Oklahoma Factory Shoppes - I40 & Council

[Jesseda]

The wife insists we go this evening...if I survive, I'll report back.

oh no he never reported back, it must be bad at that outlet, we lost one of our own!!!!

[Double Edge]

Flesh Mob

[Spartan]

Hey Spartan, what does the polo outlet charge for their typical solid color polo?

$20-30, a really great deal, because those are pretty much all I wear. To tell the truth though, you do sometimes have to inspect the entire shirt first, because they will mix in the lightly damaged shirts along with all of the surplus.

I say the Dillard's monopoly because Macy's carries a fraction of the stock that the Penn Square Dillard's has, but Macy's also has Lacoste, albeit like one rack (the metro's Lacoste rack Lol).

[redrunner]

$20-30, a really great deal, because those are pretty much all I wear. To tell the truth though, you do sometimes have to inspect the entire shirt first, because they will mix in the lightly damaged shirts along with all of the surplus.

I say the Dillard's monopoly because Macy's carries a fraction of the stock that the Penn Square Dillard's has, but Macy's also has Lacoste, albeit like one rack (the metro's Lacoste rack Lol).

Are the only sizes left size fat?

[lasomeday]

Has anybody tried Smashburger? I am going to try to make it there tonight!

[soonerguru]

Has anybody tried Smashburger? I am going to try to make it there tonight!

Smashburger is awesome! Their fries are outstanding, too. I liked it a lot better than Five Guys.

[redrunner]

Made it out to the Shoppes tonight and was expecting to sort through the scraps but surprisingly there was a lot of selection still available in all sizes. Everything at Polo RL was 25% off and everything at Banana Republic was 40% off. Nike and J Crew had a lot of good stuff too. I was surprised to see Book Warehouse taking up way too much space than they need. There's too much dead space in between the shelves. It takes up two suites. Would be nice if they consolidated into one and allowed another retailer to take the other. I only noticed lines outside the door at Coach and Smashburger.

[lasomeday]

I was in the line at Smashburger! It was awesome! I got the Oklahoma Burger, Sweet potato fries, and a shake. The burger and fries were awesome! The meat on the burger was flavorful and the toppings were a bit salty, but good. The fries had a sweet rosemary taste. The shake was OK. You can't get a shake better than Braums.

I was also surprised the shelves were still stocked. I finally made into Under Armour. Their shelves were picked pretty hard, but they still had what I wanted! I agree on the bookstore, what a waste of space! It is the only store that is sprawled out. Every other store has shelves everywhere.

I also made it into a lot of other stores. They all had a great selection. I peared into the Coach store and it looked INSANE in there still at 9PM at night! The line wasn't too long out the door, but it wrapped around inside to a few shelves that had purple purses on it. I have no idea what women see in that store!

I wasn't sure, but I think Gigi's cupcakes has a place there. It doesn't really have a sign, but it has a banner inside. I hope it has a store there. It would be the first cupcake place on the westside.

The place was packed, but everyone was happy to be there.

[Rover]

Smashburger is awesome! Their fries are outstanding, too. I liked it a lot better than Five Guys.

No way. 5 guys is awesome. But I liked SB in Wichita...however, it has since folded for lack of business.

Have you tried Cow Calf Hay restaurant at 33rd & Broadway in Edmond? All fresh, all juicy and all great. And local too.

[ljbab728]

The city is going to have to address the I-40/Council intersection in the near future. They need at least two defined lanes to exit not just one.

That expense is not justified based on traffic from a perfect storm like this weekend. You could say the same thing about the I35 and the exits in Norman on OU game days. The traffic will even out and the current configuration should be fine.

[bbhill]

I went yesterday around 6pm when the storm was brewing and the dust that was blowing in and around the mall was a nightmare. I hope they do something about this soon. Also, I felt that the mall in general was pretty trashy. I know its opening weekend and they are busy and all, but dang, I've never seen such a dirty place. Not particularly impressed with the architecture and construction quality either. . . Not to be a negative jerk, but it seems like OKC has been shafted once again with a subpar development. I've been to other outlet malls in Texas and they just all seem to be a bit nicer. I think there's enough wealth in OKC that we can start having nice things too. . .

All of my complaining aside, I'm glad this project is complete and we now have loads of new shopping options. I'm hopeful that this place will attract the right crowd and will have a successful future.

[Rover]

I went yesterday around 6pm when the storm was brewing and the dust that was blowing in and around the mall was a nightmare. I hope they do something about this soon. Also, I felt that the mall in general was pretty trashy. I know its opening weekend and they are busy and all, but dang, I've never seen such a dirty place. Not particularly impressed with the architecture and construction quality either. . . Not to be a negative jerk, but it seems like OKC has been shafted once again with a subpar development. I've been to other outlet malls in Texas and they just all seem to be a bit nicer. I think there's enough wealth in OKC that we can start having nice things too. . .

All of my complaining aside, I'm glad this project is complete and we now have loads of new shopping options. I'm hopeful that this place will attract the right crowd and will have a successful future.

This is the same architecture and construction they use in many states and cities...exactly like one I've been to between Seattle and Vancouver. And, the ones I have been too in Texas are comparable. North Texas...mostly dead and never much from design or construction. Grapevine Mills...BIG and cheap building. Allen....big strip mall. This is competitive. Outlet malls by their nature aren't going to be fancy edifices. Glad we have one though. It is just another piece of the shopping puzzle here that we didn't have.

[Snowman]

That expense is not justified based on traffic from a perfect storm like this weekend. You could say the same thing about the I35 and the exits in Norman on OU game days. The traffic will even out and the current configuration should be fine.

