What's missing in OKC?

[Patrick]

Here's a good one.....we really need a decent Farmer's Public Market downtown. Unfortunately, the current owners of Farmer's Public Market haven't invested the money into the facility that I had hoped.

A downtown craft village or craft mall might be a nice addition!

[Patrick]

A hotel in the Stockyards City District would really jumpstart the revival in that area. I'd love to see us have a first class Stockyards entertainment district like that found in Ft. Worth.

[mranderson]

A hotel in the Stockyards City District would really jumpstart the revival in that area. I'd love to see us have a first class Stockyards entertainment district like that found in Ft. Worth.

We could call it "The Cattle Prod Inn."

[metro]

It sounds like some of you are missing the original point, a grocery store although needed does not sound to leisurely to me

[mranderson]

It sounds like some of you are missing the original point, a grocery store although needed does not sound to leisurely to me

A grocery store is usually a very small, intimate business. A super market is the one that is large and not leisurely. There IS a difference.

[Patrick]

I find every trip to Kamps market pure leisure.

[Karried]

Nothing relaxes me more than a trip to my local market....the long lines. the beep, beep of the register, the crying and screaming kids... ahh, I can just feel the stress melting away....

LOL just teasing Mr Anderson......

[floater]

I find every trip to Kamps market pure leisure.

Nothing relaxes me more than a trip to my local market....the long lines. the beep, beep of the register, the crying and screaming kids... ahh, I can just feel the stress melting away....

LOL just teasing Mr Anderson......

You guys crack me up.

Leisure or not, it's needed.

A huge toy store with lots of "come try me" stuff. If Bricktown is a family entertainment district, this would help stamp that designation. Maybe something like the Crayola Store and Cafe in KC.

Or a science store like the Museum or Discovery stores.

How about a craft center sponsored by the local giant Hobby Lobby, with staff to show you how to make stuff? Maybe they could partner with the art museum and have demonstrations?

It'd also be cool to have a culinary school in Bricktown, with reduced-price gourmet cuisine and a demonstration kitchen. Purists would probably insist this be in N. Western or at least the arts district, though.

Mike, if you told us what your interests are, we can help you deduce what would be successful in Bricktown.

[mike]

thank you all again... my interests are so varied it's ridiculous. i like the family atmosphere theme that keeps coming up though. i'm currently a minister and my wife a stay at home mom, so family is important to us. keep the ideas coming... except the grocery store ideas... you can keep those ideas.

[designguy]

Dave and Busters PLEASE!!!

[dirtrider73068]

Roof top putt-putt. I love it that would be cool!

[metro]

keep the ideas coming... except the grocery store ideas... you can keep those ideas.

Exactly my point, although going to a small market may be leisurely for some consumers, it does not sound leisurely as a business owners perspective which is what he was asking for. I also do not think if you looked grocery store or local market in the phone directory that it would be under leisure or recreation. I think he was referring more to some type of entertainment

[HOT ROD]

Here are some of my ideas.

1) Street vendors. OKC needs more streetlife in downtown, especially during Hornets/Blazers/Redhawks games and concerts. There should be performers outside of the venues and on the streets selling candy and snack dogs, as well as tourist trinkets and performing street music. This will definitely improve the urban feel of downtown and will enclose the"product" of Downtown Oklahoma City.

2) A downtown bookstore. This is greatly needed and desired. All big cities have a big downtown bookstore and OKC needs one. It could be themed or chain - although I would prefer a themed one in Bricktown vs. a chain. The rest of downtown could be available for chains and local.

3) Streetfront Retail establishments. I've mentioned this before, that downtown needs more retail on the street level of the skyscrapers. It should be filled with mom/pop restaurants, chains, boutiques, and even fast food walkups. Anything to promote/encourage/cator to pedestrian traffic in the CBD! Once again, urban feel!

4) A REAL tour company. Sure OKC has the city owned and operated Trolly system. But OKC needs a REAL tour company - like Grey Line, who is for profit and can offer a choreographed tour of the city.

5) Amusement attractions. Such as those already mentioned. We need as many attractions and diversions in downtown as possible!

6) Grocery stores. As already mentioned. With underground parking - upscale and urban!! No parking lots!

7) Pharmacy. Ditto on the parking as above.



