Oklahoma Main Street Center award winners

              Oklahoma Main Street Center 2011 Award WinnersOklahoma Main Street Center
A
nnounces 2011 Award Winners
The Oklahoma Main Street Center recently named the “best of best” during its Annual Main Street Awards Banquet held March 28 at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. Oklahoma Main Street recognized the first place communities from across the state in 22 categories.
“We want to congratulate the winners and recognize all the communities that submitted nominations. This is an opportunity to recognize all the hard work, dedication and creativity these communities put forth every day,” said Linda Barnett, Director of the Oklahoma Main Street Center, Oklahoma Department of Commerce. “We are very proud of all the accomplishments our Main Street Oklahoma communities have seen in the past year.”THE WINNERS INCLUDED:
Premier Partner
Sapulpa Main Street
Sapulpa Historical Society/Waite Phillips Station
Best Interior Design Project
Sapulpa Main Street
Wells Building
Community Education/Public Awareness
Newkirk Main Street Authority
Journey Stories
Best Façade Rehabilitation Under $10,000
Sulphur Main Street
Billy Cook Harness & Saddle
Best Volunteer Development Program
Main Street Altus
Join Our Main Street Family
Best Façade Rehabilitation Over $10,000
Sapulpa Main Street
Wells Building
Main Street Hero
Main Street Enid, Inc.
Lynn Smith
Best Building/Business Signage
Ponca City Main Street
2nd St. Coca-Cola Signs
Best Creative Fundraising Effort
Hobart Main Street, Inc.
Pumpkin Palooza and Pumpkin Chunkin’ Festival
Best Public Improvement Project
Stockyards City Main Street
Stockyards City Archway
Premier Special Event
Newkirk Main Street Authority
Journey Stories
Best Window Display
Main Street Altus
The Enchanted Door
Best Retail Event
Main Street Altus
Candy Cane Cash “Sweet”stakes
Best New Business Downtown
Mangum Main Street Program
Adcraft Signs
Outstanding Image Promotion
Stockyards City Main Street
Stockyards City Archway
Best Adaptive Reuse Project
Sapulpa Main Street
Wells Building Apartments
Creative New Event
El Reno Main Street
Heels and Hose, Real Men Work Main Street
Downtown Business of the Year
Newkirk Main Street Authority
Earth Road Graphics
Outstanding Web Presence
Atoka Main Street
Twitter Faced
Best Business Practices
Main Street of Perry
Thorn Originals
Watonga Bob Shoemaker Award
(Manager of the Year)
Karen Dye
Newkirk Main Street Authority
Friend of Main Street
Cliff Hudson
For more information about the Oklahoma Main Street Program, visit www.OKcommerce.gov/mainstreet or
call (405) 815-6552. Premier Partner
Sapulpa – Sapulpa Historical Society/Waite
Phillips Station
The Sapulpa Historical Society is a great asset to this community, and especially to Sapulpa Main Street. They keep impeccable records, an amazing archive of documents and beautifully preserved pictures. The Sapulpa Historical Society renovated the two-story museum building downtown and continues to make improvements. They decided to purchase the old Waite Phillips Filling Station across the street from the museum, a dilapidated eye sore that they took on as a Centennial project. Director Doris Yocham approached Sapulpa Main Street for guidance and requested design assistance from the Oklahoma Main Street office. The State Main Street office had their architect do a drawing and make suggestions about what could be done. It was decided to make the Waite Phillips Filling Station look as much as it did in the 1920’s as possible. It took three years, two façade grants from Sapulpa Main Street and several fundraisers to complete the project. It cost $200,000 to complete and is a monument to tenacity. The Sapulpa Historical Society is very proud to contribute such a wonderful project to downtown. Part of their history destined for demolition has been saved.
