Olive Garden in Lawton

[hyamsx3]

I've now eaten there twice and I've had great food and great service. Ladies, if you want a real good waiter and hot, hot, Italian, ask for Mahki. He was a wonderful server and my elderly mother got all hot and bothered by him. Excellent food, service, just a bit of a wait for seating. Go early.

[shiroshi]

i can't believe Lawton is so far behind in the times as in retail business. i left Lawton in '89 and only been back a few times since then. my last visit was last year in May, i can't believe how slowly the city is growing. i've always had my suspicion that people on the chamber of commerce wouldn't let businesses build w/o a little cash under the table. since moving to Dallas/Ft.Worth and going to all the businesses saying to myself this would be great in Lawton. don't get me wrong I love Lawton and i plan to move back (medicine park area) when i retire and would love to see all new businesses there. if i had the money i'd build some franchise business there.

[Bobby H]

Lawton has actually grown a good bit since the end of the 1980s.

One of the difficulties is that the city is just under the 100,000 person threshold on population. That makes a tremendous difference for many national retail and service oriented businesses on choosing where to build new locations. The Olive Garden is one of those businesses that goes by that market size rule.

As the major expansion aboard Fort Sill continues Lawton will be pushed well over the 100,000 mark. By 2015, the combined population of Lawton and Fort Sill will be closer to 120,000. By that time, many more coveted national businesses will be in the area.

To be realistic, there are certain stores you see in Dallas that will never locate in a town as small as Lawton. I don't see Lawton ever getting a Sephora store or Ikea or some other chain that demands a 500,000 person or larger market.

[rufus]

Good to hear the restaurant is doing well, hope it continues to do so.