A strip of retail space has received a nice renovation; this is on the east side of Penn between NW 11th & 12th and due east of Nic's Grill.

Owned by Caughron Corsair LLC. Caughron is Michael Caughron of Edmond and I assume Corsair are the Corsair Cattle Co. people. Thanks to Metro for the current photo.




http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/penn11.jpg


Before:
http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/penn11old.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/penn11map.jpg

nice little clean up project

Well, I guess we can cross this off as a potential site for bajillion story new mystery tower to go...

But on a serious note, it looks great. It really makes this intersection seem nicer, which was needed. I drive penn home everday and feel like I am driving through the ghetto. I always try and keep people from taking penn off the highway to my house because of how run down penn is up to 12th st.

Really curious as to what is going to be going in here. Hopefully something that will up the value of the area, and not another resale or dollar general type place.

Holy crap! I always thought that strip could be nice when waiting in line for a burger, but thought it crazy to get my hopes up. I think we're really going to see CTP take off big.

Really nice upgrade considering the area. Also looks like they got rid of the furniture store tenant that would have their crap strewn across the parking lot all day.

They look great I think. I work at Langston's warehouse/offices in the area and always pass these buildings when trekking to 23rd for lunch. It really has cleaned up the impression of the area north of the 10th/Penn intersection. Pennsylvania from 40-10th could just use some reconstruction of infrastructure IMO; there are plenty of healthy albeit ugly industrial buildings that include Hunzicker Bros, a Wesco facility, Kam's, OKC Water, and some extremely old industrial buildings that NEED to go. They've just put up a new gas station at Main and Penn, which has done wonders for that intersection alone. They've also built a new structure along Penn that replaces some older buildings of the same use. Soon the Salvation Army complex will be rising from the horrible giant dirt lot that blasts my car with a fine layer of dust every day...

All in all, I say it's nice to see even minor improvements to a part of the city that has been long forgotten and avoided.

Has the old movie theater in that strip been used for anything recently?

There's a similarly cool and forgotten old movie theater at May and NW 15th.

After some research, I discovered that that theater was called "Penn Theater" which opened on June 13th, 1940 and then sometime in the early 60's became the Trend:



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/penntheater1.jpg


Most recently, it was a horrific junk store:



http://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/13369/1310823271/large.jpg?1310823271

http://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/13367/1310823238/large.jpg?1310823238

http://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/13365/1310823156/large.jpg?1310823156

http://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/13363/1310823114/large.jpg?1310823114

http://photos.cinematreasures.org/production/photos/13364/1310823135/large.jpg?1310823135

They look great I think. I work at Langston's warehouse/offices in the area and always pass these buildings when trekking to 23rd for lunch. It really has cleaned up the impression of the area north of the 10th/Penn intersection. Pennsylvania from 40-10th could just use some reconstruction of infrastructure IMO; there are plenty of healthy albeit ugly industrial buildings that include Hunzicker Bros, a Wesco facility, Kam's, OKC Water, and some extremely old industrial buildings that NEED to go. They've just put up a new gas station at Main and Penn, which has done wonders for that intersection alone. They've also built a new structure along Penn that replaces some older buildings of the same use. Soon the Salvation Army complex will be rising from the horrible giant dirt lot that blasts my car with a fine layer of dust every day...

All in all, I say it's nice to see even minor improvements to a part of the city that has been long forgotten and avoided.
While some of the others are accurate, I take exception to the Kams description. It is well kept and nicely landscaped...hardly what I would describe as an "ugly industrial building".

I agree the reno looks petty good but I wasn't sure about the style from one end to the other, but thanks to Pete's before/after pics, it seems consistent with what was there

Hopefully the collection of Salvation Army building will be replaced once they get their new facility built on the old AMC site.

I love the character of the brick OKC Water buildings, but they could certainly do something about what looks like rusted out storage tank. Don't know if anything is in it, but who wants their drinking water being held in a rusty looking storage unit?

There is an abandoned/boarded up Del Rancho that needs to go...

There's a similarly cool and forgotten old movie theater at May and NW 15th.

I didn't forget the May Theater, Spartan. LOL

I went to a lot of movies both there and the Penn Theater.

I didn't forget the May Theater, Spartan. LOL

I went to a lot of movies both there and the Penn Theater.

There are a couple of cool looking buildings on May from i think 14th to 17th. Always that it could be a cool little district of its own. The theater is owned by a church now - thought it would be a great concert venue.

Both May and Penn from 10th to 23rd have considerable inventories of interesting historic commercial buildings. I think both of them easily rival Western Avenue in this regard and ostensibly have similar potential to Western. The only problem is that neither are bordered by the same quality of relatively stable (and in some cases upscale) residential neighborhoods that Western has benefited from for decades.