Best Interior
D
esign Project
Sapulpa — Wells Building
Becoming a certified investment tax credit project, meeting numerous Secretary of the Interior’s Standards, and following guidelines for the Americans Disabilities Act sometimes determine many of the interior choices for a building. While keeping original materials in place and adapting for everyone’s use, the owners learn that the building provides its design answers. This five-story structure, once an office building that always was in use, now houses two commercial spaces on the first floor and 32 apartments on the upper floors. Interior mosaic tile floors, plaster walls, plaster crown moldings, original wood trim, and original windows retain the feel of the original interior while adapting for new uses. Public spaces and public corridors retain familiar spaces while new apartments provide for new downtown residents. The Wells Building offers urban living right along Historic Route 66.
Best Community Education /Public Awareness
Newkirk – Journey Stories
The Smithsonian was bringing an exhibit to Newkirk’s library that would draw many out of town guests. Newkirk Main Street wanted to bring the community’s heritage into the public eye using downtown window displays as well as public programs. They applied for Smithsonian Museums on Main Street Exhibit Journey Stories and an Oklahoma History Center Grant to develop their own Journey Stories. After researching their local history, they wrote 15 weeks of newspaper articles and involved other scholars to assist with the research. Window displays were created by our local graphic designer with historic photographs and each display was tied to the next with red, white and blue bunting creating a festive atmosphere throughout the downtown commercial district. The displays included: Land Run, Cherokee Allotments in the Outlet, County Government, Santa Fe Railroad, Kaw Nation, Agriculture, Education, Frontier Faith, Vice President Charles Curtis, and local long term businesses, financial institutions and prominent citizens. The exhibits were displayed for eight weeks.Best Volunteer
D
evelopment Program
Altus – Join Our Main Street Family
To accomplish the objective of further developing the volunteer program for Main Street Altus, they created a “Main Street Family” image and presence that uniquely brands all activities and promotions. This project involves the whole community, targeting the entire population as potential “Main Street Family” members and inviting them to join and share their downtown home. The potential volunteers are given a basic orientation to Main Street Altus’ active program and are introduced to the on-going projects and events sponsored by Main Street Altus. Basic volunteer job descriptions and program needs, along with the calendar of events are presented annually. The duties and needs for each project are then matched to the interests and strengths of the volunteers. The volunteers receive event t-shirts for every promotion, are served lunch at every event and are photographed in their event t-shirts for newspaper publicity. They also receive picture thank you cards for each event that documents their individual volunteer service. The Main Street Altus “family” now numbers well over 75 individuals of all ages who come together to help when needed. Their continued commitments reflect the fact that downtown Altus is a family friendly, fun place to be!
Best Façade Rehabilitation
Under $10,000
Sulphur — Billy Cook Harness & Saddle
317 West Muskogee sat for over two decades deteriorating. The entire back wall collapsed. The roof partially collapsed. The contents of one of Sulphur’s oldest businesses was rusting and decaying. Once the home to Carter Sheet Metal Works and an electrical and refrigeration business as well as a machine shop, the building was in horrible shape. However, the original storefront remained intact as the most original design remaining in downtown Sulphur. Billy Cook, owner of a local saddle and harness business since 1953, purchased the building. The façade restoration included repairing the brick, replacing broken glass, repainting wood trim, retaining transom windows, installing new doors (as the original ones were beyond repair), and constructing a new awning. A total of $5,000 was spent.
