View Full Version : Taylor's Newsstand Closes



BBatesokc
04-14-2009, 09:26 PM
I heard today that Taylor's Newsstand downtown is now closed.

I was actually pretty upset to hear this. I have gone into Taylor's for many years.

OKC4me
04-14-2009, 09:41 PM
My gosh, thats too bad. They had about every magazine you could ever want. They've been there a long time, sad to hear its gone too.

Midtowner
04-14-2009, 09:42 PM
I've never been there, but walked by plenty of times. This was probably inevitable though with the advent of the internet and all that.

mecarr
04-14-2009, 09:47 PM
Steve wrote an article about it in today's paper. Look for it at newsok.com

BBatesokc
04-15-2009, 05:24 AM
I've never been there, but walked by plenty of times. This was probably inevitable though with the advent of the internet and all that.

The odd thing is, I didn't read anything in the Oklahoman's article indicating it was anything other than a dispute with the buildings management (lease, rent, etc.).

I actually was very disappointed the article did such an injustice to the newsstand and its legacy. It was a pretty stale article for downtown's oldest retail business. I would have wanted to know about famous people that came in, etc. I know for a fact there is some great stories there, I just hate to see them go out with little to no notice or appreciation from the city or media. But maybe I'm being too sentimental.

Steve
04-15-2009, 06:45 AM
Hal made it very difficult to do the story. He wouldn't talk to me last week, and then wasn't at the store as promised on Monday and didn't return my numerous attempts to call him.
I love Hal, but he's not always the easiest guy to nail down.

OnlyinOK
04-15-2009, 08:06 AM
That's too bad! I used to work downtown and went in their nearly everyday. They gave you FREE popcorn if you purchased a can of pop. Awww, that's very sad.

metro
04-15-2009, 08:18 AM
See other thread on topic:

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-area-talk/17169-taylor-news-downtown-get-new-owner.html

BBatesokc
04-15-2009, 10:23 AM
See other thread on topic:

http://www.okctalk.com/okc-metro-area-talk/17169-taylor-news-downtown-get-new-owner.html

Ahhh, there's at least a little more of the back story I was looking for.

They ran their newsstand for 93 years so I think any one of us who'd dare tell them how they should(have) run their business would look at bit foolish.

That said, I do think OKC would sustain a newsstand with a bit more of the coffee shop/Borders Books look and feel. I love the idea of vinyl records and even CD's in the back. Something that says come buy or browse a magazine, a cup of coffee and listen to some tunes.

Regardless, I'm sorry to see the original gone.

metro
04-15-2009, 10:37 AM
I sure hope Full Circle wakes up to this and decides to finally come downtown. We should all be emailing Jim Tolbert to bring one downtown.

You may reach us Full Circle at (405) 842-2900 or (800) 683-READ.
Contact us via email at customerservice@fullcirclebooks.com.

metro
04-15-2009, 10:53 AM
I emailed them to consider Downtown OKC for a location.

ssandedoc
04-15-2009, 12:38 PM
I sure hope Full Circle wakes up to this and decides to finally come downtown. We should all be emailing Jim Tolbert to bring one downtown.

You may reach us Full Circle at (405) 842-2900 or (800) 683-READ.
Contact us via email at customerservice@fullcirclebooks.com.


I think the location is subpar at the moment with the amount of office vacancy downtown. Besides, there is not enough parking during a weekday to get me to want to go into the bookstore. Trust me, I drive by that area 4-5 times a week.

stlokc
04-15-2009, 12:54 PM
SSandedoc-I don't think a downtown Full Circle would necessarily have to be the size that would justify a lot of parking. In your post, you are talking about getting in your car and driving to Full Circle, but if you are going to do that, the chances are you probably already live closer to the 50 Penn location anyway.

A Downtown Full Circle could be geared towards the pedestrian crowd...smaller, a little heavier on the newsstand than a typical bookstore...it would be exactly the kind of urban retail that the city is trying so hard to promote.

metro
04-15-2009, 01:21 PM
I think the location is subpar at the moment with the amount of office vacancy downtown. Besides, there is not enough parking during a weekday to get me to want to go into the bookstore. Trust me, I drive by that area 4-5 times a week.

Never said it would have to go in the exact location, just said they should consider a downtown location. There ARE enough of us Downtown Residents and 50,000+ downtown workers, not to mention the millions of tourists each year that would support a bookstore/newsstand downtown, just like we have for 93 years.

OKCTalker
04-15-2009, 03:22 PM
Never said it would have to go in the exact location, just said they should consider a downtown location. There ARE enough of us Downtown Residents and 50,000+ downtown workers, not to mention the millions of tourists each year that would support a bookstore/newsstand downtown, just like we have for 93 years.

Steve - I too regret the loss of Taylor's, but it closed for a reason, either because times changed and it didn't, or it changed and its customers didn't. Their location may have been as much to blame as anything else - they were on the south side of a building on the south boundary of downtown, requiring customers to go out of their way to shop, and that's a death knell in OKC. Perhaps a traffic generator like a great coffee shop would have made the difference, but its academic at this point.

MikeOKC
04-15-2009, 03:41 PM
That really is too bad. I've been going to Taylor's for as long as I remember. As for Full Circle doing something downtown, I'm sure Jim has his hands full just trying to keep ONE independent bookstore alive. It's trying times for the independents. Looking at starting another newsstand in 2009 would be a lot like trying to open a DVD rental place, I'm afraid it's time has come and gone. Print newspapers are trying to stay alive and many magazines are falling by the wayside, many that have been institutions in publishing. Many, newspapers and magazines, are going web-only, or are looking at doing so in the next 12 months. That entire industry is hurting badly and opening a shop to carry print publications would be extremely hard to justify right now. Though I have no doubt if anybody could do it, Jim Tolbert could, great guy with a great shop at 50 Penn. Goodbye to Taylor's and Hal, you will be missed.

Steve
04-15-2009, 03:42 PM
I'm not able at this time to get the full story. But don't be too sure this store died a natural death.

mecarr
04-15-2009, 08:27 PM
I just thought the place didn't have much focus. I remember magazines and papers mixed in with autographs of Jerry Rice, a barbie doll collection, and some used looking board games. It looked more like a garage sale sometimes than a bookstore\newspaper stand. With that said, it's obviously been around here for a very long time and it's always sad to see a business go under.

soonerguru
04-15-2009, 10:38 PM
I've never been there, but walked by plenty of times. This was probably inevitable though with the advent of the internet and all that.

I know Hal. I'm quite sure they simply were ready to be done with it and retire. The store could have used some little updates, but it wasn't a business failure.

I do like BBates's ideas.