Bricktown may soon offer an answer to retail woes...

[Spartan]

And Nick, as much as I believe our efforts will be a good thing for Bricktown, the marketplace is NOT one of the "game changers" I mentioned being in the pipeline for Bricktown a few months back, that inspired your blog rant. And I mean "rant" in the nicest way

What, you mean you don't like my rants?

On a side note this thread has become more pleasant.

[Urbanized]

Always guaranteed to make a thread drop like a rock. I should have encouraged more controversy!

[Urbanized]

I'll see if I can get some of the photos to display here so people can better understand the space:

[Larry OKC]

Larry, in fairness, I think the headline was changed after the debate started up

That may very well be and is a possibility...however, as I posted original post that started the thread (both the typed info and the link and the printed piece in the paper all match. Also, the original post doesn't indicate it was edited (re: the typed text).

[Steve]

The headline was not changed. It said "an answer," not "the answer." And no, I don't write headlines, though I will clean the windows if asked nicely.

[Larry OKC]

Urnaized: absolutely LOVE the exposed brick, beams, hardware etc. My only "complaint" is the full-height walls of the booths really obstruct being able to see it all. Not just from an asthetics (sp) point but also from a business security point (shoplifting etc).

This space is in the basement/canal level, right? Hopefully you have plenty of lighting to counteract the full height walls. I missed it, but when is the opening planned? I definitely want to check it out!

[kevinpate]

I don't envy the security issues, but yeah, I can see popping in to browse/buy, depending on the selection.

[CuatrodeMayo]

That rolling door on the track is an absolute treasure!

[onthestrip]

That rolling door on the track is an absolute treasure!

Totally. I love those

[bluedogok]

I am doing a "barn door" on a project and found a source for classic and modern hardware.
BarnDoorHardware.com

[Spartan]

I really love the variety of building materials that you've assembled on the interior, it's very gritty, very Bricktown.

Will you be able to have sidewalk vendors to draw people in or will that require a special city permit in OKC?

[Urbanized]

We did consider and do understand the security challenges posed by the full-height walls. They will be offset in part by a pretty sophisticated camera system, our staffing plan, and other means. Believe it or not, the number one deterrant to retail theft is... ...talking to customers.

You'd also be surprised when you step into the space how few truly blind spots there are, all things considered, due to the way the spaces are staggered, and due to the number of areas where we have strategically placed half-height walls and other elements.

We decided to go with the full-height walls after studying a number of similar places locally and elsewhere. The types of vendors we hope/expect to attract will be heavily made up of people who trade in home decor, art and the like. Already we have leased to a number of artists. They require walls for artwork, and persons dealing in decor generally feature other types of wall hangings.

Also, we have observed that the places that sublet to individual vendors seem to be much more likely to resemble rummage sales or what most people think of as flea markets, and are generally disorderly in appearance. Add to that the fact that the places with no walls ususally end up with tall divisions anyway - typically crummy cabinets or lattice or whatnot furnished by vendors - and we felt it was wise to go to the extra expense and effort to physically define the spaces ourselves.

Larry, regarding lighting we have installed track lighting tracks inside each booth and in front of most wall space. Since most retailers prefer to provide their own lighting plan, and since there are many, many types of bulbs and fixtures to choose from, we are allowing them to furnish their own track heads. The marketplace will be very well lit. We also benefit from some great window openings in front - especially considering it is a "basement" - and the hallways and booth wall heights are designed in such a way as to maximize the natural light.

Right now we are hoping to be open before June 1, with some vendors perhaps moving in and opening even in late May. Right now our timeline is mostly driven by knocking out a few construction details and getting a final inspection and C.O. from the City. We're hopeful that happens in the next two weeks or so. I would say the buildout is at this point 90%+ complete.

Spartan, the answer to your question is that we definitely will have sidewalk vendors, at least during times when they make sense. We're still looking into the permitting issue as it relates to our patio, since it is private rather than public property. We do know that as long as we are the point of the transaction itself, no additional permits are required. It is possible that third-party vendors who take payment directly would require them, but I believe that process was recently streamlined by city council. This is what we will be investigating before proceeding with outdoor events that involve third-party payment transactions.

[MikeOKC]

That will be really, really cool. I agree with Nick in that it's very Bricktown.

[CuatrodeMayo]

I am doing a "barn door" on a project and found a source for classic and modern hardware.
BarnDoorHardware.com

I haven't seen their hardware in the flesh, but I have a couple of the "Supra" door systems going in at a state park lodge this summer. I can't wait.

