TYPros launch effort to bring Trader Joe's to Tulsa
BY NICOLE MARSHALL MIDDLETON World Scene Writer
Thursday, January 31, 2013
1/31/13 at 4:38 AM
Tulsa's Young Professionals have launched a pop-up shop in an effort to bring the high-end grocery store, Trader Joe's, to the area.
The undertaking is part of a "Bring it to Tulsa" a grass-roots initiative to attract businesses to the city. The TYPros Business Development Crew developed the idea, said Hillary Parkhurst, TYPros 2013 chairwoman.
The closest Trader Joe's is in Kansas City, and that's where the TYPros members are going to pick up the products that people order online, she said.
Tulsa-area customers can order select items at tulsaworld.com/bringittotulsa from Thursday until noon Feb. 8. Customers must be prepared to pick up the items at GitWit Creative, 11 E. Brady St. between 4 and 8 p.m. Feb. 16.
"They will be arranged like a small grocery store, so it will be really easy to locate them and pick them up," Parkhurst said.
A $5 handling fee will be added to orders over $10, which will cover the costs of renting a truck and transporting the goods back to Tulsa, Parkhurst said.
The TYPros members voted for Trader Joe's to be the first business targeted as part of the "Bring it to Tulsa," campaign. Other businesses, such as Crate and Barrel, H & M and Urban Outfitters, have also been considered, she said.
Although Trader Joe's is aware of the effort, the company is not working with TYPros to create the shop, Parkhurst said.
"They know that we are coming, and they will be helping to load the truck, but that is their only involvement," Parkhurst said.
"We know that the outcome of this doesn't mean that they will be coming to Tulsa, but we are all about planning and growing, so this project is really about educating the community on different barriers that we have in our state."
For example, Oklahoma liquor laws have been cited as one of the reasons that certain businesses that sell wine and beer, such as Trader Joe's, have chosen to expand into other states that do not have the same restrictions.
"We want to find creative ways to break through those barriers and show national retailers what Tulsa has to offer," Parkhurst said.
She said that many cities like Tulsa have a Facebook campaign to bring Trader Joe's to their area.
However, "We wanted to do something more than just click a 'like' button," Parkhurst said.
For more information, call TYPros at 918-560-0260 or email info@typros.org.
Original Print Headline: TYPros want a Trader Joe's
Nicole Marshall Middleton 918-581-8459
nicole.marshall@tulsaworld.com
Associated Images:
Tulsa's Young Professionals have launched a Trader Joe's pop-up shop in an effort to bring the grocery store to Tulsa. FRANCIS SPECKER / Bloomberg News file
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