OKC vs. Tulsa Retail

[Just the facts]

Central Ok is wal mart country. We like to belly up to the cart and fill it with big @$$ boxes of cheap stuff.

It is hard to tell if people in OKC prefer Walmart, if they shop there because Walmart is the only option, or a combination of both. Either way, local communities around metro OKC pay Walmart to locate in their City. In my opinion it is economic suicide but it doesn't stop towns from lining up for it.

In addition, last month one of the leading national real-estate and retail experts was on CNBC explaining that many retailers now don't want to locate in strip shopping centers with large parking lots, and OKC doesn't have anything but that. I posted the video somewhere here on OKCTalk.

[bchris02]

It is hard to tell if people in OKC prefer Walmart, if they shop there because Walmart is the only option, or a combination of both. Either way, local communities around metro OKC pay Walmart to locate in their City. In my opinion it is economic suicide but it doesn't stop towns from lining up for it.

Agree with this.

In OKC there really aren't a lot of options other than Wal-Mart. WinCo's success will be a real test whether or not most people in OKC prefer Wal-Mart or they just shop there because there aren't other options. I am hoping they can put a dent in Wal-Mart's overall marketshare.

And yes, a lot of your more trendy retailers aren't going to open in a shopping center like Belle Isle. Those retailers prefer "lifestyle centers" or shopping centers with a town center layout, like Tuscana was supposed to be.

[BG918]

In addition, last month one of the leading national real-estate and retail experts was on CNBC explaining that many retailers now don't want to locate in strip shopping centers with large parking lots, and OKC doesn't have anything but that. I posted the video somewhere here on OKCTalk.

Auto Alley and Uptown/23rd are budding urban retail corridors. They still have a ways to go but those areas are IMO the future of urban retail in OKC. That and the area around Chesapeake and the redevelopment of Nichols Hills Plaza if it can ever get off the ground. Not having a Utica Square equivalent has hurt OKC. Both cities will eventually have the same big box chains but it's the small LOCAL retailers in these urban corridors that will differentiate each city from others like it.

[TheTravellers]

It is hard to tell if people in OKC prefer Walmart, if they shop there because Walmart is the only option, or a combination of both. ...

You forgot the third, in my opinion most likely, option - Walmart's cheap.

[Zuplar]

You forgot the third, in my opinion most likely, option - Walmart's cheap.

Yep, most times they are cheapest. And if for some reason they aren't the cheapest it's only because the other place put it on sale to try and compete with Walmart. Fact is when you go to Walmart, you can have a reasonable expectation that you are getting a low price, or very close to it, meaning you are never going to go there and pay 30% more for an item than somewhere else. Because of this I am a Walmart shopper, and dare I say, I like Walmart. I love competition and that's about the only reason I care if Costco comes, but even if they do I doubt I shop there.

[Rover]

COSTCO wasn't about WalMart, parking lots, urban environments, or anything of the sort. COSTCO wanted to come here, but they expect A LOT of concessions. If you don't give them, they move on down the road til they get what they want.

[flintysooner]

Article link was included in the ICSC Smart Brief newsletter today.

http://www.smartbrief.com/01/01/15/w...s#.VKb-nisc6So

[Jake]

People getting worked up over nothing. Again. Mountain out of a molehill.

[BDP]

Tulsa also has more of a big-city feel than Oklahoma City, Webb said.

“It seems more like the Dallas or Austin areas of Texas — more cosmopolitan, less rural,” he said.

This cracks me up, because 1) this is coming from a guy scouting COSTCO(!) locations and 2) this is where the Tulsa store is going:

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0137...C2MsYsLj1w!2e0

[ZYX2]

This cracks me up, because 1) this is coming from a guy scouting COSTCO(!) locations and 2) this is where the Tulsa store is going:

https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0137...C2MsYsLj1w!2e0

To be fair, (not that it really changes your point) that area has changed significantly since those pictures were taken.

[Urbanized]

The term is actually "TOE the line," not "TOW the line." Sorry; couldn't help myself. It's a personal pet peeve. Now back to your regularly-scheduled programming.

[Rover]

The term is actually "TOE the line," not "TOW the line." Sorry; couldn't help myself. It's a personal pet peeve. Now back to your regularly-scheduled programming.

