Tulsa Economy

[heironymouspasparagus]

This.

From what I have read in economic reports, Tulsa has weathered this oil bust better than any previous.

Imagine where we would be with competent state governance?

Careful...don't get us dreaming of a better day and a better way...!

[heironymouspasparagus]

I agree.

OKC has grabbed tourism with mid-level sporting events and regional conferences. Of course Bricktown, the Memorial, and a few other things make it "worth the trip."

Tulsa has done OK utilizing expo to grab the BMX, various horse shows, major gun shows, etc. Tulsa Tough has really brought in some people too. But we need to put together a few things to make us a regional draw/day trip destination. I can't help but shake my head at some lost opportunities - the Aquarium, the botanical gardens somewhere tourist friendly, etc.  But we have started to put it together with the ballpark and museums in the Brady, near the PAC, near the BOK, near...

IMHO, a City like Tulsa needs 3 or 4 destinations that someone in a family/group would be happy to do. My family can go to Bentonville and go biking, to Crystal Bridges, and find 2 or 3 other things worth checking out. I think Tulsa basically has that, we need to string them together better and sell it!

100% agreement/alignment!

We have a LOT of really great attractions and points of interest around here!  I could probably put together half a dozen lists of 3 or 4 destinations that family' would be interesting for a variety of people....and at least one in the list for anyone/everyone in the group.   Just within very short distance around town.  From some world class art museum stuff, across the spectrum to "kitchy" stuff like the world's biggest totem pole at Foyil, the Blue Whale, and the Winganon space capsule up on Winganon Road (road 330, east of highway 169).  If broaden out even further, there is Woolaroc, Tall Grass Prairie, all the big lakes.  We have an embarrassment of riches in things to do here.  Plus world class bicycle trails.  

We have a submarine nearby, for cryin' out loud!!   Ya gotta go to a coast to find the closest one of those!!

All being "sold" or promoted in kind of lackluster, uncoordinated fashion!  Sadness....



Ahhh...the gun show!!  Yeah!  Largest one in the world!!  Gotta love it....

[davideinstein]

I'm somewhat ADHD so sitting still is never easy for me. 

In your business' case, I imagine you are somewhat limited in what you can and can't do promotionally.  I also suspect you have little flexibility in menu changes as a franchise.  But sandwiches are in style pretty much year round.  There's not anything much better than an Unwich on a summer day for a quick lunch.  A sandwich is just as good on a chilly winter day.  Maybe not quite as appropriate as stew, but you get my point.

An individual restaurant owner does have flexibility to change the menu or offer specials to match the seasons and a good restaurateur will do so.  Regardless if a business is a franchise or local, there's always room for a little hand-to-hand marketing to the local hotels and businesses to keep your brand in their conscience.  Not saying you don't do that but making a comment in general you can never over-promote a brand or business...unless your name is Donald Trump, but I digress.

Yeah, our Downtown location will be busy regardless due to the brand. Our year to year sales are still good, but nothing like the astronomically high comps previously. A lot of businesses are down right now in retail I know for a fact.

[davideinstein]

I really think that Tourism could be a much bigger player in Tulsa's economy.  I am glad to see all the Route 66 stuff going on and hope to see more. 

Course I am really hopeful that we can get some support for the Art Deco tourism portion.  Its getting frustrating that most of the influential people, political/financial seem to have absolutely no interest in support in that aspect.  And Tulsa is probably more well known for its Art Deco than even Route 66 stuff so I don't understand the lack of interest and support.

Special events at the Cox Business are way down this year.

[Conan71]

Yeah, our Downtown location will be busy regardless due to the brand. Our year to year sales are still good, but nothing like the astronomically high comps previously. A lot of businesses are down right now in retail I know for a fact.

Without naming names, there are a few restaurants in your vicinity which aren't doing too well, but their issue is really shitty management and investors starting to want to get repaid finally.

[TheArtist]

100% agreement/alignment!

We have a LOT of really great attractions and points of interest around here!  I could probably put together half a dozen lists of 3 or 4 destinations that family' would be interesting for a variety of people....and at least one in the list for anyone/everyone in the group.   Just within very short distance around town.  From some world class art museum stuff, across the spectrum to "kitchy" stuff like the world's biggest totem pole at Foyil, the Blue Whale, and the Winganon space capsule up on Winganon Road (road 330, east of highway 169).  If broaden out even further, there is Woolaroc, Tall Grass Prairie, all the big lakes.  We have an embarrassment of riches in things to do here.  Plus world class bicycle trails.  

