Tulsa’s Favorite Shopping Destinations that are No Longer Here
Before Tulsa became home to national big box chains, and when the city’s limits stopped in the country at 71st Street, there were many Oklahoma-owned chains we grew up with.
Although there is plenty of competition and choices for shopping, the national chains feel almost generic., One store on this list was a national chain, but we felt they belonged to us.
Maybe you shopped at some of Tulsa’s Favorite Shopping Destinations that are No Longer Here:
10. Reeves TV & Appliances
Pappy Reeves let Tulsa know that “if you didn’t buy it Reeves, you paid way too much.” Reeves TV & Appliances peaked with four stores in the 70s and its sales reached millions during the 80s. As Tulsa spread further south with the 1990s’ retail explosion along 71st & Memorial, Reeves customer base dwindled. The two remaining stores, located at 1502 S. Harvard and 1401 W. Third St., closed in 2004. Now all we have are big box stores, and we are paying way too much.
9. Anthonys
Anthonys had its start in 1922 when C.R. Anthony opened his first store in Cushing, Oklahoma. Fifty years later, it grew to 325 stores. In 1986, C.R.’s grandson, Bob, took over the chain and remained president for a whole year. The company’s shareholders voted to sell Anthonys to an investor group, to which Bob responded, “Oh no you di’int.” A decade later, Stage bought Anthonys, thus ending its 75-year run.
8. Williams Center Forum
With the push to bring new stores and residents to Downtown Tulsa, many have forgotten that at one time downtown had a mall. The Williams Center Forum housed three-floors of retail stores, restaurants, and, at the time, Tulsa’s only ice arena. Another casualty to the 1990s South Tulsa retail explosion.
(Photo courtesy of Steve Wilson.)
7. Peaches Records and Tapes
Although I was only a child , I sensed that Starship Records and Tapes were for college kids and potheads. Peaches Records and Tapes were for everyone else. I begged my parents to take me there to buy LP-sized remix singles. Yes Millennials, music didn’t always come from iTunes.
Today the building houses a furniture store, which will soon be replaced by iChair, a downloadable seating format.
6. The Spectrum
This is a personal favorite. I’m not sure many readers will know it existed, but in the 1990s during my alternative music phase, I bought all my clothes from this store. It specialized in reselling 1960s clothes. After I realized paisley shirts and flower pants looked ridiculous, I switched to the finest in grunge flannel.
5. Otasco
Rumor is that Otasco, short f0r Oklahoma Tire and Supply Company, is still operating in Beaver, Oklahoma as Pugh’s Otasco. The Oklahoma retailer closed in 1988. The news has yet to reach the panhandle.
(Photo courtesy of Oklahoma Historical Society.)
4. Renberg’s
The place to go for service, selection and style. While other retailers abandoned Downtown Tulsa, Renberg’s stuck it out through the 1980s. The Downtown location is also the building where the infamous encounter in an elevator happened that led to the Tulsa Race Riot.
(Photo courtesy of Forgotten Tulsa.)
3. Eastland Mall
This former shopping destination started construction in the 70s, but sat as giant iron skeleton until it was finished in the 80s. I used to pass it on the way to Tiffany Bowl. Eastland Mall peaked in the late 90s.
When highway 169 pushed beyond 71st Street and people had easy access to Woodland Hills Malls, the numger of shoppers dwindled and so did the stores. By 2001, JCPenny left. Today it’s Eastgate Metroplex, which is mostly office space. The above picture is how it looks now. It had ugly white tents on the roof and ghetto apartments behind it, but for those whose parents wouldn’t take them “all the way out there” to Woodland Hills Mall, it was perfect.
2. T.G. & Y.
Before Walmart became the number one retailer, T.G. & Y. was number one in Oklahoma. Based in Oklahoma City, the company grew to 930 stores by the 1980s. They filed for bankruptcy in 2001 and closed shortly thereafter.
1. Oertle’s
Only a Tulsa native would know Oertle’s. It never expanded beyond the city. However, this was the Tulsa’s first true discount retail store, long before Sear’s, Target and Kmart moved to town. When Oertle’s closed, it became David’s, followed by Men’s Warehouse. The building is now home to FOX 23 news.
(Photo courtesy of Beryl Ford Collection/Rotary Club of Tulsa, Tulsa City-County Library and Tulsa Historical Society.)
I don’t remember Oertle’s, but I’ve heard many times before that my mom’s first job was as a cashier there in the late ’60s. I do mourn the loss of the Forum’s ice rink.
Oh I so remember Oertles. My father was the sporting goods manager when I was in grade school. He was successful in bringing Johnny Weissmueller into town for a public appearence. I posted a picture some time ago. It was very exciting.
