Skip to content
NOWCAST KOCO 10:30pm-11pm Sunday Night
Live Now
Advertisement

Businesses across Oklahoma City shut down just weeks before the holidays

Many are wondering what's driving them out of downtown and how it will impact other businesses

Businesses across Oklahoma City shut down just weeks before the holidays

Many are wondering what's driving them out of downtown and how it will impact other businesses

THIS AND HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THEM HAVING BUSINESSES IN A CITY OR A COMMUNITY MAKES THAT COMMUNITY OR THAT DISTRICT THRIVE. SO WHEN BUSINESSES CLOSURES HAPPEN, IT DOES AFFECT THE COMMUNITY OR THE CITY OR THE TOWN THAT IT’S IN. IT MAKES LESS PEOPLE WANT TO COME. SO WE HAVE TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE CREATIVE MARKETING TO GET PEOPLE IN OUR DOORS IN THE AREA. SIGNS LIKE THIS ONE ARE POPPING UP ON THE DOORS OF MANY DOWNTOWN BUSINESSES AS THEY SHUT DOWN JUST BEFORE THE HOLIDAYS. NOW, SOME BUSINESSES LIKE PLENTY MERCANTILE, SAY THEIR DOORS ARE OPEN AND THEY’RE ENCOURAGING YOU TO SHOP LOCAL. WHILE THERE’S NOT ONE SPECIFIC REASON FOR RECENT CLOSURES, SOME SAY IT COULD HAVE TO DO WITH HIGHER COSTS. I THINK IT’S PARTLY TO DO WITH INFLATION. INFLATION AFFECTS EVERYTHING, ESPECIALLY TO THE LOCAL BUSINESS AND THE SMALLER BUSINESSES. EVERYTHING THAT WE DO AS A BUSINESS IS COSTING US MORE, TOO. BUT SOME SAY IT’S NATURAL FOR BUSINESSES TO COME AND GO. I KNOW THAT WE’VE LOST A COUPLE OF BUSINESSES ACROSS THE STREET RECENTLY, BUT WE’VE ALSO HAD BUSINESSES MOVE INTO AUTOMOBILE ALLEY. THE DOWNTOWN OKC PARTNERSHIP SAYS THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT CLOSURES HAS AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT HELPS SUSTAIN LOCAL BUSINESSES. THE INDEPENDENT SHOPKEEPERS ASSOCIATION SAYS WHEN YOU SHOP LOCAL, $68 OF EVERY $100 YOU SPEND STAYS IN THE COMMUNITY RATHER THAN JUST $48. STAYING IN OKC WHEN SHOPPING AT LARGE RETAIL CHAINS IS HAVING LOCAL BUSINESSES IS GREAT FOR TOURISM BECAUSE I KNOW WHEN I TRAVEL AND I GO SOMEWHERE, I WANT TO SEE WHAT’S UNIQUE IN A CITY. AND YOU KNOW, WE DON’T WANT TO LOSE. WE DON’T WANT TO LOSE THAT. YOU CAN SHOP AND SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES AT
Advertisement
Businesses across Oklahoma City shut down just weeks before the holidays

Many are wondering what's driving them out of downtown and how it will impact other businesses

Businesses across Oklahoma City are shutting down just weeks before the holidays.Many are wondering what's driving them out of downtown and how it will impact other businesses."Having businesses in a city or community makes that community or district thrive. So, when business closures happen, it does affect the community or city or town that it’s in," Bobbi Gabler, the operations manager at Skydance Brewery, said. "It makes less people want to come, so we have to do a little bit more creative marketing to get people in our doors in the area."Signs are popping up on the doors of businesses as they shut down just before the holidays. Some businesses, like Plenty Mercantile, said their doors are open and they encourage Oklahomans to shop local.Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here."I think it's partly to do with inflation. Inflation affects everything, especially to the local business and the smaller businesses," Gabler said.While there isn't a specific reason for recent closures, some said it could have to do with high costs."Everything that we do as a business is costing us more, too," said Traci Walton, the co-owner of Plenty Mercantile.Some said it's natural for businesses to come and go."I know that we’ve lost a couple of businesses across the street recently, but we’ve also had businesses move into Automobile Alley," Walton said.>> Download the KOCO 5 appThe Downtown OKC Partnership said it understands the impact closures have, and community support helps sustain local businesses. The Independent Shopkeepers Association said when Oklahomans shop local, $68 of every $100 spent stays in the community rather than just $48 staying in OKC when shopping at large retail chains."Having local businesses is great for tourism because I know when I travel and I go somewhere, I want to see what's unique in a city. And we don’t want to lose that," Walton said.Oklahomans can shop and support local businesses at Small Business Saturday, Lights on Broadway and the holiday pop-up shops.Top HeadlinesSeveral people in critical condition after separate crashes across OklahomaPolitical leaders react to Rosalynn Carter's deathPolice arrest 2 after reported burglary leads to pursuit in northeast Oklahoma City2 dead, several teenagers injured after shooting in TulsaSooners, Cowboys both move up in AP Top 25 after weekend wins

Businesses across Oklahoma City are shutting down just weeks before the holidays.

Many are wondering what's driving them out of downtown and how it will impact other businesses.

Advertisement

"Having businesses in a city or community makes that community or district thrive. So, when business closures happen, it does affect the community or city or town that it’s in," Bobbi Gabler, the operations manager at Skydance Brewery, said. "It makes less people want to come, so we have to do a little bit more creative marketing to get people in our doors in the area."

Signs are popping up on the doors of businesses as they shut down just before the holidays. Some businesses, like Plenty Mercantile, said their doors are open and they encourage Oklahomans to shop local.

Get the latest news stories of interest by clicking here.

"I think it's partly to do with inflation. Inflation affects everything, especially to the local business and the smaller businesses," Gabler said.

While there isn't a specific reason for recent closures, some said it could have to do with high costs.

"Everything that we do as a business is costing us more, too," said Traci Walton, the co-owner of Plenty Mercantile.

Some said it's natural for businesses to come and go.

"I know that we’ve lost a couple of businesses across the street recently, but we’ve also had businesses move into Automobile Alley," Walton said.

>> Download the KOCO 5 app

The Downtown OKC Partnership said it understands the impact closures have, and community support helps sustain local businesses. The Independent Shopkeepers Association said when Oklahomans shop local, $68 of every $100 spent stays in the community rather than just $48 staying in OKC when shopping at large retail chains.

"Having local businesses is great for tourism because I know when I travel and I go somewhere, I want to see what's unique in a city. And we don’t want to lose that," Walton said.

Oklahomans can shop and support local businesses at Small Business Saturday, Lights on Broadway and the holiday pop-up shops.


Top Headlines