[Tigerguy]

If I had a penny for every time I've shopped at one of the stores listed above, or had a desire to see them enter our market...I wouldn't have very many pennies. Off the top of my head, I know there would be four, then throw in however many for each time I've been to the Warren. Yes, part of that speakes to what does (or doesn't) appeal to me, but the fact is that whether a store comes here first or not isn't going to make or break this city. I get all of the stuff about perceptions and whatnot, but there are a lot of people that need to get a grip, methinks. Ooooh, Costco's opening in Tulsa first. Ooooh, [insert store here] chose OKC first. Good for the sake of novelty and expanded choices, but that novelty isn't going to last forever.

The presnce of a national retailer doesn't make one city better than the one that lacks that retailer. There's more this city can do to improve its image than attract some new store here.

[Just the facts]

If I had a penny for every time I've shopped at one of the stores listed above, or had a desire to see them enter our market...I wouldn't have very many pennies. Off the top of my head, I know there would be four, then throw in however many for each time I've been to the Warren. Yes, part of that speakes to what does (or doesn't) appeal to me, but the fact is that whether a store comes here first or not isn't going to make or break this city. I get all of the stuff about perceptions and whatnot, but there are a lot of people that need to get a grip, methinks. Ooooh, Costco's opening in Tulsa first. Ooooh, [insert store here] chose OKC first. Good for the sake of novelty and expanded choices, but that novelty isn't going to last forever.

The presnce of a national retailer doesn't make one city better than the one that lacks that retailer. There's more this city can do to improve its image than attract some new store here.

Let me guess - you are a Walmart shopper.

[Zuplar]

Let me guess - you are a Walmart shopper.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

[bchris02]

You say that like it's a bad thing.

There is nothing wrong with liking Wal-Mart and being happy with that and not desiring anything else. Different people have different priorities. Some people love Wal-Mart and others dislike it for one reason or another. It would be really interesting to see however how many Wal-Mart shoppers in OKC shop there because they prefer it vs how many reluctantly do so because there are so few other options.

In a city where Wal-Mart has 60+% of the marketshare (most other cities its in the 30% range at highest) I am sure a sizable group shop there out of necessity and will jump ship when they have an alternative.

[Just the facts]

Let me guess - you are a Walmart shopper.

You say that like it's a bad thing.

It is, but that is a different subject.

[Zuplar]

It is, but that is a different subject.

Great, can't wait.

[pickles]

Let me guess - you are a Walmart shopper.

You probably mean this, and that's both sad and stupid.

[Tigerguy]

Let me guess - you are a Walmart shopper.

For most food, yep. It's the closest store to where I live, and I like my grocery shopping to be a quick affair. Virtually none of my other shopping is done at Walmart, so you may rest easily tonight.

[BG918]

You want a true "national perception" problem? Try living 20 minutes from Ferguson, MO and spending your life under the erroneous blanket of the yearly "Most Dangerous City" rankings when the majority of this metro area is as safe as anywhere in central Oklahoma. That's a perception problem.

Very true. St Louis is such a great city that could be really awesome if it had the same kind of investment as an Austin , Charlotte or even OKC. But so many think it's a crime ridden place especially since Ferguson. The same goes for Little Rock which is also a great city that should be growing a lot faster than it is but has a bad reputation.

[Celebrator]

Very true. St Louis is such a great city that could be really awesome if it had the same kind of investment as an Austin , Charlotte or even OKC. But so many think it's a crime ridden place especially since Ferguson. The same goes for Little Rock which is also a great city that should be growing a lot faster than it is but has a bad reputation.

Lived in and loved STL for about ten years, but was always frustrated by the lack of redevelopment in the core. But, as someone who is in the know told me, STL has two big problems: race relations (which sadly came into an acute national spotlight this summer/fall) and political relations between the city and county governments. They have a unique city/county government set-up up there that has stalled investment and development in the city. Sorry, to go off topic here.

[HOT ROD]

also, I think Pete's list above disproves the claim that Tulsa gets stores first.

[Plutonic Panda]

The comments on the Tulsa world are hilarious. Like this one

Costco are a bunch of liberal freaks. I'm shopping at Sams

I'm crying right now. So f'n funny. This guy must be hilarious to discuss President Obama with.

Direct link to The Tulsa World one, which is a carbon copy of NewsOk article: http://www.tulsaworld.com/businessho...r-comment-area

[Pete]

As a reminder, people are going off on extreme tangents as the result of comments from one individual who:

1) First chose an OKC location
2) Is from Western Oklahoma
3) Lives in the Dallas area