Penn Square Mall

[Shortsyeararound]

Retail is always a season ahead. Back to school deliveries and hires happen in June, winter comes in the fall, shorts come in Feb/March (think spring break), etc. Most traditional companies (not fast fashion- Zara, F21, H&M) buy 6 months to a year out before the stores receive. I managed retail in Okc/Houston/Los Angeles- different markets have better selection for sure and everyone in Oklahoma thinks it would all work here but the numbers don’t back it up when it does come. Tulsa is a test market for most retail companies, so you will find at times, a more fashion forward item. If it doesn’t sell there without huge markdowns it will not come to Okc. I will agree that H&M being at Quail vs Penn is a bummer/weird because IMO I felt that Quail has had the slow death for awhile. Just to give an example - if a store has a location at both malls - Penn is always the hire volume and will do about double then the Quail location. On another note if there is one at the Outlet mall, that location may do what Penn/Quail do combined.

[sethsrott]

Most people do their shopping in advance of the season, and if you go to outlet stores they are usually behind a season selling off excess inventory. It's not just an Oklahoma thing.

[Pete]

The running joke in California was how soon Costco would start to put out Christmas stuff.

Often, it was in early August.

[Shortsyeararound]

Costco has gotten too much of my money on Christmas decorations and August is right around the corner.

[Bowser214]

I only went to Hobby Lobby with my sister to get flowers for headstones for Memorial Day back in May and they had their Autumn/Harvest decor out.

[Snowman]

I guess they didn't want to go for the old Subway space upstairs in the food court.

I think the hallway selected is where it used to be at. It probably has higher foot traffic than the food court, so might pick up more impulse buys.

[foodiefan]

I only went to Hobby Lobby with my sister to get flowers for headstones for Memorial Day back in May and they had their Autumn/Harvest decor out.

. . they were putting out Christmas ornaments last Tuesday

[Bowser214]

. . they were putting out Christmas ornaments last Tuesday

[5alive]

Please no!

[Dob Hooligan]

Please no!

Well, golly, it’s “Christmas In July” all month on Hallmark channel(s) and their Deposed Leader managed clone GAC Family. Some Christians love commerce almost as much as they love the birth of The Lord.

[traxx]

. . they were putting out Christmas ornaments last Tuesday

Last Tuesday? I thought they closed

[HFAA Alum]

Any way we can get a drone shot of this area combined with that of the rest of the NW Expressway skyline? This area might be shaping up to be like a secondary core.

[SomeGuy]

Popeyes is going in where Freshens used to be

[Teo9969]

What could come to this area (or Belle Isle) that could be a regional draw? With the completion of Oak, it will already be the best retail sector in the state, but what else could fit here to draw people into the area beyond restaurant/retail?

[Mississippi Blues]

Transit hub, maybe at like NW Expy & Classen where the CFA was recently built, thought that currently would be bisected by I-44 with minimal walkability to Penn Square/Oak/Belle Isle. Santa Fe is obviously going to be the main transit hub, but maybe some sort of secondary hub, perhaps using the Pentagon City and/or Crystal City stations in Alexandria, Virginia as a model.

It would require an expensive reworking of the area and the city just doesn’t have the need/density/ridership to justify it, but it’s fun to think about.

[chssooner]

Need to make Penn Square more upscale to compete with OAK and Classen Curve.

[April in the Plaza]

What could come to this area (or Belle Isle) that could be a regional draw? With the completion of Oak, it will already be the best retail sector in the state, but what else could fit here to draw people into the area beyond restaurant/retail?

1) knock the mall down
2) IKEA anchor
3) In-N-Out Burger; MAD Greens; and Dog Haus (among others) on the outparcels

[catch22]

If they built a second parking garage, they could capitalize on that SW corner of the property. Partnering with the city to install a diagonal pedestrian-friendly crosswalk leading into an open air promenade area. Basically make an outdoor retail and restaurant area combined with some outdoor open-space to be the front door of the mall. Make it as seem less as possible and it will feel like a cohesive development where going to Penn Square means walking to OAK, and vice versa.

They’re not going to compete with OAK, but if they complement it they can see some spillover success.

[Teo9969]

Transit hub, maybe at like NW Expy & Classen where the CFA was recently built, thought that currently would be bisected by I-44 with minimal walkability to Penn Square/Oak/Belle Isle. Santa Fe is obviously going to be the main transit hub, but maybe some sort of secondary hub, perhaps using the Pentagon City and/or Crystal City stations in Alexandria, Virginia as a model.

It would require an expensive reworking of the area and the city just doesn’t have the need/density/ridership to justify it, but it’s fun to think about.

Would love this, but I don't know that this brings more people to the area from other metros. Like, think particularly if someone is coming up from Dallas, what gets them to stay in this area vs. downtown? They wouldn't probably be drawn in because of the (by Oklahoma standards) quality retail. Restaurants are everywhere. What else could bring someone to stay in this area.

I feel like an underrated answer would be like a headquarters for a 1,000+ employee company that brings in a lot of traveling business people.

Maybe there's some sort of creative entertainment type thing that could come...like an iFly but more accessible?

[Teo9969]

If they built a second parking garage, they could capitalize on that SW corner of the property. Partnering with the city to install a diagonal pedestrian-friendly crosswalk leading into an open air promenade area. Basically make an outdoor retail and restaurant area combined with some outdoor open-space to be the front door of the mall. Make it as seem less as possible and it will feel like a cohesive development where going to Penn Square means walking to OAK, and vice versa.

They’re not going to compete with OAK, but if they complement it they can see some spillover success.

Somewhere in this thread, someone had the great idea to knock down the current Dillard's space on the SW corner and reconfigure the entire section with a garage, hotel, and a more usable space for an anchor tenant. Maybe 3 stories with a 12-15 story hotel that's toward the corner with a parking structure incorporated (think the Westin @ Houston Galleria)

I think you could definitely draw in people to stay from the rest of Oklahoma and maybe some metros like Wichita and Amarillo just for the shopping, but to entice business or bigger city travlers to this area, there needs to be more something else as well.

[chssooner]

Simon seems to not really care too much about this mail. They expanded so many malls, but never really tried to improve or expand Penn Square.

[Plutonic Panda]

Need to make Penn Square more upscale to compete with OAK and Classen Curve.

I keep saying this. Penn Square needs about $1 billion remodel.

1) knock the mall down
2) IKEA anchor
3) In-N-Out Burger; MAD Greens; and Dog Haus (among others) on the outparcels

That should be done on the site of belle, isle shopping center. Bonus points if they rebuild the power plant, they tore down and make an industrial themed apartment complex out of it.Titketeje

[Bowser214]

Found this label inside one of my dad's old suits. I was too young to shop there but I remember the name. My dad was an insurance adjuster from 70s - 90s. Just a fun memory for us old timers.

[Soonerinfiniti]

Lots of construction noise in the former Godiva space. I thought Altered States was going in there, but then I thought I heard they weren't. Anybody know what is going on with this space?

[Rover]

I keep saying this. Penn Square needs about $1 billion remodel.


That should be done on the site of belle, isle shopping center. Bonus points if they rebuild the power plant, they tore down and make an industrial themed apartment complex out of it.Titketeje

And none of that will be done, ever.