businesses that have closed or are closing: 

Bicycle Alley at 1015 N. Broadway. Closed in November (?) by owner Terry Enos after being overwhelmed by Schlegel Bicycles across the street (+/-) at 900 N. Broadway. Space for lease in building owned by Steve Mason (who shouldn’t have any trouble filling it). 

Bruno’s Furniture at 3704 N. Western – Closed after owner retired. 

Galleria Furniture at 3700 W. I-40 Service Road – Turns out they’re not really going out of business, just closing their doors. 

Alan Gordon Jewelers at 6517 N. May – Another company that didn’t go out of business, but closed its doors for a reopening. Arthur Gordon (Alan Gordon’s son) owns JewelSmiths in Edmond, and he’s rebranding the May Avenue store. 

Leo’s BBQ at 7 Harrison Avenue & 3631 N. Kelley – Closed in early December (?) for non-payment of taxes, but they reopened in both locations right before Christmas. Stay tuned. 

Midtown Deli at 1215 N. Walker – Closed in December, but will reopen as a Louie’s. 

Who else has a business to post?

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## remy11

I dunno if it really counts but there's Waldenbooks in Penn Square

and although it hasn't officially been announced, Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids in Quail will both be leaving the second week of January

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## MustangGT

Emmer Brothers

Holly's Drive In

etc

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## Easy180

County Line

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## Patrick

Wow, that's surprising that national retailer Abercrombie and Fitch is leaving Quail Springs Mall.  Any idea if they're just relocating within the mall?  Losing such a common standard mall staple like Abercrombie and Fitch from your mall isn't a good sign for a mall.  It would be kinda like losing Gap or The Limited.  

And, is Galleria Furniture really closing?  They've become such a huge presence in the OKC furniture market.  I thought they were doing pretty well competing with Mathis Brothers.  Any updates on whether they're staying open or not? Don't see any signs of them closing on their website: http://galleriafurn.com/

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## kevinpate

if memory serves, the closure of Galleria is a temporary closing for some remodeling

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## remy11

> Wow, that's surprising that national retailer Abercrombie and Fitch is leaving Quail Springs Mall.  Any idea if they're just relocating within the mall?  Losing such a common standard mall staple like Abercrombie and Fitch from your mall isn't a good sign for a mall.  It would be kinda like losing Gap or The Limited.


No, the company has been looking to close some of it's more poor performing stores. They are also closing their store in Sooner Fashion. There's rumor that the Hollister in Quail is the next to go but that's just talk. I know they pull in about half of what Penn does.

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## Patrick

Not surprised.  Especially with the loss of Heritage Park and Crossroads, Penn Square, with its central location, is really drawing from all over the metro.  And I think Quail, by being more on the north side of the city, in comparison, is being hurt by that.  Penn by far is the highest performing mall, selling more per square foot than any other mall in the state. Far exceeds Quail Springs.  The only reason Quail has lucked out on getting stores like Forever 21 and Crazy 8, stores Penn hasn't gotten, is because they have the space to lease and Penn Square simply doesn't have large enough spaces available to lease for them.

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## Fingerguns

Atomic Brown Scooter Shop -- 30th and N. Western. 

Scooter sales are low thanks to the recession and decent gas prices, plus rent on Western is skyrocketing. Add in the fact that the window tint place in Norman sells scooters at almost cost and ABSS couldn't keep up. Another good family business bites the dust.  :Frown:

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## Debzkidz

I'm surprised Abercrombie and Fitch, Abercrombie Kids or Hollister is still around anywhere. It's the same stuff, year after year.  As for Quail Springs, I hate that mall and even though I live in Edmond and it's closer to my house, I drive the extra distance to shop at Penn Square.  I don't go there unless I'm forced.

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## Platemaker

Die A&F Die!!!

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## Spartan

> Die A&F Die!!!


No kidding. I actually used to work there back in high school. Talk about a screwed up place, a screwed up concept, a screwed up mentality, and so on. That whole culture just embodies everything that is awfully wrong with society.

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## ljbab728

> No kidding. I actually used to work there back in high school. Talk about a screwed up place, a screwed up concept, a screwed up mentality, and so on. That whole culture just embodies everything that is awfully wrong with society.


You mean we don't all have perfect sexy bodies, Spartan?  LOL

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## Jesseda

galleria furniture sucks, i bought almost all the furniture there for our new home 4 years ago, and we dont have anything left, we replaced it, it broke or fell apart .. we paid good money for the items as well..

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## CaptDave

> galleria furniture sucks, i bought almost all the furniture there for our new home 4 years ago, and we dont have anything left, we replaced it, it broke or fell apart .. we paid good money for the items as well..


I looked there too and was very unimpressed. That place across the interstate is pretty darn good as far as quality and value. I am from North Carolina and my wife is from the town where three large furniture companies are headquartered and that "M" place has prices very comparable to what you can get in the factory outlets in NC.

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## CuatrodeMayo

> No kidding. I actually used to work there back in high school. Talk about a screwed up place, a screwed up concept, a screwed up mentality, and so on. That whole culture just embodies everything that is awfully wrong with society.


Nothing makes me want to shop at A&F more than the overwhelming smell of cologne and oiled-up naked men.

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## Thunder

> Nothing makes me want to shop at A&F more than the overwhelming smell of cologne and oiled-up naked men.


I have never seen naked men in the store.  How did you find them?

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## Spartan

> Nothing makes me want to shop at A&F more than the overwhelming smell of cologne and oiled-up naked men.


This. It's an embarrassment to society that any guys actually work there.

But this thread is about Rest in Peace, not Die Already. Does anyone know what happened to County Line? That place was great. I heard from some friends that the one in San Antonio is still open (and good), and I know that the one in Austin still sucks.

