Plaza District

[HangryHippo]

They could have saved some money and just bought the old canine boutique sign when they went out of business and used it as their own...... "Chasing Tail"

BBates, for the win!

[warreng88]

Saw a tweet by @plazadistrict that the Plaza Discount Store is "no more". It had a picture attached to it with an area in front of the store roped off and the Plaza Discount Store sign gone.

[hatrick36]

Saw a tweet by @plazadistrict that the Plaza Discount Store is "no more". It had a picture attached to it with an area in front of the store roped off and the Plaza Discount Store sign gone.

Saw it had yellow tape out front of it yesterday. I was wondering what happened.

[CuatrodeMayo]

Well the sign has been "gone" for a while. It has literally fallen to pieces. That might have something to do with the yellow tape. I'll check it out when I go home today. EDIT: Just getting a new sign.

[EBAH]

Saw a tweet by @plazadistrict that the Plaza Discount Store is "no more". It had a picture attached to it with an area in front of the store roped off and the Plaza Discount Store sign gone.

YES!!!! This is great news, terrible products at that store. This would be such a great spot for a small mid to high end grocer! Please let it be a grocer! but really just having anything there that I wouldn't mind going in to would be an improvement

[CuatrodeMayo]

Not closing...just a new sign. Sorry.

[warreng88]

I agree EBAH, I was thinking the same thing. Unfortunately, the building is owned by Charles Shadid LLC and has been owned by it since 1974. If the LLC were smart, they would increase the rent for the discount store to get them out of there, split it up into 3-4 storefronts the size of Urban Wineworks and at least double the amount of rent they bring in. I imagine the discount store has a long lease on that property at a favorable rate.

[OKC plaza]

Shadid won't divide up the store because he would have to make an investment in the property and bring the spaces up to code.

[onthestrip]

Its either the safe, maybe lazy, way of continuing to do it the way you always have and still collect some nominal rent...

or you spend some money on some new store fronts, demising walls, and new bathrooms for each new space and you could rent it out to new, exciting tenants at a much higher per square foot rental rate.

There is no right or wrong really, but if you do the second option and put a little extra effort and money into for mutliple new tenants, you will end up with more money in your pocket.

[HangryHippo]

Shadid won't divide up the store because he would have to make an investment in the property and bring the spaces up to code.

Well then Shadid strikes me as a fool.

[warreng88]

Well then Shadid strikes me as a fool.

Go the county assessor and look at his properties. Looking through them, it doesn't surprise me that he hasn't done anything to this property since he doesn't do anything to any of his properties. He owns a rental home at 1731 NW 15th Street that has had the same boards over the windows in pictures from 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2012 (2010, 2011 and 2013 weren't available)

[warreng88]

The Plaza District tweeted a picture of the Coin Laundry with the windows gone and boards on the inside. The Tweet said, "Lookie! Lookie! @coinlaundryokc: Bye bye wash and dry plexi-glass windows and bars. You shall be missed..." So, it looks like work on the pizza place has started finally.

[Pete]

Yes, Empire Slice House (pizza place) has their own Twitter feed as well.

Looks like they are moving along.

[warreng88]

Googles Empire Slice House Oklahoma City and this article came up from the OKC Chamber website:

Popping up in the Plaza District

Neighborhood continues to gain business


More Sharing ServicesShare

Friday, February 22, 2013

by Molly J. Fleming


The Journal Record

It’s been nearly five years since Kristen Vails started work as the executive director of the 16th Street Plaza District, and the district is almost unrecognizable from when she took the reins.

“From what it was when I started, it’s just changed dramatically,” Vails said. “It’s hard to remember how it was, even though it was only five years ago.”

The district has gone from six businesses in 2007 to more than two dozen businesses this year, with more in the works.

Three more businesses have moved in through the work of investors Steve Mason, Aimee Ahpeatone and the rest of their investing team. The businesses have taken over three pieces of property that Ahpeatone and her team of investors purchased, with the last property still to be renovated.

