What do you not like about OKC and what do you think could be better?

[gjl]

I would strongly caution against doing a Google image search for "Hairy Bears."

Aw man. Did you have to post that. Now I have to try it.

[gjl]

O.M.G.

[soonerguru]

I do not understand a mindset that is actually offended that you might have to think ahead. Yes, it can be a tiny bit annoying but for it to go to the top of the list of bad things about the city either says this is a fabulous town, or that some people are incapable of planning ahead. Really, why is this such a big deal?

Why are so predictably a wet blanket about any opinion that even mildly differs with yours?

[Plutonic Panda]

Wow... I don't understand why you would even comment that you don't care if they are open on Sundays or not. You're either for it or against it. It is that simple. More options is never a bad thing. I'm not going to type up something to justify why we should have them open on Sundays. If anyone here thinks they shouldn't, then speak up and let's debate that.... If you don't care or are going to post something that may sublimely point to you opposing them opening up on Sundays but not quite coming out and saying that, just don't say anything.

[RadicalModerate]

What do [I] not like about OKC and what do [I] think could be better?
Fairly non-specific thought tweeker . . .

Less "OldTymee" Good Ol' Boy Make a Buck Politics and more
(of what the most recent results of the evolution of that old paradigm to get stuff done has produced)

(I wish the Biltmore Hotel was surrounded by The Myriad Gardens. Yet that ain't gonna happen. =)

(btw: the so-called "Public Transportation" system of OKC actually does "pale in comparison" to what is offered in the shabbiest of tightly knit communities Up Nord (spec. ref. Minnesota) =)

I LOVE OKC. (don't take the non-sense above as serious)
(yet there still remain some opportuniites for improvement on the road (Boulevard or whatever) to Eden.

[Plutonic Panda]

(I wish the Biltmore Hotel was surrounded by The Myriad Gardens. Yet that ain't gonna happen. =)

preen

[RadicalModerate]

By the label on the container (in the jpeg), I'm not sure if that prevents Gardens or Weeds.
Perhaps the "20% More"--as advertised-- could be traded in to remove that Architectual Eyesore some call Stage Center that is blocking progress in the real world? =)

All kidding aside: I just returned from a visit to A Major Metropolitan Urbanist Eden on the way to a smaller town an hour away with wide sidewalks and friendly people.

I find it very difficult to find a lot that I don't like about OKC.
In the overall scheme of things.

[Plutonic Panda]

It stops weeds before they start.

[bchris02]

Do you honestly think people sit around worried about the sin of selling alcohol on Sunday? If they could pass liquor by the drink decades ago - with the fear of drunks on the road after getting liquored up at the local Hairy Bears and running over pedestrians - why in the world do you think people decades later would be so conservative that they feared Sunday liquor stores on account of sin?

If we are talking about Independent Baptists, then yes, absolutely.

These aren't your run of the mill Southern Baptists. In fact, they see the Southern Baptist church, which coincidentally is more open to moderate drinking today than it has ever been, as liberal and apostate.

[PennyQuilts]

Why are so predictably a wet blanket about any opinion that even mildly differs with yours?

Plenty of people find the peevishness expressed over something so easily dealt with with an ounce of foresight comment worthy. The better question is why you think my motives are any different than anyone else's.

[PennyQuilts]

Wow... I don't understand why you would even comment that you don't care if they are open on Sundays or not. You're either for it or against it. It is that simple. More options is never a bad thing. I'm not going to type up something to justify why we should have them open on Sundays. If anyone here thinks they shouldn't, then speak up and let's debate that.... If you don't care or are going to post something that may sublimely point to you opposing them opening up on Sundays but not quite coming out and saying that, just don't say anything.

If you are talking to me, I don't think you actually read my post based on the response. Missed the part about retail folks having to cater to people who won't plan ahead? Sorry, I'm one of those people who refuses to go to stores on holidays and Sundays (except restaurants that get a regular Monday off)) because I know what it is like to be a low wage earner who has to miss birthdays and get togethers because their boss keeps the doors open to compete. If you haven't had a retail job that requires you to work nights, weekends, holidays and swingshifts while raising a family (and missing long weekends, ballgames, picnics, birthdays, family in town), you might not get how annoying it is to have to deal with people who think planning ahead is barbaric.