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## MustangGT

According to the GM lack of business, financial losses, and concern over the impending cost of compliance with mandated health care expenses.  It certainly did not help that over 1/2 of the scheduled Christmas parties cancelled.

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## Spartan

So basically, ObamaCare put County Line out of business? That does it, I'm calling my represenative.

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## dismayed

This thread is like the Oklahoma Senate.  A strange mixture of homo-eroticism and right-wing propaganda.

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## redrunner

> I have never seen naked men in the store.  How did you find them?


You mean you're not signed up for their "catalog"?

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## Easy180

> So basically, ObamaCare put County Line out of business? That does it, I'm calling my represenative.


Looks like one of the co owners died in a flood last Feb...Sure that didn't help either

Pure bs about the health care of course but I'm sure they really counted on the holiday parties to scrape by

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## circuitboard

> This thread is like the Oklahoma Senate.  A strange mixture of homo-eroticism and right-wing propaganda.


Like!

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## Spartan

> This thread is like the Oklahoma Senate.  A strange mixture of homo-eroticism and right-wing propaganda.


What else do you expect from Thunder? Lol

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## TheTravellers

Brown Suga's location on Memorial/Santa Fe (I think that's the cross-street it was near on Memorial), which they relocated to from NW 122nd/May.  Happened very early in 2009, IIRC.

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## flippity

Bruno's is closing?  More parking for cock o' the walk  :Wink:

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## TheTravellers

The Cellar on NW Expressway/Rockwell lost their lease and will not be opening in that area again, they're just gone.  And why don't they have a website that tells you their locations, phone numbers, general idea of what they stock (winemakers, breweries, just a general thing, not a list of all their stock), etc.?  C'mon, it's the 21st century!  Oh wait, I forgot where we are...   :Smiley259:

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## ljbab728

> The Cellar on NW Expressway/Rockwell lost their lease and will not be opening in that area again, they're just gone.  And why don't they have a website that tells you their locations, phone numbers, general idea of what they stock (winemakers, breweries, just a general thing, not a list of all their stock), etc.?  C'mon, it's the 21st century!  Oh wait, I forgot where we are...


Just can't pass up a chance to take a swipe at OKC, can you?

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## TheTravellers

> Just can't pass up a chance to take a swipe at OKC, can you?


Nope.  I'm not alone, though - I was taking a friend there who had never been, we found out it was closed, came back to the office, I tried to find their website to give him other locations, couldn't find a website, and told him.  His reply was (verbatim) "What year is this again?!?!?"  Trust me, there are lots of other people here frustrated over this kind of thing, not just me.

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## dankrutka

> Nope.  I'm not alone, though - I was taking a friend there who had never been, we found out it was closed, came back to the office, I tried to find their website to give him other locations, couldn't find a website, and told him.  His reply was (verbatim) "What year is this again?!?!?"  Trust me, there are lots of other people here frustrated over this kind of thing, not just me.


Tons of businesses in the area have websites. Some don't. It's not like OKC doesn't have internet. It's just a personal business decision, albeit a bad one. There's no point in insulting the whole area for their business decision. Lame.

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## Easy180

A local liquor store without a website...The horror

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## MustangGT

My thoughts exactly Easy180.  I bet there are other business TheTravellers purchases from that do not have websites.

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## SOONER8693

> Nope.  I'm not alone, though - I was taking a friend there who had never been, we found out it was closed, came back to the office, I tried to find their website to give him other locations, couldn't find a website, and told him.  His reply was (verbatim) "What year is this again?!?!?"  Trust me, there are lots of other people here frustrated over this kind of thing, not just me.


Don't let the door hit you in the ass as you leave OKC. Good riddance.

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## Larry OKC

The Western Sizzlin/Mackie McNears (or whatever they called it) just east of MacArthur on NW 23rd is closed, signage down etc. Has a closed banner up telling people to visit the Meridian location (is the one on sw 74/Penn still open?) Didn't get to the southside this weekend.

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## OSUPokeFan

> Galleria Furniture at 3700 W. I-40 Service Road – Turns out they’re not really going out of business, just closing their doors.


I think it is Amini's Galleria on NW Expressway, not Galleria Furniture.  They are temporarily closing to restock or remodel or something.

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## OSUPokeFan

> The Cellar on NW Expressway/Rockwell lost their lease and will not be opening in that area again, they're just gone.  And why don't they have a website that tells you their locations, phone numbers, general idea of what they stock (winemakers, breweries, just a general thing, not a list of all their stock), etc.?  C'mon, it's the 21st century!  Oh wait, I forgot where we are...


Noticed this closure last night.  There is a sign on the door that says "Temporarily Closed. Will Reopen Soon."  The sign is still up, but changed- the Cellar is gone, and now it's a guy's name- Sean's maybe?

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## stephanieamous

Interurban downtown on Robinson is closed.  Nothing left in the place at all.

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## TheTravellers

> Interurban downtown on Robinson is closed.  Nothing left in the place at all.


I think a Cool Greens will be there, check other threads on it.

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## TheTravellers

> Noticed this closure last night.  There is a sign on the door that says "Temporarily Closed. Will Reopen Soon."  The sign is still up, but changed- the Cellar is gone, and now it's a guy's name- Sean's maybe?


I got the info about the lease when I called the Britton/May Cellar, they said that location is closed permanently, don't believe the sign.

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## blangtang

Hemi's on 23rd ST is closed and boarded up.

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## Easy180

Know this is slightly off topic but is Neptune's on Classen still alive?  Wife may be taking a spot near there and she used to love that place

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## CuatrodeMayo

> Hemi's on 23rd ST is closed and boarded up.


