What new establishment would you like downtown?

[godboko71]

+1 on more marquee employers or regional offices.  Young professionals, hate them as you may, working, living, and spending money downtown will drive all the "cool" growth you want.  More people in denser areas in general...  and work draws them.  Plus business rehabing old buildings or occupying existing ones prevents more surface parking.

So our Chamber has pretty much railed to attract mid to large sized companies to the area, whats your plan to attract them?

One problem with Chamber promotions of the area (be it direct marketing or general TV ad's) is they only promote the lakes, the casinos, and the mall. They forget about downtown, cherry street, and brookside, the urban parks system, the trails, the nightlife, the sports, and anything else that may matter to young urban professionals.Heck we don't even promote that we offer a wide verity of lifestyle options, be it urban, suburban, the in between that is most of midtown, and country living. 

We as a region suck at promoting ourselves.

[ZYX]

I agree, we need to market our diverse lifestyles.

[Teatownclown]

I agree, we need to market our diverse lifestyles.

Really. What if they decrim drug use when we surrender the war on drugs? Will you tolerate the stoners?

[we vs us]

So our Chamber has pretty much railed to attract mid to large sized companies to the area, whats your plan to attract them?

One problem with Chamber promotions of the area (be it direct marketing or general TV ad's) is they only promote the lakes, the casinos, and the mall. They forget about downtown, cherry street, and brookside, the urban parks system, the trails, the nightlife, the sports, and anything else that may matter to young urban professionals.Heck we don't even promote that we offer a wide verity of lifestyle options, be it urban, suburban, the in between that is most of midtown, and country living.  

We as a region suck at promoting ourselves.

I wonder who we're promoting ourselves to.  Every Chamber success on the jobs front seems to be in the blue collar segment.  And I'm not against a new fleet of welders coming to the city, but I'm pretty positive -- as a demographic -- these aren't the people who will live in and rejuvenate downtown.  

[Jeff P]

I wonder who we're promoting ourselves to.  Every Chamber success on the jobs front seems to be in the blue collar segment.  And I'm not against a new fleet of welders coming to the city, but I'm pretty positive -- as a demographic -- these aren't the people who will live in and rejuvenate downtown.  

I'm sure they're promoting themselves to those groups being discussed.

But those are the same group that EVERY city in the region is also trying to attract.  So just because we aren't seeing many successes (yet) doesn't mean they aren't actively going after those groups.

[we vs us]

On the QT:  rumor has it that the Ruth's Chris people are at it again, looking at at least one downtown location and another unspecified Tulsa location (could be anywhere).  Wish I had more info to pass along but damn, I wish someone would go ahead and get one built already.

[Boksooner]

Speaking of "QT", I would love to see an urban style QuikTrip in downtown. No gas pumps. Just a smaller store portion. The market portion would be a great addition to downtown.

[Jeff P]

Speaking of "QT", I would love to see an urban style QuikTrip in downtown. No gas pumps. Just a smaller store portion. The market portion would be a great addition to downtown.

Ha ha... funny you mention that.

I've advocated that idea with my brother-in-law, who is fairly high up at QT.

Probably not happening any time soon.   

[Red Arrow]

I've advocated that idea with my brother-in-law, who is fairly high up at QT.

Several of us have guessed before but maybe you can get real answer.  Does a convenience store make more money from gas sales or from sales inside the door?

[Townsend]

Several of us have guessed before but maybe you can get real answer.  Does a convenience store make more money from gas sales or from sales inside the door?

Beer and Tobacco

[rdj]

Revenue from gasoline sales is much higher.  However, margins are much lower.  Items inside the stores are much better margins than gasoline.

[Teatownclown]

Magoo's....billards and music and food....

Also, a titty bar for Conan. 

[Jeff P]

Several of us have guessed before but maybe you can get real answer.  Does a convenience store make more money from gas sales or from sales inside the door?

According to my brother-in-law, they don't make anything from gas, especially when it gets expensive. Apparently, there are razor-thin margins on gasoline.  Also, for whatever reason, the higher gasoline is, it squeezes their already thin margin on it.  I'm not sure why that is the case, but he told me once that when gas gets above about $3.50 or $3.75, they just barely break even.

That's why they've spent millions of dollars upgrading and making the inside of their stores better and significantly increased the quality of the food.  Because the more people they attract inside the stores, the more money they make.

[rdj]

One advantage QT has over other gas stations in the Tulsa market is volume.  They may get squeezed on the way up, but because they buy so much gas they can take their time taking it back down and make that money back.  Or, just lower it quicker and make the guy who owns one station choose to match and lose money or stay high and have less volume.

[DolfanBob]

One advantage QT has over other gas stations in the Tulsa market is volume.  They may get squeezed on the way up, but because they buy so much gas they can take their time taking it back down and make that money back.  Or, just lower it quicker and make the guy who owns one station choose to match and lose money or stay high and have less volume.

From what I have seen over the years. QT sets the price that all others follow.