The Shoppes, the City of Guthrie’s downtown retail incubator and shopping park, will open on Saturday, July 1. The grand opening coincides with Red Brick Nights, Guthrie’s monthly downtown block party, and street festival. The east block of Oklahoma Ave. (from Division to Wentz) will feature food trucks, retail vendors, live music, and more. The grand finale of this dual event is the 8th Annual Firework Show provided by Fireworkz A’ Poppin, LLC.
After the Grand Opening Celebration, The Shoppes will be open for regular business hours. Aside from serving the community as a beautiful gathering space complete with pavilion, benches, and picnic tables, the pop-up shop park will serve as a retail incubator for start-ups. The first business tenants for the shoppes include the following: Enspire Cookies, Mystic Soul, J’s Creations, The Painted Mushroom, Rustic Tease Boutique, and BG’s Clothing Co.
The T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program and The Rural Business Development Grant through USDA funded the Shoppes park and retail incubator program. The City of Guthrie Public Works Department completed all of the construction for the project, serving as in-kind matching funds for both grants.
This project aims to eliminate barriers to entry for new and existing small business owners in the community.
“Our hope is that the businesses are able to gain their financial footing, grow their customer base, and move into traditional brick-and-mortar stores in our community,” Shawnda Rooney, who spearheaded the project.
“With funding from the United States Department of Agriculture, T-Mobile, and in-kind labor from the City of Guthrie, we have created a vibrant community space that will revitalize the retail atmosphere of Guthrie’s historic downtown,” Rooney said.
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