An IHOP in Bricktown

[floater]

This is mentioned in the downtownguy's blog. IHOP is interested in a Bricktown location. Does one belong?

Advocates say it brings traffic in from I-40. Opponents say it brings down Bricktown. I'm of the thought that if motorists are hungry and see restaurant signs in Bricktown, they'll pull over. One can say that IHOP is a recognizable brand name, but I think the traffic it will pull in by itself is negligible.

Still, I think the menu IHOP offers is missing from current Bricktown eateries. There is no certifiable breakfast place. And there is no 24-hour restaurant to cater to night owls and after-club diners.

Thus, I could tolerate an IHOP if 1) if it operates 24 hours or until 3AM, and 2) it does not locate in Lower Bricktown, but in one of the warehouses in the original Bricktown.

[mranderson]

When I travel I look for three main restaurants. Denny's, IHOP and Hometown Buffet (or another Buffets Inc name). In the east you can add Shoney's.

Yes. Make it accesable via I-40 with a tall sign (like Lowe's of Norman) and a location easy to find. A pad site at Pro Bass comes to mind.

In fact, I would vote for several eateries that the passer through can dine and run. Just maybe they will see something they want to see and stay a bit. Plus also remember, some people (me included) do not want to start a mortgage just to eat. A lot of places are WAY to expensive.

[Keith]

I, too, would like to see an IHOP in Bricktown. I can guarantee you that the place would stay busy, especially if they were open 24 hours a day. They offer such a wide variety on their menu, that it would even please the pickiest eaters.

[HOT ROD]

An IHOP would be great for downtown but I am not so sure you would want it in Bricktown. Land there is just too valuable and in order for an IHOP to be profitable, they need parking.

I would say, build it in Deep Duece. Let it follow the theme of the neighbourhood, but in the duece, it is close to residents and tourists of B-town.

I agree, the IHOP would be a nice attraction for clubbers when they close at 4am also.

Also, I am not so sure we want a IHOP with a tall sign in Bricktown. That may destroy the character of the district. In fact, I dont think anything should have a tall sign downtown unless the sign is anchored on a skyscraper or building, the latter not being tall enough to be seen from the freeway.

Besides, I sincerely doubt there would be a critical mass of transient motorists who would exit I-40 just because they saw an IHOP sign in Bricktown. They would exit for the other attractions though, and when they drove around - they could find this low cost, 24 hour alternative that would surely do well elsewhere in downtown OKC; just not in B-town.

Deep duece or another more residential district may be better or best of all could be at Reno and Lincoln, just outside the B-town district! IHOP and Dennys would certainly keep traffic in the area - 24hours though!

[Patrick]

Hey guys, from what I've learned, IHOP is looking at a piece of land north of Reno, but just south of the old Fred Jones body shop there in Bricktown (I forget what it's called now...is it Howard?). Anyways, across the street from Bass Pro. A new gasoline station is currently being built across from Bass Pro on the northwest corner on Lincoln/Byers and Reno. IHOP is looking at the site next to where the gasoline station is being built. The structure would be a traditional IHOP.....which would be okay, since it's really not part of Bricktown...it's on the outskirts.

I personally wouldn't mind seeing one in one of the wharehouses on the canal, but it doesn't appear IHOP is interestedin that. Afterall, people passing through wouldn't want to deal with the parking hassle.

Regardless, I hope if they locate there, they make it a brick structure, but for some reason, I highly doubt that. Unfortunately, I think Bass Pro has set a trend for that end of Bricktown.

One thing I've noticed is that IHOPS aren't locating in residential areas like they used to. Look at where most of them are now...right off major interstates close to hotel areas. They're serving the needs of travelers passing through.

But, this isn't all to bad.

Let's look at San Antonio for a minute, a city I sometmes compare our city to. Just across the street from the RiverCenter Mall is a traditional Denny's restaurant with a full parking lot right off the interstate. It's surrounded by a whole bunch of family-type motels....LaQuinta Inn, Best Western, etc., and it does very well! It doesn't really fit in well with the Riverwalk or downtown, but it's set off enough to not really impact the area too much. It's probably an asset to travelers off the interstate and those staying at hotels not directly on the Riverwalk. It also feel a need that's absent on the Riverwalk: breakfast food!

So, in saying this I guess I wouldn't be opposed to a traditional IHOP on that site. With Embassy Suites right across the street, it might be a good location and nice fit.

[Nuclear_2525]

I can't believe everyone in here, after all the talk of how great things are going in Bricktown, wants an IHOP down there. When I go on vacation, IHOP, Denny's and now that it has been mentioned, Shoney's all come to mind when I think nasty truckers in dirty clothes and nasty, cheap food. Why spoil all that Bricktown has accomplished with an IHOP. Why set the bar that low...because when IHOP moves in, all the others will want to move in to, and since the precedent is already there, there will be nothing OKC can do to stop it.

Let IHOP stay in the suburbs. People don't come to Bricktown to eat at cheap chains. I really wish there weren't any chains in Bricktown at all. But at least the ones that are there now are nice chains.

[Patrick]

Actually, in San Antonio there's a Denny's right across from the RiverCenter Mall and it actually fits in nicely. It's far enough away from the Riverwalk to not pull down the area, but it's close enough to provide hotel guests with another option for breakfast.

I think an IHOP in the location they're considering would be very similar to the Denny's in San Antonio. It would really be located outside of Bricktown, nowhere close to the canal. But yet it would still be close to the new Embassy Suites and Conference Center to provide hotel guests a place to eat breakfast.

You'd have to see how the set up works in San Antonio, if you've never seen it. The Denny's is directly across the street from the Convention Center and River Center Mall.

[HOT ROD]

I just hope they dont have a big parking lot, but I assume I will be disappointed in light of your findings about their proposed location, patrick. There is no need to limit parking in E Bricktown, as there is plenty of land.

Too bad. I still think Deep Duece or West Towne would be better for them. Not the top tourist attraction in the state, Bricktown! Like Nuclear said, we want diversity of attractions there but I HOP is hardly an attraction. Thats my 3 cents.