Pier 1 in Stillwater is closing. I don't know of other Oklahoma stores closing.
https://www.furnituretoday.com/industry-news/pier-1-to-close-up-to-450-stores/

Store across from Penn Square Mall on Penn:

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


https://i.imgur.com/MQAbtb8.jpg


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

Today, Pier 1 filed for bankruptcy:

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/17/business/pier-one-bankruptcy/index.html

Looks like Pier 1 is closing all stores for good.

Looks like Pier 1 is closing all stores for good.

That sucks as I really like a lot of their housewares.

Everyone seems worried about restaurants, hotels, and airlines but it seems retail is where there will be many ruined companies.

That sucks as I really like a lot of their housewares.

Everyone seems worried about restaurants, hotels, and airlines but it seems retail is where there will be many ruined companies.

Agree. Most everything I’ve bought at Pier 1 has lasted and is good quality. It’s really unprecedented to see so many industries and people affected.

Well, once they start their Liquidation Sales everyone will be able to go and get some very good deals.

Time to stock up on our dish and glassware since most of it came from there.

Pier One Stores have not reopened yet. At least not the one in Norman.

Well, once they start their Liquidation Sales everyone will be able to go and get some very good deals.

No. I went to the one in Wichita Falls when it was all 60% off. That stuff was so marked up it wasn't a deal at all. You might think your getting a deal but NO.

I have to admit that I didn’t know Pier 1 even still existed. I thought they went away about the time of Sharper Image. It just wasn’t my style. I’m a man of very simple, bland tastes of things decor.

I got an email from Pier One yesterday saying the 3 metro stores are reopening today. I too have bought many things from Pier One especially since moving to my apartment 3 years ago. When the Penn Square store closed earlier this year I bought an entire year's worth of candles for practically nothing. I loved popping in that store on Sundays and looking at the sale items.

I'm going to miss it.

I have tons of their glassware and a bunch of their Christmas stuff as well.

BTW, Cost Plus Imports is quite similar but larger and also carries some food options.

Would sure like them to do at least one more store in the area in addition to their Norman location.

agreed. Now to get an IKEA here.

BTW, Cost Plus Imports is quite similar but larger and also carries some food options.

Would sure like them to do at least one more store in the area in addition to their Norman location.
Cost Plus World Market reminds me of the old Pier 1. No one remembers that they used to sell hippy style clothes, kind of BoHo patchouli style. This was back in the 80s. Then they went into home furnishings hard.
The Cost Plus World Market in Bellevue Washington is great. Double salt swedish licorice coins. Lots of good teas and euro spices. I would love one in OKC.

What I remember about the old Pier 1 was wicker.

Lots and lots and lots of wicker.

Yes! And fringe shawls and paper lanterns...

http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/pier1052220a.jpg

The old Pier 1 across from Penn Square will become a Dollar Tree.

more top tier retail for the area

more top tier retail for the area

yikes!

The old Pier 1 across from Penn Square will become a Dollar Tree.



I can't stop laughing at this. What an absolute failure.

I can't stop laughing at this. What an absolute failure.

Failure by who? Is this just a NIMBY response? Not like they are building a tin building there.... the building is already there.

Is "diversity" in urban development just a word we like to use? Seems to me this serves a lot of people who are equidistant as Nichols Hills from this.

There's already a Dollar Tree on 63rd and May and another on 23rd and Penn. There's no need for one here. And those other two fit better within their confines. This building, being standalone, I feel like it has a lot more potential than just a Dollar Tree. I feel like this is just Gamble accepting the first thing he could get, after it sat vacant for the past year or so.

17110

On the plus side, get your diamonds and your deals in one stop

There's already a Dollar Tree on 63rd and May and another on 23rd and Penn. There's no need for one here. And those other two fit better within their confines. This building, being standalone, I feel like it has a lot more potential than just a Dollar Tree. I feel like this is just Gamble accepting the first thing he could get, after it sat vacant for the past year or so.

Of course this is a bit disappointing because it isnt something new and sexy, especially considering its across from our premier mall, but who are you to say there is no need for one here? This could be the best performing store compared to the other two nearby Dollar Trees you mentioned. Long story short, let the market work it out because your sole opinion doesnt mean much at all.

This is like Edmond NIMBYs fighting a proposed fast food place saying Edmond doesnt need anymore fast food places and then when it opens it has a line around the building at lunch and dinner.

There's already a Dollar Tree on 63rd and May and another on 23rd and Penn. There's no need for one here. And those other two fit better within their confines. This building, being standalone, I feel like it has a lot more potential than just a Dollar Tree. I feel like this is just Gamble accepting the first thing he could get, after it sat vacant for the past year or so.

