University Town Center

[Just the facts]

I don't know... from what I have been reading lately on the Norman threads this 'lifestyle' center pretty much aligns with Norman's lifestyle. I would say they nailed it.

[HangryHippo]

I don't know... from what I have been reading lately on the Norman threads this 'lifestyle' center pretty much aligns with Norman's lifestyle. I would say they nailed it.

Harsh, but true.

[venture]

I don't know... from what I have been reading lately on the Norman threads this 'lifestyle' center pretty much aligns with Norman's lifestyle. I would say they nailed it.

What you expect Normanites to walk, ride their bike, or use public transit? Silly Floridian. I'm going to go cry in the corner now.

[ChargerAg]

I read that Crest opens next week. Has anybody heard anything about what the store will be like or anything special going on next week?

[kevinpate]

Opens Monday, November 18th.

Thus exhausts my knowledge of the matter, though I wish them well.

[ChargerAg]

Opens Monday, November 18th.

Thus exhausts my knowledge of the matter, though I wish them well.

Nobody has stopped by to give us a report yet?

[kevinpate]

It's only been open a few hours. maybe they are still in checkout line?

[venture]

It's only been open a few hours. maybe they are still in checkout line?

Or doing that thing called work.

[soonerfan_in_okc]

planning on going by this evening, will give an update

[Jersey Boss]

You're talking about a grocery store?

[kevinpate]

no, no, no Jersey. We're talking about a CREST! Home of Rock bottom Prices.

.oO(oh crikies, when did I start to channel Thunder anyway)Oo.

FWIW, I drove by there this afternoon on my way to a business appt. No doubt they are having a decent opening day. Parking lot was jammed packed both times I went by.

[soonerfan_in_okc]

Yea it was really busy. The isles were super wide and everything was very nice looking. There were virtually no lines which was a suprise. Overall it reminded me of the Resers in Bixby, if anyone has been. Much nicer than there store on Rockwell or any homeland here in Norman.

[Questor]

I was surprised at how extremely large the new Crest is. I'm thinking it's the largest grocery store in Norman now. So the pros include many things... The store is very nice and certainly has its upscale elements such as multiple deli counters, a desert counter that looks nearly as nice as the glass counter at La Baguette, refrigerated compartments specializing in something like one I saw that was nothing but different types of mushrooms, and so on. The cons for me are two things... The first is that while they have a good selection of products and many fully cooked meals ready to go, I definitely do not get the Whole Foods-esque healthy and allergen-free vibe there. The other con is the staff... I noticed people at the deli counter standing around, or coming up to the counters, and while employees were standing by ready no one was acknowledging the customers' presence. No "hi can I help you." The other thing I found annoying was that the kids doing inventory and moving around boxes of stuff were the crowd that thinks it's okay to walk in front of your customers, or cut off old ladies, and not say excuse me or even acknowledge a human presence. So from that perspective there was definitely that certain walmart vibe.

[Questor]

I've been meaning to post some new pictures of UNP. The latest round of development is actually quite nice, and in some instances quite modern. If I get some free time after the holiday I'll do that and post them here.

[MWCGuy]

I was surprised at how extremely large the new Crest is. I'm thinking it's the largest grocery store in Norman now. So the pros include many things... The store is very nice and certainly has its upscale elements such as multiple deli counters, a desert counter that looks nearly as nice as the glass counter at La Baguette, refrigerated compartments specializing in something like one I saw that was nothing but different types of mushrooms, and so on. The cons for me are two things... The first is that while they have a good selection of products and many fully cooked meals ready to go, I definitely do not get the Whole Foods-esque healthy and allergen-free vibe there. The other con is the staff... I noticed people at the deli counter standing around, or coming up to the counters, and while employees were standing by ready no one was acknowledging the customers' presence. No "hi can I help you." The other thing I found annoying was that the kids doing inventory and moving around boxes of stuff were the crowd that thinks it's okay to walk in front of your customers, or cut off old ladies, and not say excuse me or even acknowledge a human presence. So from that perspective there was definitely that certain walmart vibe.

