Primo's going in on 240 & Walker

[Easy180]

Got an email from a friend that lives in Yukon saying she heard they are putting a third restaurant there...Seems kind of weird since it would be right across the street from Johnny Carinos

Anyone else heard this??...If you haven't tried it they do have good Italian food

[Spartan]

Where did Yukon Friend here this?

[Martin]

easy180,
that's exactly the first thing i thought when i read your title... seems odd putting another italian restaurant across the street from carino's.

i hadn't heard a thing about this... in fact, i thought the rumor was that friday's would open up there. of course, that was just a rumor, too. -M

[Spartan]

The other Johhny Carino's I've been in (unfortunately) was located about half a mile from an Olive Garden on Ed Noble...

[Martin]

hmmm... i actually like carino's better than olive garden... (and there's one of those on on i-240 and penn) -M

[Easy180]

It seemed to be an announcement from Primo's...Actually emailed it to me at work so I will dig it up and copy it on here

[Spartan]

Well there is room. A development company (name escapes me at the moment) is redeveloping Towne South there in a big way, and Phase II is starting up, but it should just be a strip. Would a Primo's be inclined to take space in a strip?

Also, it sorta begs the question, why southside? Why not Edmond or Norman? If they are so great.

[Martin]

and phase II is starting up, but it should just be a strip.

are you saying that the plan is to put in a strip just north of the old bingo hall? -M

[Easy180]

Here is the response from my friend who eats there all the time in Yukon


I believe I-240 & Walker is correct - not exactly sure where tho They said it has been pushed back to January opening b/c of building codes, kitchen remodel, etc.

The entrance will have a 'leaning tower of pisa' so big you can see it from I-240

It must be going in the strip center where Pratt's used to be...Either they got a great deal or they aren't worried about competing w/ Carino's I guess

[Martin]

it must be going in the strip center where pratt's used to be...

but that strip's long gone. the only strip i know of that's in existence is the former bingo hall (it hurts even saying that word) that is just to the south. it has looked as if some work has been done to it... added windows, etc. otherwise, this would be totally new construction that (to the best of my knowledge) hasn't begun yet. -M

[Easy180]

Looking off of 240 it appears there is a new strip going in where Pratt's was matching the one on the north end of the parking lot...Maybe I am just seeing the bingo place, but it looks new driving by at 65 mph

[Martin]

the bingo hall is a fairly new concrete building and used to be more obscured from 240 when the pratt's strip was up... it's basically a big grey box and doesn't really match the new strip that hooked up to the old taco cabana (sure wish somebody would move in there). but who knows, it's been maybe a week or two since i exited onto walker so maybe something has been started in the meantime.

...and at first glance i thought you meant doing 65mph on walker! -M

[NE Oasis]

Also, it sorta begs the question, why southside? Why not Edmond or Norman? If they are so great.[/QUOTE]

Hate to restart historical arguments, but South OKC is not just for hicks anymore. Disclaimer: I live in an unincorporated pocket of Oklahoma County (NE part of metro), work near Will Rogers airport, worship in Edmond, shop everywhere). With Edmond bumping into Guthrie, far SW OKC is a BOOMING area.

[CMSturgeon]

I assume it's Primo's building that they are working on right now. Do they usually look like an old ruin? They've put an antique looking faux finish on the exterior walls and have made it look as if part of the building wall is cracked and falling a bit. I've never even seen a Primo's before so I'm just guessing, but obviously that would make sense. That parking lot is going to be so cramped when that opens, especially on Sundays, when C.E.C. is the hot spot.

[metro]

Yes, then that should be a Primo's. I believe they are basically the same only better but are part of the Bravo Cucina chain.

[Martin]

actually, i've seen a handmade sign for the construction crew in front of the 'old ruin' building that said 'city bites'... so i think it's going to be that. i can see that broken pillar fitting in with the style of some of their other establishments. the rumor i've heard is that primo's is taking over the former shorty small's location... -M

[Easy180]

Wife's business banker partner told her they are going in the Shorty Small's location...Guess my prediction is coming true, but I'm wondering what happened to the original deal...That had to have fell thru if they are taking Shorty Small's spot

[CMSturgeon]

City bites would make sense. The one theyre building in Moore looks like it may have the same look going on.

[BaconCheeseburgerDeluxe]

Yes, then that should be a Primo's. I believe they are basically the same only better but are part of the Bravo Cucina chain.

No.. they are a locally owned company. From what I understand, they grown their own produce and most thier ingredients come from right here in Oklahoma.

PRIMO'S D' ITALIA

They list the south location on the to-go menu. I noticed they provide hotel delivery. Imagine that. All you romantics should take note of that. If you treat your special someone to an occasional hotel stay and they love Primo's you may have the perfect night right there.

http://primositalian.com/acrobat/primostogo.pdf

[SoonerDave]

Ironically enough, there's another thread on this (from the opposite direction, re Short Smalls closing, here. Primo's is, indeed, taking over the spot vacated (mercifully) by Shorty Smalls.

The Pratt's grocery store/strip center was torn down well over a year ago. The Bingo Hall, thankfully, has moved, and the building is being redeveloped into a mixed-used business center, including a Bistro-type restaurant on one corner. A new, free-standing location will host a small medical facility and a relocated City Bites restauarant (moved from their to-be-closed location north of I-240 on the west side of Western).

From what I've heard, Primo's is not afraid to compete with Carino's.

As far as why Primo's would locate "southside" in preference to Edmond or other northside location...as a "southsider," I ask....what's wrong with that? Do only "northsiders" appreciate a nice restaurant? Sorry, I forgot, everyone south of Reno is just a hayseed....Just curious about the motivations while I scoop some breakfast leftovers out of my neighbor's trash.....