Best Façade Rehabilitation
Over $10,000
Sapulpa — Wells Building
At five stories tall and 47,000 square feet large, the Wells Building is the largest building in downtown Sapulpa. Sitting right next to the Creek County Courthouse, this building fronts Dewey Avenue, a stretch of historic Route 66. Some 30 years ago, a gigantic gold cheese-grader screen and aggregate panels were added to the entire north and east elevations, covering over hundreds of wooden windows. After almost a month of work, the new front was off, exposing tons of pigeon droppings, very dirty windows, soiled masonry, and a partially damaged cornice. Maintenance and repair work restored this grand façade, now a building for two commercial spaces and 32 apartments as part of a $5 million project.M
ain Street Hero
Enid – Lynn Smith
Lynn Smith, as a downtown Enid property and business owner, approached the challenge of being a part of the revitalization of the business district with the same enthusiasm and determination that characterizes everything he does. He led the way for Enid becoming a Main Street city in 1994, served two terms as Board President and continues with the Design Committee. He has lovingly restored great old buildings he owns in downtown, removing aluminum facades, repairing and replacing windows, doors, roofs, etc. He is retired from a successful photography business and uses his talent to document all of his work and much of what Enid Main Street has done. In addition Smith also takes every opportunity to tell the Main Street story. He is a treasured repository of Enid Main Street’s history, of what a Main Street community should be, and he doesn’t apologize for expecting the best from downtown property owners. He speaks of continuing to maintain what they have worked so hard to achieve in their community, and how that should never cease. He warns of complacency, or worse, of apathy creeping into a revitalized area. Lynn Smith is always ready to help and he encourages all to continue to work at making their downtown the best that it can be. Lynn Smith is truly a Main Street hero.
Best Building /
Business Signage
Ponca City — 2nd Street
Coca-Cola Signs
Two vintage Coca-Cola signs, just across the street from each other, were fading away. The 1920’s sign encouraged folks to “Drink” with the business title Freeman Motor Co. and Garage above the Coca-Cola logo. (Freeman’s sold Chandler and Cleveland automobiles in the 1920’s). The other sign, a 1940’s vintage, advertises Dick and Runt Bar-B-Q as well as has the “Sprite” boy graphic and promotes Coca-Cola as “Delicious and Refreshing.” Ponca City Main Street volunteers applied for $2,000 in Façade Grants. Downtown Mural and Sign Committee volunteers applied for $2,000 in grants from the Great Plains Coca-Cola distributor. Dr. Bob Palmer and his art students from the University of Central Oklahoma repainted the signs in two days.
Best Creative
Fundraising Effort
Hobart – Pumpkin Palooza & Pumpkin
Chunkin’ Festival
The Pumpkin Palooza/Pumpkin Chunkin’ Festival is a unique fall event developed to provide an entertaining day for children and adults centered around pumpkins. The festival involves many activities during the day including, a Pumpkin Stacking Contest, Pumpkin Rolling Race, Pumpkin Bowling, Pumpkin Decorating Contest, Pumpkin Pitchin’ Contest, Pumpkin Bake-Off, Pumpkin Balancing Contest, Pumpkin Relay Races, Longest Pumpkin Rolling Contest, a Pumpkin Patch Raffle and many others, including the Pumpkin Chunkin’ Contest. This is a nationally recognized event where individuals or groups construct their own contraptions such as catapults, trebuchets and air cannons to launch 10 pound pumpkins as far and as accurately as they can. The event was publicized through posters, banners and yard signs. Advertising was done and the event was promoted through TravelOK.com, television and radio stations. The event aired on “Is This a Great State or What” on an Oklahoma City television station and was later picked up by MSNBC. The crowd at the event was well over 10,000. Overall income was over $18,000 with expenses running at a little over $6,000. This gave the Hobart Main Street Program a profit of $12,000. The expenses were held to a minimum because of donations and sponsorships.Best Public
I
mprovovement Project
Stockyards City – Stockyards City Archway
What started as a sketch on a napkin 20 years earlier, the concept became buried in a storage unit until discovered in 2004. The final cost of the $175,000 archway was paid for with a TEA-21 Grant. The arch is owned by the City of Oklahoma City, which provides maintenance and electricity. The completion of the archway was just in time for Stockyards City’s Centennial Celebration, a place noted for its incredible western heritage. Not only does it complement the original archway from 1910 at the entrance to the actual stockyards, but it also has become the new image for the district as this area moves into its second century. The font and arched text of this now appear on billboards, banners, and other signage throughout the area.