We have a submarine nearby, for cryin' out loud!!   Ya gotta go to a coast to find the closest one of those!!

All being "sold" or promoted in kind of lackluster, uncoordinated fashion!  Sadness....



Ahhh...the gun show!!  Yeah!  Largest one in the world!!  Gotta love it....

What I get a LOT of at the store is, "Ok, I am in town for a couple of days, what is there to do and why is your downtown so dead? I have been all over the country and this downtown is awful. Where else is there to shop? What other things are there to see down here? Where is everyone I don't understand?.... etc. etc. etc."  OMG I absolutely hate it when they go on a rant like that and look at me with scorn.  

I say, ok across the street is the Tulsa Art Deco Museum "That helps unless they have already seen it." Then I tell them about the Blue Dome/Brady Arts district on the other side of downtown and they usually just mumble something (and truthfully during the week days those areas will probably be a let down tourism/people watching/lively energy wise).  I think they believe that where they are at IS downtown and if there is nothing here, there is not going to be much anywhere else.  I always mention Philbrook and Gilcrease, they have often already done that or are not interested.  I guess what it is, is that first thing so many people go to the heart of downtown and then they get a bad first impression, then its really hard to shake that to the point that all the other things are then not "icing on the cake" on top of an enjoyable experience, but then become possibly just some other items scattered here and there in isolated spots.  That first impression is really important.

[heironymouspasparagus]

What I get a LOT of at the store is, "Ok, I am in town for a couple of days, what is there to do and why is your downtown so dead? I have been all over the country and this downtown is awful. Where else is there to shop? What other things are there to see down here? Where is everyone I don't understand?.... etc. etc. etc."  OMG I absolutely hate it when they go on a rant like that and look at me with scorn.  

I say, ok across the street is the Tulsa Art Deco Museum "That helps unless they have already seen it." Then I tell them about the Blue Dome/Brady Arts district on the other side of downtown and they usually just mumble something (and truthfully during the week days those areas will probably be a let down tourism/people watching/lively energy wise).  I think they believe that where they are at IS downtown and if there is nothing here, there is not going to be much anywhere else.  I always mention Philbrook and Gilcrease, they have often already done that or are not interested.  I guess what it is, is that first thing so many people go to the heart of downtown and then they get a bad first impression, then its really hard to shake that to the point that all the other things are then not "icing on the cake" on top of an enjoyable experience, but then become possibly just some other items scattered here and there in isolated spots.  That first impression is really important.

Yep.  I run into that same thing a lot when I am telling people about stuff to do in NE OK.   It is exactly like a kid who stands with the refrigerator door open, when it is loaded to capacity with everything to eat that exists in the world...and they say, "there's nothing here..."


It is whiny.  After a few more tries, if it is friends or family, I just tell them they need to get an imagination.  I will start recommending a visit to your store for that!!  Makes me want to just slap them.


Nationwide, we here about the Seattle Troll.  Portland's Voodoo Donuts.  Multnomah Falls.  Some others I can't think of right off hand.  We have pretty good "equivalents" to those.  Well, except maybe the falls...  But the point is, we do have Popz down on route 66 that is just as cool as Voodoo Donuts.  We have a Blue Whale that is at least as interesting as Seattle Troll.  We can't sell squat effectively!  I have heard of the Round Barn on a national basis, but I always get a blank stare when mention Gilcrease.  Or Woolaroc!!!   Geez...they have honest to God, real, live, South American shrunken heads for crying out loud!!  Not the cheasey plastic Chinese ones!!

And a BIG buffalo herd on the Tall Grass Prairie that can come right  up to your car and get uncomfortably close!  And Ree Drummond - The Pioneer Woman - is very close to opening her restaurant in Pawhuska, right at the entrance of the Prairie....we have been waiting for that to arrive so we can make an event out of it.  Late September for now.  They have been dragging their feet, I think.  But hiring now.  Anyone want to run a General Store??

http://thepioneerwoman.com/the-mercantile/

Foyil Totem pole is at least as interesting as the Cadillac Ranch.  And the Winganon space capsule isn't a huge thing, but makes most people at least smile...can see it on the way to the totem pole.


We really gotta learn how to propagandize better...!!

[erfalf]

Sadder still is that what they perceive as something to do looks like this...



No one really wants that. Heck, New Yorkers only barely can stand going there. All the "touristy" places are basically giant billboards for companies I just as soon not see in downtown Tulsa.

