Classen Curve

[onthestrip]

This talk that CC was mainly going after local businesses sounds bogus to me. That certainly could have been the goal but no way are they going to turn away national tenants that are interested in locating there.

[dankrutka]

This talk that CC was mainly going after local businesses sounds bogus to me. That certainly could have been the goal but no way are they going to turn away national tenants that are interested in locating there.

It wouldn't seem to make much sense. So, CC has been unable to attract a single national company that they would want?

[BBatesokc]

It wouldn't seem to make much sense. So, CC has been unable to attract a single national company that they would want?

In this economy and that location - I don't know if its the reason, but I could see it being.

[betts]

The only thing I remember was being told, a long time ago and I don't know where in relationship to the economic meltdown it was, was that Aubrey really, really wanted Classen Curve to be all about local businesses and that they weren't looking for national chains. This was from someone working on the project directly. At this point in time, I doubt they'd turn one down, but I don't know if the space is being aggressively marketed to such.

[OKCTalker]

Could be that Aubrey is saving national credit retailers for later (NH Plaza), and besides, he's an unproven retail landlord. Here are what I believe to be his next moves: 1) Get CC leaseup velocity to where occupancy will hit 90% within 12 months (my guess is Q4 2011 when Whole Foods opens). 2) Update the PUD application and make another run at NH Planning Commission, this time with greater disclosure of his plans. 3) Move S NH Plaza tenants to the N side of Avondale while they 4) Negotiate lease commitments with national credit retailers for NH Plaza South. 5) Break ground.

[Soonerinfiniti]

For all those wondering why national retailers aren't flocking to OKC:

Saks Fifth Avenue to close another store

How much is too much? That's the question Luxury Daily asked when considering the announcement that Saks Fifth Avenue is closing its seventh retail location since July, the Saks Fifth Avenue store at the Cherry Creek Shopping Center in Denver, Colorado. The luxury retail chain already closed its Saks Fifth Avenue stores in Mission Viejo and San Diego, CA; Southampton, NY; Portland, OR; Charleston, SC; and Plano, TX in 2010. The Saks Fifth Avenue Off 5TH store in The Legends at Sparks Marina in Reno/Sparks, Nevada also closed at the first of the year.

Some luxury watchers cheered the move saying that it was a smart response to a changing luxury market. The news came out last week as Saks announced that revenue in stores open at least a year rose 11.8 percent in December. Another piece of good news: sales for the five weeks ended January 1 rose 10 percent to $432.2 million from $393.7 million a year earlier. The best-selling items of the month included women's and men's clothes, shoes, purses and makeup.

Approximately 100 associates are employed in the Denver Saks Fifth Avenue store which will close on March 19. All affected associates either will be offered transfer opportunities or will receive appropriate employment separation packages. The Denver store opened in 1990 and is approximately 87,000 square feet. The departure of the store leaves a hole in the Cherry Creek Shopping Center which may not be able to find an anchor store to fill the spot for some time. The space fronts East First Avenue, making it a prime spot for luxury shopping for the right tenant.

It ain't a good time right now for large national retailers. While I am sure there is some anti-OKC bias due to median household income, etc., we should focus on smaller brands (Container Store, etc.) rather than department stores. Why isn't Crate and Barrel here???

[BDP]

That would be awesome if CC stayed local. We desperately need an area for local retailers to come together in one place. Besides, it's much more interesting to shop there and that's more of what tourists look for. Not to mention the nationals do only a fraction for the economy what the locals do. If anything they're a net drain on it.

[Pete]

They built CC with shallow, small bays that are suited to boutique retailers. Plus, the chains would not be excited about an interior location like that.

I'm quite sure CHK is going to have lots of space around WF and eventually NH Plaza, and I'm sure both locations will be very attractive to high-end retailers -- even those not yet in the market.


BTW, I noticed CHK is close to obtaining all the properties from (and including) Deep Fork Grill up Western to the intersection on Grand. There are only a few office condos they lack. That will be another great retail site, so there is going to be lots of space to fill once they start redeveloping that entire Western corridor.

[Patrick]

Classen Curve is probably going to turn out to be more like Northpark Mall...mostly high end luxury retailers, that most of us on here won't be able to shop at. Not sure why all the buzz about some of these stores. Like take Uptown Kids for instance....all that store is is an overpriced luxury boutique where the extremely wealthy come to get pampered. Whoopty doo.

