Tulsa Economy

[swake]

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

We have one million people, Kansas City has 2.3 million people. That's a large difference.

[heironymouspasparagus]

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.

You may be seeing some of a phenomenon I go through with favorite places...I eat out every meal...pretty much literally every meal!  It is a very strange month when I eat at home more than once or twice - and I haven't done that yet this month, so I end up with patterns of where I go.  JJ was on the list for over a year - would eat there 2 times a week, sometimes 3.  I guess burnout ensued, so haven't been to one for about 3 months, until last Thursday.  Was good again...probably won't do 2 a week for a while, but more than last few months.

One of my more common traffic patterns has a Subway, Firehouse, and Jimmy John's within a circle about 1/2 mile in diameter.  Lots of good choices as far as I am concerned.  

Now, if JJ could just come up with a good whole wheat roll...!!  



Oh, yeah... Kansas City - kinda like eating out, it was in my traffic pattern for many years due to having so much family there, but last decade or so, have only been through once.  There must have been some changes in that time, so may have to return to check it out.

I heard Wimpy Burgers is gone, so really not much point to going there now....

There also was a place that did a fantastic pork tenderloin sandwich (chicken fried style), kinda like Del Rancho with pig.  Can't remember the name, but it was also amazing and I suspect it is long gone, too.   So, not much point to KC any more, I guess....

[Breadburner]

Most retail numbers are down. Stocks of WMB, OKE, LPI and WPX are just now rebounding from last winter. You literally have no clue what you're talking about on this.

Lol...You have never seen a bad Tulsa economy...You're still wet behind the ears...

[sauerkraut]

Tulsa is doing far better than other cities, much of the Tulsa economy centers around oil but that is changing. Macys brought to Owasso and the Tulsa area  thousands of jobs. I grew up in Michigan and Detroit is the same way the whole metro-Detroit economy centers around the car, pretty much a one-industry city only much bigger. When I lived in Michigan almost every place I worked at involved making parts for the "big 3". When the car industry slumps everything slumps in Michigan.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Anybody know how many people are at the Macy's center in Owasso?   I'm betting no where near 5,000....

[AquaMan]

Tulsa is doing far better than other cities, much of the Tulsa economy centers around oil but that is changing.....

Better than Detroit obviously. What other cities outside of the oil states?

[Conan71]

Better than Detroit obviously. What other cities outside of the oil states?

You notice two things he left out, right?  No kudos to Mary Failin' for the economy being all her doing and no rag on President Obama for the "high" gas prices. 

[sauerkraut]

Better than Detroit obviously. What other cities outside of the oil states?

Omaha always has a low un-employment rate, most of the industry in Omaha is food production & printing and we all have to eat. The city of Omaha is a bit larger than Tulsa. The Dallas-Fort Worth area was heavy on the oil industry and they are doing very well. Tulsa's economy is not bad anyone who really wants a job can find one. Tulsa is doing much better than Wichita, Kansas and many east coast cities.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Omaha always has a low un-employment rate, most of the industry in Omaha is food production & printing and we all have to eat. The city of Omaha is a bit larger than Tulsa. The Dallas-Fort Worth area was heavy on the oil industry and they are doing very well. Tulsa's economy is not bad anyone who really wants a job can find one. Tulsa is doing much better than Wichita, Kansas and many east coast cities.

I'm betting Offutt Air Force Base is as big a contributor to Omaha as printing and food production.  Probably more so.

As for anyone finding a job in Tulsa...hah...you haven't been looking have you?   Yeah, there are a lot of jobs out there, but if you want to be in STEM career, and are past a "certain" age, you can pretty much forget it.  As it has always been....

And no, we are not doing "better" than Wichita - they are still holding on, and may actually be doing better than we.

[davideinstein]

It's not easy to get a job Downtown right now in the energy sector.

[heironymouspasparagus]

It's not easy to get a job Downtown right now in the energy sector.

Not easy in several industries - even when there are a number who have been advertising for as long as 2 years!   I would quite possibly take it personally - well, I probably do a little bit anyway - that these places won't hire me...but I have also known of several others who have also been snubbed, so I guess it can't be all me.  The consistent thing among the group is the age - all over 45.  There was even one who is only 38!  Well known names around town....!

[AquaMan]

Ageism is real and is damaging the economy. There are fewer employees with experience and wisdom to mentor the younger, newer education, cheaper employees. Its short sighted CPA thinking and it will come back to bite us all in the gluteous maximus.

Sauer, making general observations that we are doing better than Wichita and many eastern cities is less than reliable. Wichita was heavy in air/space and Dallas/Ft Worth is more diversified and more than twice the size of Tulsa. We are not enjoying the post recession bump that the Obama years have given the non-oil intensive states. Employment is down in OK, up in the rest of the non oil states. Medium wages are up everywhere but here as well. You may not have read or heard such things in your world.

The difference is we have Fallin, the oil industry, and tea party conservatives who are intent on killing public education and giving tax breaks to oil companies. You reap what you sow.

[sauerkraut]

It's not easy to get a job Downtown right now in the energy sector.

Sometimes you have to change careers, I did. Anyone who really wants to work can find work in Tulsa. The unemployment rate is around 4.0% in Tulsa.

[heironymouspasparagus]

Sometimes you have to change careers, I did. Anyone who really wants to work can find work in Tulsa. The unemployment rate is around 4.0% in Tulsa.

Yeah... MSEE looking for rewarding career doing bicycle delivery...     Actually, the bicycle part of that don't sound all bad.... Now if there was something to deliver that was very high value....

[AquaMan]

Yes, just do that job career change thing. Drive for MTTA with your BBA. Use your engineering degree to work at QT. Jobs for all who want them at bargain rates.