Top 5 stores (retail, grocery or otherwise) you wish we had in OKC

[Soonerman]

I think changing the liquor laws would be huge plus at getting World Market to come here as well, Then again they do have stores in Kansas and Colorado.

[Snowman]

[QUOTE=UnclePete;662074]

I have often wondered why national or even regional chains avoid Oklahoma. Not only grocery stores, but also gas stations. Is our business climate as bad as it seems?

Gas stations made a little more sense though when we have below average prices on fuel and back in the day Philips, Conoco and Loves were all based out of here. I think even Kerr-Mcgee even had a lot of stations too.

[bchris02]

Kroger makes a lot off of their liquor and wine sales, so I would say it would definitely help get them in here. Of course I would also like to see Giant Eagle here, but they are more so regional and not national.

That would be nice. Considering most cities have nice grocery stores at virtually every major intersection, I bet there would be significant construction if/when the laws change. It would be nice to see it get that way here. I wish Reasor's would expand into Central Oklahoma and they are more likely to without a change in the laws. Reasor's is the kind of store OKC needs. Anybody know what is keeping them out? Does Tulsa have less Wal-Mart loyalty and thus are able to support them?

http://www.newson6.com/story/19956671/reasors-opens

It reminds me of the grocery stores in Charlotte.

Much, much better than the typical OKC standard.

[bluedogok]

Most cities don't any more, there are all sorts of former grocery store locations in South Austin that I could point out but as HEB and others grew the footprint they also cut down on the number of locations. There used to be a Safeway store every few miles in my parents area, there was one at NW 16th & Meridian, at NW 23rd & Ann Arbor, NW 16th & Drexel, NW 10th & Rockwell and others. They started closing up stores as they went to bigger stores and then closed most of those when it became Homeland when Safeway was selling off entire markets (like all the stores in Oklahoma and Texas) because of their financial problems in the 80's.

If Reasor's is the store that I am thinking of they have been in Tulsa much longer than any Walmart store let alone a grocery or supercenter. It isn't so much a "loyalty" that people have to Walmart as it is about other, better options. OKC just doesn't have many since many of the chains shut down or left the market.

[bchris02]

If Reasor's is the store that I am thinking of they have been in Tulsa much longer than any Walmart store let alone a grocery or supercenter. It isn't so much a "loyalty" that people have to Walmart as it is about other, better options. OKC just doesn't have many since many of the chains shut down or left the market.

The other options left the market because Wal-Mart put them out. It could be argued that they did it to themselves by not even trying to compete. It's been said here that Albertson's were lower quality in OKC compared to other markets, but nonetheless they couldn't compete and left the market. I think people underestimate Wal-Mart's aggressiveness in this market. Their strategy was to run everything else out intentionally. This was a test market for them to see if they could do it. They have almost succeeded.

[okcpulse]

I believe Reasor's is planning a store in Edmond by Spring Creek. I am not sure what is the current status. I do know that Spring Creek's developer ran into some issues with expanding north on Bryant, however I am not sure if that had any impact.

[bchris02]

I believe Reasor's is planning a store in Edmond by Spring Creek. I am not sure what is the current status. I do know that Spring Creek's developer ran into some issues with expanding north on Bryant, however I am not sure if that had any impact.

As of last fall it was being protested by NIMBYs. I haven't heard or seen anything recently regarding it so its possible it may have been cancelled.

[rlewis]

As of last fall it was being protested by NIMBYs. I haven't heard or seen anything recently regarding it so its possible it may have been cancelled.

The development (or at least a portion of the development) was approved by the Edmond planning commission last year. It looks like they've done some site work at the location, but not much else. I'm assuming they are waiting on the street work on Bryant to reach a certain stage before they start constructing the shopping center in earnest. Also I think there are still some unresolved issues on whether or not the grocery store will be open 24 hours a day.

[Jeepnokc]

1. Costco
2. Morton's Steakhouse (Although Red Prime runs a close second as far as favorite steakhouse)
3. Trader Joes
4. Ikea
5.In n out burgers

I have seen the thread/rumor on Ruth Chris...I hope it's not true. I have had better steaks and service from IHOP than Ruth Chris'

[bchris02]

The development (or at least a portion of the development) was approved by the Edmond planning commission last year. It looks like they've done some site work at the location, but not much else. I'm assuming they are waiting on the street work on Bryant to reach a certain stage before they start constructing the shopping center in earnest. Also I think there are still some unresolved issues on whether or not the grocery store will be open 24 hours a day.

