Plaza District

[Urbanized]

Read more here: http://www.treeandleafclothing.com/b...r-this-chapter

Sounds like he never made much money off the store and now increasing overhead costs (most likely the rent) are increasing too much for him to stay.

This is essentially correct. The success of restaurants and bars in the area is driving rents, and independent retail is basically a labor of love and lives in a small margin if even profitable in the first place. Also, usually the only way for them to be profitable is to be primarily staffed by an owner/operator, which can be exhausting in the long term. This is the typical life cycle of most gentrifying urban areas, unfortunately.

These retailers - along with DNA, Bad Granny’s and a few others which no longer exist - were game-changing pioneers in Plaza, and the district owes them a huge debt of gratitude.

[krisb]

I agree, this is the cost of gentrification.

[PhiAlpha]

I agree, this is the cost of gentrification.

Yes and without gentrification, the Plaza District would still be a run down eyesore devoid of life like it was in 2007. Losing some of the pioneering retailers sucks but you can't have your cake and eat it too.

[Timshel]

This is essentially correct. The success of restaurants and bars in the area is driving rents, and independent retail is basically a labor of love and lives in a small margin if even profitable in the first place. Also, usually the only way for them to be profitable is to be primarily staffed by an owner/operator, which can be exhausting in the long term. This is the typical life cycle of most gentrifying urban areas, unfortunately.

These retailers - along with DNA, Bad Granny’s and a few others which no longer exist - were game-changing pioneers in Plaza, and the district owes them a huge debt of gratitude.

Agreed. Do you think there is a chance of a national brand going into the Plaza district? For example, Whole Foods Market 365, Chipotle, Starbucks, Dominos, Urban Outfitters, etc. (using these as examples, not as places that I want or think could/would actually open in the Plaza district). Would almost seem to be the next step - but this could also be said for Midtown, Automobile Alley, and Deep Deuce, which may actually be even better areas for national brands that often operate in urban/mixed use areas.

Using Tulsa as an example, I was somewhat surprised to see that Cherry Street has a Chipotle, Q'Doba, Chimi's, and Panera Bread, among others.

While I'm definitely not trying to suggest that having national brands in a gentrifying area is a good thing, in my experience they often seem to coincide with larger scale developments and I am a bit surprised that our primary urban/mixed use districts (not counting Bricktown in this, which of course does have a number of national brands) seem to be relatively lacking.

[OKC Talker]

You must have missed the announcement! http://www.plazadistrict.org/news/20...ct-this-summer

[Timshel]

You must have missed the announcement! http://www.plazadistrict.org/news/20...ct-this-summer

^

Haha. Definitely a brand I am glad is not in the Plaza District! And while I think there are some brands that would be a good fit I am not surprised that the Plaza District, as a whole, would be resistant to such a development, but as they say, money talks . . . .

[bchris02]

^

Haha. Definitely a brand I am glad is not in the Plaza District! And while I think there are some brands that would be a good fit I am not surprised that the Plaza District, as a whole, would be resistant to such a development, but as they say, money talks . . . .

It was an April Fool's Day joke....

I agree though. I don't think the Plaza is a place for national brands but I wish more of them would consider downtown, perhaps in Midtown.

[dankrutka]

I agree that national brands have a place in most districts. For example, I've always hoped a few national brands could take up some of the spaces on Norman's Main Street to bring a different crowd to that district. Bricktown, Midtown, and Automobile Alley are good candidates for some national brands too. However, with such limited space and such a local vibe, I'd actually rather see the Plaza District stay as local as possible. Of course, there may be a regional or national brand that could be a good fit, but I hope places like Chipotle, Starbucks, and the like don't go in. I like thinking of the Plaza District as a smaller version of Deep Ellum in Dallas (without the dedicated bars) and you won't find national brands there except for an appropriate, urban 7/11.

[Timshel]

I agree that national brands have a place in most districts. For example, I've always hoped a few national brands could take up some of the spaces on Norman's Main Street to bring a different crowd to that district. Bricktown, Midtown, and Automobile Alley are good candidates for some national brands too. However, with such limited space and such a local vibe, I'd actually rather see the Plaza District stay as local as possible. Of course, there may be a regional or national brand that could be a good fit, but I hope places like Chipotle, Starbucks, and the like don't go in. I like thinking of the Plaza District as a smaller version of Deep Ellum in Dallas (without the dedicated bars) and you won't find national brands there except for an appropriate, urban 7/11.

