Developers Hope To Continue Downtown Tulsa Growth With New Bar, Kitchen

It’s the latest area of downtown Tulsa being eyed by developers and business owners. The few blocks surrounding the BOK Center are flooded with concertgoers regularly, and the growth potential is hard to ignore.

Well, there’s a new addition to the neighborhood, and business owners say they continue to invest in downtown.

Topeca opened in 2004. In the East Village, Hodges Bend opened in 2013. Then, last year, The Saturn Room opened in the Brady. At the end of July, the same force behind those Tulsa hot spots will open Torero Bar and Kitchen near 2nd and Cheyenne.

“I'm always wanting to do something new and follow the trends. And I don’t think there is anything like this in Oklahoma, really,” co-owner Noah Bush said.

Seating for more than 230 people, with a menu inspired by Central, South American and Spanish cuisine; it’s also hard to ignore some of the décor, like a real bull, imported from Spain, hanging on the wall.

The BOK Center brings in thousands of people a year; and with a hotel going in, those people will have a place to stay, so the owners of Torero said the location was prime to keep the momentum going.

Co-owner, Chip Gaberino said, “Go into a place that has potential, but no one has had the opportunity to showcase what the area has to offer.”

And Torero will bring jobs - 80 hires to be exact.

Both Gaberino and Bush are part of a new generation of Tulsans taking on a number of the projects in a city most of them grew up in.

“It was desolate, and to see it like this, the way I wanted it to be back then, I'm a little jealous of the kids living downtown now,” Bush said.

Gaberino said, “I really feel like the area is growing up and maturing, and it's really fun to see.”

Torero Bar and Kitchen is set to open its doors the last weekend in July.