"Deco district" closings

[Conan71]

Maybe they will start opening on Sundays unlike Elote.

If they are only courting the lunch crowd, don't hold your breath.

[rdj]

With the "success" of Tulsa's downtown churches it's a little surprised at the lack of lunch business downtown restaurants do.  The only wait I've ever had on a Sunday downtown was at Dilly Deli.

[sgrizzle]

With the "success" of Tulsa's downtown churches it's a little surprised at the lack of lunch business downtown restaurants do.  The only wait I've ever had on a Sunday downtown was at Dilly Deli.

That was the first place (of several) I tried eating on a Sunday evening that isn't open Sunday evening.

Weekend lunch business is slow period.

[TheArtist]

  The downtown church crowd doesn't hang around before or after services it seems.  Whenever I am downtown on a Sunday, its dead as a doornail.  Heck I was at one church one day to take photos inside the church. Service was just finishing up when I went in.  Bet it wasn't 30 minutes later I realized that I was the only one inside.... and they had locked the doors!  I ran around the church looking out windows trying to see if anyone was left, the parking lots were empty, then at the back noticed two cars left and the pastor getting in one, I pounded on the windows so that I could get his attention to let me out lol.  Those folks don't mess around, they drive in, do their thing, then drive right back out of downtown.  

Neighborhood areas of a downtown are often quiet.  Business areas are usually only busy during certain times, heck even the Wall-Street area in NYC can be dead after hours, there just isn't anything much at ground level. The buildings are mostly offices and such. The areas that are busy are entertainment/shopping/dining areas.  The Deco District centered on 5th and Boston has potential as another dining hub, but in order for it to also be a draw for shopping it might take a destination type thing or two like a good bookstore, or a movie theater, perhaps the Art Deco Museum once it fills out, etc.  The type of thing where you go for one reason, and your not in any hurry, and will then stay around to browse other stuff nearby.  Even a decent cluster of interesting shops can be that draw.  These pop-up shops are not quite a draw yet.  Once you get a good cluster of stores and shops mixed in with the restaruants and entertainment options, then there may be enough critical mass to make the area a draw for shoppers.  

Every new thing helps make the area more interesting and more of a destination.  We hope to have the Art Deco Museum open every Friday 10-6 beginning in March.  Not much, but its a start.  Once we have our grand opening during Mayfest, and will have some more displays built out, perhaps we will have enough solid, volunteer commitments to be open another day as well.  Trying to build it up step by step.

[TheTed]

I've never had less success in dining out than in Tulsa. It's a 50-50 proposition whether I'll actually be able to eat.

Everything local has odd/unpredictable hours. It's come to the point that when it's 45 minutes before closing time and business is light, I expect they've already decided to close or otherwise altered their published hours.

I need a job like that, where I can leave early when it's slow but never, ever stay late, no matter how busy.

[TheTed]

Is that Escargot's catering at eighth and main still doing the Sunday brunch? That seemed to draw in all the church folks. But I can't tell if it still exists.

[Conan71]

I've never had less success in dining out than in Tulsa. It's a 50-50 proposition whether I'll actually be able to eat.

Everything local has odd/unpredictable hours. It's come to the point that when it's 45 minutes before closing time and business is light, I expect they've already decided to close or otherwise altered their published hours.

I need a job like that, where I can leave early when it's slow but never, ever stay late, no matter how busy.

Are you sure you aren't the one with the odd, unpredictable hours, Ted?

[TheTed]

Are you sure you aren't the one with the odd, unpredictable hours, Ted?

You are correct that I don't tend to eat at normal meal times. But when Dilly Deli says they close at 8, I don't expect them to be closed at 7:15 on three consecutive attempts.

The same thing with Caz's Chowhouse on several attempts. The same thing with Flying Burrito before they closed down. And this doesn't even include all the "we're open but we ran out of all the food you'd actually want to eat" responses at various places. Like Fat Guy's running out of ground beef. Or the times the credit card machine is broken at various places.

Then there are the places that list their closing time as "close." You can call to try and get an answer as to whether they'll be closing in the next 20 minutes, but it frequently does no good.

And the places that are open for mealtimes only. 11-2 M-F, then 5-8 Tuesday-Friday, 3-8 on Saturday. You don't consider those odd hours? It shouldn't take that much research to figure out if a place is gonna be open.

I wanted to try the gas station grill place at Sixth and Utica that's highly reviewed. Their sign says "grill open nights." But that apparently means they close at 8pm.

On a Saturday.

I guess it's technically correct, as they are open a small portion of the night, like an hour or two depending on your definition of night.

And the percentage of local restaurants open Sundays around here is just pathetic. You better have free time on a weekday or a Saturday if you want to try many of the local favorites.

[Conan71]

That's why I tend to cook many of my meals at home

[rdj]

You are correct that I don't tend to eat at normal meal times. But when Dilly Deli says they close at 8, I don't expect them to be closed at 7:15 on three consecutive attempts.

The same thing with Caz's Chowhouse on several attempts. The same thing with Flying Burrito before they closed down. And this doesn't even include all the "we're open but we ran out of all the food you'd actually want to eat" responses at various places. Like Fat Guy's running out of ground beef. Or the times the credit card machine is broken at various places.

Then there are the places that list their closing time as "close." You can call to try and get an answer as to whether they'll be closing in the next 20 minutes, but it frequently does no good.

And the places that are open for mealtimes only. 11-2 M-F, then 5-8 Tuesday-Friday, 3-8 on Saturday. You don't consider those odd hours? It shouldn't take that much research to figure out if a place is gonna be open.

I wanted to try the gas station grill place at Sixth and Utica that's highly reviewed. Their sign says "grill open nights." But that apparently means they close at 8pm.

On a Saturday.

I guess it's technically correct, as they are open a small portion of the night, like an hour or two depending on your definition of night.

And the percentage of local restaurants open Sundays around here is just pathetic. You better have free time on a weekday or a Saturday if you want to try many of the local favorites.

Man, you have bad luck.  I eat local for probably 10 of my roughly 17 (not a breakfast eater) meals a week, with of the other seven six being homemade, and have rarely if ever experienced what you have.

[kingsy]

I've never understood the complaint when local places run out of food.  The reason that chains never run out of food is due to the processing which allows them to keep food much longer than a local joint.  I'd rather a restaurant run out of food and know that it is fresh.

[sgrizzle]

That's why I tend to cook many of my meals at home

No, that's because most restaurants don't have "meat boat" on their menu.

[Hoss]

No, that's because most restaurants don't have "meat boat" on their menu.

Looked more like 'meat carrier'....

[Conan71]

No, that's because most restaurants don't have "meat boat" on their menu.

That sounds like one of those old blue movies.

I prefer to call it Philly Chili

[jacobi]

I've never understood the complaint when local places run out of food.  The reason that chains never run out of food is due to the processing which allows them to keep food much longer than a local joint.  I'd rather a restaurant run out of food and know that it is fresh.

It also assumes a food supply chain that keeps us in seasonal food all year round.  Can you imagine A national burger chain saying "sorry, tomatos arn't in season right now"?  There would be an occupy burgerstreet movement in protest.