Infusion Of New Businesses Helps Boost Tremendous Growth For Tulsa's Cherry Street

You might notice more traffic these days on Cherry Street and more businesses opening, especially in the area's new three-story building housing several businesses, apartments, and restaurants.

"Cherry Street, I've been investing in Cherry Street for 15 years now," said building owner Duane Philips. "There's so much activity here. The restaurants are some of the highest grossing restaurants in the state. It just has a really great curb appeal to it, and everybody just wants to be on Cherry Street."

Philips said the loft apartments are already leasing. His building also has a rooftop bar and restaurant called SideCar, set to open next week. Cycle studio, Cyclebar, just opened this month. It will also have a speakeasy-style steakhouse called Hemmingway's, which will open in a few months.

"I've been promoting this density and smart growth for several years now. You want people to walk because it gives them the opportunity to pass by the retail sites," Philips said.

City leaders said what's drawn investors to this area is its walkability. You can get from one shop to the other in just a few steps.

"It really shows that when you invest in these vibrant mixed-use neighborhoods where you can live and work and walk from place to place ----you ultimately build communities that are economically self-sustaining," Kiam Kamas with the city of Tulsa said. 

Philips said his building, a more than $12 million project, will add a hundred new jobs. He said this project won't be his last.

"There's still a lot more that can be done on Cherry Street and there's more investors coming in," Phillips said. "They want to be on Cherry Street."