The property is the former home of a coin laundromat, but will soon be the home of Empire Slice House, which will sell pizza by the slice and have a bar atmosphere at night. The restaurant idea was chosen through a website called popularize, where entrepreneurs submit their ideas and then the investors choose which businesses they want to have on their property.

Mason said he thinks the district will continue to be an area for people looking for that neighborhood atmosphere.

“I think if you look at the parts of town for 25- to 45-year-olds, this is their district,” Mason said. “What this area is attracting is a lot of really good people who want to bring back that Main Street attitude.”

He said he looks at his role in the area as more than a mere monetary investment.

“I think a really good investor is someone who invests for not only a good return, but you also invest for a good community,” he said.

Vails said she hopes this growth over the last five years will continue for the next five years, though there is not any property for sale. However, the property that Mason and Ahpeatone invested in wasn’t for sale, either – they approached the property owners with an offer.

She said the Friends of the Plaza plans to work on improving the neighborhood as the district grows.

“The strength of the neighborhood is important in progressing the district,” Vails said.

Greater Oklahoma City Chamber - Popping up in the Plaza District

[CuatrodeMayo]

Instagram: Instagram Twitter: https://twitter.com/CoinLaundryOKC

[warreng88]

Also, Saints tweeted a picture that they were installing railing for a patio facing 16th.

[Pete]

Yep, here's a photo of their new patio.

The Mule is updating their outdoor space as well, and we know Empire Slice with have a good-sized outdoor seating area.

[soonerguru]

Saint's is so great.

[onthestrip]

I know the patio will be used mostly at night but a few umbrellas would provide the necessary shade in the daytime.

[khook]

Work has started on the Guatemalan restaurant also. This will be a major change at the Indiana intersection..... Interesting that the 16th Street Plaza district seem to only mention the projects done by strubble.... There are many others working on the Plaza district that don't get noticed.

[Pete]

Here are some photos from the Plaza Facebook page:

[dankrutka]

Also, Saints tweeted a picture that they were installing railing for a patio facing 16th.

That's great to hear! Empire also tweeted that "That little baby window is where you'll be able to walk up and grab a slice after hours...or while cruisin the plaza streets..." A lot of good ideas are being applied in the Plaza District to cater to an active street life. The growth of this District is pretty crazy.

[catch22]

Empire Slice will be maybe the only pizza place in OKC with walk-up pizza by the slice....

I can't think of any others outside of the food court at malls.

[OKC plaza]

Work has started on the Guatemalan restaurant also. This will be a major change at the Indiana intersection..... Interesting that the 16th Street Plaza district seem to only mention the projects done by strubble.... There are many others working on the Plaza district that don't get noticed.

Struble doesn't have any current projects at the moment. They did tell me this morning they will soon be painting the exterior of the apartment building just east of the Mule to match. We do post as much exciting news as we can about all the projects happening in the district if you follow our social media posts.

Other current project updates include:

-Coin Laundry/Empire Slice which is a Sweet Sixteenth LLC project. Aiming for July
-Gautemalan store told me this weekend they expect to finish the renovation of the old gas station in a month and a half, and we got to see a lot of progress happening on the facade after the rain cleared this week.
-The Parish is currently renovating 1755 NW 16th for a coffeehouse
- Pie Junkie, which is a Sweet Sixteenth LLC project, has had inspections approved so we will see them open this May
-other improvements include the noted Saints patio, a new sign on the Plaza Discount Dollar (better than the old one at least)
-not a renovation, but Tree and Leaf Clothing is opening up a retail location in the old DNA Galleries space
-recently opened businesses include Size Records in Velvet Monkey Salon, Ruff Life Lingerie and Vintage inside Cole Dewey design, The Salvage Room and Paint N Cheers. We're excited to see some of the non-retail businesses subletting space for retail. It's a great use of space and adds to our density.

We are also seeing an increase in artists renting residential surrounding the district.

I am sure we will see some additional projects related to parking in the coming months.

[tillyato]

Thanks for the update! Do you know what the Guatemalan store is planning on doing with the old gas station building? I know they are renovating their restaurant as well, are they moving the store across the street?