OKC Retail Update

[Soonerman]

One of the Supercenters is already under construction in Choctaw. I have the feeling the other will be part of the new I-44 retail development in SW OKC. Wal-Mart has wanted a Supercenter in that area for quite some time according to posts I've seen here.

As for density, I think it has more to do with income than actual sprawl. OKC's high income neighborhoods are spread pretty thinly across the metro. Outside perception of this market also has something to do with it as well as Wal-Mart saturation. Like I said in another thread, OKC will have turned a corner when major national retailers start opening here first rather than Tulsa.

I'd rather have a Target out there by the Airport.

[bchris02]

I'd rather have a Target out there by the Airport.

Agreed. I can't stand Wal-Mart because they pretty much have a monopoly in this market and have done nothing but decrease the quality of retail here, especially grocery, but most people continue to shop there. OKC is really an example to other cities of how much damage Wal-Mart can do to competing businesses and retail in general if they are allowed to saturate an area with Supercenters. OKC's spread out nature has allowed them to put Supercenters wherever they please. I'm hoping they don't try to build downtown because if they do, this city can kiss its chances of ever having the kind of urban retail most people on this site are wishing for goodbye. It's definitely capitalism at its best so we have to take the bad with the good.

[Soonerman]

I really think Target would do well out there by the Airport. But I wonder if they would shut down the 44th Street store if they did open out by the Airport.

[Plutonic Panda]

A couple of other stores that would be neat to have would be a Tiger Direct and a FRY's.

[SomeGuy]

If they decide to add more stores to the outlet mall a Pac Sun Outlet, Lacoste and Nautica would be cool

[bchris02]

A couple of other stores that would be neat to have would be a Tiger Direct and a FRY's.

I haven't heard of those stores really expanding outside of markets that have a very large tech presence i.e. places like Dallas, Austin, Raleigh-Durham, San Jose, etc. While personally I love electronics stores, most people use them as showrooms and then buy on Amazon. While I understand the cost benefits of buying online, I sometimes wonder whether saving a few bucks is worth the loss of tangible retail outlets especially in categories like books and electronics where brick-and-mortar is suffering the most.

Would love to have a Fry's, MicroCenter, or TigerDirect, but it isn't happening.

[Plutonic Panda]

I haven't heard of those stores really expanding outside of markets that have a very large tech presence i.e. places like Dallas, Austin, Raleigh-Durham, San Jose, etc. While personally I love electronics stores, most people use them as showrooms and then buy on Amazon. While I understand the cost benefits of buying online, I sometimes wonder whether saving a few bucks is worth the loss of tangible retail outlets especially in categories like books and electronics where brick-and-mortar is suffering the most.

Would love to have a Fry's, MicroCenter, or TigerDirect, but it isn't happening.

Unfortunately, I think you're right. But, I think Tiger Direct might be a small possibility. I don't know when the last time they built a store, but I think they could do well here. Esp. if they use it as a showroom/ warehouse kind of thing. Almost like Home Expo by The Home Depot. They have one in Dallas and I would love to see one here, but that will probably be a long time before we see a Home Expo or any of those electronic stores.

I sometimes wonder whether saving a few bucks is worth the loss of tangible retail outlets especially in categories like books and electronics where brick-and-mortar is suffering the most

I couldn't agree more on this.

[bchris02]

I believe all Expo Design Centers have been closed. Charlotte had one and it closed. During the 2008 crash, I remember reading they were nixing the entire concept.

TigerDirect stores were branded CompUSA for a few years but now they've dropped the CompUSA brand and switched back to TigerDirect. I checked their website and they now have less stores than they did last time I checked. With the traditional desktop PC becoming more and more of a niche market, the future of the brick and mortar computer retailer is more than likely mom and pop.

[Plutonic Panda]

Yeah it was Comp USA and I believe Circuit City as well. If not, it was something else. I didn't know they closed all the Home Expos though. There was one in Dallas I went to about 4 years ago and it was really nice. There was a lot of people there, but not sure how many were actually buying.

[MDot]

According to Steve in his chat today, Richard Mize indicated that Costco is snooping around town for a location. I don't know if this is new news, but it's the first I've heard of it.

