Whats going in next to staples and ace?

[hipsterdoofus]

Anyone know whats going in at 15th and Broadway? I meant to ask the other day when I was at Ace, but forgot. I'm glad to see that space being used - kills me to see all the new strip malls pop up when there is so much empty space in existing shopping centers.

[jsibelius]

I keep hearing it's going to be a Conn's. I have no idea if that's true.

[hipsterdoofus]

I suppose that would make sense - I looked at their website awhile back and wasn't impressed with their prices.

[FFLady]

I keep sayin' I wish they would open a Garden Ridge......my cries go unheard....

[hipsterdoofus]

I keep sayin' I wish they would open a Garden Ridge......my cries go unheard....

Yeah but they are generally a lot larger than that space, aren't they?

[Will]

I was hoping for a Border's or Hasting's.

[FFLady]

Yeah but they are generally a lot larger than that space, aren't they?

Yes, they are.....

I was hoping when the WalMart building @ 33rd & BE sold, that that's who would have bought it. Remember they weren't "disclosing" the buyer like it was some big secret? I was hoping.........

[bwana_bob]

July 23, 2008
Conn's prepares Edmond location

Conn's Appliances will go next to Staples in the former Albertsons at 15th and Broadway in Edmond. BY DAVID MCDANIEL, THE OKLAHOMAN

By Jason Singer
Staff Writer
Although it resembles a demolition site at the moment, the building that previously housed an Albertsons grocery store at 15th and Broadway in Edmond soon will have a new tenant.

Conn's Appliances, an appliance and electronics retail chain, is renovating 32,000 square feet of the former grocery store in anticipation of an October opening. Staples, an office supply retailer, opened next door in September. The stores are in the Edmond Plaza shopping center on the second busiest intersection in Edmond. More than 60,500 cars pass the intersection a day, according to city of Edmond figures.
Conn's originally anticipated a late spring opening but was delayed on construction projects nationwide because of winter ice storms and heavy spring rains, said David Trahan, the chain's president of retail.
The new Conn's store will continue the company's foray into Oklahoma.
"We really like the market,” Trahan said. "Bottom line, we want to be where the population is. Edmond fits our business model.”
Conn's has 73 stores, mostly throughout Texas and Louisiana, but opened its first store in Oklahoma in January. After the Oklahoma City location was successful, Conn's decided to expand its in-state operation.
"When it's all said and done, we feel like it's a five- or six-store market,” Trahan said. "In '09, we really like Norman.”
Conn's sells "pretty much anything for the home,” Trahan said. Its departments include furniture, lawn and garden, appliances and electronics, among others.
Conn's has continued to grow during the past few years, despite a struggling market and decreased consumer spending. The company earned $218.6 million in the first three months of 2008, a 6.5 percent increase form last year's first quarter. But local competitors aren't worried about Conn's arrival.
"We really don't care,” said Sean Spears, manager at RadioShack's Edmond location. Spears said his store will keep focusing on customer service.
Edmond also has several independently owned appliance and electronics stores, which could be affected by a chain's ability to offer more products and lower prices. But some customers said they will avoid chains, regardless of their advantages.

[jsibelius]

I was hoping for a Border's or Hasting's.

I would dearly love for Hastings to bring a location here, but I think in this economy, they would be wise to watch their bottom line carefully. They've already been through one bankruptcy in the early to mid-90s. It would kill me to see them go under.

I wouldn't hate having a nice big bookstore somewhere closer to home than Memorial, but for now, it is nice that Edmond seems to be able to support some mom and pop bookshops. I hope it stays that way.

Thanks for posting the confirmation about Conn's. It will be interesting to go check the store itself out once it opens up. Looks like next month?

