New Retail Store Coming To Downtown Oklahoma City

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

Maybe they can move onto the canal... replace one of those here tomorrow gone today shops. The reason I say this, is because these guys ae corporate owned, so it sounds, so they should be more reliable.

[Patrick]

You're right on Nick! Unfortunately, I don't think they would've had much luck in the location they originally chose next to Club Rane on Sheridan. That are doesn't seem very conducive to retail. But, canal space seems to attract quite a bit of traffic.....and there's plenty of canal space left, especially at the canal level.

I've said this before, but for a business to success on the canal, they either need to have a lot of money up front and know the seasons of Bricktown well, or they need to have other locations to help them pony up the money to keep the Bricktown location alive during slower months. The majority of the businesses in Bricktown that are successful have other locations to make up for Bricktown losses in slow seasons (i.e. winter).
The only establishments I can think of that don't meat that criteria are Mickey Mantle Steakhouse/Stumpy's and Bricktown Brewery. The Brewery was one of the original establishments so they're pretty experienced with the Bricktown market. Mickey Mantles has a good sum of money to live off of during down months.

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

What bothers me about the canal level is that it seems trashed. There is that seafood place on the corner/end and underneat it is a bunch of sacks and garbage, etc, etc.

[Nuclear_2525]

The majority of the businesses in Bricktown that are successful have other locations to make up for Bricktown losses in slow seasons (i.e. winter).

This is what needs to change though. I know there is no comparison between OKC and NYC, but the cold months don't keep businesses from thriving in NYC. This is what OKC needs to achieve. Get enough retail and residential down there, which is happening, and it will happen. The only thing I worry about is since there is only 1 store besides Bass Pro that is opening, there won't be enough people know about it and go to it because it's easier to go to the mall where everything is together, and it will go out of business. Right now, if OKC was smart, they would set up a tax district or something so they could lure retailers to Bricktown with money. If there aren't many stores downtown, then no one is going to go downtown to shop...just too much hastle.

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

What are you suggesting? The city leaders are smart..

P.S. Oklahoma is broke. He-he.

[Patrick]

What he's suggesting is that our city leaders could do more to try to lure more retailers downtown. Obviously, they put up incentives to attract Bass Pro. They could offer other incentives to try to attract other retailers. But, I suppose if they tried that, competing retailers might threaten to sue the city for creating an unequal playing field. Everyone remember Academy vs. OKC over the Bass Pro incentives? I city is really sitting between a rock and a hard place when it comes to giving retailers incentives.

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

They give companies like Mills initiatives (I always bring this up) not companies like 7 Eleven. Small shops aren't going to get an initiative. Cheesecake Factory probably won't even, when they come in, whihc we all know will be really soon . He-he.

[Patrick]

Problem is if they give Mills an incentive, mall corporations like Simon, Macerich, and General Growth are going to claim the city is giving Mills an unfair playing field. Why should Mills be entitled to city money/incentives, and other corporate owners of local malls not entitiled to similar incentives? I'm sure Midtowner will agree with me on this one!

[Sooner&RiceGrad]

Well... I'm stumped. I think you would have a law suit there. It's not fair. Our city leaders should be able to spend money in whatever way it's people wish, not how national corporation's wish.

It's hard to point, but it's the same as the differance betwen Bass Pro and Academy. They don't compare. It's like comparing Crossroads Mall to the Houston Galleria.

[jbrown84]

Well there is a big difference between regular malls and a Mills mall, which is a fancy outlet mall really. They don't compete that much. But it still probably couldn't happen. I think we just need to be actively promoting our city to companies like Mills to develop new shopping centers.

[loganflatt]

Has anyone heard anymore on this? The name of the store? If it's actually going to happen or if it was a hoax? I would like to check out there stuff online but I don't know what the name of the store is.

"FireFly"

It's right in front of Harkin's Theater. It's going like gangbusters!

[metro]

loganflatt, yes, this has been opened for quite awhile, actually several more have popped up since then and firefly is planning another store in bricktown, the denim bar, the most recent is going to be Lit fashion over in Deep Deuce which I already mentioned a week or so ago