Otasco, TG&Y, And C.R. Anthony’s were major destinations back in the 70′s
peaches was cool, but we had TG&Y
I’m Tulsa native, but I’ve never heard or Oertle’s. But I remember all of the rest, though I do have to say I shopped at Starship not Peaches. I’m not sure what that says about me, but I definitely know what it says about you…:)
So no mention of the Girlie Pancake House out by the firworks warehouses near the turnpike gate? Never actually ate there, but loved the sign “we stack ‘em better”
Growinf up in the 80′s my parents would take me out to eat the girle pancake house at 1200 at night. Though at the time I thought it weird I came to enjoy those times and my chocolate chip pancakes.
bought my first suit (and sock tie) for high school debate at renbergs. They loved fitting a 14 year-old kid wearing a 48 portly with short-legs.
Not sure of the spelling of these, Louboyl’s sporting goods, Consumers service stations, Zuider Zee restaurant, Handy Dan’s home improvment store, Shopper’s Fair, Clark’s Good Clothes.
I remember Oertle’s. My sister and I used to make fun of the way a neighbor said it — uuurfleas. I also remember begging to go to TG&Y. I was cool like that.
I remember all of them but Spectrum. Peaches was my favorite record store. Well, we went to TG&Y for 45′s, but there was also Bill’s T records at the SW corner of Harvard and Admiral.
I was a stockboy at the TG&Y at 3rd and Utica in High School, then an assistant manager.
OTASCO – My dad bought me an orange 24″ (yes 24″) ten speed from OTASCO. Since I grew up in the Tulsa slums, I had that bicycle maybe 3 months before it was stolen. I recovered it, but I had to kick some punk’s A$% to get it back.
I got my first powder blue leisure suit at Anthony’s.
The pants were flare leg, of course. And a swashbuckler style shirt to go under it. (you know the puffy sleeves).
I remember all of them except the Spectrum. I don’t remember going to Renbergs or Peaches (what was it named after that, but before the furniture store?). I also remember Louboyls(sp?) and Handy Dan’s. How long did Dillards keep their Eastland location open? And what became of the shopping center to the north of Eastland?
I remember all of these stores, even the ones mentioned in the comments. My first job was at TG&Y as a cashier 34 years ago. Thanks for reminding us of these great stores!
I remember them all, but wanted to mention Sevco, Frougs, Der Weinerschnitzel, Borden’s Cafeteria, Swinney’s Hardware, Warehouse Market…I’ll try to think of more to post.
I sure do miss going to see a movie and then having a Hot Dog on a Stick at the old mall.
Townsend Top Shop (t-shirts for everyone!), Chuck Wagon Hamburgers, Pants America, Greers Stereo…
Small appliances necessary for all the efforts necessary for the work necessary for the house takes. I am also extremely efficient and cost-effective and instrumental in reducing fatigue and stress. Their small size, minimal power consumption and a reasonable price makes them an irresistible deal any time a new device on the market. While the house can be full of these places points conveniently located close to sale of electricity, making the workload easier.
I got Sting’s autograph at Peaches in 1980 at peaches. Then watched as he and the rest of the Police put hand prints in the sidewalk. They played the Cain’s that night.
Priceless!
I think this Oertle’s building was also Burlington Coat Factory at one time. And, I remember the previous Oertle’s location on East 11th Street just west of Lewis. Now there’s some ancient history.
I remember The Spectrum although they specialized in 1940′s vintage at the time (70′s). What about Nine of Cups?
Where can i buy a Peaches shirt like the one in the picture!! would love to own one. Thanks for the great site! Awesome pictures and so many memories.
Funny i worked for otasco in Mobile alabama in the early 80s won trips to mexico city and dimond rings also made good commission back than ,. started off working as a mach. than salesman than asst mang. turned down manger cause liked working with all my coustmers from the dauphin street area enjoyed very much working with them sorry went out of bus, down this way had 4 or 6 stored down this way
I am 47yrs old, Tulsa Kiddies No offence meant but!
“WHEN THE CITY’S LIMITS STOPPED IN THE COUNTRY AT 71st” and
“GROWING UP IN THE 80′S All righty children step forward and get slapped so you can stand in the corner for the rest of the day! Ha Ha ha; just joking, but seriously folks.
when I was a boy not counting the Brook Plaza neighborhood at 51st and Peoria Tulsa didn’t go south of 51st street. The Brook Plaza neighborhood went south to 61st street. I can remember when they were finishing up at 51st and Memorial the Fontana shopping center, it was going to be the next hip shopping center in Tulsa, it had a movie theater, a Godfathers Pizza where on my 9th grade class trip I saw Space invaders for the first time, and a Sound warehouse which eventually became a big combo used record/comic book store. Within a few years of Fontana opening Woodland Hills Mall opened and started Fontana’s downfall.