Your first con: Crest does not aim for a certain type of customer like Whole Foods does. They aim for the general public and they will adjust their store based on the feed back they receive from the everyday customers once the newness wears off and everyday traffic commences. When the 104th Street store opened my parents hated it because they didn't carry the stuff they liked. They thought the store belonged in Nichols Hills or Edmond (They prefer a simple store with the things they like to buy). Now that the newness is gone, they love it and do almost all their shopping there.

Second Con: The employees will get better and the quality of the service will get better. I have been a loyal Crest shopper for years now and the Harroz family expects the best customer service possible from there employees and I like to think they treat them well because I have seen same faces at the Midwest City stores since I moved here in 2008. The people that don't provide the best customer service usually don't stay very long with Crest. Lastly, a large number of the grand opening employees usually turn over in the first year with just about every business I have dealt with over the years.

[ou48A]

I made my first trip to the new Norman Crest last night and was impressed... It's now Norman’s nicest Grocery store.

I had no problems with the help. They were mostly kids who will learn and get better.
We were asked if we could be helped at all the counters we closely looked at. My wife recognized several faces from Sprouts and Homeland. One employe told her that Crest treated their employees much better than either of the other 2 stores. There were a few rock bottom prices on a few items which we stocked up on.

The new Crest is going to really cut into Wal Mart, Target and Homeland's grocery sales. I don't see how the near by Homeland makes it. But we can enjoy the lower prices caused by the competition.
It was very windy, there was dirt blowing from the fresh the construction site into the parking area. That was the worst thing I saw.

I would agree with.... “They aim for the general public”

[zachj7]

It's a nice addition to Norman. This level of grocery store is to be expected in a metro of this size. It's not extraordinary but certainly a big step better than most. I wish OKC didn't have a few decent stores here and there but more consistency for quality. I hope other grocery stores and chains continue to value quality. With that said, I will now be shopping here instead of Walmart, Target, and Crapland.

[Questor]

Apparently this development has changed its name to University Town Center? I received some marketing information on it with the new name recently. I also noticed this website has now been created:

University Town Center

[Geographer]

Sigh. It's anything but a town center, oh well...cemantics

[Brett]

Apparently this development has changed its name to University Town Center? I received some marketing information on it with the new name recently. I also noticed this website has now been created:

University Town Center

I was always confused by the name "University North Park". It kept reminding me of either the Shoppes at NorthPark in OKC or NorthPark Center/University Park in Dallas.

[G.Walker]

Apparently this development has changed its name to University Town Center? I received some marketing information on it with the new name recently. I also noticed this website has now been created:

University Town Center

They could have done better than that, this website is awful. I guess the website mimics the development, cheesy & cheap. UNP never lived up to what its original vision was supposed to be, a walkable mixed-use environment. Its just a massive sprawling strip mall/shopping center. One could argue that the town center in Midwest City is more pedestrian friendly, walkable, and better planned. I don't know where the ball was dropped, but this development still doesn't have housing, no major employer (what happened to the Advanced Manufacturing Center?), no office space (what happened to the corporate office park?), and no walking or bike trails.

It seems like every year the Norman Transcript will do a story on UNP saying a major employer is coming to the development, and the corporate office park will start. Well they have been saying this for years now, besides the Embassy Suites hotel, nothing developed in UNP has been catalyst. What a joke...

[Questor]

Yeah it's a pretty bad website. I think they basically just used a standard wordpress template. I guess their website was designed by the same 14 year old that planned out their land use.

[Just the facts]

Sigh. It's anything but a town center, oh well...cemantics

Notice how the 10 pictures on the front page of the "Town Center" website are all of the parking lot, or taken in the parking lot. Failure on soooo many levels, but at least it doesn't include a Walmart (yet).

[kevinpate]

Notice how the 10 pictures on the front page of the "Town Center" website are all of the parking lot, or taken in the parking lot. Failure on soooo many levels, but at least it doesn't include a Walmart (yet).

Big blue walmart box, no. Big red target box, yes.
six of one, half dozen of the other on a few levels.

[Geographer]

We can't expect anything to change in the form of development in Norman anytime soon. The average Normanite doesn't 1) care about design 2) isn't even aware about "good" or acceptable design/form.