[bchris02]

If they legalized liquor store sales on Sunday, it would still be each store owner's choice whether they opened that day would it not? Giving them a day off isn't really an excuse to keep the ban in place. Liquor stores in this state must be sole proprietorships, so if they want a day off and aren't worried about loss of sales, they can still be closed Sunday.

[Just the facts]

If they legalized liquor store sales on Sunday, it would still be each store owner's choice whether they opened that day would it not? Giving them a day off isn't really an excuse to keep the ban in place. Liquor stores in this state must be sole proprietorships, so if they want a day off and aren't worried about loss of sales, they can still be closed Sunday.

In this industry opening on Sunday won't increase sales by much. It will mostly steal sales from the other 6 days.

[PennyQuilts]

If they legalized liquor store sales on Sunday, it would still be each store owner's choice whether they opened that day would it not? Giving them a day off isn't really an excuse to keep the ban in place. Liquor stores in this state must be sole proprietorships, so if they want a day off and aren't worried about loss of sales, they can still be closed Sunday.

If they closed on Sunday and others opened, they'd be out of business in no time flat. Lots of competition. No greater sales, likely - just higher overhead and their employees would have crappier schedules - and likely lower wages since there probably wouldn't be much extra sales to cover the extra overhead.

[bchris02]

If they closed on Sunday and others opened, they'd be out of business in no time flat. Lots of competition. No greater sales, likely - just higher overhead and their employees would have crappier schedules - and likely lower wages since there probably wouldn't be much extra sales to cover the extra overhead.

Chick Fil-A manages to be closed Sunday and they do just fine business-wise. I doubt Sunday sales would make up a large enough percentage of alcohol sales to really make or break a store unless its a special event like the superbowl.

[Bullbear]

if you are a wine drinker you can just stop in to Urban wine works and pick up a bottle.. even a chilled bottle on a sunday on your way to the park.. I Love that this is now possible!

[RadicalModerate]

I'm not sure what this has to do with what one doesn't like about Oklahoma City, but since the theme drifted over into liquor sales, I noticed that every convenience store and travel stop in Iowa and Missouri had liquor for sale. Apparently even on Sundays and Holidays.

What I don't like about OKC is the gouging on parking fees.

Canal Park (in Duluth--a place that is sort of like Bricktown x Three plus Lake Superior and a nifty Aerial Lift Bridge for the occasional passing ore freighter) actually has free parking lots for patrons of various restaurants and hotels plus really cheap public parking lots. We only paid $2.50 to park in a public lot on the other side of the freeway from Canal Park to visit a noted local museum. When the lady taking the money said, "That will be $2.50." I almost choked. She said, "What's the matter?" I said, "I'm so used to being gouged for parking that I was taken aback by the reasonableness of the amount you mentioned." I always talk real bookish like that when I'm in a state of shock, plus we had just left a museum so . . .

[Bill Robertson]

I'm amazed at how often the strong or "real" beer discussion comes up with comparisons to, for instance, Texas. There is really very little difference between in alcohol content of the major brands between the two states. Strong Bud Light for instance is 4.2% ABV, not 6%. Convert that to ABW as Oklahoma measures alcohol and you get 3.3%. That's only .1% stronger than Oklahoma 3.3% beer.

Here's a link to a Channel 9 news story that backs this up.
Stronger Beer In Texas Is A Drinking Delusion - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

[PennyQuilts]

Chick Fil-A manages to be closed Sunday and they do just fine business-wise. I doubt Sunday sales would make up a large enough percentage of alcohol sales to really make or break a store unless its a special event like the superbowl.

Because, after all, Chick fil a doesn't offer a specific product and have a loyal client base that prefers them over McDonalds. Imo, you are comparing apples to oranges. You can get the exact same product at any liquor store because they are just an outlet.

[LocoAko]

I'm not sure what this has to do with what one doesn't like about Oklahoma City, but since the theme drifted over into liquor sales, I noticed that every convenience store and travel stop in Iowa and Missouri had liquor for sale. Apparently even on Sundays and Holidays.