Both Rockwell and Council tend to get backed up enough that normal rush hour traffic often fills the entire ramp going westbound for the last several years and periodically spill into the interstate shoulder, Morgan use to do the same even worse but in theory the new interchange is more efficient and will have more space for queuing anyway. MacArthur and Meridian were upgraded a few years ago adding additional queuing capacity, so it seems ODOT will continue the trend in the area eventually.

[Jettmiester]

Harolds was subpar, unstylish merchandise at luxury prices.

I remember Harolds being high end, but not unstylish, well, unless they became that way. I hadn't shopped at a Harolds since 1993 or so. When I moved back to the area recenlty, they were gone.

[metro]

I remember Harolds being high end, but not unstylish, well, unless they became that way. I hadn't shopped at a Harolds since 1993 or so. When I moved back to the area recenlty, they were gone.

It was grandpa wear at Ralph Lauren prices

[Jettmiester]

Now, thats funny! 100% polyester expandomatic pants. lol

[bluedogok]

Grapevine Mills...BIG and cheap building.

Didn't Grapevine Mills used to be a regular shopping mall that was converted into an outlet center? It sure looks like it.

Now, thats funny! 100% polyester expandomatic pants. lol

I never saw a pair of those in there......I used to shop there quite a bit until I got too big for their shirt sizes in the late 90's. It was always very nice traditional clothing. It was never metrosexual club wear, you had to go to Oak Tree for that.

[Jettmiester]

Anthony's had the polyester expandomatics.

[SatelliteHigh]

I went yesterday around 6pm when the storm was brewing and the dust that was blowing in and around the mall was a nightmare. I hope they do something about this soon.

I agree that the large dirt fields are kind of odd. I would think they would try to grow grass there, at least for aesthetic reasons. More than that though, I find it hard to understand why those fields can't just be turned into parking lots.

Also, I felt that the mall in general was pretty trashy. I know its opening weekend and they are busy and all, but dang, I've never seen such a dirty place.

I work in security for the mall, so I've been there 12 hours a day since the VIP opening. The the up-keeping has definitely been sub-par, but with the sheer number of people there, I can't imagine a janitorial staff being able to keep the entire place that tidy. Lets say a janitorial staff of 8 will be needed for the mall. It's not like they are going to hire 20 just for the grand opening and then lay off 12 people. I suppose it would be difficult to find temporary 3-day janitors.

Also, I'll point out that you were there during the strong winds. When the winds blew through the mall, it blew tons of trash out through the corridors. I don't know where it all came from, but after the winds died down going down the corridors was like walking through a land fill. The other days and times were nothing like that.

[Rover]

Didn't Grapevine Mills used to be a regular shopping mall that was converted into an outlet center? It sure looks like it.

It was built as an outlet. It is exactly the same plan as the Ontario Mills outlet mall in Los Angeles.

[bluedogok]

I agree that the large dirt fields are kind of odd. I would think they would try to grow grass there, at least for aesthetic reasons. More than that though, I find it hard to understand why those fields can't just be turned into parking lots.

Probably those will be temporary parking during the opening rush, after things settle down the only time there might be someone parking there is around Christmas. It doesn't make economic nor environmental sense to pave over those areas if they are going to be rarely used. To put enough water on it to heat it grow and root in would be making in t muddy and not a suitable parking are. With the current heat/drought it would be hard to get grass to root in and then park cars on it at this time effectively wasting a bunch of money of sod that is going to be killed and have to be replaced later.

It was built as an outlet. It is exactly the same plan as the Ontario Mills outlet mall in Los Angeles.

I wasn't sure, it looked like an older mall converted to me.

[adaniel]

Probably those will be temporary parking during the opening rush, after things settle down the only time there might be someone parking there is around Christmas. It doesn't make economic nor environmental sense to pave over those areas if they are going to be rarely used. To put enough water on it to heat it grow and root in would be making in t muddy and not a suitable parking are. With the current heat/drought it would be hard to get grass to root in and then park cars on it at this time effectively wasting a bunch of money of sod that is going to be killed and have to be replaced later.

Wasn't it mentioned that the mall would like to expand in the future? I would think with this factor alone they would want to avoid hogging that space up for parking, which would have to be graded, sloped for drainage, paved, only to be torn up in the future. At the very least, they may want to sell the land as outparcels for restaraunts, other shops, etc.

If this past opening weekend is any indication of how successful this mall will be I will imagine one or both of these scenarios will happen pretty soon.

[G.Walker]

I think its too early to determine the success of the outlet mall at this point, its grand opening weekend, and tax free weekend at that, of course it will be crowded. I would wait at least a year to rate this development as an success/fail, after the hype has calmed down. Moreover, we will see how many of those stores renew their leases, after initial leasing agreements have lapsed. Nonetheless, good and much needed development for OKC.

[onthestrip]

I think its too early to determine the success of the outlet mall at this point, its grand opening weekend, and tax free weekend at that, of course it will be crowded. I would wait at least a year to rate this development as an success/fail, after the hype has calmed down. Moreover, we will see how many of those stores renew their leases, after initial leasing agreements have lapsed. Nonetheless, good and much needed development for OKC.

Id say the fact that it opened 100% leased is reason to believe that it is and will continue to be a success. Theyve said they can add 60,000sf of more space which wouldnt surprise me if they did. And those dirt lots around the parking lots will most likely be restaurants in the future.

[poe]

It'd be nice to one day see a Pottery Barn Outlet or some other type of furniture outlet here.