Or they took what they could get unless they wanted it to sit empty and keep costing them money, or at least a loss of potential income.

Obviously DT thinks they can get plenty of traffic at this store.

Of course this is a bit disappointing because it isnt something new and sexy, especially considering its across from our premier mall, but who are you to say there is no need for one here? This could be the best performing store compared to the other two nearby Dollar Trees you mentioned. Long story short, let the market work it out because your sole opinion doesnt mean much at all.

This is like Edmond NIMBYs fighting a proposed fast food place saying Edmond doesnt need anymore fast food places and then when it opens it has a line around the building at lunch and dinner.

Or tattoo parlors in MidTown.

Almost a year later and I noticed within the last couple weeks a tractor-trailer backed up the south side of the building being unloaded. Now there are cars in front daily. Still a "For Lease" banner on the same south side, however.

Just drove by and they have temporary banners for “Spirit Halloween”.

Did OKCTalk shut the Dollar Tree down????

Really though, about 10 years from now, I'd love to see the people at Oak get ahold of all the retail land on this plot between Expressway and Belleview and incorporate it into what they're doing now, the more temporary the tenant, the better.

I noticed this morning that the for lease sign was gone and there were some work trucks parked out front.

I noticed this morning that the for lease sign was gone and there were some work trucks parked out front.

The only permit was for Dollar Tree some time ago, so perhaps it is now moving forward.

New sign went up at this location for “Jerry’s Artarama.” I believe this is Oklahoma’s first location. They also have locations in 10 other states. Anybody ever been to one and have a comparison?

"Jerry’s Artarama" looks pretty promising. Thier website lists about 18 locations and according to Google reviews, nearly all of them have over a 4.5 rating.

New sign went up at this location for “Jerry’s Artarama.” I believe this is Oklahoma’s first location. They also have locations in 10 other states. Anybody ever been to one and have a comparison?

The sign is horrible and cheap looking.

Better than a dollar store!

I miss Pier 1 -- really liked that place.

Haven't seen the sign, but what it sounds like is that it's not necessarily in line with what is being built over there at Oak.

Haven't seen the sign, but what it sounds like is that it's not necessarily in line with what is being built over there at Oak.

Huh?

Huh?

KSearls commented on how horrible and cheap looking the sign looked which is nothing at all how Oak will be.

https://www.jerrysartarama.com/


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/jerrys052623a.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/jerrys052623b.jpg


http://www.okctalk.com/images/pete/jerrys052623c.jpg

This is actually a great get. Been to the one in Austin and as others have said, glad it’s not a dollar store.

The sign is horrible and cheap looking.
Looking at pics of their other locations I’m betting this is just a temporary sign.

Looking at pics of their other locations IÂ’m betting this is just a temporary sign.

Frankly that entire section of Penn is trashy looking. I grew up and lived in Belle Isle for a long time and I never understood why that strip center has never been updated. Their seasonal decor is ugly, cheap poll banners and the changeable letter sign is bad. Now the dispensary there is setting up flags and sidewalk signs. It wouldn't take much to upgrade that strip. Hopefully with Oak they will.

And don't even get me started on the weed filled concrete median at the Penn/Belleview entrance to Penn Square!

Frankly that entire section of Penn is trashy looking. I grew up and lived in Belle Isle for a long time and I never understood why that strip center has never been updated. Their seasonal decor is ugly, cheap poll banners and the changeable letter sign is bad. Now the dispensary there is setting up flags and sidewalk signs. It wouldn't take much to upgrade that strip. Hopefully with Oak they will.

And don't even get me started on the weed filled concrete median at the Penn/Belleview entrance to Penn Square!

I agree! I recently moved back to OKC after being away for 23 years. I purchased a condo at the Hemingway and am shocked by the trash, weeds, unkept ODOT right of ways (I44) and the homeless situation. Going further North, the medians are deplorable and sets a bad precedent. I am hoping with the OAK development, this will be a catalyst for this whole area!

ALL the medians and right-of-way are in this condition and always have been.

The City and ODOT have never done anything other than once a month drag a mowing unit across the grassy areas and shred all the trash into tiny pieces.

ALL the medians and right-of-way are in this condition and always have been.

The City and ODOT have never done anything other than once a month drag a mowing unit across the grassy areas and shred all the trash into tiny pieces. Is this the standard for OKC? It really shows a complacency and laziness. Being in Ward 2 we recently had our council person at our HOA meeting, he agreed but it looks like this is a problem with both the city and the State.

Is this the standard for OKC? It really shows a complacency and laziness. Being in Ward 2 we recently had our council person at our HOA meeting, he agreed but it looks like this is a problem with both the city and the State.