You aren't talking about the building next to O'reilly's are you?

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## Bigrayok

Hemi's on 23rd has been closed for a few years. They opened in another location on Classen for awhile but that location is closed also. I have wondered why they moved then closed. Nothing new has gone into the location since.

Bigray in Ok

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## Bigrayok

Neptune's is still there. It is the only Neptune's still open in OKC. I remember when Neptune's had multiple locations. It is my favorite sandwich shop. I like their bread better than Subway, Quizno's, City Bites, etc.

Bigray in Ok

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## okclee

Uptown needs a good pizza place. Somewhere along 23rd and Walker across from Big Truck Tacos, would be good. 

I would like to see a good New York style pizza by the slice or the whole.

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## dankrutka

I know it's not OKC, but Norman Iron Starr closed. It's really too bad because it was a great building that went well with In the Raw...

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## OSUPokeFan

> I got the info about the lease when I called the Britton/May Cellar, they said that location is closed permanently, don't believe the sign.


I believe that the Cellar is gone, but it appears that a different liquor store is reopening in the same spot.  The neon sign has been changed from the Cellar to something else.

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## OSUPokeFan

Market C is closing. This Friday is their last day, and everything is 50% off.  They just made the announcement on their Facebook page. Says the space will be taken over by Cheever's Catering.

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## Stew

I noticed this weekend Falcones in MWC closed shop.

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## TheTravellers

> I believe that the Cellar is gone, but it appears that a different liquor store is reopening in the same spot.  The neon sign has been changed from the Cellar to something else.


I saw the sign was different, but thought it might be left over from the tenants that were there before the Cellar.  Be nice if a Cellar-like store opened back up there.  I work around there, so I'll keep watching it.

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## TheTravellers

> I noticed this weekend Falcones in MWC closed shop.


With multiple locations closing, does anybody know if this is a bit-by-bit death of Falcone's or if they're going to be able to stay around, just with less locations (only 2 now that I know of - Bricktown and N May)?  I hope they don't go away (at least the N May location).

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## Spartan

> Market C is closing. This Friday is their last day, and everything is 50% off.  They just made the announcement on their Facebook page. Says the space will be taken over by Cheever's Catering.


Mmmm..a sale.

That's too bad about Market C closing however..

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## dankrutka

> With multiple locations closing, does anybody know if this is a bit-by-bit death of Falcone's or if they're going to be able to stay around, just with less locations (only 2 now that I know of - Bricktown and N May)?  I hope they don't go away (at least the N May location).


Can they close the Bricktown Falcone's and put something else there? It's in prime location and they keep it up like crap. Pizza isn't very good either...

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## SoonerDave

> Can they close the Bricktown Falcone's and put something else there? It's in prime location and they keep it up like crap. Pizza isn't very good either...


This.

My son and I visited the Bricktown location _three times_, each time trying to convince ourselves the previous visit was just a fluke, that it couldn't have been as bad as what we experienced...but we were wrong. After the third time, I felt like a sucker, because it was precisely the same, all three times, so we just gave up. When my son refuses to eat a pizza because of the puddles of grease floating on the top, something's seriously out of whack. Won't miss it.

County Line had gone down the tubes years ago, primarily when they became the "County Line" over the "Oklahoma Line." It used to be *the* destination place for BBQ when I was growing up, but when they hooked up with the "County Line" moniker it went in the toilet - cold food, bad service, the whole schmear. Even went back with a group from my office for a dinner trying to give it the benefit of the doubt, and it still was just bad. Too many other cheaper, better BBQ options a LOT closer to home these days. Sad.

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## TheTravellers

> Can they close the Bricktown Falcone's and put something else there? It's in prime location and they keep it up like crap. Pizza isn't very good either...


 :Yeahthat:   Don't know why the Bricktown location's pizza is worse than the N. May location, but yeah, that's not a great Falcone's in any aspect...

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## jbrown84

> Bicycle Alley at 1015 N. Broadway. Closed in November (?) by owner Terry Enos after being overwhelmed by Schlegel Bicycles across the street (+/-) at 900 N. Broadway. Space for lease in building owned by Steve Mason (who shouldn’t have any trouble filling it).


Sorry Mr. Enos, but the better man won.  Schlegal's looked like an REI inside.  Bicycle Alley was a concrete floor, bare white walls, and a few bikes here and there...




> and although it hasn't officially been announced, Abercrombie & Fitch and abercrombie kids in Quail will both be leaving the second week of January


I don't know anyone that wears A&F (including current high schoolers). I haven't for probably 7-8 years.  I really don't know who's shopping there.  Whereas I still know lots and lots of people that wear American Eagle.




> This thread is like the Oklahoma Senate.  A strange mixture of homo-eroticism and right-wing propaganda.


 :LolLolLolLol:

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## ljbab728

> This.
> 
> My son and I visited the Bricktown location _three times_, each time trying to convince ourselves the previous visit was just a fluke, that it couldn't have been as bad as what we experienced...but we were wrong. After the third time, I felt like a sucker, because it was precisely the same, all three times, so we just gave up. When my son refuses to eat a pizza because of the puddles of grease floating on the top, something's seriously out of whack. Won't miss it.
> 
> County Line had gone down the tubes years ago, primarily when they became the "County Line" over the "Oklahoma Line." It used to be *the* destination place for BBQ when I was growing up, but when they hooked up with the "County Line" moniker it went in the toilet - cold food, bad service, the whole schmear. Even went back with a group from my office for a dinner trying to give it the benefit of the doubt, and it still was just bad. Too many other cheaper, better BBQ options a LOT closer to home these days. Sad.


I agree that the food at County Line was better before the takeover but it was still as awesome setting and location for the restaurant.

