The Shoppes at Del City is slowly coming to fruition along Sooner Road. With Discount Tires, Buffalo Wild Wings and Carl’s Jr. already in place, the empty spaces have intrigued residents. The Shoppes, which is being developed by RCL’s Larry Owsley, currently have more than 60,000 square feet of space that is under contract or in the process of selling.

A portion of the existing building will soon be home to Red Dirt Burrito, a casual-dining Mexican restaurant, and Check UR Alibi, a sports bar. Both businesses are owned by Tulsa businessman Jeremiah Lindsey.

Also in the building will be a take-out Chinese restaurant, a shoe store, a liquor store and a nail salon, according to Del City Planner Tom Leatherbee. Names of those companies have not been released by the developer, but the spaces are under contract, he said. There are two spaces still not leased, but one is shaping up to be an upscale breakfast and lunch eatery with a bakery, Leatherbee said.

In addition, the Candlewood Suites Hotel is seeking a permit in that development, which would further expand the Tinker Diagonal hotel and entertainment district. The hotel, along with any large anchor stores that are brought in, would be situated near the rear of the property, adjacent to the creek.

More development

Development firm Sooner Traditions was issued a permit for a building designed to occupy 20 retail spaces. Two of those spaces will be restaurants, according to Daryl Bodenhamer, of Sooner Traditions.

Tulsa-based Remy Group, which owns the existing retail building, has been issued permits for two additional small retail centers that will be located behind the current structure.

“Whatever goes in will be first class development with high quality retail for the area,” Leatherbee said. “Both the developer and the city are committed to holding true to the vision of an upscale center.”

With the addition of the two small buildings, the development has contracts for about 60 percent of the available space, Owsley said. RCL Development is actively marketing the remaining spaces.

Owsley said he could not disclose the names of businesses interested in the development, but acknowledged “there are some impressive names” looking into the area. As well as anchor stores and retail, restaurants and small individually-owned boutiques have scouted the development.

“We have had a lot of inquiries and we could easily have over 100,000 square feet in the development,” said Owsley, “but the economy keeps things going slowly.”

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