Premier Special Event
Newkirk – Journey Stories
This event was part of a competitive grant through the Smithsonian Museums on Main Street and the Oklahoma Humanities Council. Aimed at small rural communities, this was the first year Oklahoma towns were included. Only six communities received the Journey Stories exhibit. Activities included an opening reception, five programs and 19 local displays featuring journey stories from Newkirk and Kay County. More than 1,300 people attended the activities – not bad for a community of 2,100. A walking tour brochure was developed to lead citizens through storefront exhibits. Footsteps with “Journey Stories” on them also followed the walking path tour. A local logo was designed for the exhibit and printed on window clings along with the number of the exhibit which corresponded with the brochure.
Best Window Display
Altus — The Enchanted Door
With her business located mid-block on the north side of the Jackson County Courthouse Square, Lisa Worrell knows how to get attention and sell her merchandise. Her display windows—loaded with merchandise ranging from jewelry and clothing to plush animals, pewter, and antiques—are changed frequently. These capture the different seasons and holidays of the year as well as support Main Street Altus’s various events such as “Walkin on Chalk,” “Candy Cane Cash,” and “Cotton-Pickin Chili Cook-Off.” At night, she lights her windows, drawing traffic off State Highway 283, one-half block away. These window designs contribute to The Enchanted Door’s numerous selections as a “Reader’s Choice” for best gift store in town.Best Retail Event
Altus – Candy Cane “Sweet”stakes
The three major objectives to Candy Cane Cash were: 1) to entice people to “shop Altus first,” 2) to introduce first time customers into new and established businesses, and 3) to encourage a broad spectrum of participants in order to create strong partnerships and a sense of community spirit. Ninety-two businesses participated ensuring the success of the largest retail event in the history of Altus. As people shopped in the participating businesses, they received tickets to be entered into a drawing for cash prizes with the grand prize being $10,000 cash. On the day of the drawings, police estimated a crowd of 12,000 people gathered on the Altus downtown square. The opportunities to win began at 3:00pm with a drawing for $1,000, followed by $100 drawings every 10 minutes until 4:00pm when Main Street Altus draws for $10,000. An additional $1,000 was given away Monday morning over the radio encouraging people to hold on to their tickets.
Best New Business Downtown
Mangum – Adcraft Signs
Adcraft Signs’ owners, Meridith and Judy Shideler, opened their business in 2008 by making vinyl signs displaying business hours for many downtown merchants – at no cost. The company has worked with 15 downtown businesses to improve their commercial signage and the overall appearance of downtown Mangum. Adcraft Signs has influenced other business owners to improve their store fronts without harming the historic character of the buildings. For example, they make sure sign placements do not cover up distinguishing architectural details and that signs are attached to mortar joints and not the brick to protect the buildings. The company’s reputation for diverse and high quality signage coupled with excellent customer service is bringing new business to Mangum from all over Southwest Oklahoma. While in town, these buyers also visit other shops and eateries. The company is responsible for raising the property values of about 40% of one block. Adcraft Signs’ products and services are a model for other downtown firms to follow.
