11.22.23 – KOCO – OKLAHOMA CITY
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.
“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.
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.