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PrintShopper's delight in OKC
Get your wallets ready — Oklahoma City offers a variety of boutique shops, malls and shopping districts to fill any visitor’s shopping bag.
There’s no better place to drop your dough than Oklahoma City. From upscale boutiques to bargain-hunters’ hangouts, the city offers not only something for all tastes but all budgets as well. So how should one go about exploring this vast and diverse city? Shoppers can either dedicate a day or half-day to one of the city’s shopping districts, such as Western Avenue or Bricktown, or they can hop in the car and hit unique shops spread throughout the metro area.
BRICKTOWN
Located in downtown Oklahoma City, Bricktown is a bustling entertainment district full of retail attractions. Located south of the canal in the Lower Bricktown area is the district’s largest tenant, Bass Pro Shops, 200 Bass Pro Drive, a shrine to the great outdoors with clothing, boats, hunting gear and more. There’s also a play shooting range for the kids and a massive indoor fish tank.
Shoppers can satisfy their sweet tooth at Bricktown’s first and only candy store. The Bricktown Candy Co., located at 100 E. California Ave., opened its doors in summer 2009, owner Justin Thomas says. The candy store aims to not only sell sweets but also bring a feeling of nostalgia and old-fashioned fun to Bricktown. Inside shoppers can find bulk candy bins, rock candy and lollipops, as well as classic candy such as Big Hunk bars and Clark bars. The store also carries more than 24 flavors of gelato — a cold Italian treat similar to ice cream. Flavors include bourbon caramel gingersnap, banana caramel praline, blood orange and white chocolate raspberry.
Other stores in Bricktown include two designer clothing boutiques, LIT Clothing and ENVY. The Painted Door is a unique gift emporium featuring candles, jewelry and other specialty items. The Painted Door has two locations, one next to the restaurant Nonna’s on Sheridan Avenue and the other in the downtown Skirvin Hilton Hotel, 1 Park Ave.
When you go:
Parking: There is a free lot at Bass Pro and Harkins Cinema Capri movie theater. Paid parking lots are also found closer to the canal.
Hours: Most stores stay open late to accommodate game-day crowds and the district’s bustling nightlife.
Tip: Bring your walking shoes and an umbrella if rain is in the forecast.
WESTERN AVENUE
The funky and fun shops around Western Avenue are perfect for shoppers hunting for that one-of-a-kind find. Among the collection of predominately locally owned shops are Kamber’s, sellers of luggage and gifts since 1922; French Cowgirl, which offers designer clothes and accessories with a sophisticated western flair; and On A Whim.
Manager Jean Ellen Shelley describes On A Whim as an upscale department store. Products include designer clothes, gourmet foods and home décor. The store is the exclusive dealer in Oklahoma for MacKenzie-Childs, a line of handmade dishes.
“Western Avenue has a great variety of stores, and virtually all of them are locally owned,” Shelley says. “It’s a very tight-knit community.”
When you go:
Parking: Free spaces available in front of most stores, but during busy hours a prime spot may be hard to find.
Hours: Regular store hours, though some stores may be closed Sundays or Mondays
Tip: Check the district’s website, www.visitwesternavenue.com, for promotions and deals such as Wednesdays on Western, when many stores and restaurants offer discounts.
MALLS
When the weather doesn’t agree with your shopping plans, retreat to one of the city’s indoor malls. On the north side there is Quail Springs Mall, anchored by Dillard’s, JCPenney, Macy’s and Sears. Penn Square Mall is located north of downtown, near the Nichols Hills area. It boasts anchors such as Dillard’s and Macy’s as well as shops such the Lego Store, Apple store, Coach and J. Crew. Across the street is 50 Penn Place, another indoor mall with upscale retailers such as Balliet’s, Full Circle Bookstore and several art galleries.
Northpark Mall offers a collection of unique stores not often found in traditional malls. Stores devoted to gourmet food, pampered pets and fashionable furs can all be found at the mall, located at 12100 N. May Ave. One of the mall’s tenants is The Lime Leopard, a purveyor of designer denim, home décor and jewelry.
Store owner Linda Rasmussen says The Lime Leopard carries denim from Citizens of Humanity, James Jeans, Miss Me; and décor items from Pine Cone Hill.
“Shoppers can definitely find their individual style here,” Dunham says. “You won’t walk into a party and see another person have on the same necklace or dress.”
Dunham says the offbeat Northpark Mall is the perfect location for this eclectic store.
This mall has “a very different feeling,” she says. “Stores are very selective about their products.”
When you go:
Parking: All metro malls have free parking. Penn Square offers a covered parking garage.
Hours: Check each mall’s website for details. Most close earlier on Sunday.
Tip: Need to entertain the kids? All metro malls, including Northpark, have movie theaters inside as well.
STORES LOCATED OFF THE BEATEN PATH
The Asian District: Super Cao Nguyen, 2668 N. Military Ave., is a supersized Asian grocery store. With hard-to-find ethnic ingredients, the store also boasts a gift shop. Signature item: Mahjong games.
Casady Square: Located in the townie Nichols Hills area, Casady Square has a variety of upscale retailers, including Naifeh’s Fine Jewelry; Red Chateau, a home décor store; and Jamie’s Culinary, a gourmet foods store. Signature item: Gems from Temple St. Chair and Charrriol, whose jewelry lines are carried only at Naifeh’s Fine Jewelry.
Blue 7: Blue 7, located at 7518 N. May Ave., is a hipster bastion. Fun, funky and cool, this shop offers everything from vintage jewelry to art prints. Open from 11 a.m.-7 p.m., Mondays through Saturdays. Signature item: TOMS shoes, a brand which for every pair purchased donates a pair of shoes to an impoverished child.