Outstanding Image Promotion
Stockyards City – Stockyards
City Archway
Starting as a sketch on a napkin by artist Jack Wells over breakfast between friends, and several years in the making, on February 18, 2010, Stockyards City Main Street held a ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate the completion of their district archway. It was installed on Agnew Avenue, on the southern end of the Oklahoma River Bridge and became the new welcome sign into the district from highway I-40. The ribbon cutting ceremony was attended by more than 100 people and many dignitaries. As a distinctly western district, this archway has enhanced their image and created an updated design strategy for their Main Street organization. All design projects considered since its installation have looked at the archway’s blueprint, most specifically the font and arched text, and pulled these elements into their plans. This includes billboards, banners, and other signage designs that have been installed within the last year.Best Adaptive
R
euse Project
Sapulpa – Wells Building Apartments
In 1917 an 18 year old African American – Fire-Creek Indian, William Clayton, built this five story building that still remains as the largest structure in downtown Sapulpa. Originally, a furniture store occupied the first floor while the upper floors were used as office space primarily for attorneys. In 1980, Ed Wells bought the property. He renamed it after his family but was unable to prevent the building’s deterioration over the next three decades. Sapulpa Main Street served as the nonprofit partner with the developer, Metro Plains, enabling the project to qualify for HOME funds through INCOG and to become eligible for historic tax credits. Main Street also helped promote the project and kept interest high during a difficult economic environment. Today the Wells Building holds 32 senior housing apartments and provides 1st class commercial space on the first floor. The building now contributes to the downtown economy and will serve as a wonderful centerpiece for downtown Sapulpa for many years to come.
Creative New Event
El Reno – Heels and Hose, Real Men Work Main Street
This one of a kind dinner and “beauty pageant” was entertainment in its rarest form! The contestants were local business and community leaders, all male. Each took on a different personality in order to entertain the crowd and raise money for El Reno Main Street. They each chose a name and a song that fit their character. In addition to ticket sales, the contestants raised money from their friends, family, and business associates. The one that raised the most money by the end of the evening was crowned “Ms. Heels and Hose 2010.” There was more than $7,500 raised for the Main Street program. With there being numerous photo opportunities during the event, it was decided to create a 2011 Community Calendar and spotlight the contestants by month. The calendars were sold for $25 each. Community events are also listed on the calendar. It was an experience that only Main Street can provide!
D
o
wntown
Business of the Year
Newkirk – Earth Road Graphics
Earth Road Graphics fills an important niche in small town Newkirk. Not only does it provide world class art for sale, the company does custom framing and is competitive with chain stores in larger cities. Caryl Morgan, the owner of Earth Road Graphics, has embraced the Main Street process with a passion. Her office is in the upper floor of the Heritage Center and Caryl has brought national attention to Newkirk. She is the president of the Watercolor USA Honor Society. The company designs all the Main Street banners and has provided input to the city’s new window ordinance that requires property owners to replace boarded over windows with proper restoration. Even though the business rents its space, Earth Road Graphics invested $20,000 to rehabilitate the upper floor space. This years’ Main Street Business of the Year assists other property owners with design suggestions for their buildings and sets a standard in community involvement by volunteering time and resources changing the face
of downtown Newkirk. Outstanding
W
eb Presence
Atoka – Twitter Faced
Atoka Main Street concentrates their social media marketing on two sites – Facebook and Twitter. By doing so, it has driven traffic to their website, community calendar, and Main Street program as well as recruiting volunteers. Some of those volunteers have become committee members while others love the fact someone actually just invited them to help. Since Facebook and Twitter are very different, they are used in different ways for their program. Facebook followers have more of an emotional attachment to Atoka while Twitter followers of Atoka tend to be more of the tech connection versus the heart connection. It is set where the Facebook posts Tweets to Twitter and by doing this, it saves time but the Twitter posts do not show on Facebook.
Best Business Practices
Perry – Thorn Originals
Thorn Originals is a unique flower / gift shop and offers great product variety sharply displayed in attractively decorated store windows. Employees of the company take pride in the quality customer service championed by the owner, Vickie Malget. Customers experience this pride in the store’s warm atmosphere, free house calls for home décor, guaranteed return policies and monthly promotions. Celebrating their upcoming 25th anniversary, Thorn Originals is piloting a new “green” initiative by handing out free cloth shopping bags and offering incentives each time customers shop with it. The company recycles candle jars and gives a dollar off new candles when the old jars are returned. The owner of the business emphasizes the use of electronic mail and social media to promote the store’s merchandise instead of printing reams of paper. Perry’s residents recognize Thorn Originals to be a treasured business. Leading by example, Thorn Originals spurs other business owners to excel in their own companies.
