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Why you didn't see a rush for retail in downtown.
I am happy to report some good news: People went shopping over the holiday weekend. The rate of their shopping certainly wasn’t at an all-time high. But given the last year we’ve had, any good economic news is more than welcome. All of this didn’t happen by chance. Retailers nearly bent over backward to court consumers, offering ridiculous sales, with some staying open through the entire holiday. But people wanted to get back to the normal shopping traditions. We’ve all got a bit of recession fatigue.
But here’s the rub: None of the retailers in downtown Tulsa received this Black Friday love. Not because Tulsans didn’t feel like going down there or some excuse like that. No, the reason they didn’t go Black Friday crazy downtown is because there are hardly any retailers downtown that could benefit from the rush. Department stores? Nope. Electronics? Nope. Sure, there are a few smaller, boutique-style retailers down there, but the overall retail landscape is spotty at best.
To be honest with you, I’m kind of torn. I would love a downtown filled with independently owned businesses that could thrive and help the city thrive along with them. But I just don’t know how realistic that is. It almost pains me to say this, but would a Gap or some store like that be too much to ask? We need places that can bring in the crowds, stay open late and increase overall traffic. The BOK Center does this for entertainment, but what is the retail partner to that experience? I know that developments are in the works, including a fairly substantial retail center across from the BOK, but let’s get the show on the road.
The term “Black Friday” is supposed to describe the chaos that ensues when turkey-tired masses crowd the city centers and marketplaces ready to cross names off their shopping lists. It isn’t supposed to describe the mood of downtown on a day when no one is working and cash registers are eerily silent.