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## Larry OKC

When was it the "Oklahoma Line"? Must have been before my time, I have always known it as the "County Line".

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## jbrown84

> but it was still as awesome setting and location for the restaurant.


Yeah love the history there.  Too bad it was so off the beaten path.  County Line, Haunted House, Sleepy Hollow. All great, unique, historic restaurants in that area but hurt by the reputation of the NE side (deserved or not) and just being so far from anything commercial really.  But these are the kind of places with character that you want to be able to show to outsiders.

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## MustangGT

As far as I know The Haunted House is still open.  Sleepy Hollow was a great place until loss of customers and mis-managment killed it.

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## CaseyCornett

"La Baguette Leaving Colcord Hotel"

By Brian Brus 
Oklahoma City reporter - Contact 405-278-2837	
Posted: 06:34 PM Thursday, January 13, 2011

OKLAHOMA CITY – Management changes at the Colcord Hotel in Oklahoma City will displace La Baguette Restaurant after five years downtown, restaurant co-owner Alain Buthion confirmed Thursday.
“I guess they don’t need us anymore,” Buthion said. “But it was tough for us to survive the Devon construction anyway. Unless there was a basketball game downtown, business was slow.”
He and his brother, Michel Buthion, have operated their French restaurant on N. May Avenue for more than 20 years. The downtown restaurant was a recent expansion that served the business well enough, Alain Buthion said.
But shortly after it was announced this week that John Williams was leaving as general manager of the Skirvin Hilton Hotel to head operations at the Colcord, the Buthions were told the restaurant’s lease relationship in the Colcord also will be terminated. Alain Buthion said he has not yet been given all the details.
The Colcord is owned by Devon Energy, which is building a new skyscraper headquarters nearby. A Devon spokeswoman confirmed Williams will also assist in designing and planning food service operations throughout the Devon Energy Center.
“They are hiring a new manager to control the tower, the hotel and the restaurant, so they are cleaning out the house,” Alain Buthion said. “We don’t know the exact date. We may relocate someplace else after looking at the market. We’ll see.”
When asked to clarify the matter, Devon spokeswoman Alesha Leemaster said, “It’s premature to speculate at this time what changes might occur under John Williams’ management.”

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## BoulderSooner

> "La Baguette Leaving Colcord Hotel"
> 
> By Brian Brus 
> Oklahoma City reporter - Contact 405-278-2837	
> Posted: 06:34 PM Thursday, January 13, 2011
> 
> OKLAHOMA CITY – Management changes at the Colcord Hotel in Oklahoma City will displace La Baguette Restaurant after five years downtown, restaurant co-owner Alain Buthion confirmed Thursday.
> “I guess they don’t need us anymore,” Buthion said. “But it was tough for us to survive the Devon construction anyway. Unless there was a basketball game downtown, business was slow.”
> He and his brother, Michel Buthion, have operated their French restaurant on N. May Avenue for more than 20 years. The downtown restaurant was a recent expansion that served the business well enough, Alain Buthion said.
> ...


it would be great if they would relocate somewhere else downtown or on AA because you know that the new place in the colcord will be top notch ..

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## OKCTalker

I'm not able to upload an image taken this afternoon of the Ballenger's sign being taken down at 63rd & May. Suffice it to say...

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## MikeOKC

> I'm not able to upload an image taken this afternoon of the Ballenger's sign being taken down at 63rd & May. Suffice it to say...


That was announced quite awhile ago. A national retailer will go there. Bank on it.

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## jbrown84

> I'm not able to upload an image taken this afternoon of the Ballenger's sign being taken down at 63rd & May. Suffice it to say...


Where was it? The old CompUSA?

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## Larry OKC

yep

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## TheTravellers

Cocina de Mino on NW 122nd/May.

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## SoonerDave

> Cocina de Mino on NW 122nd/May.


Conina de Mino is one of the sad stories about local restaurants. An acquaintance who was familiar with their operation said nothing short of just plain bad management killed it. Good reputation, good locations, good traffic over the years, but some inexplicable decisions were made that put it on a bad course. I think there's only one left, down on 59th and Western in what used to be an old Safeway store, IIRC...

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## jbrown84

> Conina de Mino is one of the sad stories about local restaurants. An acquaintance who was familiar with their operation said nothing short of just plain bad management killed it. Good reputation, good locations, good traffic over the years, but some inexplicable decisions were made that put it on a bad course. I think there's only one left, down on 59th and Western in what used to be an old Safeway store, IIRC...


It's very sad.  They had the best burrito in the world.  I hope the southside one can hang in there so I can get one when I'm back!

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## bluedogok

> Cocina de Mino on NW 122nd/May.


When I lived in that area we used to frequent that location a bunch, tried it again a year before I moved to Austin and it was just downright bad. It used to always be busy and was very empty at that time which should have been a busy time of day.

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## tuck

> When I lived in that area we used to frequent that location a bunch, tried it again a year before I moved to Austin and it was just downright bad. It used to always be busy and was very empty at that time which should have been a busy time of day.


The worst mexican restaurant in Austin would do fine here.  Whole different ball game in Austin.

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## bluedogok

> The worst mexican restaurant in Austin would do fine here.  Whole different ball game in Austin.


There are plenty of mediocre Mexican restaurants here like Chuy's, I have yet to find an "exceptional" Mexican restaurant here, just some good ones. Not many that I consider "import worthy". Like any food item, it is personal, I like Tex-Mex, not interior Mexican food, I grew up on Tex-Mex and most of the interior food even at some of the "the places in Austin" that I have tried I just don't like. I know people who love Polvo's, I can't stand the place and know a few others who feel the same.

