What hurts my soul is that Delaware has a Nordstrom and OKC doesn't. I know, population density there, but still. There are dozens off them there within driving distance. OKC desperately needs a store like that to add credibility to our retail sector.
I second (or third) this! Took a spur of the moment long weekend to Phila. in the mid 2000s when I lived in FL and had an airline credit to use or lose and had a great time. The highlight of the weekend for me was going to a concert to hear that massive organ in that architecturally incredible space. You know President Taft spoke at its opening! Here is a link to a clip of video showcasing the sound of that organ I put on YouTube from that trip 18 years ago https://youtu.be/azZZUA9OGkQ?si=EubzkSndFcJ7ZNKk
Both statements are true.
Promenade and Penn Square were originally both outdoor shopping malls and in more established parts of town. In 1986, Promenade was re-built as an indoor mall and 1982 Penn Square was enclosed. Both in response to the indoor shopping mall boom of the 70's and 80's.
Geographically and demographically Woodland Hills and Quail Springs have a lot in common. Both were built within about 5 years of each other, Woodland Hills in 1976 and Quail Springs Mall in 1980. Both were built as multi-story indoor racetrack malls with four anchors. Both were built essentially in the "middle of nowhere" as Quail Springs was in far northwest OKC when there was very little on Memorial Road, and Woodland Hills Mall was far south Tulsa at the time with very little built east of it. With the Kilpatrick Turnpike for QSM and the expansion of HWY 169 for Woodland Hills, both malls became much more accessible to the entire city. The areas around Quail Springs Mall and Woodland Hills mall are nearly identical with big box centers and casual/fast dining locations.
However, the tenant mix of Woodland Hills and Penn Square are very similar. As it has been stated Quail Springs is not in the shape Promenade is/was before closing in September 2023, but doesn't hold the same tier of retail as PSM and Woodland Hills. I think a lot of this is based upon mall management. Simon Property Group owns both Woodland Hills and Penn Square and have managed both malls to keep their higher tier retail demand.
Most towns the size of OKC, Tulsa, Wichita, etc seem to be able to hold on to one traditional indoor shopping mall, while the other malls built either close or re-invent themselves into lifestyle centers, office space, community centers, etc.
Promenade/Southland was never a higher end mall like Penn Square. The center opened in 1965 as the Southland outdoor shopping center and was enclosed in 1986 to better compete with Southroads Mall across the street and the much larger Woodland Hills Mall, which opened in 1976. Southroads opened in 1967 as Tulsa's first enclosed mall and got the higher end stores over Promenade. Even when Southroads closed in 1997, converting to the current Big Box center, and Foleys/Macys and some other stores moved across to Promenade, Utica Square was still just three miles away and by then Woodland was the dominant regional mall. I'm not sure that Promenade was ever completely filled, even right after Southroads closed.
Penn Square wasn't always upscale at all either. 50 Penn Place was the upscale mall, though very small, but when 50 Penn emptied, Penn Square had no Utica Square to compete for stores.
Tulsa had two other "upscale" malls. The Kensington Galleria opened in 1984 but didn't last 10 years and is now an office complex. The Williams Center Forum downtown was a little more successful, opening in 1978 but was converted to office space in 1995.
There are currently 4 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 4 guests)
Bookmarks