I understand that these items may be above the investment capability of a single investor, but I think this list would completely address OKC's immediate concerns. We all have voiced our opinion about the market or mentioned improvements based on other cities' amenities - but my opinion is from a tourist's point of view. Having just returned from OKC a month ago, we were impressed with the amenities of downtown but disappointed in the lack of urban feel and offerings.

We should not have had to hop in the car to go to the pharmacy. And a tour company sure would have been a nice venue that we would have used. You guys may not think you can afford high end retail - but most visitors (like US) can. We surely would have spent $1000 or more if OKC had shopping downtown! We ended up splitting that amount between Penn Sq and Quail (5 and 15 miles from downtown).

What about fast food and regular eateries in the rest of downtown? I understand we want Bricktown to be unique and local - but walk up McDonalds (no drive thru or parking) in the CBD would do wonders!!! There should be more to offer than just the "expensive touristy" joints in Bricktown. This would create a DOWNTOWN economy that cators to EVERYONE!!

Continue the Renaissance!

[Karried]

You know I just realized that there are NO gas stations downtown!! At least I couldn't find any while driving on Empty the other day in a panic! What gives? I finally found a Shell on Broadway and 10th (I think) ... thank goodness.

I've never run out of gas before and I didn't want to experience but seriously, I found no gas stations downtown. I thought that was strange.

[mranderson]

You know I just realized that there are NO gas stations downtown!! At least I couldn't find any while driving on Empty the other day in a panic! What gives? I finally found a Shell on Broadway and 10th (I think) ... thank goodness.

I've never run out of gas before and I didn't want to experience but seriously, I found no gas stations downtown. I thought that was strange.

Actually, there is one. It is at the edge of Bricktown next to the Coca Cola Events Center on Reno.

[metro]

You know I just realized that there are NO gas stations downtown!! At least I couldn't find any while driving on Empty the other day in a panic! What gives? I finally found a Shell on Broadway and 10th (I think) ... thank goodness.

Actually, there are several, there is a new one between the arts district and Midtown, there is also one on Broadway and 10th which is still downtown, there is also the one in Bricktown as well as 2 others and the streets skip me at this time, I think Reno and something near the edge of downtown over by the county jail. There is also several walk-up restaurants in the CBD but yes we do need more. The key to getting more is supporting the ones we have. I know there is Chick Fila and Subway as well as several others, there is alot of mom and pops which is even better. There is also several underground both in the conncourse and in basements and first floors of several of the office buildings. I know Leadership square also has some walk-ups.

[gbyte]

Something that seems to be a common theme is putt-putt style but you could expand it to be like some of the places that also have a few batting cages perhaps a couple of indoor golf (not really a driving range but one of the items that helps people look at swing pattern with a given club).

Basically make it a varied sports equipment / park with different things for different people. If you could do it right outside of the Bricktown area where more land is available perhaps a small pitch 'n putt course besides just the putt-putt stuff. (I miss the pitch 'n putt course that Stillwater used to have).

You could basically rent out equipment, sell some equipment, and even have books on how to improve their games but yet still have a wide variety of activities for the different people in families.



For bookstore so many of them are getting to just be the same type of format (have some reading areas, maybe a couple group areas, with a little music section, and a franchised coffee shop). I would like to see something that is different than one of those but perhaps have some of the relaxed atmosphere still.

Perhaps a miniature bookstore / cyber cafe combination and I'm sure if you do well you could convince some coffee shop to pay rent for a space in there

[HOT ROD]

There is also several walk-up restaurants in the CBD but yes we do need more. The key to getting more is supporting the ones we have. I know there is Chick Fila and Subway as well as several others, there is alot of mom and pops which is even better. There is also several underground both in the conncourse and in basements and first floors of several of the office buildings. I know Leadership square also has some walk-ups.

I was just in OKC for vacation and I didnt see any! We were sorely disappointed that a city that big doesnt have a vibrant street scene - not even considering any comparisons to other cities. There just was not any 'commerce' in the CBD, and I know street front restaurants in those empty skyscrapers I drove and walked up and down the streets would surely help.

You have to remember, YOU know where things are "here, there, underground, whatever, ..." but what about US - tourists? WE need to know so WE can spend our $$$ in your city!!!

And Street Front retail at the skyscrapers would surely be difficult to miss.