Minority Pop-Up Shops See Business Growth In Downtown Tulsa

A holiday pop-up program in downtown Tulsa saw so much success, a few small business owners have decided to stick around.

Four of the nine entrepreneurs selected for the program will continue to lease their spaces in the Philtower building in downtown Tulsa's Deco District.

During the 45-day program, the pop-up shops reported an increase in revenue and overall growth in business. More than half of the participants had never operated a brick and mortar, but said they were able to gain valuable experience through the program.

Mi Tea Lounge, 5th & Fab, and Tropical Origin have now decided to stay in the building and lease their spaces on a month-to-month basis.

Lisa Campbell's wardrobe styling business "The Stylish Agency" was one of the concepts chosen to participate in downtown Tulsa Partnership's 'Days of Wonder' campaign. "I had really considered shutting down the Stylish Agency," she said. "I just really did not see a place where I could grow."

Campbell said she saw so much success from the 45-day program that she decided to team up with the owner of Bounceless to continue leasing the space where they have launched a new brand called 5th & Fab. The store offers wardrobe styling and sells hard-to-find pieces, including Bounceless bras, which are sports bras with extra support.

Campbell said she hopes to serve as an inspiration to not only her kids, but others in her community. "Just being a part of a minority community, being an African American woman, and having this opportunity is vital," she continued saying, "I think it will motivate a lot more entrepreneurs to do the same thing."

The downtown Tulsa Partnership said the program's success shows there is a need for new and diverse businesses downtown.

"We have more people living and working in downtown than at any point and time in recent history," said President & CEO Brian Kurtz. "The more amenities we can provide for those walking our sidewalks and finding things to do, visitors who are coming into downtown, the better off our downtown is positioned, and our community is positioned moving forward."

The partnership said 82% of entrepreneurs in the program were women and BIPOC.

5th & Fab, Mi Tea Lounge, and Tropical Origin are all located on the first level of the Philtower at 427 S Boston Ave.