-soonerdave

[mranderson]

"As far as why Primo's would locate "southside" in preference to Edmond or other northside location...as a "southsider," I ask....what's wrong with that? Do only "northsiders" appreciate a nice restaurant? Sorry, I forgot, everyone south of Reno is just a hayseed....Just curious about the motivations while I scoop some breakfast leftovers out of my neighbor's trash....."

I agree to a large degree. I remember when the southside was shut out totally. 15 years ago, the southside would not have even gotten a Best Buy, and now it gets nearly everything the northside does.

The mind set was southside no money at all, northside all money. Not true. Even in the 60's, there was a great deal of money south.

I truly feel the Oklahoma City chamber of commerce was prejusdist against south Oklahoma City. Why? Simple. They rarely, if ever, promoted anything except north. I remember when I went to work at Oreck in 1997. The franchise owner told me the chamber had told him the busiest corner in Oklahoma City was May and Hefner. It was a crock then, and even more so now. There is a lot more traffic at the intersection of I-240 and Pennsylvania than there ever was at May and Hefner. His second store was Norman because the chamber told him the best suburb was Norman. Guess what? A short two years later, that store Oreck opened in Norman closed. Guess where it is now? South Oklahoma City. So much for the chamber.

Is there a lot of hicks south? Yes. More than north. However, some of those hicks have money and they like spending it.

Now a question. Yesterday, I saw a sign indicating a new location for Bob Moore Ford. The late Southwest Ford built the new location at I-240 and I-35 about five years ago. Why is Moore moving? Is it in the path of the new interchange?

[CMSturgeon]

Isn't that Five Star Ford now? Or was it? Or is that the same thing? Haha, I don't pay too much attention. I wish they were using the land at 89th & the service road for restaurants but Bob Moore Ford will be better than nothing. The saddest part is they'll be pushing so many creatures out of their natural habitat.... bums that is.

[SoonerDave]

I truly feel the Oklahoma City chamber of commerce was prejusdist against south Oklahoma City.

I agree. That prejudice lead, in no small measure, to the creation of the South Oklahoma City Chamber. However, I think someone who was responsible for a great overhaul of how Oklahoma City in general treats south Oklahoma City in particular is the late Harold McEwen, former Ward 5 councilman, who stood up for S. OKC more than anyone I can recall.

. The late Southwest Ford built the new location at I-240 and I-35 about five years ago.

Not quite. Fred Jones built that location sometime around '98-'99 to become what Ford was a "premeire" (forget the precise term) series of dealerships in the OKC area, but also had some sort of special affiliation with Ford Motor Company. This was, if I'm not mistaken, one of those goofy things that ol' Jacques Nasser tried to do to resurrect Ford's crumbled image - short of actually trying to build better cars. It got Ford in trouble with its "non-affiliated" dealerships, because they correctly perceived that they were indirectly competing for sales against the manufacturer, who was giving perhaps GREAT price preference to this new breed of "elite" affiliated dealerships.

The elite dealership idea failed miserably, and the individual dealerships in the chain were sold off. That particular dealership at I-240 west of I-35 has been perhaps three different names since that Jones concept dealership went south. I can't imagine ANYTHING being successful there; it's a horrendous location for a car dealership, seems to me.

Now, having said all that, let me apologize for the topic drift. Lost sight of the fact this is a thread about Primo's on I-240. Sorry!

-SoonerDave

[mranderson]

I agree. That prejudice lead, in no small measure, to the creation of the South Oklahoma City Chamber. However, I think someone who was responsible for a great overhaul of how Oklahoma City in general treats south Oklahoma City in particular is the late Harold McEwen, former Ward 5 councilman, who stood up for S. OKC more than anyone I can recall.



Not quite. Fred Jones built that location sometime around '98-'99 to become what Ford was a "premeire" (forget the precise term) series of dealerships in the OKC area, but also had some sort of special affiliation with Ford Motor Company. This was, if I'm not mistaken, one of those goofy things that ol' Jacques Nasser tried to do to resurrect Ford's crumbled image - short of actually trying to build better cars. It got Ford in trouble with its "non-affiliated" dealerships, because they correctly perceived that they were indirectly competing for sales against the manufacturer, who was giving perhaps GREAT price preference to this new breed of "elite" affiliated dealerships.

The elite dealership idea failed miserably, and the individual dealerships in the chain were sold off. That particular dealership at I-240 west of I-35 has been perhaps three different names since that Jones concept dealership went south. I can't imagine ANYTHING being successful there; it's a horrendous location for a car dealership, seems to me.

Now, having said all that, let me apologize for the topic drift. Lost sight of the fact this is a thread about Primo's on I-240. Sorry!

-SoonerDave

A bit more of a drift for a moment. I had forgotten the year the dealership moved, however, Southwest DID build it. It was labeled Southwest Ford, however, the Oklahoma City ford dealers bought the dealership just after it moved and renamed it. The Southwest sign was on it for a short time. It then became Oklahoma City Collection (or similar), then Five Star, then Bob Moore.

Now back to regular programing.

[CMSturgeon]

Now back to regular programing.

OK, so now it doesnt look like an antique finish, just a tan color but still has the crack and looks like part of the wall is peeling off. The other side of the building looked like a nice moulding that has made me think of roman ruins but now they've done something to really take the elegance away.... painted it maybe? Anyway, if that isnt Primos there better be more than one business in there because it's way too big for City Bites.