[OKC@heart]

I haven't seen their hardware in the flesh, but I have a couple of the "Supra" door systems going in at a state park lodge this summer. I can't wait.

Yup I am familliar with the german companies systems, They are so sweet and so dang expensive! I had a Hotel that we specified them for the barn door hardware and were using the spider and the Duplex-S. The project is permitted and everything yet is in a holding pattern with financing issues. I am hopeful that it will come back though as we already had the operator in place. Oh well I guess we will wait and see!

[bluedogok]

The project is permitted and everything yet is in a holding pattern with financing issues.

Doesn't that seem like the story of our business life right now?

[Urbanized]

barndoorhardware.com advertises quite a bit in Dwell magazine, which has led me to spend more time than I probably should online lusting after their stuff. I caught the hardware bug 20 years ago when I worked for Designer Hardware on Wilshire. The place had/has the most amazing high-end hardware. We regularly had customers traveling from Dallas to shop there, as to my knowledge no place like it existed even in big D at the time. Nowadays a lot of that stuff is knocked off/available by special order at discounters, but not then. To this day I don't look at plumbing or door/cabinet hardware the same way. Geeky, I know.

[RedDirt717]

Clearly Steve Lackmeyer is to blame for all of this.

[ljbab728]

barndoorhardware.com advertises quite a bit in Dwell magazine, which has led me to spend more time than I probably should online lusting after their stuff. I caught the hardware bug 20 years ago when I worked for Designer Hardware on Wilshire. The place had/has the most amazing high-end hardware. We regularly had customers traveling from Dallas to shop there, as to my knowledge no place like it existed even in big D at the time. Nowadays a lot of that stuff is knocked off/available by special order at discounters, but not then. To this day I don't look at plumbing or door/cabinet hardware the same way. Geeky, I know.

Don't tell Spartan that anyone from Dallas ever came here to shop, he only thinks that all of us go to Dallas to shop because they have everything that we don't.

[metro]

Don't tell Spartan that anyone from Dallas ever came here to shop, he only thinks that all of us go to Dallas to shop because they have everything that we don't.

or Tulsa.

[Downtowner405]

With large destination retail these days, you get either or a couple of design parameters, single-use buildings such as Bass Pro or large main street master designed destinations such as Market Street in the Woodlands or Shreveport's Riverwalk. And pe of while these are indeed, all upscale destination retail, you have to understand that this type of development doesn't happen without a single entity developer. And since that does not exist in Bricktown, you have a conglomeration of mixed use of available properties that, in time develops with the right mix of tennants.

Furthermore, the large retail destinations that I speak of can be found in literally all markets. But what you don't get is local flavor. Tourism is one of the largest industries in the world. And the number one activity people undertake when traveling is shopping. However, people don't want to travel to see stores they can shop at in their own towns. They want something different. And that's why Red Dirt Marketplace and Red Dirt Emporium are exactly what Bricktown needs!

Devery Yougblood, former DOKC director used to say that retail always lags behind all other development. And there's a reason for this. You don't build foot traffic before retail in an urban environment. This means that in order for retailers to see the viability, the destination as a whole must be viable. Also, another real problem for retailers has been the high price of valuable Bricktown Property.

Red Dirt Marketplace addresses this issue with quality, premium space at an affordable price! How does that not spur new business?

You want to put a large upscale retail development with national firms like the Gap in downtown? Go right ahead. It will fall flat on it's face. Look at Las Olas Riverfront in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida or Las Calinas in Irvine, Texas. Nobody is going to travel to downtown to shop at large retailers they have at their local malls. You have to think outside the box when it comes to downtown retail.

Good luck to Red Dirt Marketplace. Hopefully it's the catalyst we've been waiting for!

[Downtowner405]

Correction: I meant to say you won't build retail unless there is foot traffic in an urban environment. Now that Bricktown has the foot traffic, once the prices of existing space comes down to earth, you'll see retail pop. It just takes time.

[betts]

Here's more information from Steve. This is a nice start, as a marketplace like this will sell the kinds of things visitors like to purchase. I don't think it will make it a destination retail site for locals, but it's nice to have some more retail downtown that sounds like it will complement the Red Dirt Emporium.

At least 22 new retailers will open for business Thursday along the Bricktown Canal as part of the new Bricktown Red Dirt Marketplace — a dream launched by two veterans of the entertainment district.

Read more: Bricktown gaining new retail offerings | NewsOK.com