South Tulsa Shopping Center Gears Up For First Store's Opening

Construction crews worked through the weekend to get the first store open in the newest retail development project to come to Tulsa.

Gander Mountain, a store for outdoors enthusiasts, is opening its first store in Oklahoma on Thursday.

The developer broke ground at 81st Street and U.S. Highway 75 less than a year ago. Now a new 12-plex movie theater is about to be built, and Olympia Avenue is getting a little longer.

Construction workers are on a deadline to get the street paved so Gander Mountain can open its doors to customers. The street will end at “The Walk at Tulsa Hills,” which is the city's newest shopping district.

“It has really changed since I was a kid and lived here,” shopper Jeana Coyle said. “I think the development is good,"

Coyle drove all the way from the Stillwater area to spend money in Tulsa Hills.

“Worth the drive... straight shot back," she said.

The Walk at Tulsa Hills broke ground last summer.

Parkes Development Group also is building an Aldi's grocery store, a Chuy's restaurant and a Carmike 12-screen movie cinema.

Gary Parkes said his company studied the Tulsa market and wanted to bring retailers here.

“It's a good sign for Tulsa indicating that these retailers... and the growth of this submarket," Parkes said.

He said retailers signed up to move in before they even started to build.

“We've been really fortunate on this project to have...100 percent leased," he said.

The developer has a really aggressive schedule. Parkes Construction hopes to get everything open by the end of the year.

“There's lots of places to shop and a lot of things to be bought out here, so it's good,” shopper Ian Bullen said. “I mean, it's good for the economy, it's good for people looking for jobs."