Magic City Books / Archer Building

[heironymouspasparagus]

Interesting metric completely missed by me.

Other than franchise hotels and Spaghetti Warehouse, are there any national chains in the Brady?

Mexicali Border Cafe.   

Does 2 count as a chain, especially since the other is 'national' - Florida....

[Conan71]

Subway

Hmmm, can't picture where it is.

[TheArtist]

Not having lots of chains downtown has given many of us local guys who are inexperienced and starting out on a wing and a prayer, a better chance to start businesses, make some mistakes, learn, adapt, and still possibly make a go of it. 

For a while now its like "What does downtown not have?" and thats your opportunity to go in and do it while there are pockets of decent rent and low competition.

But always keeping in the back of your mind that sooner or later as things get going, others with deeper pockets and more experience will be wanting in on the game,  so it's a race to keep your business growing and getting better as both rents and competition continue to rise. 

It's sometimes risky and tough being first in, but there are advantages too. 

[davideinstein]

Hmmm, can't picture where it is.

Next to Lefty's

[davideinstein]

Not having lots of chains downtown has given many of us local guys who are inexperienced and starting out on a wing and a prayer, a better chance to start businesses, make some mistakes, learn, adapt, and still possibly make a go of it. 

For a while now its like "What does downtown not have?" and thats your opportunity to go in and do it while there are pockets of decent rent and low competition.

But always keeping in the back of your mind that sooner or later as things get going, others with deeper pockets and more experience will be wanting in on the game,  so it's a race to keep your business growing and getting better as both rents and competition continue to rise. 

It's sometimes risky and tough being first in, but there are advantages too. 

It's not just decent rent, it's dirt cheap rent comparatively speaking to the rest of the city. Deco District might have the best real estate market in the entire city...and I can't for the life of me figure out why people aren't taking advantage of it.

[Conan71]

It's not just decent rent, it's dirt cheap rent comparatively speaking to the rest of the city. Deco District might have the best real estate market in the entire city...and I can't for the life of me figure out why people aren't taking advantage of it.

Lack of enough mixed use development?

Close proximity to Iron Gate clients?

Get more residential in the immediate area completed and that might change.

[davideinstein]

Deco District for sure needs chains. It's the same effect an anchor store used to have at a retail mall. There is enough real estate to have a mix and chains would add foot traffic to grow the local businesses.

[davideinstein]

Lack of enough mixed use development?

Close proximity to Iron Gate clients?

Get more residential in the immediate area completed and that might change.

There is a lot of foot traffic even after 5pm. We aren't open at 8pm on a Sunday to lose money. The mix use is there more than people realize at this point and the residents have limited options on weekends.

Iron Gate hurts. There is reason all of the abandon buildings are along the areas where they hang out. I'm all for taking care of the poor but I don't think it should be at the expense of economic growth or a neighborhood.

[Conan71]

Deco District for sure needs chains. It's the same effect an anchor store used to have at a retail mall. There is enough real estate to have a mix and chains would add foot traffic to grow the local businesses.

Aside from the occasional JJ's splurge, my wife and I generally avoid chain food places.  And no, I'm not saying that for your benefit, you guys do the best lettuce wrapped bread-less sandwich.  

So are you saying more chain fast food or more chain retailers would benefit the area?

For us, anyhow, we'd be drawn by locally-owned restaurants than chain to make it downtown for a meal.  When I meet a client or friend for lunch in the Deco District for lunch it's either at La Salle's or Elote.

[swake]

Mexicali Border Cafe.   

Does 2 count as a chain, especially since the other is 'national' - Florida....

Mexicali isn't great by any means, but I don't think it's a chain.

[cynical]

According to their web site, there are two restaurants in their "chain." One in Tulsa, one in Florida. As "national chains" go, that's pretty weak.

Mexicali isn't great by any means, but I don't think it's a chain.

[heironymouspasparagus]

It's a stretch to call them a chain - two links ain't much of a chain....  but it is national.  I guess.



Yeah, their food is never great - nowhere near as good as El Sombrero in Broken Arrow - but they have never given us food poisoning, so that's a plus 1.

[BKDotCom]

According to their web site, there are two restaurants in their "chain." One in Tulsa, one in Florida. As "national chains" go, that's pretty weak.

Unrelated (or is it?)   The new taco joint (Jimmy Hula's) that's replacing Taco Cabana @ 18th n Yale is also in Florida.
Same franchisee?

http://jimmyhulas.com/locations/

[cynical]

What is the connection between Tulsa and Florida anyway? Naples Flatbread came from Naples, FL, as well.

Unrelated (or is it?)   The new taco joint (Jimmy Hula's) that's replacing Taco Cabana @ 18th n Yale is also in Florida.
Same franchisee?

http://jimmyhulas.com/locations/

[heironymouspasparagus]

What is the connection between Tulsa and Florida anyway? Naples Flatbread came from Naples, FL, as well.

If you so something here and it is successful, then moving to Florida is nice just because of the weather...and ya might be able to repeat the success.  Seems like I remember one of the founders of Advanced Medical Instruments (one of the AMI's) here in Tulsa doing that quite a few years ago.  Used to make blood pressure devices - now a good OEM printed circuit board manufacturer.