I hope Reasor's does well if/when it gets built. Anybody who wants to see better grocery options in this city should shop there when it opens if possible. If the Edmond location is a hit it wouldn't surprise me to see them expand through the rest of the metro.

[bluedogok]

The other options left the market because Wal-Mart put them out. It could be argued that they did it to themselves by not even trying to compete. It's been said here that Albertson's were lower quality in OKC compared to other markets, but nonetheless they couldn't compete and left the market. I think people underestimate Wal-Mart's aggressiveness in this market. Their strategy was to run everything else out intentionally. This was a test market for them to see if they could do it. They have almost succeeded.

The first WM Neighborhood Market didn't open until the late-90's (I think NW 23rd & MacArthur was the first one which was in a former Walmart store), well after the other chains in OKC were having issues and were shedding stores and payroll. I knew many who worked at Albertson's (under the various names) since I worked there in 1980-82 (NW 23rd & Rockwell) and many were still there into the early 90's. Most of them (and long time Safeway/Homeland employees that I knew) had been through many rounds of (big) pay cuts well before Walmart entered the market. There were plenty of other chains that went under before WM started selling groceries anywhere, some of the old timers could probably rattle off the names better than I could. I remember just in the area where I grew up of Kimberling's, Humpty Dumpty, Stone's IGA, 10-M, etc., it is just the nature of the grocery business where the margins are very thin.

WM didn't pre-date their decline and there weren't that many supercenters in OKC at that time. Walmart didn't really start in OKC until the mid-80's after TG&Y was sold out, the outlying areas had stores before that but not in the OKC area. WM saw an opening and exploited it yes but they aren't the reason for the decline of the others, they may be partially responsible for what has happened since they entered the market but the old chains made their bed and had to live with it. WM wasn't the big, bad presence that put them under.

Since Albertson's left Austin they really only have two traditional chains there, HEB and Randall's (Safeway) and they don't have the WMNM there (or at least they didn't a year ago). Up here in Denver it is King Soupers (Kroger) and Safeway, Cub Foods left here about 10 or so years ago and WMNM just entered the market. They have had the supercenters for awhile along with Target. Limited choices of traditional chains is not limited to OKC as mergers and acquisitions have reduced some choice and companies abandoning markets.

[Questor]

HEB CentralMarket.

[Mississippi Blues]

1. Costco
2. Trader Joe's
3. Nordstrom
4. IKEA
5. Urban Outfitters

6. Saks Fifth Avenue

[Patrick]

1. Nordstrom
2. Nieman Marcus
3. HEB Central Market (I second this one!!)
4. Kroger
5. H&M

Anyone know why Barney's NY closed in Northpark Center?

[zachj7]

Costco
Trader Joes
Central Market
Kroger
IKEA

[Plutonic Panda]

Costco(Edmond along I-35 and somewhere in Norman, aaannnnd maybe a future location somewhere in Midwest City.
Tom Thumb
IKEA, although I had said some negative things about them, it still would be cool to see them here(this would be good along Memorial road which should be widened to six lanes)
Fry's(This would be cool somewhere along 240 or perhaps somewhere in the Will Rodgers Eastside Development)
Nordstrom(Mystery Mall)
(Not in order)

I'll ad a few more cool things I would like to see

Cabela's(For some reason, I want to say this would be a good fit for Norman or Midwest City)
Rainforest Cafe(this would be good to see in Bricktown or perhaps a Mystery Mall or Penn Square)
Tiger Direct Warehouse(Quail Springs area or along 240)
Great Wolf Lodge(Somewhere along the Oklahoma river in Midwest City, if the river is ever extended)
Pappadeaux(right across the street from me )
I also wish Home Depot would bring back it's Expo Design Centers and where else to put one, right here in OKC

Sony store would be cool to add to OKC's mall scene. If they were to build one, it would go well in a new mystery mall that I would like to see either in Edmond or Norman. Not a lifestyle center, but an enclosed mall.

Locaste(Penn Square or Mystery Mall)
Luis Vuitton(I don't see it happening though and if it does, it won't be a full line store>_<)
Northface(Outlet Shoppes)
Tommy Bahama(Penn Square or MM)
Kroger
Harris Teeter

A high-end car dealer would be awesome to see here too. It would probably be a used dealer, but that's just fine.