[semisimple]

Classen Curve is probably going to turn out to be more like Northpark Mall...mostly high end luxury retailers, that most of us on here won't be able to shop at. Not sure why all the buzz about some of these stores. Like take Uptown Kids for instance....all that store is is an overpriced luxury boutique where the extremely wealthy come to get pampered. Whoopty doo.

I don't see what the excitement about CC is at all. It is nothing but a largely vacant (as of late December, that is, it looked mostly vacant) sleek-looking strip center. I could understand the excitement over an "urban lifestyle center" with residences and lots of shopping, but not CC.

[Pete]

There was just a $200,000 building permit issued for Classen Curve, to remodel 10,000 square feet.

Looks like a larger tenant will be going in there soon. Perhaps the previously announced Winter House Interiors?

[blujones]

I am pretty sure the apple rumor is not legit. I think they are looking to open a new store in Norman.

I do have it under good authority that Winter House Interiors and Carwins Shave Shop, which are both now located in Northpark Mall, will be moving into classen curve within the next four months.

[Snowman]

I am pretty sure the apple rumor is not legit. I think they are looking to open a new store in Norman.

I do have it under good authority that Winter House Interiors and Carwins Shave Shop, which are both now located in Northpark Mall, will be moving into classen curve within the next four months.

Norman makes a lot more sense then CC, if Apple were to build outside of the mall but close to it, it would have to be significantly larger, probably one of the stand alone stores. Which I doubt they would spend the money one for around here. It would be nice to at least get another mall location or expand the current one, it is usually packed and seemingly near the max number of that staff can operate in the volume of space they have.

[betts]

I am pretty sure the apple rumor is not legit. I think they are looking to open a new store in Norman.

I do have it under good authority that Winter House Interiors and Carwins Shave Shop, which are both now located in Northpark Mall, will be moving into classen curve within the next four months.

I will predict that Winter House Interiors will not do well at the Curve, unless their customers drive. Their style of decorating suits a farther north location. But, we'll see.....I may be wrong.

[blujones]

You might be right, who knows. I am sure they will have to make some changes. They will have to do better at CC then where they are now at North Park Mall. That malls traffic is pretty horrible. Just the fact that they will be more visible will have to help some.

[blujones]

On the apple store I do hear they are looking to do a stand alone, which I would like. I hate malls. The only reason I go to penn is the apple store. I might be willing to drive to norman just to avoid the mall.

[Patrick]

I think there will be a local store authorized to sell Apple products locating in Classen Curve, but not a corporate store.

[OKCTalker]

Classen Curve is probably going to turn out to be more like Northpark Mall...mostly high end luxury retailers, that most of us on here won't be able to shop at. Not sure why all the buzz about some of these stores. Like take Uptown Kids for instance....all that store is is an overpriced luxury boutique where the extremely wealthy come to get pampered. Whoopty doo.

What's with the class warfare? Your taking shots at the affluent for shopping at high-end stores is no different than someone else taking shots at the poor for shopping at Wal-Mart.

[metro]

http://www.straightrazorplace.com/fo...homa-city.html


Looks like this was mentioned on another board a year ago.

[blujones]

yeah, the feeling I get is that it has been in the works for a while but just recentely was nailed down.

I think the Whole Foods took priority and everything else got pushed behind it.

We may start seeing a flux of new tenants now that that is taken care of.

I would definitely like to see if fill up with some good shops.

[Goodengroup]

[Doug Loudenback]

I went to the new Balliets a few days ago to buy my wife a valentine's gift ... a perfume brand not sold elsewhere in the city ... I was knocked over by the beautiful (male & female) sales people and their demeanor ... not to mention the drop dead gorgeous lady who sold me some perfume & powder on the 2nd floor. I need to go back just to gawk at the ladies.

It took me a bit of time to learn that this shop's entrance is from Western and is not otherwise connected with the Classen Curve elements on Classen Blvd.

[metro]

Lol.

[Goodengroup]

[metro]

Updated list of Classen Curve tenants
Uptown Kids
Balliets
On a Whim
BD Home
Barre3
Red Coyote
105 Degrees
Cafe' 501
Republic
Upper Crust
Black Optical - coming soon
Steven Giles - coming soon
Winter House Interiors -coming soon