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## OKCTalker

Adobe Grill - 50th & Shartel. Has this been posted before? I was going to bring tamales to a party tonight.  :Frown:

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## jbrown84

> Adobe Grill - 50th & Shartel. Has this been posted before? I was going to bring tamales to a party tonight.


Didn't know about that.  Always wondered how they stayed in business in such an off the beaten path location.

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## Uncle Slayton

> I know it's not OKC, but Norman Iron Starr closed. It's really too bad because it was a great building that went well with In the Raw...


YGBSM!?  I always intended to get by there, it looked interesting.  Oh well.  Ray's is about two blocks away and still selling the best sandwich in barbecue (TM).

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## Uncle Slayton

> There are plenty of mediocre Mexican restaurants here like Chuy's, I have yet to find an "exceptional" Mexican restaurant here, just some good ones. Not many that I consider "import worthy". Like any food item, it is personal, I like Tex-Mex, not interior Mexican food, I grew up on Tex-Mex and most of the interior food even at some of the "the places in Austin" that I have tried I just don't like. I know people who love Polvo's, I can't stand the place and know a few others who feel the same.


Feel free to flame away, everyone, but I really wish they'd open up an Uncle Julio's here in town.  They have several in TX and a couple in IL, MD and VA.  I happened by there while attending a conference in Dallas last year and really liked the food.  The sangria swirl ain't a bad incentive either...

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## bluedogok

I ate at Uncle Julio's some when I lived in Dallas (Lemmon location) and it was good, not great but that was almost twenty years ago. It was the first place that I had a swirl.

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## Larry OKC

> Adobe Grill - 50th & Shartel. Has this been posted before? I was going to bring tamales to a party tonight.


May be thinking of another place, but thought I read a couple of weeks ago (either in the _Oklahoman_ or _Gazette_) that they had a name change but still in business (same owners, menu etc)???

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## OKCTalker

> May be thinking of another place, but thought I read a couple of weeks ago (either in the _Oklahoman_ or _Gazette_) that they had a name change but still in business (same owners, menu etc)???


It took a little effort to find Adobe'sphone number, but when I called it, a recorded announcement played, giving me options to be transferred to nearby restaurants. "Press 1 for ___, press 2 for ___..." I was surprised, and have two assumptions: 1) Adobe didn't pay the phone bill, otherwise the OGM would mention something about Adobe and/or their successor; and 2) the phone company is getting entrepreneurial when the bill isn't paid, and trying to make some money by referrals. Again, only assumptions.

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## flintysooner

> May be thinking of another place, but thought I read a couple of weeks ago (either in the _Oklahoman_ or _Gazette_) that they had a name change but still in business (same owners, menu etc)???


Adobe Grill, 5120 N Shartel Ave., is now Felipa's Comida Casera. Owner Mario Hernandez made the switch back in December, and will now offer a simple menu with no entrees priced more than $10.

Read more: http://newsok.com/food-briefs/articl...#ixzz1DHs2sMyR

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## Larry OKC

flintysooner: thanks for the link

OKCtalker: could the number you got have been for another Adobe rest? Or maybe the number was correct, the switch didn't work and they have since gone out of business?

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## Larry OKC

Couldn't find the link but in Wed's _Oklahoman_, there was a story that all 46 Ultimate Electronics stores will be closing. If approved by the bankruptcy court, the liquidation closings could begin as early as *THIS WEEK.* They have 2 stores in the Metro (Memorial and SW 74th) and one in Tulsa.

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## BoulderSooner

> Couldn't find the link but in Wed's _Oklahoman_, there was a story that all 46 Ultimate Electronics stores will be closing. If approved by the bankruptcy court, the liquidation closings could begin as early as *THIS WEEK.* They have 2 stores in the Metro (Memorial and SW 74th) and one in Tulsa.


 here is a link 
http://www.bizjournals.com/twincitie...-sell-off.html

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## TheTravellers

> Didn't know about that.  Always wondered how they stayed in business in such an off the beaten path location.


Shartel Cafe, right next door to the former Adobe Grill seems to be doing quite well.  When you have good food, good prices, and good management/service, you can stay in business almost anywhere you're located, and Shartel Cafe seems to have figured out the magic formula.

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## TheTravellers

> I saw the sign was different, but thought it might be left over from the tenants that were there before the Cellar.  Be nice if a Cellar-like store opened back up there.  I work around there, so I'll keep watching it.


So it looks like The Cellar as a business entity might be gone, but some of their stores are staying open (or re-opening) as liquor stores, just named differently and possibly owned by different people.  The NW Expressway store did open back up as Sam's (I think that was the name), the Britton/May store is Grand Cru, and the 33rd/Boulevard (Edmond) store is Blvd.

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## TheTravellers

Bacchus on NW 174th or so and May closed a couple of weeks ago.  I think they might have owned more than one store, so some of them are closing due to the liquor laws.  Not totally sure if that's the case, but it's what I heard from one of the new owners of one of the old Cellar stores.

Also, pretty sure Winston MacDougal's (sp?) on NW 122nd and May is gone - the strip center's sign now says "Fully equipped deli for lease"

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## Steve

> This thread is like the Oklahoma Senate.  A strange mixture of homo-eroticism and right-wing propaganda.


This is the most awesome post on OKC Talk - EVER.

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## TheTravellers

City Bites on NW Expressway is now closed.

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## SoonerDave

> City Bites on NW Expressway is now closed.


Think there was another thread specifically about problems observed at City Bites, so that closure doesn't surprise me. Sad how some once-hallmark names in OKC food have, or are in the process of, going by the boards  :Frown:

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## Tapp Development

What do you think will take City Bites place?

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## etsuco05

Quizno's at NW 63 & May has closed.

