Wal-Mart Neighborhood market downtown

[Survey]

I know many here don't like Wal-Mart, but the Neighborhood Markets really aren't that bad. If one were put on the west side of downtown, what would be the problem? I think it would solve our problem of needing a grocery store downtown.

[Luke]

The Neighborhood Markets are nice. I think if they did an urban style one downtown it would be great.

[Pete]

I'm sure almost everyone would welcome them, however they have a location at 23rd & Penn and I'm sure they'd say (just like Walgreens) that store is close enough to downtown to service the people that live just north of there.

[bandnerd]

I use that 23rd street Neighborhood Market. Trust me, I'd rather have one downtown.

I find it interesting the things that are at that store...you can buy "chicken paws" but the produce is often very sub-par and they don't offer many healthy food items that a lot of other stores carry.

You also can hardly ever find smaller packages of meat. Yeah, I could buy 3 flank steaks, but I don't have that kind of need OR freezer space. I can never buy just one flank steak, or a small package of pork chops (2-3) like I can at other stores, even the big Wal-Marts.

[John]

I think we'd be better off not having WalMart directly in downtown.

[Pete]

I use that 23rd street Neighborhood Market. Trust me, I'd rather have one downtown.

I'm sure you and others in the area would but also know for a fact that both Wal-Mart and Walgreens feel that they adequately serve the downtown market from their respective 23rd street locations.

This accordinging to their real estate reps.

[bandnerd]

Walgreen's definitely serves things just fine. I have never had a problem finding anything I needed at that store (except for the picture printer being dead one day). But that Neighborhood Market is a pain.

But I may be moving, anyway, so my opinion is probably moot.

[Moondog]

Why not Braums? They've been quietly expanding their stores in order to carry many of the same items one would find at any other grocery store. Fruits, vegetables, baked goods, frozen foods, meats, beverages and of course, dairy products. Sure, you can't get a tube of toothpaste or cat food at Braum's, but I think it would be a step in the right direction. And who knows... they may eventually expand and carry such things. If Braum's is really interested in becoming a grocery store, I would think OKC -- especially downtown -- would be a great testing ground for such a thing.

[bandnerd]

Mmmm...Braum's definitely has the best yogurt and cheese in town. But there's already one near downtown on Classen. But then again, there's a Braum's about every mile on NW Expressway!

[John]

Nice idea, Moondog.

If an urban Braums set up shop off of Walnut in the triangle, they'd attract a lot of the inbound and outbound traffic to downtown/Bricktown, and if they had a larger grocery department, could serve those at Deep Deuce, Block 42, The Hill, etc for the time being, until we get our Central Market/Whole Foods in downtown.

[brannonterry]

go ahead be like tulsa and build one.

[Patrick]

Braums used to have a store at I-40 and Agnew, but with the Crosstown relocating, they got bought out. Maybe they could relocate to Deep Deuce.

[soonerguru]

Please, God, NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NO NON NIL NADA NYET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wal-Mart plans to completely dominate this market -- even more than they already do. If all we can get downtown is a freaking Wal-Mart I may have to relocate.

[Moondog]

go ahead be like tulsa and build one.

Huh? Tulsa doesn't have a downtown Wal-Mart... It doesn't even have a downtown grocery store. Unless one popped up in the week or so since I've been there.

[floater]

I've thought for years a Braum's would do well in Bricktown. This was way before Marble Slab came along, but I still think the grocery function would be a hit. Deep Deuce or the Triangle would be good to.

I wouldn't mind a Wal-Mart neighborhood store in an existing building, but...as with Braum's it would be secondary to the specialty grocer (Trader Joes, Wild Oats, etc). With the grocery study identifying NW 10th and Broadway, or 4th & Walnut in the Triangle area as the optimal sites for the specialty store, the Braum's or Walmart could go to the west side. If not, the specialty grocer could employ those Brickshaws to make deliveries throughout downtown.

[BDP]

At this point, I would like to see us encourage new businesses to come into the market. In the end, we may have to settle for another Braum’s or Wal-Mart, but it’s still a blank slate and I think, ideally, it would be best to see us get something new to the market that would draw city wide. If it is new to this market it's benefit to the city in expanding its selection of services would reach beyond downtown.

If Braum's does enter the downtown market, I would like to see it expanding its offering and do something outside of the fast food/drive thru segment. I would really hate to see the 6th street exit and Walnut street or Broadway become nothing more than a fast food corridor. If it set up shop in an existing building with a pedestrian friendly model, I think it'd be okay. It may still be Braum’s, but it’s concept would be new.

So far, our desire to have parts of downtown develop quickly has often netted us nothing more than a suburban design, filled with more of the same as far as the market goes. While it's definitely good that we are beginning to present options for people to come back to the city, I still hope that this redevelopment of downtown will generate more real options for everyone living and looking to live in OKC.

I also think that only something unique to the market would add real motivation to locate downtown. No one is going to say they want to live downtown because it has a Wal-Mart or a Braum’s. The whole city is full of them. But if you get a store or service that can not be found anywhere else in the market, people are going to add that presence as a reason for wanting to be downtown.