[scootinger]

Does anyone know if Conn's is even doing well in the OKC market? It seems like they are picking very odd locations (ie NW Expressway across from Integris, and 15th & Broadway in Edmond) that do get a lot of traffic, but aren't all that well-suited for retail. I've been in the NW Expressway location a couple of times and there are usually only a couple of customers the store. I actually bought a TV stand there..it was on sale for a very good price, but the store seemed pretty messy and disorganized, especially since there's several display televisions simply sitting on the floor over in the furniture section. The store seems to have a very "traditional" commission-based sales model, which I don't think is very popular anymore. When I bought my TV stand it took about 25 minutes or so to pay for the $50 TV stand and take it out to my car...my experiences with Circuit City/Sears/etc have been a LOT faster! Plus the salesperson asked to write down my drivers license number just for purchasing a $50 item with my MasterCard. BIG no no.

I'm really puzzled as to how a company like Conn's manages to stay in business and have such ambitious growth plans in Oklahoma. I suppose that they must have really good brand recognition in their home territory in Texas or something, and that's the only way they stay in business?

[progressiveboy]

I would think they are doing well since they are already in Oklahoma City and they are also opening a store in South OKC. They do well in Texas and Louisiana so I am pretty sure they will do well here or they would not even consider opening multiple locations.

[jbrown84]

They are also putting one into an existing strip mall on I-240.

If nothing else, I'm glad to see a company that is reusing existing structures and bringing new life to strip centers that are missing anchors.

Most big box stores want to build free standing or be in a brand new development these days.

[scootinger]

I would think they are doing well since they are already in Oklahoma City and they are also opening a store in South OKC. They do well in Texas and Louisiana so I am pretty sure they will do well here or they would not even consider opening multiple locations.

I think I remember them announcing their plans to expand even before they opened their existing store...but I'm not sure!

They are also putting one into an existing strip mall on I-240.

If nothing else, I'm glad to see a company that is reusing existing structures and bringing new life to strip centers that are missing anchors.

Most big box stores want to build free standing or be in a brand new development these days.

Totally agreed!

[OKCitizen]

I was hoping for an Ultimate Pizza. They buy used Walmarts and convert them. Too bad.

[bluedogok]

We have bought a a few things at Conn's here in Austin, their "regular" prices are about the same as everyone's list price but they have some good sale prices and some unadvertised in-store sales. We bought a 32" Toshiba LCD HDTV on a sale there and it was $100 less than Costco. As far as salespeople, some may be more like what Circuit City used to be but with the TV, I went in and asked for the one in the ad and was out of there in about 10 minutes one day at lunch. When we bought our new range from them, they took the old one as part of the delivery fee.

They tend to go into existing mid-priced locations instead of the "hot" location of the moment, the value is better at a place that has been abandoned for whatever place is newer. Pretty much all of the ones here are like that, in more "older" locations than most stores they compete against.

[jungllejane]

We have bought a a few things at Conn's here in Austin, their "regular" prices are about the same as everyone's list price but they have some good sale prices and some unadvertised in-store sales. We bought a 32" Toshiba LCD HDTV on a sale there and it was $100 less than Costco. As far as salespeople, some may be more like what Circuit City used to be but with the TV, I went in and asked for the one in the ad and was out of there in about 10 minutes one day at lunch. When we bought our new range from them, they took the old one as part of the delivery fee.

They tend to go into existing mid-priced locations instead of the "hot" location of the moment, the value is better at a place that has been abandoned for whatever place is newer. Pretty much all of the ones here are like that, in more "older" locations than most stores they compete against.

oooo I would love it if we would get Costco!!! I LOVE Costco =) soo much better than sam's!

[jsibelius]

oooo I would love it if we would get Costco!!! I LOVE Costco =) soo much better than sam's!

The only think I don't like about Costco vs. Sam's is that at Sam's, you can walk out without letting anyone inspect your receipt. I don't know that anyone ever does, but you can. At Costco, that stunt will get your membership revoked.

[oneforone]

I have shopped the warehouse clubs over the years. I can honestly say only time the membership comes in handy is when I needed to serve food to a large group of people or I needed tires. Other than that you can find most of the stuff they sale at any superstore.