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## SoonerDave

> Quizno's at NW 63 & May has closed.


Had I taken a bet on which chain's store(s) would have gone kaput first between CB and Quizno's, I'd have picked the latter every time. The Quizno's on SW 104th has been closed (at least) twice, it was nasty inside, and my wife got food poisoning there. That was our last visit. We just lost interest in City Bites, and the one time we visited in the last couple of years, it just wasn't very good.

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## Brett

BMW Motorcycle of Oklahoma City/Ducati Oklahoma has closed. From their website, it looks like the closure happened at the beginning of December 2011. I imagine it is a difficult job to sell expensive motorcycles during a recession.

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## TheTravellers

> What do you think will take City Bites place?


Could be anything at this point.  It's a standalone building that's specifically built inside for a restaurant, not sure if they're leaving the kitchen intact or just gutting the building.  If they leave the kitchen, another restaurant possibly, but if they don't, could be a tanning parlor next. :-)  Might just sit empty for a while, that wouldn't surprise me, there's a *huge* amount of empty buildings and storefronts in strip malls (and entire strip malls) here in OKC.

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## RadicalModerate

Quizno's "jumped the shark" way back when they stopped running those Strange and Wacky Creature ads not long after their arrival in OKC.  The ads "made" me eat at Quizno's . . . twice.  A long, long time ago.

Is a new BMW motorcycle much more expensive than a new Harley?
I had a brand new BMW R-75/5 back in 1971.  I almost bought a Moto-Guzzi instead.
Glad I didn't.  Rode the BMW for about three years--then rode an old Panhead. Sold the BMW for 25% more than I paid for it (25% more = $500). Used the money to buy a Sportster (mistake).  Sold the Sportster and bought a '65 '74. =)

A friend of mine's second bike was a Ducati. (He also had a BMW R-50).
Set up for "cafe racing"... The Ducati.  Not the BMW.  He added a sidecar to that one.
How nerdy was that?  =)

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## ljbab728

I just noticed today that Catfish Cabin at 63rd and Meridian has gone out of business.  I'm not sure when it happened but I pass by there every day and this is the first time I noticed it.  They've been there for many years.

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## Skyline

> What do you think will take City Bites place?


Pawn Shop.

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## Jim Kyle

> I just noticed today that Catfish Cabin at 63rd and Meridian has gone out of business.  I'm not sure when it happened but I pass by there every day and this is the first time I noticed it.  They've been there for many years.


This isn't the first time it has shut down. The original Catfish Cabin at that location was actually in a building to the south of the most recent one. It folded and they were gone for quite a while, then re-opened under different management at the corner. Last time I was there it was noticeably going down hill...

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## RadicalModerate

There also used to be a Catfish Cabin in MWC at 10th and Douglas.  It was an "all you can eat" buffet.  I knew two brothers who went in and ate fried shrimp for hours, until they were run off and barred for life. (Which turned out to be only a few months because the place closed its doors).

As far as the one under discussion here goes, I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did: Everything was greasy and tasted the same.

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## bluedogok

> BMW Motorcycle of Oklahoma City/Ducati Oklahoma has closed. From their website, it looks like the closure happened at the beginning of December 2011. I imagine it is a difficult job to sell expensive motorcycles during a recession.


Actually both had good years last year and Ducati had a 43% sales increase in 2011 and BMW Motorrad (the motorcycle division) sold their most motorcycles ever,  Triumph also had a very good year and H-D seemed to have some improvement as well. This does run counter to most of the industry where the Big 4 (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha) have seemed to struggle.

MotorcycleUSA - Ducati Claims 43% Sales Increase for 2011

BMW Magazine - BMW Motorrad Reports Best Ever Sales in 2011

MotorcycleUSA - Triumph Motorcycles Claims 2011 Sales Growth

From what I have read on some motorcycle forums is BMW Motorrad USA showed up with a truck and basically repossessed everything BMW from the dealership. They were going to go on with Ducati but I think realized they were already too far gone and closed up. I have heard some various other stories about the reason why BMW pulled the dealership from them, not sure how accurate they are but if true it wouldn't surprise me. Supposedly someone else has already signed up to take over BMW, not sure about Ducati yet but I'm sure it won't be long before both are open.

I had stopped in there a few times and at times it seemed like I was bothering them or something. I think the location on I-40 was horrible, you had to get to the dealership off Reno through some other buildings, just because it's on a major highway doesn't make it a prime location. The other BMW/Ducati (and Triumph) dealers elsewhere that I know of are not on major interstates for the most part, the Waco dealership (Ducati/Triumph/Victory) is the only one that I can think of, locating on an interstate seems to be a Big 4 or Harley thing.

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## ljbab728

> There also used to be a Catfish Cabin in MWC at 10th and Douglas.  It was an "all you can eat" buffet.  I knew two brothers who went in and ate fried shrimp for hours, until they were run off and barred for life. (Which turned out to be only a few months because the place closed its doors).
> 
> As far as the one under discussion here goes, I'm surprised it lasted as long as it did: Everything was greasy and tasted the same.


I also suspect that their business was impacted significantly by Cajun King which is about a mile away.  They get rave reviews for their catfish.

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## T-rex

the Nino's on air depot in MWC closed sometime in the last few weeks
went by last weekend and doors were locked and a sign on the door thanking all for their business

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## MikeOKC

Quiznos at 63rd and May is a victim of Jersey Mike's, just up May a few blocks north and by Jimmy John's Gourmet Sandwiches which opened not long ago just a few blocks south on May Ave. They're already off the map on the national website. They were squeezed out by two more popular national chains, not to mention better sandwiches (in my opinion).

