Whole Foods Check, Now What?

[SkyWestOKC]

Hello Matt,

Thank you for the email regarding having an REI store in Oklahoma City.

We appreciate hearing your desire to have an REI store in your area. REI opens three or four new stores every year, unfortunately we do not currently have plans to open one in Oklahoma City. We are always on the look out for real estate that will provide a good home for REI. I will forward your email to our Real Estate Department.

Best wishes for great outdoor adventures.

Jonathan D
REI Online Customer Service

----

[Spartan]

My response email said they only open 7-10 per year. (mine is bigger)

[bluedogok]

Well, within approximately one mile of the north Austin Whole Foods location there's all of those places just listed (except Arhaus, ?), along with numerous "high-end" retailers like Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren, etc., etc., none of which OKC has...

All of those store opened in The Domain about 2.5 years ago which has a City of Austin tax subsidy. There were a couple who had locations in The Arboretum a mile or so away and moved when The Domain opened. My office is located in the Offices at The Domain, it was a bit cheaper than our other options when we moved there because of the subsidy.

[MikeOKC]

All of those store opened in The Domain about 2.5 years ago which has a City of Austin tax subsidy. There were a couple who had locations in The Arboretum a mile or so away and moved when The Domain opened. My office is located in the Offices at The Domain, it was a bit cheaper than our other options when we moved there because of the subsidy.

How is The Arboretum doing? Are the retail spots all leased, or is it spotty? That used to be THE place when I was there for 3 months in 1999. I still love Austin.

[semisimple]

All of those store opened in The Domain about 2.5 years ago which has a City of Austin tax subsidy. There were a couple who had locations in The Arboretum a mile or so away and moved when The Domain opened. My office is located in the Offices at The Domain, it was a bit cheaper than our other options when we moved there because of the subsidy.

No, not all of those store (sic) opened in the Domain--REI is next door to Whole Foods in the Gateway development. Thanks for the great info, though!

[Soonerman]

How about a Dick's sporting goods? Does anybody think OKC will land a Dick's?

[bluedogok]

How is The Arboretum doing? Are the retail spots all leased, or is it spotty? That used to be THE place when I was there for 3 months in 1999. I still love Austin.

It is still pretty full, there have been some new things move in like 5 Guys Burgers (not impressed with their burgers) and The Cheesecake Factory has been in about 5 years now. It is managed by Simon, the same as The Domain, Arbor Walk and most of the other shopping options in Austin, since they control most of the market and almost all the popular options they are going to make sure their properties don't cannibalize each other. The ones like Gateway that look like they are struggling tend to be managed by others who don't have the options that a Simon does.

A former boss of mine did that complex, the shopping center and office buildings.

No, not all of those store (sic) opened in the Domain--REI is next door to Whole Foods in the Gateway development. Thanks for the great info, though!

The ones that you listed in your post were...that was what I was referring to.

Well, within approximately one mile of the north Austin Whole Foods location there's all of those places just listed (except Arhaus, ?), along with numerous "high-end" retailers like Neiman Marcus, Tiffany & Co., Ralph Lauren, etc., etc., none of which OKC has...

Yes, REI is in The Gateway center next to the North Austin WF, that was the first REI here, now they have one in part of the old Whole Foods downtown location and one up in the University Commons area by Ikea in Round Rock. It looks like quite a few stores may be moving out of the Gateway center, it and some of the later developments have quite a few vacancies. Some have moved over to Arbor Walk just south of The Domain. CompUSA, Linens 'N Things closed, Circuit City moved to Arbor Walk and then closed, it is quite an area in flux.

[progressiveboy]

How about a Dick's sporting goods? Does anybody think OKC will land a Dick's?

Hard to tell, however if you look at their website there are stores in Kansas, Arkansas, Missouri, Texas, Nebraska with the exception of New Mexico. Oklahoma is one of only a handful of states without Dicks Sporting Goods.

[bluedogok]

The Dick's stores here in Austin have opened up in the last year or so. The Hill Country Galleria location was first, The Domain location opened up in February of this year.

I would think OKC and Tulsa would be in the near future.

[Spartan]

Dick's is not really an "elite" retailer it's just one that oddly has decided against Oklahoma. And despite not being "elite" in my opinion, so much better than Academy. Gander Mountain is also not a "big deal" but pretty cool nonetheless.

REI would however signify some upgrade in the OKC market..

[Soonerman]

I wonder why Dicks would be against Oklahoma? I mean even Wichita Kansas has a couple of thier stores.

[metro]

Hello Matt,

Thank you for the email regarding having an REI store in Oklahoma City.

We appreciate hearing your desire to have an REI store in your area. REI opens three or four new stores every year, unfortunately we do not currently have plans to open one in Oklahoma City. We are always on the look out for real estate that will provide a good home for REI. I will forward your email to our Real Estate Department.

Best wishes for great outdoor adventures.

Jonathan D
REI Online Customer Service

----

I got the exact same canned response as well.

I wonder why Dicks would be against Oklahoma? I mean even Wichita Kansas has a couple of thier stores.

Academy

[betts]

I wrote Restoration Hardware. That's a store I'd like to see here, along with CB. We'll see what they say. They're in Tulsa already...........of course.

[lasomeday]

Yeah, Dicks even has a store in Hot Springs, Arkansas.

So, they obviously need some attention to get a store here. If Hot Springs has a store and OKC and Tulsa don't something is wrong!

[Decious]

I wrote Restoration Hardware. That's a store I'd like to see here, along with CB. We'll see what they say. They're in Tulsa already...........of course.

There's no Crate and Barrel in Tulsa Betts....if that's what you're referring to. I'd also like to see a C&B and a H&M.

[lasomeday]

H&M would be awesome! The have a loyal following!

[betts]

No, I meant they have a Restoration Hardware in Tulsa. I'd like to have Crate and Barrel here too. I've written to them in the past, but think I just got one of those "We're not consider Oklahoma City as a location at this point in time" e-mails.

[John]

Dick's was listed as a tenant in the development (and on the site plan) @ Western & Memorial, FWIW...

[Spartan]

Restoration Hardware in DT Portland is pretty cool.

It would also be great if we could somehow do a coordinated movement to attract some of these stores, like Omaha did with TJs.

[bluedogok]

Academy

Plenty of those down here in Texas (based in Houston) and Dick's has been opening up stores here.

Dick's was listed as a tenant in the development (and on the site plan) @ Western & Memorial, FWIW...

I thought I that was where I saw them opening, with Main Event in the same big box mall.

[JIMBO]

What doe's WHOLE FOODS offer that other grocery stores either don't or can't offer?

[gmwise]

What doe's WHOLE FOODS offer that other grocery stores either don't or can't offer?

quality as some see it.
granted some other stores has fresh and in some cases unique items.
but for some even that would be the "organic" or "earth friendly", or even hormone free meat, or humanly raised....

[Soonerman]

Plenty of those down here in Texas (based in Houston) and Dick's has been opening up stores here.

Yep in fact in the DFW area They have several of both stores. In fact Parks at Arlington has a Dicks Sporting goods and Academy is across the street from the mall.

Try this it's worth a shot:
http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/co...p?page=contact

[metro]

What doe's WHOLE FOODS offer that other grocery stores either don't or can't offer?

Quality EVERYTHING, better selection, fresh prepared foods, we could go on and on. Have you ever been to a Whole Foods or Central Market?

[CaptDave]

I wonder why Dicks would be against Oklahoma? I mean even Wichita Kansas has a couple of thier stores.

Market is probably oversaturated with Academy.... I sent an e-mail inquiry to Dick's a while back and they have no immediate plans for an OKC store. I would love to get one here too.....