I tend to agree with two exceptions. I think it would be cool and potentially successful to have a specialty clothier with a bit of an edge (more Rag & Bone, less Hot Topic) or a small but high profile restaurant (I have hope that one day Danny Bowien will open a restaurant in OKC - seems unlikely given every time I hear him talk on TV about his childhood in Moore he doesn't sound overly enthralled with Oklahoma, but a guy can dream). I realize these are very "pie in the sky" options but I think these types of brands would work really well in the Plaza District, if OKC could ever get them to come in the first place....

[TheirTheir]

I would LOVE for a Native Roots style grocery store to open up in the Plaza.

[onthestrip]

The two stores closing cant really blame super high rent. Obviously rent will always trend up, especially so in a district that has seen a lot of success. But I know what the rent was on these two spaces and they were hardly out of the norm, and were less than what you'd have to pay in any new strip center. Plus, these spaces come with a living quarters, so you could live there and run your own shop.

[zefferoni]

I'd like to see another record/media shop in the district. I loved going out for drinks and coming home with a record from Size.

[Pete]

"The landlord raised the rent" and "oil prices" are the two universal excuses for every closed/failed/non-starter business in OKC.

From my experience, 9 times out of 10 that is just cover for someone who wasn't doing very well in the first place.

[Rover]

It used to be for failing restaurants “Oklahoma Citians just don’t know good food”. That was usually the cry from overpriced or under quality operators.

[Roger S]

It used to be for failing restaurants “Oklahoma Citians just don’t know good food”. That was usually the cry from overpriced or under quality operators.

I can believe that one when I see people queuing up for mediocre food at places like Cheesecake Factory and Texas Road House.

[TheTravellers]

I can believe that one when I see people queuing up for mediocre food at places like Cheesecake Factory and Texas Road House.

Or Braum's.

[Dustin]

They do this everywhere, though. It's definitely not exclusive to OKC.

[Pete]

Another routine excuse that goes unchallenged and too often repeated by local media: "Project 180 / the streetcar construction killed our business".

If you actually do some research you'll see credit filings against a few of these places long before construction became an issue and pretty much all the others had been struggling.

[bchris02]

They do this everywhere, though. It's definitely not exclusive to OKC.

It definitely seems like the fervor for chain restaurants has died down some compared to a decade ago. I can't remember the last time I was with friends and they said something like "let's go to Chili's" or "let's go to PF Changs."

[OKC Talker]

I'll bite. So is the answer really "Retail is dead" and "Long live the internet showroom" or is it just these specific businesses that you're saying aren't successful?

https://www.cnbc.com/2017/09/11/nord...inventory.html

[Pete]

My opinion is that there will always be plenty of room for brick and mortar retailers, it's just on-line and big box competition means that you have to work hard rather than just open your doors and hope people wander in and spend their money.

And/or that you have a serious on-line presence that complements your physical store(s).

[d-usa]

Brick and Mortar will have to compete by offering experiences, because they will have a hard time competing against prices.

[traxx]

My opinion is that there will always be plenty of room for brick and mortar retailers, it's just on-line and big box competition means that you have to work hard rather than just open your doors and hope people wander in and spend their money.

And/or that you have a serious on-line presence that complements your physical store(s).

To me, it seems that online has more of an affect on big box stores than small or locally owned brick and mortar stores. Maybe I'm wrong in my perception, but the thing about big box was that they dealt in volume and so could offer lower prices. Now online does that. But small chains or boutique stores or local stores give the customer something that they may not be able to get elsewhere.

[HangryHippo]

To me, it seems that online has more of an affect on big box stores than small or locally owned brick and mortar stores. Maybe I'm wrong in my perception, but the thing about big box was that they dealt in volume and so could offer lower prices. Now online does that. But small chains or boutique stores or local stores give the customer something that they may not be able to get elsewhere.

This has been my impression as well. Which I don't mind. Eliminate the big box and let's get more of the small, local folks.

[OKC Talker]

Isn't that the problem we're talking about right now though? The small local shops are having trouble and people want national chains.