*The Sub Wars in Oklahoma City*

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## SoonerDave

> the Nino's on air depot in MWC closed sometime in the last few weeks
> went by last weekend and doors were locked and a sign on the door thanking all for their business


I think all the Nino's have closed up shop. I know the one on S. Western closed some weeks ago. Not a place we frequented; last time we went there, which was some years ago, didn't get the impression cleaning the place was high on their list of priorities. Not like there aren't plenty of Mexican options in OKC, too...

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## RadicalModerate

If *Quizno's* hadn't stopped running these ads, they wouldn't be facing the current crisis.


Not to mention offering consumer irresistable enticements like these:


*Long John Silvers* should probably consider launching a campaign, 
using this jingle, before they face a similar fate:


(Here's the long version for all the real seafood lovers):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTpUVAcvWfU
*Rolling Stone* rated it among *The Top 100 Music Videos in History*.

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## SoonerDave

Radical, I don't know if advertising really pointed to Quizno's demise as much as their food. But I grant ya, it seems the commercial campaigns for them (and a BUNCH of other, more successful ones) are delving into the broad depths of the asinine. I understand how advertising supposedly targets something like an 8th grade audience, but good grief, some of these campaigns defy the imagination for their stupidity. Its almost like the food industry's advertisers have gone creatively bankrupt.

Heck, there are clever, somewhat original campaigns out there outside the food business. I was reading the other day that the insurance advertising "market" was overhauling itself due to the success of the "Mayhem" Allstate ads and the "Farmers" jingle, recasting insurance companies as humorous or even self-lampooning to draw customers. Not every commercial works, of course, but the idea, to me, is creative and different. But most food/restaurant ads these days are just incomprehensibly inane...

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## RadicalModerate

*"Its almost like the food industry's advertisers have gone creatively bankrupt."*

Sort of a vicious economic circle, if ya' think about it . . . =)
(Technically, isn't it the food industry's advertising AGENCIES that have gone creatively bankrupt . . ? =)

If you think about it, in this age of Twitter and Apps, it's pretty hard to grab people's attention long enough for a creative, 30 or 60 second spot.  One would think it would be the other way around but . . .

P.S.: I ate at a nearby, easy to get to, Quizno's two or three times (and also at another one that just happened to be in the vicinity of where I was in a different location).  Overall opinion: "Meh . . . Subway with a toaster."  (Pre-Subway toaster addition).  Unfortunately, I got the same feeling at Jersey Mike's. Their counter staff added a little authentic East Coast surliness to the mix, but other than that, it was a one time only visit for me.

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## SoonerDave

Agencies? Okay, sure, I'll give you that one. 

Now, prejudices disclosed - I'm a big Jersey Mike's fan. The fresh-cut meats and authentic preparation really put it a cut above in my book. Unfortunately, Subway opened up about 300 yards from my front door (literally), so its really difficult to convince the *rest* of my crew to go the extra five or six miles to the nearest JM's. Yeah, Subway's OK, but only OK for me.

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## RadicalModerate

Location . . . location . . . location . . . =)
(and effective, creative advertising . . . =)

BTW: Please accept my apology if anything I've said in here is too obscure or obtuse for understanding.
I suffer from a phrasing and punctuation deficit.  Please send your generous donation to . . . =)

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## John_T

Incredible Pizza in Warr Acres. I believe it became a Chinese restaurant. I used to love Incredible pizza. they had great pizza, and it was always fun. It is a shame, I loved how they had a pizza buffet.

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## TheTravellers

> Incredible Pizza in Warr Acres. I believe it became a Chinese restaurant. I used to love Incredible pizza. they had great pizza, and it was always fun. It is a shame, I loved how they had a pizza buffet.


If you're talking about the one on NW Expressway/MacArthur, it actually turned into a Gattitown a while back and is still open, AFAIK.  There was a thread about it somewhere on here, probably in Food and Restaurants.

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## kevinpate

Yes, Incredible Pizza became Lido's, for a short spell, then about a year ago the place reopened as a GattiTown.  Haven't been in so I don't know how much changed beyond the branding.

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## Urban Pioneer

> Actually both had good years last year and Ducati had a 43% sales increase in 2011 and BMW Motorrad (the motorcycle division) sold their most motorcycles ever,  Triumph also had a very good year and H-D seemed to have some improvement as well. This does run counter to most of the industry where the Big 4 (Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha) have seemed to struggle.
> 
> MotorcycleUSA - Ducati Claims 43% Sales Increase for 2011
> 
> BMW Magazine - BMW Motorrad Reports Best Ever Sales in 2011
> 
> MotorcycleUSA - Triumph Motorcycles Claims 2011 Sales Growth
> 
> From what I have read on some motorcycle forums is BMW Motorrad USA showed up with a truck and basically repossessed everything BMW from the dealership. They were going to go on with Ducati but I think realized they were already too far gone and closed up. I have heard some various other stories about the reason why BMW pulled the dealership from them, not sure how accurate they are but if true it wouldn't surprise me. Supposedly someone else has already signed up to take over BMW, not sure about Ducati yet but I'm sure it won't be long before both are open.
> ...



If someone new opens up, they need to move downtown and have a small, high profile shop.  Auto Alley or Film Row would be ideal.  Also, I think there are some opportunities in the superbike market that are sorely being missed.

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## metro

> the Nino's on air depot in MWC closed sometime in the last few weeks
> went by last weekend and doors were locked and a sign on the door thanking all for their business


The NINOs on NW Exp. closed about a month ago as well.

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## metro

> Incredible Pizza in Warr Acres. I believe it became a Chinese restaurant. I used to love Incredible pizza. they had great pizza, and it was always fun. It is a shame, I loved how they had a pizza buffet.


