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Three Statewide Business Stories Making Headlines In Oklahoma This Week

Customers enter a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market in Luther. It is one of six stores the company is closing in Oklahoma.
Brent Fuchs
/
The Journal Record

On Tuesday, Greater Oklahoma City Chamber president Roy Williams said the U.S. Department of Justice will hold off on suing Oklahoma County over issues at the jail just west of downtown.

The jail has had problems for years, and in 2008 Oklahoma County entered a consent decree with the U.S. Department of Justice to fix overcrowding and repair issues at the facility just west of downtown.

“There was worry last year that the DOJ was going to force changes immediately,” said The Journal Record’s managing editor Adam Brooks. “If they have to build a new facility quickly, that would probably mean really jacking up property taxes, unless they could get a vote before the people to pay for something, and nobody even knows if that would pass.”

Big-Box Blight

Late last week retail giant Wal-Mart announced it would close 154 stores across the country. Six of those are in rural Oklahoma – Okemah, Okemah, Luther, Prague, Stroud, Wewoka, and Watonga.

The stores will close by the end of January, and the employees will be paid until February 10, plus an additional 60 days of pay if they’re not moved to another location, The Journal Record’s Molly Fleming reports:

CBRE Oklahoma broker Ryan Storer said it could be challenging filling the large spaces in small towns. In the Oklahoma City metro area, Life.Church has been known to take the vacant spaces. WinCo Foods is filling a former Target space in Midwest City. “There are certainly retailers that pattern their strategy to fill a market that includes small towns like that,” he said. “Other retailers logistically can’t do that.”

There’s also a possibility that retailers like dollar stores could move into the empty space, Fleming writes:

Crystal Ghassemi, Dollar General Corp. spokeswoman, said the company doesn’t have any immediate plans to lease or buy the Wal-Mart stores. She said the Dollar General Market concept takes up only about 1 percent of the company’s store inventory. The company will build 900 new stores nationwide this year, yet she did not know how many are traditional stores and how many are markets. A traditional Dollar General measures 9,700 square feet, so a Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market building would be too large. Family Dollar spokeswoman Bryn R. Winburn said the company would not comment on an inquiry about filling the buildings.

“It probably is good news for local grocers, bad news for local sales taxes,” Brooks said. “It certainly eliminates competition locally, but if you own a grocery store in a small town, that's a good thing.”

Patrons listen to a band at a previous Heard on Hurd event in Edmond.
Credit Provided
Patrons listen to a band at a previous Heard on Hurd event in Edmond.

Food Truck Future

Last year the organizers of Oklahoma City’s H&8th festival said they were cutting back from a monthly event to just once a year.

That leaves room for competition to grow, but Edmond’s Heard on Hurd event isn’t necessarily interested in snatching up that market share.

“Edmond City Hall said that they serve the community's needs as it is. They're happy,” Brooks said. “Retailers in downtown Edmond say it's really good for them, even if it doesn't directly boost sales. They get to meet their customers and really build awareness.”

The festival’s 2016 season starts March 19, and lasts through October, according to The Journal Record’s Molly Fleming:

Bank spokeswoman Ann Chen said some of those H&8th food truck operators have expressed interest in Heard on Hurd, and she advised them to sign up early. Making room for more trucks has not been discussed, she said. Performing musicians and participating food trucks and vendors will be announced on a monthly basis. Moore said city officials were scheduled to talk with the sponsor bank officials Wednesday to smooth out details for the year. He also said Heard on Hurd doesn’t create a big draw on city resources. Organizers provide their own security, for example, which is typically off-duty police officers.

The Business Intelligence Report is a collaborative news project between KGOU and The Journal Record.

As a community-supported news organization, KGOU relies on contributions from readers and listeners to fulfill its mission of public service to Oklahoma and beyond. Donate online, or by contacting our Membership department.

The Journal Record is a multi-faceted media company specializing in business, legislative and legal news. Print and online content is available via subscription.

Brian Hardzinski is from Flower Mound, Texas and a graduate of the University of Oklahoma. He began his career at KGOU as a student intern, joining KGOU full time in 2009 as Operations and Public Service Announcement Director. He began regularly hosting Morning Edition in 2014, and became the station's first Digital News Editor in 2015-16. Brian’s work at KGOU has been honored by Public Radio News Directors Incorporated (PRNDI), the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters, the Oklahoma Associated Press Broadcasters, and local and regional chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists. Brian enjoys competing in triathlons, distance running, playing tennis, and entertaining his rambunctious Boston Terrier, Bucky.
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