In my opinion, only the elite of elite cities (New York/Chicago/LA) really have that much more than Tulsa. Well some have more, but not all that much different. Even Dallas, what touristy things do they have that we don't? People are kidding themselves if they say that Downtown Dallas has all that much more going on that Downtown Tulsa.

Hopefully the added hotels in the Blue Dome will help that perception because that is where the majority of "happening" things are going on.

[Townsend]

If there were things to do here like mountains, clear streams, cool places, shoreline, public transit, etc. then our cost of living would go up...

So...there's that...

[heironymouspasparagus]

Sadder still is that what they perceive as something to do looks like this...



No one really wants that. Heck, New Yorkers only barely can stand going there. All the "touristy" places are basically giant billboards for companies I just as soon not see in downtown Tulsa.

In my opinion, only the elite of elite cities (New York/Chicago/LA) really have that much more than Tulsa. Well some have more, but not all that much different. Even Dallas, what touristy things do they have that we don't? People are kidding themselves if they say that Downtown Dallas has all that much more going on that Downtown Tulsa.

Hopefully the added hotels in the Blue Dome will help that perception because that is where the majority of "happening" things are going on.

Dallas got squat.

They have that ball on a stick, but since Wolfgang Puck took it over, ya can't even go up to look around....so I was told last fall.


I will give them credit for pappadeaux's!  Love it!!

And Decorator's Warehouse in Arlington - we got nothing like that!  The train ride is a lot of fun, but once you get there, it has all the same chain amusements/restaurants/stores that we have.

Well, except for Los Pastores in Arlington.  Really good Mexican food!!

Ok, they have a couple things we don't, but we still got 95% or more of what they got!!

[Townsend]

Dallas got squat.

According to the voices coming from the radio, they're getting Oklahoma's teachers.

[heironymouspasparagus]

According to the voices coming from the radio, they're getting Oklahoma's teachers.

And there is that....



We also have the whole issue of the decline of oil that has been suckin' hind-*** for a long time.  We just can't seem to get our minds wrapped around the idea that oil in the future will still be huge, but will continue to decline as a source of income for our state/county/city.  And there just ain't no imagination showing up to make a real contribution to replace it.   Yeah...I know...this is covered other places...just got a wild hair to put this here, since it just popped into my mind.

[davideinstein]

Without naming names, there are a few restaurants in your vicinity which aren't doing too well, but their issue is really shitty management and investors starting to want to get repaid finally.

I know and it's frustrating because we need the area to be a destination. We are 60% delivery but I'd love to keep adding to that 40% from walking traffic that habitually goes there.

[davideinstein]

What I get a LOT of at the store is, "Ok, I am in town for a couple of days, what is there to do and why is your downtown so dead? I have been all over the country and this downtown is awful. Where else is there to shop? What other things are there to see down here? Where is everyone I don't understand?.... etc. etc. etc."  OMG I absolutely hate it when they go on a rant like that and look at me with scorn.  

I say, ok across the street is the Tulsa Art Deco Museum "That helps unless they have already seen it." Then I tell them about the Blue Dome/Brady Arts district on the other side of downtown and they usually just mumble something (and truthfully during the week days those areas will probably be a let down tourism/people watching/lively energy wise).  I think they believe that where they are at IS downtown and if there is nothing here, there is not going to be much anywhere else.  I always mention Philbrook and Gilcrease, they have often already done that or are not interested.  I guess what it is, is that first thing so many people go to the heart of downtown and then they get a bad first impression, then its really hard to shake that to the point that all the other things are then not "icing on the cake" on top of an enjoyable experience, but then become possibly just some other items scattered here and there in isolated spots.  That first impression is really important.

Most common thing we get on weekends is people wanting coffee and/or breakfast to simply start their day.

[davideinstein]

Sadder still is that what they perceive as something to do looks like this...



No one really wants that. Heck, New Yorkers only barely can stand going there. All the "touristy" places are basically giant billboards for companies I just as soon not see in downtown Tulsa.

In my opinion, only the elite of elite cities (New York/Chicago/LA) really have that much more than Tulsa. Well some have more, but not all that much different. Even Dallas, what touristy things do they have that we don't? People are kidding themselves if they say that Downtown Dallas has all that much more going on that Downtown Tulsa.

Hopefully the added hotels in the Blue Dome will help that perception because that is where the majority of "happening" things are going on.

Disagree. Kansas City has a ton to do and it's a mid-level city in the same region we are in.