To add to this list, another few venues I would to see would be
Nice new Aquarium(This might be cool for somewhere in C2S or perhaps the Airpark)
Medieval Times(bchris gave me this idea and that would be neat near Crossroads Mall)
A Palace of Wax(or just Ripley's Believe it or not) would be freakin awesome somewhere in Bricktown, maybe an abandoned or vacant warehouse.

[bchris02]

Costco
Tom Thumb
IKEA(although I had said some negative things about them, it still would be cool to see them here)
Fry's
Nordstrom
(Not in order)

I'll ad a few more cool things I would like to see

Cabela's
Rainforest Cafe
Tiger Direct Warehouse
Great Wolf Lodge
Pappadeaux
I also wish Home Depot would bring back it's Expo Design Centers and where else to put one, right here in OKC

Sony store would be cool to add to OKC's mall scene. If they were to build one, it would go well in a new mystery mall that I would like to see either in Edmond or Norman. Not a lifestyle center, but an enclosed mall.

Locaste
Luis Vuitton(I don't see it happening though and if it does, it won't be a full line store>_<)
Northface
Tommy Bahama
Kroger
Harris Teeter

A high-end car dealer would be awesome to see here too. It would probably be a used dealer, but that's just fine.

Good list. A TigerDirect store would be nice. They now operate under the brand CompUSA.

Cabela's is something that I am surprised is not here. It's not my kind of store but this seems like the perfect market for them. Charlotte had a Home Depot Expo center which closed down. I strongly agree about Kroger/Harris Teeter. Louis Vuitton I don't see opening in Oklahoma period in the foreseeable future. Maybe when the OKC metro hits 2 million people, stores like that will start to enter the market.

[Plutonic Panda]

Good list. A TigerDirect store would be nice. They now operate under the brand CompUSA.

Cabela's is something that I am surprised is not here. It's not my kind of store but this seems like the perfect market for them. Charlotte had a Home Depot Expo center which closed down. I strongly agree about Kroger/Harris Teeter. Louis Vuitton I don't see opening in Oklahoma period in the foreseeable future. Maybe when the OKC metro hits 2 million people, stores like that will start to enter the market.

The only thing I could think of is Bass Pro, does anyone know if there is a Cabelas and a Bass Pro in the same city?

[bradh]

The only thing I could think of is Bass Pro, does anyone know if there is a Cabelas and a Bass Pro in the same city?

Not much distance between the Bass Pro in Grapeview and the Cabela's in Keller/Alliance

[bchris02]

The only thing I could think of is Bass Pro, does anyone know if there is a Cabelas and a Bass Pro in the same city?

Little Rock has a Gander Mtn and they are currently building a Bass Pro. That market is pretty much exactly half the size of OKC. I don't see why Cabela's and Bass Pro couldn't co-exist. If Cabela's did come though, I would like to see it between Moore and Norman. Definitely NOT downtown.

[Plutonic Panda]

Little Rock has a Gander Mtn and they are currently building a Bass Pro. That market is pretty much exactly half the size of OKC. I don't see why Cabela's and Bass Pro couldn't co-exist. If Cabela's did come though, I would like to see it between Moore and Norman. Definitely NOT downtown.

Agreed, I just don't like the idea of Cabelas being downtown. I also added a few things on my wish list.

[Plutonic Panda]

Not much distance between the Bass Pro in Grapeview and the Cabela's in Keller/Alliance

I didn't know Dallas had a Bass Pro. I figured there was probably a city or cities that had them, just didn't know for sure.

[Soonerman]

Little Rock has a Gander Mtn and they are currently building a Bass Pro. That market is pretty much exactly half the size of OKC. I don't see why Cabela's and Bass Pro couldn't co-exist. If Cabela's did come though, I would like to see it between Moore and Norman. Definitely NOT downtown.

I think Edmond would also be a good place for a Cabela's right off of I-35 close to Lake Arcadia.

[Plutonic Panda]

I think Edmond would also be a good place for a Cabela's right off of I-35 close to Lake Arcadia.

For whatever reason I just don't see a Cabelas working out in Edmond. I have no idea why I feel that way, it's just a vibe I get. I could be wrong though.

[Soonerman]

Anybody think Cost Plus World Market would do well here? I really don't get why they're not in OKC yet, I think Norman would be a terrific location for them as well.