That has been changing though, and I think for instance that the Plaza District's recent improvements greatly enhance the chances for this area of Penn.

By the way, I'm not saying there are NO good neighborhoods bordering those sections of May and Penn; there most certainly are. I'm just saying that the ones bordering Western have been much more rock-solid over the past 25 years or so.

...Most recently, it was a horrific junk store:...



You need to learn when to bike your tongue! As far as junk stores go, this was one of the finest. I went there many time and was sad to see it go. :D

I heard that the Trolley Stop record store on Classen will be relocating to a larger location in the Plaza District.

I heard that the Trolley Stop record store on Classen will be relocating to a larger location in the Plaza District.
That would be great. There's been a giant record store-sized hole there since Size closed.

but then they can't call themselves trolley stop record shop? because no longer by the trolley stop? though I presume plaza was a trolley stop back then, so possibly a moot post...

That would be great. There's been a giant record store-sized hole there since Size closed.

Indeed! Strangely, being the massive record geek I am, I've never been to Trolley Stop - are they equivalent to Size and Guestroom (inasmuch as having loads of alternative/weird/metal stuff as well as the usual suspects)?

I heard that the Trolley Stop record store on Classen will be relocating to a larger location in the Plaza District.

Great news! Trolley Stop is an excellent record store. You'll find a lot of stuff in it that you won't find at any of the other record stores. The Plaza District is also a perfect fit for them. I am hoping it's easier to navigate in the new location because the current location is a mess. They also have a lot of material that isn't in the main store because they don't have room for it. Hopefully in the new location they will be able to put it on the shelves.

Indeed! Strangely, being the massive record geek I am, I've never been to Trolley Stop - are they equivalent to Size and Guestroom (inasmuch as having loads of alternative/weird/metal stuff as well as the usual suspects)?
I actually haven't been there somehow, but my impression is that they don't have newer/alternative music and mainly stick to the classics. I'd love to see them branch out a bit with the new store.

Sounds like they might be worth a stop (ha) after they move to the Plaza, not sure if they'll be a regular one like Guestroom is, thanks...

From what I have heard the owner has a massive record collection, but didn't have the space at his current location. So we will see how this turns out.

Which space will they be occupying?

I actually haven't been there somehow, but my impression is that they don't have newer/alternative music and mainly stick to the classics. I'd love to see them branch out a bit with the new store.

Trolley Stop is much more of a "collector's" vinyls shop. Not many new releases but man-o-man if you are patient you can find just about anything recorded in there.

Trolley Stop is much more of a "collector's" vinyls shop. Not many new releases but man-o-man if you are patient you can find just about anything recorded in there.

They have a huge 78RPM collection with stuff going back to the World War I era. It's quite impressive.

This is where Trolley Stop Record Shop will be opening a new location in addition to keeping their existing spot at 1807 N. Classen.

https://www.yelp.com/biz/trolley-stop-record-shop-oklahoma-city

They will be taking the old Penn Theater space and have room for many more records plus occassionally host live music.

The owner said they have already started some work there but it will likely be a couple of months before opening.

BTW, this center is owned by Steve Mason and addition to all the great things he's done in the Plaza and 9th Street in Auto Alley, this project is really a great little gem, especially compared to when he bought it.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/penn11041417.jpg

Trolley Stop Record Shop really turned out super cool.

They have a stage at the far end and have the occasional live performance. The last picture is the stairwell leading up to the old projection booth which will eventually be all 45's but for now has the owners pooches.

They told me the other location on Classen recently flooded and therefore they will be moving everything to this new spot.



http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/trolley5.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/trolley1.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/trolley2.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/trolley3.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/trolley4.jpg

Wow, this turned out great. Can't wait to go see live.

i checked it out a couple of weeks ago after visiting the incredible Factory Obscura exhibition at the Current Studio. I really think that space is perfect for the record store.

Hopefully during the move, they get as many racks as they need to in order to hold *all* their records, it was either a digger's nightmare or dream at the old location, depending on your mood. :)

Hopefully during the move, they get as many racks as they need to in order to hold *all* their records, it was either a digger's nightmare or dream at the old location, depending on your mood. :)

I'm sure it will take them a while to get everything organized.

Space is much bigger and they can now put in lots more racks.

The 45's will eventually go upstairs in the old projection room.

I'm sure it will take them a while to get everything organized.

Space is much bigger and they can now put in lots more racks.

The 45's will eventually go upstairs in the old projection room.

Yep, it'll be nice when done. Talked to a guy that worked there (Matt, I think) at the Numero Group pop-up-truck back in Oct., said he was helping them organize and rack stuff better than it was, and that the projection room was going to be an old-school kind of listening booth, hope that still happens!