The Big Friendly Brewery and tap room coming to Wheeler

http://newsok.com/article/5631574/big-friendly-brewery-tap-room-to-open-at-wheeler

^

Looks very cool.

Will give non-residents another way to enjoy the development.

A little cafe and brewery are pretty great adds for such a new neighborhood.

Here is a rendering from their FB page (https://www.facebook.com/The-Big-Friendly-411990432950301/):

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly1.jpg

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/wheelerbrewery2.jpg

Surprisingly close to houses (instead of say across the street to the south of the cafe, which is what I envisioned before seeing this).

Surprisingly close to houses (instead of say across the street to the south of the cafe, which is what I envisioned before seeing this).

Right in the neighborhood! I personally love it. I really like older, urban cities with little pubs buried in unexpected corners of the neighborhood... That's a neighborhood pub.

Right in the neighborhood! I personally love it. I really like older, urban cities with little pubs buried in unexpected corners of the neighborhood... That's a neighborhood pub.

Yes, that is so awesome.

My dad grew up on the east side of Milwaukee in what was almost exclusively a Polish and Italian neighborhood. Whenever I go back to see family, I always stop and have a beer at Champions Pub, which was right on the corner in the middle of his neighborhood street.

Even though it is now owned by a younger couple, they still know lots of families because some have passed down the homes and the next generations still patronize the place.

As Americans are increasingly rootless, I have to say it's amazing to sit in the very place my grandfather and uncles and aunts once hung out. At that time, the neighborhood tavern was the center of their social lives.

stupid name.

OKC should really pick their own name without copying somebody else (or at least appearing to).

I personally like "Crossroads of America" and am surprised OKC doesn't use it more often since it really IS the crossroads of two major coastal/continental routes (only city in the nation - btw).

I also like just plain old OKC and the city. But instead of "the big friendly" goober, (and too bad Chicago took Windy City already) how about Renaissance City?

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stupid name.

OKC should really pick their own name without copying somebody else (or at least appearing to).

I personally like "Crossroads of America" and am surprised OKC doesn't use it more often since it really IS the crossroads of two major coastal/continental routes (only city in the nation - btw).

I also like just plain old OKC and the city. But instead of "the big friendly" goober, (and too bad Chicago took Windy City already) how about Renaissance City?

I don't know that the Big Friendly in the name has anything to do with OKC's attempt at self-nicknamization. I always knew it as the Big Friendly Beer Bus, and took Big and Friendly and Beer to be adjectives describing the bus, not named after our kinda sorta moniker

Mick Cornett championed it.

And I like Mick, but I think it was a play on New Orleans being the Big Easy when OKC was hosting the Hornets, so OKC is the Big Friendly. .... The CoC keeps going with it and obviously others since it's being used more and more.

I think it is just more fodder for laughter at OKC's expense personally.

Mick Cornett championed it.

And I like Mick, but I think it was a play on New Orleans being the Big Easy when OKC was hosting the Hornets, so OKC is the Big Friendly. .... The CoC keeps going with it and obviously others since it's being used more and more.

I think it is just more fodder for laughter at OKC's expense personally.

Mick didn't really champion it. Lee Allen Smith was more the driving force...

I love how we are getting fired up about the name of a brewery.

It's just a brewery folks, relax!

I don't mind the name. I'd take it over the Big Easy or Big Apple - it's straight forward and attaches something positive to the city for outsiders that don't have any perception of it outside of bad weather or the land run.

I don't mind the big friendly. The first time I heard it I thought it was dumb but nowadays I think it works just as much as anything else.

Not to take away from the tread (love this development), but any other expats have thoughts on OKC's adoption as the "Big Friendly"?

Not to take away from the tread (love this development), but any other expats have thoughts on OKC's adoption as the "Big Friendly"?

I think it is Hokey. I also think naming everything Oklahoma XXX is not creative e.g Oklahoma River, Oklahoma Blvd, Oklahoma City MOA, Oklahoma Stockyards. Everything doesn't have to have Oklahoma in the name. Dallas Cowboys symbol (STAR) has nothing to do with a Cowboy but is Iconic

Big Friendly was the brain child of the sainted, and legendary, OKC advertising executive Ray Ackerman. It did not stick as a nick name for OKC. And (I am guessing) it is a nod to the time when Ackerman created it, because it overlaps with the era that Wheeler patriarch Kirk Humphreys was mayor of Oklahoma City.
The Oklahoma City Stockyards have had that commercial title for 100 years.
The Oklahoma River was another Ackerman idea. An attempt to transform the ditch next to I-40 into a real body of water by getting civic interest in the transitional opportunity. I think it has been a rousing success.
Oklahoma City Boulevard was a placeholder where no one came up with a better name. If you have one, please suggest it.
I cannot comment to the naming of the Oklahoma City Museum Of Art.

http://www.okcmoa.com/wp-content/themes/okcmoa/library/images/OKCMOAlogo2015.png

You could call it the Donald Reynolds Visual Art Center I guess

Oklahoma City Boulevard was a placeholder where no one came up with a better name. If you have one, please suggest it.

There were hundreds of suggestions at the time. Mick Cornett has repeatedly insisted on "Oklahoma" and "Oklahoma City" being in every name. I'm with dcsooner on this one. I suggested Ellison Boulevard in honor of Ralph Ellison at the time. There's no shortage of better names than "Oklahoma City Blvd," which is pretty terrible. "Luper Way" would be a cool name in honor of Clara Luper and I'm sure people would just call it the Lupe.

