The District Baby opens in Claremore

By Cydney Baron – The Claremore Daily Progress

A baby boutique is long overdue in Claremore.

The community is celebrating the arrival of a baby boutique on Main Street—saying this is exactly what downtown needs.

“I had a former employee that was having a baby, and another employee having a baby and there was nowhere in Claremore to buy a baby gift,” said Cari Bohannan, owner of The District on Main, and now The District Baby.

“So, we had ordered some stuff at for The District and started a small baby section. The response was overwhelming so we decided to go for it.”

She said the feedback so far has been overwhelmingly positive.

“And that former employee, Kayla Dossett, is going to manage the store,” she added.

The District Baby will stock a little bit of everything: Clothing, newborn to 4-T, shoes, diaper bags, toys, bath products, book, unique gifts and so much more.

The shop will even offer registries, she said.

When it comes to selecting merchandise to carry in the store from the overflowing baby market, Bohannan said, “I’m being very picky on quality and price. I want everything pretty moderately priced.”

She said she’s excited to bring a unique shopping experience to Main Street.

“I just wanted to open something additional to offer something to Claremore that we don’t have, to keep people shopping local,” Bohannan said. “Just to be able to support the local community.

The shop opens at 418 W. Will Rogers Blvd., today, Monday, Aug. 12, but for The District Baby is also on Facebook and Instagram.

By Cydney Baron – The Claremore Daily Progress

Jacob Garrison is your guy.

To anyone looking for someone with passion and love for Claremore, or looking place to share their ideas or get answers, Claremore Main Street’s new executive director Jacob Garrison says— “I’m your guy.”

Just one day after being told he got the job—Garrison’s enthusiasm was contagious.

Garrison, along with his wife Laura and their son, moved to Claremore two years ago and instantly fell in love.

“My wife and I have been a part of committees and different events in town. We’ve fallen in love with some of the things that Claremore does, events we’ve taken our son to or that we’ve been involved with us,” he said. “As we’ve gotten to know more people, through events and organizations, we were made aware of this position coming open. I started looking into it and fell in love with the opportunity.”

He said he loves the growth, the involvement and the committees he’s found in Claremore.

“I grew up in a small town, very similar in size to Claremore. We had a four year university and a downtown. You could never go downtown without seeing a splash of the town, like storefronts decorating their windows for homecoming week. I see a lot of those opportunities here,” Garrison said.

“As we’ve gotten to know some people at the university, I feel that’s one thing we can expand on—bringing the university downtown.”

Garrison said he’s got passion and creativity and he plans on channeling both into both the university and Route 66 collaborations.

“Before I ever moved to Claremore, my little brother and I took three straight spring breaks do Route 66. I use that a lot to pull from both in coming to this position but also in explaining my vision for it. I wasn’t a Claremore person, I was an outsider who moved in and fell I love.”

Garrison said he thinks Claremore is uniquely positioned on Route 66.

Some small towns, he said, showcase their spot on Route 66 as the only facet of their identity.

Large cities have more personality and attractions and don’t always feel the need make the Mother Road their claim to fame.

Claremore is comfortably in the middle.

“There are so many things here. As a tourist coming in you can easily spend four, five or six hours, or even longer, to see all the attractions,” he said. “But Claremore is proud of their place on Route 66 and are really capitalizing on that.”

Garrison said he wants to foster ideas and partnerships.

“I want not just downtown Claremore, but all of Claremore to succeed. It might not be a Main Street Claremore event but it could be something we contribute to with our energy, passion and our talents,” he said. “There are so many great resources and ideas in this community. I honestly cannot tell you how excited I am.”

Smiling ear to ear, Garrison said what he’s most excited about is forming relationships as the face of Claremore Main Street.

“I’m a huge relationship person,” he said. “I am going to meet people, engage with them and create those relationships. As these relationships grow, whether people have questions, concerns or ideas I hope they know I’m their guy…I honestly can’t wait to get out there.”

Garrison can be reached via email at or simply catch him downtown.

After a brief hiatus, Claremore Main Street is bringing Cash Mob back to downtown with a few key changes to improve the shopper experience as well as the impact on the local community.

The first Cash Mob will be on March 12. Participating shoppers should meet at the Claremore Main Street office, 419 W. Will Rogers Blvd., by 5:30 p.m. This year’s Mobs are sponsored by Pelco Structural.

Historically, shoppers gathered during Cash Mob and a business was selected at random to “mob.” All shoppers then traveled, en masse, to the store to spend at least $20. Stores boomed with $500-$1,000 in sales in just an hour. One local nonprofit was chosen each time to receive 10 percent of that night’s proceeds.

This year, stores will be chosen in advance but shoppers still won’t know until they arrive at the Cash Mob. Stores will provide snacks and goodies, and store owners will share a brief summary of their business’ story before shopping begins.

“We wanted Cash Mob to be more about the interaction between the merchant and the shopper,” said Nancy Fitts, interim director of Claremore Main Street. “It’s about supporting local, nabbing great finds and fostering community togetherness.”

The nonprofit Pay It Forward aspect of Cash Mob is changing as well. Instead of a little bit based on sales going to a local nonprofit, one nonprofit will receive a larger donation at the end of the year after collections have been gathered all year long.

“This allows us to make a larger impact to one nonprofit,” Fitts said. “Shoppers will still get a chance to vote for the winning nonprofit all year long and will receive one vote per $10 spent on Mob nights.”

The first 75 shoppers at Cash Mob this year will receive a free re-usable tote bag for their merchandise. Shoppers who attend five of the six Cash Mob’s for the year will be entered into a drawing to receive a prize worth $300.