Way Before the promenade mall was built back in the mid sixties three shopping malls were built at 41st and Yale Southland (where the Promenade is ) a one story mall with a Dillards, a Jc Pennys, a Frougs (Frougs was a Tulsa owned department store) a Handcocks Faberics (a sewing store) a Borden’s cafeteria and a hobby shop. When I was in grade school we would go shopping for school clothes at Frougs and Pennys, at pennys mom and my sisters would go to the juniors Dept and dad and I would do our thing when dad and I were done we would go over to the juniors Dept and wait on mom and my sisters
to finish. The juniors dept at Southland had a jukebox in it; which was cool. The Pennys also had a record department where I first saw imported German Beatles albums and a Sporting Goods Dept; at Christmas time the Sporting goods Dept was converted into a toy Dept. In the late 70′s and early 80′s the Goodyear blimp would come to town on a promotional tour, when I was 16yrs old, around the time of my birthday my mon had to go to the Handcock’s at Southland; while waiting in the car dad and I noticed the the good year Blimp floating over the mall, dad got on our CB and had the Goodyear blimp folks, write happy birthday to me on their memessage board. Incidentally the skyline view from
Southland was great, but today all you see is a ugly two story parking garage and the side of the mall. The second mall Built at 41st and Yale was Southroads Mall it was a indoor mall with a Woolco (Woolco was like kmart and the smaller Walmarts) a walden books, a rendbergs, a sevco and other stores. Southroads also had a fountain in it. The third mall
was a small mall the UA Annex with a Oshmans sporting goods store, the UA Annex theater a arcade and a Towsens top shop (a tee shirt shop) The Ua annex was built vertically to Southroads and had a original Coney Islander in its north end. Between the Southroads Mall and the UA Annex Mall at the end of the Southroads Mall was a big twin theater the Southroads Twin I saw Star wars there when it came out.
Does anyone remember the big Skaggs alpha Beta grocery store at 21st and Memorial (back in the day that was a decent area of town) they had a record and tape Dept, with a camera and film developing bar, a large tobacco island, and a huge double sided magazine rack/area. Remember the reach in the hole 8 track display cases (they could use variations of those For Cds and DVDs today) next to the record and tobacco Dept was a large sporting goods dept when was the last time you could buy fishing lures, a 38 cal pistol with a box of bullets, have the home movies developed, and get groceries all At the same place; Walmart doesn’t count. In addition Skaggs had a large drug section comparable to a wallgreens (Skaggs was basically a small Rreasors , a Wallgreens and the for mentioned all combined into one store ) and the cashiers at Skaggs no high school girls, college girls or looser middle aged frumpy housewives no sir they were incredible they were very professional and trying to make a semi career at Skaggs (the pay wasn’t great but wasn’t bad back in they day at Skaggs) a lot of the cashiers were tall stunning blonds between 21yrs old and thirty something. Back in the 70′s at least at Skaggs you had to wear a uniform, be well gromed, and be proficient as a cashier; a far cry from the scruffy, rude, and incompetent cashiers we have today. ah ah; did I mention a lot of them were tall stewardess/beauty queen type blonds.
does anyone remember the little feed store at Independence and Lewis, the feed story on Southweast blvd. where you could buy baby chicks and ducks, or Binding Stevens. What about Fairway auto mall on 21st street just west of Hale High school where you could buy hot rod parts how about Whitlocks in the Alameda center with its library of auto repair books or how about Guy Henshaws auto parts, What about the flea for all flea market on Admiral in the Jubilee center, what about Jubilee center itself (a kmart style store) How about Tulsa’s own Frougs department store downtown, Brook Plaza, Eastgate shopping Center (Admiral and Memorial) Southland, northland, and Sands Springs. What about Otasco and Western Auto. how about Don Thorton ford, Fred Jones Ford Down town, Dounges Brothers Ford Sheridan and the BA, Ben Franklin Packard or Thomas Cadillac.
I remember when they started to build Woodland Hills Mall. I asked my mom “why are they putting this allthe way out here? Who is going to drive this far to go shopping?” LOL!
Hello, Tulsan boomer. I’m 60 years old and was born in Byrne Memorial Hospital which closed in 1966 and whose site is now 20 feet above the westbound lanes of the Broken Arrow Expressway at Peoria Avenue. Back in the late 1950s and early 1960s, Tulsa did indeed end at 51st Street along which ran the Skelly Bypass, which later became part of I-44. I remember both Oertle’s 11th Street store and the later store down south. Oertle’s 11th Street store was made up of at least two existing buildings and was a fascinating maze of rooms, stairways and ramps for the 9-year-boy I was at the time. The newer store down south was a more typical discount retail store. My parents built their house themselves in 1947 on 36th Street, half a block east of Riverside Drive while my dad attended Tulsa University on the G.I. Bill. The Brookside shopping district on S. Peoria Avenue around 34th Street was where I hung out as a kid, buying penny candy at T.G.&Y.and comic books and magazines at Guy Skogg’s Rexall Drug. In addition, I was a regular audience member of Bill Blair’s kiddie show on KVOO-TV. In fact, my parents and I toured the brand-new KVOO building at 37th and Peoria when it opened in the late summer of 1956. The TV station was on the ground floor (now KJRH-TV) and KVOO radio was upstairs. I also watched When I was 13, the family moved to Southern California. And I remember Fred Jones Ford and Greenlease-Stunkard Cadillac-Oldsmobile too!