Yes, always has been.

It's not laziness it's money. Money has never been budgeted for this type of thing.

Yes, always has been.

It's not laziness it's money. Money has never been budgeted for this type of thing. Hopefully, this will change where money can be allocated for this type of thing?

ALL the medians and right-of-way are in this condition and always have been.

The City and ODOT have never done anything other than once a month drag a mowing unit across the grassy areas and shred all the trash into tiny pieces.

Somebody should volunteer to keep that area picked up from trash. Somebody volunteers to keep part of the 39th St. area picked up and was featured on KFOR for doing so.

Somebody should volunteer to keep that area picked up from trash. Somebody volunteers to keep part of the 39th St. area picked up and was featured on KFOR for doing so.

OKC is 621 square miles.

5-6 times a week Shine (an OK County-funded group) cleans up the Penn/I-44 intersection. They don't touch the weeds.

But we are talking about literally hundreds of miles of medians and ROW that need maintenance, plus all the sidewalks and crap that accumulates in the streets.

As much as I walk, I see it everywhere I go. Way, way more noticeable than whizzing by in a car.

^^^^^^^
And the budget for activities like mowing comes from one place: sales tax. THIS is why OKC is constantly chasing retail to keep it from landing in random areas and bedroom communities just outside of OKC city limits, and this is why densifying our city is so important. Want better mowing? Get more people to live, work and shop within the ACTUAL city of Oklahoma City.

^^^^^^^
And the budget for activities like mowing comes from one place: sales tax. THIS is why OKC is constantly chasing retail to keep it from landing in random areas and bedroom communities just outside of OKC city limits, and this is why densifying our city is so important. Want better mowing? Get more people to live, work and shop within the ACTUAL city of Oklahoma City.

True, but no matter how much sales tax receipts increase, the City does not budget money for this purpose.

I should start taking pictures just on my daily walks. It's beyond appalling and you really notice it if you go and walk in other cities.

Just in the square mile of my neighborhood, there are literally hundreds of examples of high weeds, tons of trash, overgrown sidewalks (all of which were installed in just the last several years), blocked storm drains, graffiti... On and on.

In my six years in this area I have yet to see one street sweeper or anyone tending to weeds. And this is a place where arguably more sales tax is generated than anywhere (Penn Square, Belle Isle Station, Mayfair and soon, Oak).

So multiply all that times 621.

I definitely agree that more should be allocated. Just saying it's a huge struggle to get to every priority in a city that has spread itself too thin. The same also definitely happens with other aesthetic and lifestyle elements of the city such as parks. Working out of a pot of money that's never enough.

And God help you if you suggest more money be put into beautification. "Progressives" will accuse you of not caring about poor and homeless people. Before them, it was more of a cheapskate utilitarian view from weirdo conservatives who considered beautification a "waste of taxpayers' money."

OKC has been butt ugly for many decades now. It has improved dramatically but there's just this general not giving a shiz mentality here that is very hard to overcome.

I wish more money in MAPS 4 had been put into beautification. You shouldn't have to be filthy rich to live in a beautiful environment. A lot of people I know move other places to live in very modest housing just because they want to be in a beautiful environment. It's not at all hard to understand.

Jerry's is now open at 5517 N. Penn.

Jerry's is now open at 5517 N. Penn.

i drove by saturday morning just after 10am and the parking lot was completely packed.

And God help you if you suggest more money be put into beautification. "Progressives" will accuse you of not caring about poor and homeless people. Before them, it was more of a cheapskate utilitarian view from weirdo conservatives who considered beautification a "waste of taxpayers' money."

OKC has been butt ugly for many decades now. It has improved dramatically but there's just this general not giving a shiz mentality here that is very hard to overcome.

I wish more money in MAPS 4 had been put into beautification. You shouldn't have to be filthy rich to live in a beautiful environment. A lot of people I know move other places to live in very modest housing just because they want to be in a beautiful environment. It's not at all hard to understand.
That’s a pretty broad brush you paint progressives (and conservatives) with. Might surprise you to know the progressives (as well as conservatives) in our neighborhood voluntarily contribute to beautification efforts for common areas, including trash control, landscaping, etc. Shock and surprise, many volunteer to actually physically help. And, my particular street even does more. Most of us are progressive. Your premise is misguided and a misinformed characterization.

The problem here is a general culture, low economic output for the state and cities, low taxes, and generally a low self esteem for the state and city. Lots of people barely have enough to get by now and don’t want to pay any more for anything… schools, city property maintenance, art, etc. Many feel detached from the progress the city has made as they don’t feel like they are a part of it. That creates a general give a s*** attitude by many.