Horn Seed Company

[SoonerQueen]

So sad to see tonight that Horn Seed Company is closing. I have shopped there for years and we always buy our Christmas decorations there. They are definitely part of Oklahoma City history.

[Prunepicker]

I didn't know that. Horn's was an annual staple for our plant purchases.
They'll be missed.

[wsucougz]

Wow, that's too bad. I wonder why they are hanging it up.

[PennyQuilts]

I grew up with my green thumb grandmother constantly in their establishment. Sorry to hear the news.

[wsucougz]

http://newsok.com/horn-seed-co.-to-c...rticle/3699256

[bluedogok]

I worked there for a year in the mid-80's.

[metro]

Sad news. After reading the article it sounds like they didn't have a business plan and were living off legacy. Goes to show the importance of valuing a business plan and marketing your business properly.

[BBatesokc]

Sad news. After reading the article it sounds like they didn't have a business plan and were living off legacy. Goes to show the importance of valuing a business plan and marketing your business properly.

Were we reading the same article? I didn't see anything about a business plan or indication of a lack-thereof. I read their rent keeps going up, and they've recently suffered a fire, two hail storms and a devastating drought. I'd imagine overall their margins are modest and the business requires numerous employees, lots of hands on work and most likely a pretty hefty utility bill each month. Sure they have a legacy - but that is simply because they've been doing things 'right' long enough to outlast most other businesses. Seems like a pretty good business plan to me. Should they have secured ownership of their property? Probably, but many (if not most) businesses rent the land they sit on and its an operational expense. Relocating is very expensive and often detrimental to a business with a well known reputation that is tied to a longstanding location.

I would stop in every so often and their inventory, cleanliness and customer service seemed to always be what made them a 'legacy.' Many of their prices could not compete with big box hardware/garden stores and I'd assume that hurt them as much as anything else. But, the store had definite charm that will be lost forever.

Not saying they did or didn't have a text book business plan (you certainly can't draw a conclusion either way from the article), but I'd argue most locally owned and operated businesses are far less 'planned' than many people know.

[wsucougz]

Sad news. After reading the article it sounds like they didn't have a business plan and were living off legacy. Goes to show the importance of valuing a business plan and marketing your business properly.

I'd been telling the owners for some time to bring you in as a consultant.

[Brett]

The old Horn Seed building has been tagged with the dreaded fluorescent orange "MW". It won't be long until Midwest Wrecking will have heavy equipment working to raze the site.

[chuck5815]

The old Horn Seed building has been tagged with the dreaded fluorescent orange "MW". It won't be long until Midwest Wrecking will have heavy equipment working to raze the site.

I can’t imagine there is anything planned for that tract at this point, given where we are in the credit cycle. Weird choice to knock it down right now.

[Pete]

I've been watching this property for a couple of weeks.

[ditm4567]

1) This property has been the subject of two commercial fires in the last two years, with the most recent just three weeks ago.

2) Prior to this economic downturn, the plan for this location was something that would appeal to most in this city, and even those on this site.

[HangryHippo]

2) Prior to this economic downturn, the plan for this location was something that would appeal to most in this city, and even those on this site.

What a tease.

[Ward]

I miss that place. Loved Herschel and Dorothy. My parents owned a greenhouse and nursery in SW Oklahoma and bought wholesale from them for many decades. In fact my Mother was pregnant with me and going there, so I can say I’d been going there longer than I was alive.

[Teo9969]

Does this lot extend all the way to the corner of NXW/Classen?

It's not going to happen, but i've always thought this would be an unbelievable location for a "multi-modal" hub with shopping/retail. If you run the street car up Classen to 63rd/Western(ish), then having it stop here along with making this the bus hub to the NW side of the city, I think you'd be able to actually provide quality service in that situation because you now could make this hub a transfer center. Buses could operate in specific areas as circulators to the BRT on NXW and occasionally running full routes to here, where the bus pass could give you a transfer to downtown via the street car.

This would also be a perfect place to house a "storage locker" where shoppers could circulate amongst Penn Square/OAK/Classen Curve/NHP/ETC, and stash their things until they're done shopping.

[Pete]

Just took these:

[stlokc]

I'd never really thought about that property much, but the more I do think about it, it really is situated in nearly the perfect location, isn't it? The junction point between the older core neighborhoods, Classen Curve/Nichols Hills, the great areas along Western, and the main artery to the NW suburban areas. This really would be the perfect place for something unique and of very high quality.

As long as Edna's always gets left alone just as it is, thank you very much.

[SEMIweather]

I'd never really thought about that property much, but the more I do think about it, it really is situated in nearly the perfect location, isn't it? The junction point between the older core neighborhoods, Classen Curve/Nichols Hills, the great areas along Western, and the main artery to the NW suburban areas. This really would be the perfect place for something unique and of very high quality.

As long as Edna's always gets left alone just as it is, thank you very much.

I feel similarly about 51st Street Speakeasy. Probably half of my top 10 favorite concerts have been there.

[Teo9969]

Wouldn't mind them knocking down those restaurants at all...Now's the perfect time!!

[Rover]

Wouldn't mind them knocking down those restaurants at all...Now's the perfect time!!

So, why do you want to tear down IHOP and the Mexican restaurant?

[chuck5815]

So, why do you want to tear down IHOP and the Mexican restaurant?

That's a very small tract, and it looks like the south/east ROWs would be almost impossible to modify.

Any material ("BLC") development would need to, at a minimum, include the Mexican restaurant tract and maybe even the piece to the west.

[Rover]

That's a very small tract, and it looks like the south/east ROWs would be almost impossible to modify.

Any material ("BLC") development would need to, at a minimum, include the Mexican restaurant tract and maybe even the piece to the west.

I think the Housley Brothers store between the Courtyard and the demo site would be most important to acquire to build a consistent south face to the property. Also a small piece on the east end owned by View Point Holdings. The Gonzales family (Fire Place Club Inc.) has the Milagros property and I doubt would sell unless they just have to. A couple out of LA owns the IHOP property. I would guess it was probably a 1031 exchange and would create a huge tax consequence if they sell (just speculating).

[Teo9969]

So, why do you want to tear down IHOP and the Mexican restaurant?

I'm certain we can find higher and better use in this area. Perhaps not within the next 3 years, but surely within the next 10. When I said "Now's the perfect time" specifically I meant now's the perfect time to buy given how hard this whole thing is going to hit restaurants. Might as well bring all the land together now while it's still relatively cost effective.

[Rover]

I'm certain we can find higher and better use in this area. Perhaps not within the next 3 years, but surely within the next 10. When I said "Now's the perfect time" specifically I meant now's the perfect time to buy given how hard this whole thing is going to hit restaurants. Might as well bring all the land together now while it's still relatively cost effective.

I have a better idea.... let's help local business owners who are hit hard stay in business instead of taking advantage of their difficulty and trying to be vultures so we can put up new buildings some people may like.