What I don't like about OKC is the gouging on parking fees.

Canal Park (in Duluth--a place that is sort of like Bricktown x Three plus Lake Superior and a nifty Aerial Lift Bridge for the occasional passing ore freighter) actually has free parking lots for patrons of various restaurants and hotels plus really cheap public parking lots. We only paid $2.50 to park in a public lot on the other side of the freeway to visit a noted local museum. When the lady taking the money said, "That will be $2.50." I almost choked. She said, "What's the matter?" I said, "I'm so used to being gouged for parking that I was taken aback by the reasonableness of the amount you mentioned." I always talk real bookish like that when I'm in a state of shock, plus we had just left a museum so . . .

Funny... Coming from the East Coast I find it hilarious that someone would claim they were gouged on parking here. A consistent $5 lot in Bricktown for all day parking is gouging now? Ha. I don't consider the people of Oklahoma to be entitled people in general but I may have to re-assess when it comes to parking lol.

[adaniel]

I'm amazed at how often the strong or "real" beer discussion comes up with comparisons to, for instance, Texas. There is really very little difference between in alcohol content of the major brands between the two states. Strong Bud Light for instance is 4.2% ABV, not 6%. Convert that to ABW as Oklahoma measures alcohol and you get 3.3%. That's only .1% stronger than Oklahoma 3.3% beer.

Here's a link to a Channel 9 news story that backs this up.
Stronger Beer In Texas Is A Drinking Delusion - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

Get outta here with your fancy "facts" and all. Don't you realize this is the internet?!?!

In all seriousness though, I'm glad someone else pointed this out.

[adaniel]

Funny... Coming from the East Coast I find it hilarious that someone would claim they were gouged on parking here. A consistent $5 lot in Bricktown for all day parking is gouging now? Ha. I don't consider the people of Oklahoma to be entitled people in general but I may have to re-assess when it comes to parking lol.

Not to mention we are comparing OKC to Duluth MN...not the most happening place.

[RadicalModerate]

Because, after all, Chick fil a doesn't offer a specific product and have a loyal client base that prefers them over McDonalds. Imo, you are comparing apples to oranges. You can get the exact same product at any liquor store because they are just an outlet.

I would bet that the Cain's Chicken right across the street from the nearest Chick-fil-a up by The Intersection from Hell (Penn and Hefner) loves the policy that Chick-fil-a Corporate has chosen to follow (at the direction of God). . .

[RadicalModerate]

Not to mention we are comparing OKC to Duluth MN...not the most happening place.

If you are referring to Duluth, you obviously have never actually been there.
(p.s. I had the same opinion right up until my first visit to the place maybe ten years ago. It ain't what you think it is.
sort of like most folks' mental knee-jerk reaction to the geographical phrase "Oklahoma City" . . .
the land that I love. except for the parking fees. =)

To LocoAko: Ain't the East Coast a great place to be "FROM"?

For Clarification: Duluth, in the winter, has to define a non-happening place that really sucks like a frozen tick from hell. I've only been there in the warmer months. It is a happening place. I heard stories about how bad last winter was up there. They say that rogue icebergs that lingered until May caused significant damage to the beachfront hotels that line the shores of Lake Michigan.

[bchris02]

I'm amazed at how often the strong or "real" beer discussion comes up with comparisons to, for instance, Texas. There is really very little difference between in alcohol content of the major brands between the two states. Strong Bud Light for instance is 4.2% ABV, not 6%. Convert that to ABW as Oklahoma measures alcohol and you get 3.3%. That's only .1% stronger than Oklahoma 3.3% beer.

Here's a link to a Channel 9 news story that backs this up.
Stronger Beer In Texas Is A Drinking Delusion - News9.com - Oklahoma City, OK - News, Weather, Video and Sports |

That may be true if you are drinking cheap American light beer which is watered down to begin with. However, there is a huge difference in taste when comparing real full-flavored beers bought at a liquor store with their 3.2 counterpart bought at a grocery store. Compare beers like Blue Moon, Dos Equis, and Shiner. The 3.2 version tastes very watery compared to the real version. I also get horrible hangovers from 3.2 beer. I rarely get them when drinking real beer.