John, it was never a Chinese restaurant, it has always remained a pizza buffet/ kids play zone arcade despite the name change. You were probably confused when it changed to Lidos a few years back, which is a national chain of the same concept. It's been Gatti town for at least a year, if not two, and frankly, it's cleaner and the food slightly better than When it was incredible pizza. As someone stated, there are also 4 or so reads on the place in the food court section of the website if you want all the official deets.

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## Bunty

Didn't the Prohibition Room close?

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## kevinpate

> Didn't the Prohibition Room close?


Yes, and I believe I heard those folks moved out west. I also heard someone connected to it opened Whiskey Chicks in BT, but I haven't been in OKC in the evening in quite a while so we just exhausted my limited knowledge.

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## OKCTalker

It seems like there is a wave of businesses closing, or it could simply be my perception. Markie's Deli went dark recently, Steve mentioned a few others in his online chat last Friday, today's Oklahoman reported that Twid's sporting goods has closed, and I heard last night that Avalon seafood market just shut down. 

This is a morose thread, but maybe some lessons can be learned from the closures during relatively good economic times in central Oklahoma.

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## kevinpate

While it's true a rising tide lifts all boats, the boats which are not properly secured can end up having their hulls gouged, and then they sink.

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## Hawk405359

Restaurants and bars are just so hard to keep in business that I'm not surprised a lot of closings are them.  Longevity is really rare in the industry without a change in quality.

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## SoonerDave

I can't recall the specific statistic, but I think something like _at least_ half of all new restaurant startups fail in six months. Case in point: the old Don Pablos->Interurban->Poblano Grille->A1 Asian Buffet on I-240 at Penn closed after barely a month, following *at least* that much time spent remodeling. 

Think a lot of people go into restaurant ownership incredibly naive, believing you just sit back and let someone else do the work while the $$ roll in, but not realizing its one of the hardest businesses in which to be successful. Believe that's why you see shows like "Kitchen Nightmares" (and its ilk) that tend to feature well-meaning people on the brink of bankruptcy who were/are clueless about how much work, expense, and risk is involved in running/starting a restaurant.

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## RadicalModerate

Anyone thinking about opening a restaurant should read *Kitchen Confidential* by Anthony Bourdain.

I heard an interesting talk on the radio the other day featuring some famous consultant who was talking about how many (big) businesses fail because they stop trying to compete with start-ups offering less expensive products and drop those lower-end parts of what they offer in order to increase the profitability of their more "up-scale" products.  Eventually, they are pushed out of business from below.  I'm not sure how this applies to restaurants, but I still thought the concept was interesting.

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## Plutonic Panda

> *Long John Silvers* should probably consider launching a campaign, 
> using this jingle, before they face a similar fate:
> 
> 
> (Here's the long version for all the real seafood lovers):
> Fish Heads - Barnes and Barnes (1979) - YouTube
> *Rolling Stone* rated it among *The Top 100 Music Videos in History*.


More like a music picture

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## RadicalModerate

Hint: (Click the link in the text below the illustration)  =)

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## Plutonic Panda

> Hint: (Click the link in the text below the illustration)  =)


HA..Where do you find this ~....<("[STUFF]")>....~

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## RadicalModerate

It's been so long ago that I'm not sure . . . but I think it crawled out from under the same rock as "Eraserhead" back in the early 80's.
I still think Long John Silver's needs to figure out a way to incorporate it into their advertising before they go the way of Hostess.
Upper level management could buy the rights to the video for a few bucks then re-sell it to themselves for everything in the LJS treasure chest.
It's worked before . . . =)

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## Plutonic Panda

> It's been so long ago that I'm not sure . . . but I think it crawled out from under the same rock as "Eraserhead" back in the early 80's.
> I still think Long John Silver's needs to figure out a way to incorporate it into their advertising before they go the way of Hostess.
> Upper level management could buy the rights to the video for a few bucks then re-sell it to themselves for everything in the LJS treasure chest.
> It's worked before . . . =)


Yeah that would be cool. It kinda makes you wonder what these guys were smoking when they made this. Better yet, could imagine seeing someone with dancing out in their yard making this video with loud ass stage speakers. lol priceless  :Smile:

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## RadicalModerate

1) Hopefully they are now smoking Baccarat Churchills from ZT's next to the corpse of Custanos on Britton. =)
2) Ref.er (ree-fer) to the Custino's Wars for clarification.  or,like, don't man.
3) My younger brother gave me an entire CD of the Non-Hits of The Fish Heads Guys.  I have watched it. this should expain a lot.
4) I personally reviewed the future coffin of 1492 in Cassady Square.  I guess there is a rule against Zombie-Sheetrockers working on Sunday.

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## Plutonic Panda

> 1) Hopefully they are now smoking Baccarat Churchills from ZT's next to the corpse of Custanos on Britton. =)
> 2) Ref.er (ree-fer) to the Custino's Wars for clarification.  or,like, don't man.
> 3) My younger brother gave me an entire CD of the Non-Hits of The Fish Heads Guys.  I have watched it. this should expain a lot.
> 4) I personally reviewed the future coffin of 1492 in Cassady Square.  I guess there is a rule against Zombie-Sheetrockers working on Sunday.


Yeah I'm gonna be honest here man, I have no Earthly (but possibly Neptunish...ish) idea what you just said except for Zombie-Sheetrockers law prohibiting them working on Sundays. Now these zombies have been disciminated against time and time again. Just ask Fido. He'll tell ya.

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## TheTravellers

Dane Design is closing, going out of business/retirement sale going on now...  Never did find anything we liked there (went next door to Suburban Contemporary and did find things there we bought), but still a bummer.

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