Restaurant closings

[barrettd]

After 30 years, ND Foods announced on FB that their last day is Monday. Always a great sandwich and dessert place but never convenient location wise for me. I need to go by and get a pecan square this week.

30 years? Wow. Great sandwiches and cakes, but I never, ever saw anyone in there any time I visited. I'll have to go by one last time this week.

[Martin]

After 30 years, ND Foods announced on FB that their last day is Monday. Always a great sandwich and dessert place but never convenient location wise for me. I need to go by and get a pecan square this week.

oh, that's a bummer... they're probably my favorite sandwich place in the city and their desserts were always pretty amazing, too. however, i can't say that i ever went there after we moved offices out of downtown in 2020.

[OkieBerto]

30 years? Wow. Great sandwiches and cakes, but I never, ever saw anyone in there any time I visited. I'll have to go by one last time this week.

Before the Vintage Mall took over most of the place, ND Foods would have a super long line for lunch during the week. I remember waiting in line for 30 minutes sometimes to get a sandwich. It was always worth the wait. Gonna miss this place.

[Sydonesia]

I LOVED ND Foods back in the day, but they seemed to be struggling the last few times I went. You'd order a sandwich which they either didn't have that day or were asked to substitute either the bread or cheese or something else because they were out of that too. And the dessert case which used to be full of cakes, brownies, and cookies was maybe down to one row filled if even that.

[progressiveboy]

ND Foods is really great! I ordered a Strawberry Cake last Thanksgiving to take to a gathering, and it was nothing but raves! Best strawberry cake hands down. Their sandwiches are great too! I hate to see them close and wish Nick and Delores the best of luck! This place had quality food!

[barrettd]

Before the Vintage Mall took over most of the place, ND Foods would have a super long line for lunch during the week. I remember waiting in line for 30 minutes sometimes to get a sandwich. It was always worth the wait. Gonna miss this place.

The food has always been terrific, a place like that should be packed at lunch. Did the Vintage Mall impact their business? I bet they'll be busy this week.

[OkieBerto]

The food has always been terrific, a place like that should be packed at lunch. Did the Vintage Mall impact their business? I bet they'll be busy this week.

When the mall started taking over most of the area, I think people forgot ND Foods was there. They struggled with keeping it consistent. I think it was just time for them to move on.

[Libbymin]

I found that other dropped off in recent years so this doesn’t surprise me.

[Boop]

After 30 years, ND Foods announced on FB that their last day is Monday. Always a great sandwich and dessert place but never convenient location wise for me. I need to go by and get a pecan square this week.

Sad but 30 years is a good run, not a lot of restaurants last 30 years right now, I am guessing they are closing because they want to retire and spend time with their families

[barrettd]

Sad but 30 years is a good run, not a lot of restaurants last 30 years right now, I am guessing they are closing because they want to retire and spend time with their families

No doubt, 30 years is a good run for any business.

[OkieBerto]

So, I am hearing that ND Foods will stay open for to-go orders only, and the menu will be smaller to accommodate that. Room 3 will take up most of the area that used to be the seating section and counter space. I'm not sure when they plan on taking to-go orders, but they will at least try to exist a little longer.

[Pete]

Packard's closing at the end of the month:

[PhiAlpha]

Packard's closing at the end of the month:

That’s really disappointing. Great run though.

[Urbanized]

I’ll reiterate that I think Midtown has been hit particularly hard by office vacancies in the CBD and other districts. I believe Midtown had emerged pre-pandemic as the district of choice for weekday lunches and happy hour, due to a number of reasons including F&B density/options, consistent new and creative additions and ease of parking.

The pandemic recentered significant swaths of the office market away from downtown (this is still unfolding), subtracting those reliable customers from the mix. As the district infills there has been and will continue to be a systematic elimination of free parking options. Also, Paseo and other areas have become trendier for new dining establishment launches of late (the “hottest neighborhood” designation is always a temporary one).

Bricktown experienced something similar more than a decade ago, first with the disappearance of most free parking options during lunchtime, but also with developments such as Devon Tower and Nebu moving the very reliable Devon lunch crowd to a less comfortable lunchtime walking distance and giving them and others in the CBD a quality, inexpensive lunch option inside Devon Tower.

Fortunately for Bricktown the addition of multiple hotels has created a very strong visitor economy that otherwise helps overcome the loss of lunchtime customers, but there was still a lot of shuffling that took place.

Hoping that Midtown continues to adapt itself to newer realities, and I believe it absolutely will with such strong leadership and influence from Midtown Renaissance. The district is INCREDIBLY fortunate that MR has such an overwhelming interest there. Significant new office additions actually IN the district, currently under construction, will create a more captive lunch market.