*Just wanted to clear up an error by David Dial (above comments). Southland never had a Hancock’s fabric store. It was a Cloth World fabric store. BTW, the best fabric store was the Will Rogers fabric store (HUGE), that was located on 31st street, just slightly west of Sheridan.
Reeves TvS
the Reeves Boys
all we want to do is save ya money, all we want to do is save ya money
Oertles was great they had a killer sporting goods Dept in their basement they used to have
a automatic putting green which automatically returned your ball they kept it until someone
learned how to make a ball continually shootout of the hole and role back in. The toy Dept
had the latest electronic games and a good toy selection it also had a good hobby shop balsa
wood if you needed it they had it and models boy did they have models. Oertles also had a
acceptable record Dept including cutouts (When LPs were the primary medium for distribution or recording, manufacturers would physically cut the corner, punch a hole, or add a notch to the spine of the jacket of unsold records returned from retailers; these “cut-outs” might then be re-sold to record retailers or other sales outlets for sale at a discounted price. A special section of a record store devoted to such items was known as the cut-out bin or bargain bin.)
The problem with Oertles was that they didn’t up date their store or merchandise store wild and when their parent company Davids(who bought them out) started having problems
Oertles really went down hill.
OERTLES PART 2
Oertles was a cool store but in their beginning they were rip off artists.
originally one of the things they did was sell merchandise wholesale to Tulsa’s jewelry
stores at Christmas time, the thing was after all the jewelry stores bought their Christmas stock Oertles would turn around and cut the price of everything in their jewelry Dept by 25% undercutting all the Jewelry stores in the city. How do I know this, my fraternal family manufacturers and sells Church Wear which is a spin off of the jewelry business
(My grandfather was a trained and skilled manufacturing jeweler who was originally from
Sioux Falls South Dakota) In 1948 when the family switched from jewelry to church goods my Uncle Jack wanted to continue the family jewelry store but eventually he went out of business one of the reasons was Oertles.
I kissed my soon to be wife at Oertles…for the 1st time in 1975….I was passing
through and was checking HALE High school…(i graduated there)…I met Marcella
Suggs between commands…..have been married going on 36 years in MAY. Great kisser…tight jeans….uuuhhhmmm…Oh sorry…back now….A great place to shop.
I grew up in T-Town and all of the above I remember. Brings back alot of memories. Does anybody out there remember a teen club at Southland mall called THE MACHINE? MY brothers and I saw many a movie at the RITZ, ORPHEUM, COZY, MAJESTIC, and how I loved going to the WILL ROGERS theater on 11th street, how bout SIPES, HUMPTY DUMPTY, and FOODTOWN grocery stores.
I enjoyed this article but I do want to comment on an item. Eastland Mall. You made the comment that back in the 80′s there were “ghetto” apartments behind the mall but that is not true. That may be the case now, but not then. The city of Tulsa made the poor decision to no longer build up that newer part of town and instead put their money into the landfills south of Woodland Hills Mall which now have houses on them. (I’ve looked at buying a house there and now they are all sinking and have multiple piers since they were built on landfill.)
Back in the 70s & 80′s the Eastland housing addition and those surrounding it were brand new and they were nice. I lived in a new house on the corner nextdoor to the developer’s father. We had great times in that neighborhood and it was safe. Those apartments were safe and nice as well… our bus stops were located there. It was a nice neighborhood. It makes me very sad to see it now. And it looks that way only because the City of Tulsa abandoned it.
We use to ride our bikes to Oertles and order french fries at the little cafe. I was so sad to see it go. My mom bought me many school outfits there. Also I remember shopping at Anthony’s. They were the only place that had the hip huggers with bell bottoms that I would always wear. We also had a T.G.&Y down the street. We rode our bikes or would walk up there. I bought more candy then yo can imagine at the stote. It was right next to a Safeway and Frougs. Not sure how to spell that. There was also a little store next to it where I bought my Bobby Brooks sky blue pants. I wa really styleing! LOL!
WOW sure does bring back memories!!! You forgot to mention the Admiral Twin Drive-in. Now that’s memories! Since the fire, they Admiral Twin is being rebuilt so the next generation can start their own memories. It was fun going down memory lane. Ginny