W
atonga
Bob Shoemaker Award
(Manager of the Year)
Newkirk – Karen Dye
To quote Karen’s Board President, Susan Smith, “The Main Street Program is special to Newkirk, Oklahoma but would not be here without Karen and all that she does.” Ask Karen anything about the Newkirk Main Street Program and if she can’t answer from memory she’ll grab her planner which is always close by. Karen facilitates her local Main Street program by insisting local volunteers do the majority of the work and receive most of the credit. She is the first to offer advice to newer program managers in Oklahoma and has earned recognition from other State Main Street Programs and the National Main Street Center. Congratulations
to all the 2011
M
ain Street
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wards
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inners!
Friend of Main Street
Clifford Hudson
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, Sonic Corp.
Clifford Hudson has spent the last 25 years of his career at Sonic Corp., an Oklahoma City-based, publicly-held company that owns, operates and franchises Sonic Drive-In restaurants (NASDAQ: SONC). Today, he is chairman of the board and chief executive officer of this public company with 3,500 franchised and company-operated drive-in restaurants. Sonic’s common stock is included in the S&P MidCap 600 Index.
Hudson was named chairman of Sonic Corp. in January 2000. Previously, Hudson was chief executive officer (CEO) and president of Sonic Corp., positions he held since April 1995. Prior to that time, he served the company in a variety of capacities, including general counsel, chief financial officer and chief operating officer.
During Hudson’s tenure as CEO of Sonic, average drive-in profit has grown from $78,000 to almost $160,000, average drive-in sales from $602,000 to $1.1 million, system-wide sales from $880 million to almost $4 billion and brand awareness has doubled. The company’s revenues are seven times greater and enterprise value (the public value of its common stock plus debt) has grown from approximately $200 million to more than $1.0 billion.
In his position, Hudson has earned achievements as the 2004 Silver Plate – Foodservice Operator of the Year Award from International Foodservice Manufacturers Association and 2000 Multi-Unit Foodservice Operators (MUFSO) Golden Chain Award from Nation’s Restaurant News. Most recently, Sonic has also received national recognition from publications such as Forbes, Entrepreneur, QSR and Restaurants & Institutions magazines. He has been a guest on various national business programs including CNBC’s Mad Money, Squawkbox and Power Lunch, as well as various Bloomberg news programs.
Hudson has been affiliated with many nonprofit and community activities. He served as chairman of the board of directors of the Securities Investor Protection Corporation (SIPC), a presidential appointment, from 1994 - 2001. He recently served as Chairman of the Oklahoma City School Board from 2001-2008, a position created in 2000 as part of a $530 million turn around of a 40,000 student, inner-city Oklahoma City Public School system. He currently serves as trustee of the Ford Foundation (New York) and is the Chairman of the Board of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.
Through his education work, Hudson has been involved with art and music programs, including leading a Sonic-sponsored music group, The Sonic Tones. In addition to performing with the Oklahoma City symphony in 2003, The Sonic Tones performed at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio through the Fortune magazine-sponsored “Battle of Corporate Bands”.
Hudson graduated from the University of Oklahoma, which he attended with Phi Beta Kappa and President’s Leadership scholarships. In 1998, Hudson was honored as a distinguished alumnus of the University of Oklahoma College of Arts and Sciences, where he serves as a member of the College of Arts and Sciences Board of Visitors. In 2001, he received the University’s Regents Award from its board of regents.
Hudson graduated from the Georgetown University Law Center, where he was a member of the legal honor society, Phi Delta Phi. In 1979, he served as an editor of the International Law Journal, a publication of the Association of Student International Law Societies. He is also a member of the board of visitors of Georgetown University Law Center and in 2006 was given the Paul Dean Award for service to the school.
He and his wife, Leslie, an epidemiologist, have two sons and live in Oklahoma City. A
great time was had by all!www.OKcommerce.gov/mainstreet