Claremore Leaders Hopeful New Parklets Will Attract More People To Downtown

Claremore city leaders and business owners are hopeful the installation of new parklets will help bring more foot traffic to the downtown area. The parklets offer seating outside restaurants and other businesses.

Claremore Main Street’s Jacob Garrison says the new parklets have been well received for the most part by both business owners and people who shop in downtown. He says there is no concern over losing some parking spots since their data shows 50% of spots are open on average.

Garrison says the parklets help Claremore stay on track with other cities that have installed them, including Tulsa. Two have been installed on Main Street, and surrounding businesses have been told to add their own touch to them.

The parklets are the newest addition to the newly-named Lilac District in downtown Claremore.

“We’re getting eyeballs on downtown Claremore,” says Garrison. “We’re getting people to the sidewalk, they’re walking around, they’re looking and if we can do that, our merchants will continue to thrive and our district will thrive.”

Andrew Jones-Brothers is the owner of a taproom on Main Street, and one of the new parklets has been placed right outside his establishment. Jones-Brothers says he grew up in Claremore and is excited to see new things coming to the downtown area.

“One of the big things that we in Claremore always fight against is losing business to Broken Arrow, Owasso, or Tulsa,” says Jones-Brothers. “I do think that this gives people a bit of an outdoor environment that they can come and enjoy things in.”

More parklets could be added to the area if they become popular.