But at the end of the day more office-to-housing conversions downtown can’t come soon enough.

[Bowser214]

Hate this! Got reservations for dinner tonight.

[Pete]

Keep in mind that a lot of these places are coming to the end of a lease term, typically 5 or 10 years.

Many of them opened when Midtown and the core first became hot.

My observation is that many of these restaurants and bars have been limping along for quite a while and when given the easy out of an expiring lease term, they are walking away, moving, or consolidating rather than exercising an option. Also, the various forms of pandemic relief are now long gone.

[PhiAlpha]

I’ll reiterate that I think Midtown has been hit particularly hard by office vacancies in the CBD and other districts. I believe Midtown had emerged pre-pandemic as the district of choice for weekday lunches and happy hour, due to a number of reasons including F&B density/options, consistent new and creative additions and ease of parking.

The pandemic recentered significant swaths of the office market away from downtown (this is still unfolding), subtracting those reliable customers from the mix. As the district infills there has been and will continue to be a systematic elimination of free parking options. Also, Paseo and other areas have become trendier for new dining establishment launches of late (the “hottest neighborhood” designation is always a temporary one).

Bricktown experienced something similar more than a decade ago, first with the disappearance of most free parking options during lunchtime, but also with developments such as Devon Tower and Nebu moving the very reliable Devon lunch crowd to a less comfortable lunchtime walking distance and giving them and others in the CBD a quality, inexpensive lunch option inside Devon Tower.

Fortunately for Bricktown the addition of multiple hotels has created a very strong visitor economy that otherwise helps overcome the loss of lunchtime customers, but there was still a lot of shuffling that took place.

Hoping that Midtown continues to adapt itself to newer realities, and I believe it absolutely will with such strong leadership and influence from Midtown Renaissance. The district is INCREDIBLY fortunate that MR has such an overwhelming interest there. Significant new office additions actually IN the district, currently under construction, will create a more captive lunch market.

But at the end of the day more office-to-housing conversions downtown can’t come soon enough.

MR really needs to get that massive nearly empty block in the middle of Midtown developed. More residents in the middle of the district and more continuity between automobile alley and the plaza court area seems like it would help. Something like Santa Fe square or NOMA in Tulsa would be awesome in that spot fronting 10th.

[bison34]

For as far ahead of the curve as Tulsa is in terms of office to housing conversions, OKC is that far behind.

Plus, MR seems to just let huge lots sit vacant, or become dog parks -.- housing and residents are needed to help support the vast amount of restaurants in Midtown.

[PhiAlpha]

For as far ahead of the curve as Tulsa is in terms of office to housing conversions, OKC is that far behind.

Plus, MR seems to just let huge lots sit vacant, or become dog parks -.- housing and residents are needed to help support the vast amount of restaurants in Midtown.

I think the downtown OKC area is behind downtown Tulsa in housing conversions (by quite a bit right now) for sure but I think it's still ahead of Tulsa in new construction.

[bison34]

I think the downtown OKC area is behind downtown Tulsa in housing conversions (by quite a bit right now) for sure but I think it's still ahead of Tulsa in new construction.

I agree with you on the second part. I just think there are quite a few buildings that could be converted (not easy or cheaply, I know) from office to housing, as they are mostly, if not totally empty.

[citywokchinesefood]

Losing Packard's is temporary, someone will open something with that Patio. Housing in the core of the city is absolutely critical. Everything from new construction, renovation from offices to residential, to lighting a fire under speculators asses to develop or sell their holdings. Greater density in the core should be a priority for the city.

[Urbanized]

…MR seems to just let huge lots sit vacant, or become dog parks ….

Oh, please. MR has been the most consistent and aggressive developer in downtown BY FAR for more than a decade. They are without question deliberate and strategic - which I greatly appreciate - but generally every lot of theirs has a long-term plan attached, and each of THOSE is part of a district-wide development strategy.

I swear, sometimes the expectation here that urban redevelopment is as easy as snapping your fingers or waving a wand or whatever gets very tiresome. There’s honestly very little legitimate criticism that can be directed at their efforts, ESPECIALLY in Midtown itself.

[Urbanized]

Losing Packard's is temporary, someone will open something with that Patio...

Yep. I 100% agree that this particular space won’t be vacant for long. Still a bummer to lose them.

[Boop]

It is sad to see long running restaurants being closed these days

[Thunderbolt]

Mi Xian, on the first floor of The Edge, is another Midtown closure. https://x.com/winerev/status/1798689979977363745