Enid’s retail sector saw growth throughout most of the decade but was stymied by the economic downturn this past year.
Greater Enid Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jon Blankenship said the city has taken a step in the right direction by hiring a retail consultant to help add to the area’s retail base, recruit national chains and increase national market share.
“We have a very impressive primary trade area,” Blankenship said.
Noting Enid has about 129,000 people who shop in the area, he said most national chains look to expand to areas with about 100,000 individual consumers.
Census data also may add to Enid’s allure for big-box retailers.
Blankenship said average household income in Enid is almost $61,000 and chains look for areas that average $50,000.
“We have favorable retail and trade and favorable demographics,” Blankenship said.
Retail Attractions LLC, which was hired as a consultant by the city of Enid, identified “gaps” in Enid’s market, Blankenship said. Those gaps were in men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, electronics, furniture, sporting goods and restaurants.
Rickey Hayes, CEO of Retail Attractions, said data he’s collected about Enid has interested retailers.
“You’ve got a great, dynamic market,” he said. “The national retailers are responding well to Enid’s data. We’ve already received some really good response from the data.”
Blankenship said this decade brought new chains, such as Ross Dress for Less, Starbucks, Old Navy and Buffalo Wild Wings, to name a few. The past 10 years also saw the addition of a second Walgreens and Jumbo Foods locations and the expansions of Wal-Mart, Hobby Lobby and Hastings.
Evans Pharmacy opened a new location and Family Pharmacy, Medic Pharmacy and Rick’s Pharmacy also joined Enid’s retail community. Callahan’s Pub and Grill, Cafe Garcia, Panevino, Napoli’s, Costello’s, On the Sidewalk Bar & Grill and Wings to Go opened in the past 10 years. This decade also saw the opening of specialty stores, such as Scribner’s Gallery & Studio, Sugar Rush, Serenity Springs, For You and Body Solid.
Blankenship said those businesses were just a “small sampling” of the new businesses to come to Enid since 2000.
Although the economy has hurt most across the nation, Blankenship said Enid is faring well.
“We’re faring far better than the national economy and most cities in Oklahoma,” he said. “We expect that to turn around in 2010.”
He said there is plenty of opportunity for retail growth, and Enid’s travel assets, such as David Allen Memorial Ballpark, Enid Symphony Center and Cherokee Strip Conference Center, will help bring more retailers to the city.
“All of these assets help with the growth of business,” he said. “We need to do something with Mark Price Arena and continue forward on having a bicycle and pedestrian trail system.”
He said projects that are considered quality-of-life assets also are assets for businesses.
In November 2007, Brian Hacker, local owner and operator of Wings to Go, opened his franchise in the Westgate Shopping Plaza.
He said he was motivated to open the business by a need for authentic Buffalo-style wings.
“Enid’s a dine-out community,” Hacker said. “It’s always been a dine-out community.”
He said there was “essentially a need for a wing restaurant in Enid.” He said he realized that from living in a neighborhood with Vance Air Force Base pilots who said there was a need for the restaurant in Enid.
“The main reason for opening this was the calls from my friends that were IPs and saying they wanted this,” he said.
Hacker said other restaurants in Enid offered wings on their menus, but none that specialized in authentic Buf-falo wings.
“It’s fresh chicken, never frozen,” he said. “It’s as fresh as fresh can be. They offer great sauces that taste great. That’s why I bought the franchise.”
Hacker said he also saw a need in Enid for a place where families could go to eat and not worry about taking their children.
“There’s also no other place in Enid where you can take your kids and let them run and scream and have a good time,” he said.
The restaurant caters to large events and families, with arcade machines, large flat-screen TVs and a pool table. Located at 2316 W. Garriott, the store is situated just north of Vance, something Hacker was looking for when he opened the restaurant.
Special events and promotions bring and keep bringing customers to the store. Wings to Go is the official OSU Alumni watch party location for OSU games.
“We also have a tremendous OU crowd,” Hacker said.
Wings to Go also hosts an annual King of Wings contest and kids coloring contest.
Overall, it’s about fun.
“We try to have events where people can come and have fun,” Hacker said, noting the restaurant’s family atmosphere. “You can come and watch a game and not worry about smoke or bar fights.”