Grocery Store Looking At North Tulsa Location

By Emory Bryan, The News On 6

TULSA, OK - The effort continues to get a full service grocery store in north Tulsa.  A new grocery store could open in the old Albertson's location by the end of the year.  It's said to be a well established grocery operator who wants to open a new store. 

The deal depended on a government backed loan and that was approved by the Tulsa City Council on Thursday night.

The old Albertson's store at Pine and Peoria has sat empty for the last two years.  No grocer wanted the store without surrounding development and no developer would buy the property without an anchor tenant. 

11/10/2008 Related story: Quest To Reopen Closed Grocery Store

Now there's a deal in the works for a new grocery store in the old building.

"You have an anchor for a commercial corridor that is in much need of redevelopment and we are on track to make it happen within the next couple of months," said Rose Washington with Tulsa Economic Development Corporation.

The TEDC is ready to make a $2.2 million loan to a grocer who plans to open the store.

"So there is nothing stopping us but process.  The grocer is in place.  He has a contract on the property and soon we hope to have a celebration to talk about who, what, when and how quickly," said Rose Washington with Tulsa Economic Development Corporation.

The money for the loan was approved by the Tulsa City Council from federal tax sources administered on the local level.  The money is a loan, not a grant, and due to be repaid with interest.  It comes just as other small businesses are having success in the area. 

The Fiesta Mart opened in May and is doing better than the company expected.  Another government backed development called FORWARD plans to build just north of the old Albertsons.

"People realize that having a grocery store in that area was a positive plus at first.  The convenience store is back.  The grocery store will be there.  The FORWARD project will be in the four buildings north of that, that will be developed, more jobs, more economic development.  That's a plus positive for the community, nothing but good can come out of that," said Tulsa City Councilor Jack Henderson.

The new grocery store could open as soon as November.  The News On 6 was told the deal will be made next Thursday and that's when the name of the store and other details will come out.