“We are fortunate to have Pelco Structural sponsoring Cash Mob in 2019,” Fitts said. “Their support of this community event has been unwavering since it began years ago.”

To get the latest updates about Cash Mob all year long, email us at .

With outstanding growth and success within Claremore Main Street in recent years, changes are fast approaching at the helm of the nonprofit organization.

After more than three years with Claremore Main Street, executive director Jessica Jackson is leaving. She made the public announcement on Monday night at the City Council meeting, but the Board of Directors already have the transition in the works and will begin the search for her replacement immediately.

Jessica Jackson has been named the Executive Director of Kendall Whittier Main Street in Tulsa. She will begin her post March 1.

“It’s truly bittersweet,” Jackson said. “Claremore has been my home, and I’ve loved playing a part – however small – in its progress. I look forward to taking some of the great things we’re doing here and presenting it to a new market Tulsa.”

Jackson joined Claremore Main Street in July of 2015. Since that time, downtown Claremore has seen a massive increase in reinvestment, nearly doubling the total reinvestment dollars from $10.9 million to nearly $21 million.

“We are sad to lose Jessica Jackson,” said Lou Flanagan, Board President. “She has been a tremendous asset to our Main Street organization and has taken us to a new level with her energy, creativity and ability to manage new projects benefiting downtown merchants, business owners and the city.”

In the last three and half years, there’s been a net increase in the number of businesses downtown and more than 100 new jobs have been created.

Projects completed in the last three years include downtown’s placement on the National Register of Historic Places, the Historic Walk paving stones, a new alley mural and Music on Main.

“We will truly miss Jessica but feel this is an opportunity for her career advancement she was unable to pass up,” Flanagan said. “We wish nothing but the best for her personally and professionally. We have posted her position online already and will seek out the best possible candidate.”

Interested applicants should review the job description here. Resumes will be reviewed until Feb. 28.

“This was certainly a difficult decision to make,” Jackson said. “I feel confident, however, that I’m leaving Main Street with a strong Board and a lot of local support. I know the future of the organization is brighter than ever!”

Claremore Main Street is a local nonprofit dedicated to the ongoing revitalization of historic downtown Claremore. With a focus on economic vitality, historic preservation and placemaking, the organization strives to secure downtown as the social and economic core of the community.

The streets are alive with the sound of music!

Music is now on main thanks to a year-long effort by a local nonprofit, the City of Claremore and generous donors.

“Claremore Main Street has been working to bring music to downtown Claremore for about a year now,” said Jessica Jackson, Executive Director of the Main Street organization. “We are so excited that it launched on Wednesday, just in time for the last weekend of Christmas shopping!”

Psychological studies have shown that music places to people’s emotions and social instincts. It enhances customer moods and visual pleasure, leading to increased happiness.

“After experiencing it firsthand in another community, it became apparent it was something that would be beneficial to Claremore, a way to develop a sense of place downtown,” Jackson said.

The organization needed to raise funds to make it happen, and at the same time, wanted the whole community to feel ownership over the project.

What came out was a crowdfunding project. More than 100 donors over four months contributed to raising the funds for Music on Main.

“We were beyond grateful for the support of our donors and the community. Every dollar ensured this project was completed. Every little bit helped, and we are thankful for each hard-earned penny donated,” Jackson said.

Corporate sponsors provided matching funds to help individuals double their impact. Corporate sponsors were Claremore MoH, Downtown Claremore Merchant Association, The District on Main, GRDA and RCB Bank.

The music is currently scheduled to play from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

“A new system always takes a little tweaking,” Jackson said. “We will be working with the businesses, residents and customers over the next few weeks to resolve any bugs or issues.”

Northeast Oklahoma’s favorite family-friendly bike ride is back for another year – complete with new distances along the scenic routes.

Dickens of a Ride, scheduled for Oct. 1 in Claremore, offers seven distances ranging from the Lazy Lake Loop, a seven-mile loop to Claremore Lake and back, to a 100-mile century. All distances begin at 8 a.m. REGISTER ONLINE NOW!

“Dickens of a Ride is a fun athletic yet noncompetitive event that’s perfect for riders of all ages and abilities,” said Jessica Jackson, Claremore Main Street Director. “It’s a beautiful ride that offers scenic and quirky sights along the way.”

Along with the always-popular 30-, 50-, 62- and 100-mile routes, riders can choose a shorter 18-mile path or a more aggressive 76-mile ride.
The available routes, depending on the distance chosen by the bike rider, will take you through the scenic country side west of Claremore, through Oologah, then to the Claremore Lake area.

The longer routes will continue east of Claremore through rolling hillsides then back into Claremore from the East, ending the ride back at the start, downtown Claremore’s Gazebo Park, located at Muskogee Avenue and Will Rogers Boulevard.

All distances are $25 for those registering before Sept. 1. Prices increase in September to $30 up through the morning of the race.

The ride includes well-supplied rest stops and SAG and mechanical support through 5 p.m. as well as a map with instructions.

Long-sleeved T-shirts need to be purchased separately for $20. The deadline to order a shirt is Sept. 1.

Boom-a-Rang Diner will offer a $2.99 rider breakfast special before the ride on Oct. 1. Holiday Inn Express & Suites in Claremore is offering a special rate of $84 a night for riders.

The Finish Line is sponsored by RCB Bank.

“We are thankful for our local partners who help make this event so wonderful,” Jackson said. “This ride simply wouldn’t be possible without their support and that of Janice and Tracy Whittaker at Bike-About Bicycles, who have the vision and the drive for Dickens of a Ride.”

Proceeds from the ride benefit Claremore Main Street, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the revitalization of the downtown district and reigniting the area as the social core of our community.

I want even more information about the ride.