[Jon27]

If they decide to add more stores to the outlet mall a Pac Sun Outlet, Lacoste and Nautica would be cool

+20 on Nautica!

[bchris02]

According to Steve in his chat today, Richard Mize indicated that Costco is snooping around town for a location. I don't know if this is new news, but it's the first I've heard of it.

My first guess is it will be SW OKC along I-44 or somewhere in Moore. Near the Outlet Mall is another possibility. The NW Expressway corridor would be perfect for it but I can't think of any free land it could be built on.

[jbrown84]

This article says Costco is looking at OKC, but not yet committed.

Also:



Read more: Oklahoma City retail catching its breath, but poised to take off again | News OK

I don't know why Crate & Barrel is so far fetched.

[betts]

I don't know why Crate & Barrel is so far fetched.

They have an inflated sense of self importance. No one I know considers Crate and Barrel high end.

[onthestrip]

My first guess is it will be SW OKC along I-44 or somewhere in Moore. Near the Outlet Mall is another possibility. The NW Expressway corridor would be perfect for it but I can't think of any free land it could be built on.

SW OKC is highly doubtful, there is zero retail activity along I44 in that part of the city. I would think the obvious location will be along Memorial.

[Mr. Cotter]

They have an inflated sense of self importance. No one I know considers Crate and Barrel high end.

I wouldn't either. It's Pottery Barn, but more modern, less farm house.

[MDot]

SW OKC is highly doubtful, there is zero retail activity along I44 in that part of the city. I would think the obvious location will be along Memorial.

There and somewhere on NW Expressway are my guesses.

[GaryOKC6]

It looks like Lululemon is opening a full retail store in the Classen Crurve. I just saw a permit for a 3250sf remodel at 5810 N Classen.

[Pete]

It looks like Lululemon is opening a full retail store in the Classen Crurve. I just saw a permit for a 3250sf remodel at 5810 N Classen.

Yep!

$150,000 buildout which is a good chunk of money. Remember, this doesn't include fixtures, equipment or merchandise.

[MDot]

Perhaps it's just my opinion and I'm alone on this, but I think Urban Outfitters would be a good fit for the Classen Curve.

[betts]

The Curve isn't gritty enough for Urban Outfitters, I suspect. They usually like funkier locations. I know earlier they were looking at Western, had looked downtown. I heard we were definitely getting one back then, but don't know what happened. My daughter manages a different Anthropologie now and never runs into the store scouter anymore.

[warreng88]

It looks like Lululemon is opening a full retail store in the Classen Crurve. I just saw a permit for a 3250sf remodel at 5810 N Classen.

Just by the address, it looks like it will go next to Liberte. That will be a good location right across from Barre3 and Red Coyote.

[progressiveboy]

The Curve isn't gritty enough for Urban Outfitters, I suspect. They usually like funkier locations. I know earlier they were looking at Western, had looked downtown. I heard we were definitely getting one back then, but don't know what happened. My daughter manages a different Anthropologie now and never runs into the store scouter anymore.

I know that there is a UO in Northpark Mall in Dallas which is considered a upscale mall with the likes of Neiman Marcus, Barneys, Tiffany, Burberry, etc.. I could see it going in CC if not, Penn Square.

[SomeGuy]

When is that NOrdstrom Rack coming?

Also I say expand on the dillards next to forever 21 , close the mens section once that Dillards is expanded and put in a Belk, Neiman, UO or Bealls in the old wards. I always found it odd penn has Dillards in 2 different parts of the mall although wasn't there a 2 story dillards kids in Penn before and didn't the Dillards storefront used to be in the area where express and Hollister are now?

[betts]

I know that there is a UO in Northpark Mall in Dallas which is considered a upscale mall with the likes of Neiman Marcus, Barneys, Tiffany, Burberry, etc.. I could see it going in CC if not, Penn Square.

That's usually what they do when they can't find a good urban location. But I know the owners prefer funkier surroundings than a mall if they can find/get it. Dallas, of course, isn't the poster child for urban. Maybe they were afraid their target demographic preferred a mall setting in Dallas. Dunno.