Having said that, I've really never had any problem with the Big Friendly nickname. I don't think it makes sense to force it, but if it had caught on I think it could have been okay.

holder where no one came up with a better name. If you have one, please suggest it.
I cannot comment to the naming of the Oklahoma City Museum Of Art.

okc blvd was never a "place holder"

I think it is Hokey. I also think naming everything Oklahoma XXX is not creative e.g Oklahoma River, Oklahoma Blvd, Oklahoma City MOA, Oklahoma Stockyards. Everything doesn't have to have Oklahoma in the name. Dallas Cowboys symbol (STAR) has nothing to do with a Cowboy but is Iconic

no, but has specifically to do with Texas... Texas is famous for cowboys, and the Star on the helmet is because they are the "Lone Star State"... so both the name and the logo is a specific branding for the state of Texas...

but you are right in that it isn't the Dallas Texans, with a state of texas on the side...

but then again, that name was already taken by the Dallas Texans of the AFL (now the KC Chiefs) and had a state of texas as the logo... so really don't know if they would have gone that way or not

I couldn't agree more with the Oklahoma this and that. Some of it is inevitable and I'm fine with it (like OCMOA, OKC Zoo, OK Stockyards) in that they are obvious titles or historic. But yes, Oklahoma river?? OKC Blvd???

What is OKC famous for? Land Run, Sooners, Native America, ..... Perhaps we should pull names from those ideas than Oklahoma this and that - which honestly should be reserved for the government orgs/agencies.

no, but has specifically to do with Texas... Texas is famous for cowboys, and the Star on the helmet is because they are the "Lone Star State"... so both the name and the logo is a specific branding for the state of Texas...

but you are right in that it isn't the Dallas Texans, with a state of texas on the side...

but then again, that name was already taken by the Dallas Texans of the AFL (now the KC Chiefs) and had a state of texas as the logo... so really don't know if they would have gone that way or not

and now we have the houston texans ..

Steel going up.

https://i.imgur.com/ZhUQmoZ.jpg

https://oklahoman.com/article/5650654/why-oklahoma-city-as-the-big-friendly-lacks-a-friendly-embrace

Steve at it again! Sometimes I’m convinced he strongly dislikes OKC.

That is such a cheesy line. I hope it doesn’t stick and I’ve never heard it used by anyone outside of a few internet posts.

I like the name for the brewery.

As a city slogan, not so much. Feels too contrived; like the guy that tries to give himself a flattering nickname.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly022220a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly022220b.jpg

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So, will the siding rust to the red color shown in the drawings or are they going to paint it? I assume the former. If so, I wonder if it will rust to a uniform color?

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly042320b.jpg

Rusting quite nicely lol

I wasn't sure I was going to like this but now I really think it looks cool. Very unique.

This is their taproom; from their FB page:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly062020a.jpg

This is their taproom; from their FB page:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly062020a.jpg

I prefer the open rafters look for these types of ceilings. But I do love those arches.

From their FB page:

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly102420.jpg

are they going for a churchy look?

are they going for a churchy look?
Took the words right out of my mouth.

Sort of a Spanish Mission look.

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly110820a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly110820b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly110820c.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly110820d.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/bigfriendly110820e.jpg

hmmmmm lol

I hope they have REALLY good drinks

I think it looks absolutely fantastic.

I think it looks absolutely fantastic.

I agree that is stunning. Who was the architect on this? I didn't see that when I scanned the thread.

I agree that is stunning. Who was the architect on this? I didn't see that when I scanned the thread.

A firm called Slab Design + Development; I can't find anything on them.

It's incredible. Long time coming for these guys and well deserved.

A firm called Slab Design + Development; I can't find anything on them.

It's Sam Day. He did an amazing job IMO.

They posted on their Facebook account that they are opening this Friday November 20, at 3pm. Pretty excited to see the space and their selection, I haven't heard much about what they'll have to offer.

Press release:

*******

OKLAHOMA CITY (Nov. 23, 2020) — The Big Friendly’s first brick-and-mortar location at 1737 Spoke St. in Wheeler District is now open.

The brewery and taproom, which started in a converted school bus, now offers 24 different beer options on tap, each brewed on site. The Big Friendly is open from 3 – 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 11 – 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 12 – 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Founder Joe Quinlin said opening a location in Wheeler District has been a dream in the making for over four years. Prior to opening this location, the beer bus regularly visited the Wheeler District Ferris Wheel.

“The Big Friendly is all about bringing people together and enjoying beer as a community,” Quinlin said. “This has been a labor of love, and we are honored to finally welcome Oklahoma City residents to our new taproom.”

The building is separated into five distinct sections to create a unique feel throughout the brewery. The Big Friendly owners and local architect Sam Day selected soft and warm materials to make people feel welcome and at home.

“The Big Friendly is much more than a brewery in terms of its importance to this neighborhood,” said Wheeler District President Blair Humphreys. “The brewing team’s commitment to their craft and the priority they place on loving the community around them make the ‘The Big Friendly’ something of a mantra – and a key ingredient that will enrich Wheeler District.”

The Big Friendly features a large outdoor patio for people to safely gather. All staff will wear masks and follow CDC guidelines.