​Every other month, a store in downtown Claremore is mobbed – mobbed by a group of eager shoppers ready to spend $20.

The “mobbing” is part of Claremore Main Street’s bimonthly Cash Mob, where a collection of local supporters assemble for a small gathering prior to going out and shopping at a downtown store chosen at random the night of the event.

Shoppers took over LoliPop: A Sweet Boutique, 518 W. Will Rogers Blvd., earlier this month and added more than $1,000 into the local economy in about 45 minutes. The mob was sponsored by Melton Sales of Claremore.

As part of a pay-it-forward aspect to the Cash Mob, 10 percent of the proceeds from the night were donated to the Wild Heart Ranch, the nonprofit chosen by the mobbers on the night of the Cash Mob.

“I’m grateful my boutique was selected for Cash Mob in August. It was so much fun to see the shoppers fill my store and take home goodies,” said Loretta Price, owner of LoliPop. “I’m also glad to support Wild Heart Ranch because of all the great work they do for animals. They are one of my personal favorite nonprofits in Rogers County.”

Wild Heart is a wildlife rescue and rehabilitation center that takes in more than 2,500 injured or orphaned wild animals annually, rehabilitates them and releases them back into the wild. The ranch operates solely on donations.

“In the fall, it’s hard to get donations online so this will help carry us through the season,” said Daniel Hardt, head volunteer at Wild Heart Ranch. “Right now, we are working on a small flight enclosure where we will have flight strengthening for owls and hawks.”

Participants in the Cash Mob agree to attend every other month and spend at minimum $20 at the store chosen at random the night of the event. The goal is to encourage shopping local and the downtown businesses’ success and to support local nonprofits.

Cash Mob is every other month on the first Tuesday of the month. Pre-registration is not required but encouraged. Register online here.

The next Cash Mob is scheduled for Oct. 4. Participants are invited to the pre-mob gathering at North Block Common, 115 N. Missouri Ave., between 4:30-5:30 p.m. The selected store will be drawn at 5:30 p.m. MoreClaremore.com is the mob’s host.

Downtown Claremore is offering another opportunity for local residents to come out and solve the “Case of the Missing Cupcakes” after this week’s Food Truck Thursday was rained out.

A microburst storm poured down on downtown Claremore on Thursday right as Food Truck Thursday: Clue in Downtown Claremore was kicking off, and while a few quick detectives cracked the Case of the Missing Cupcakes – a bandit took off with the goodies again!

So, on 1st Saturday Downtown, a monthly downtown-wide sale, detectives must once again gather to help solve the mystery.

Beginning at noon Sept. 3, the best and the brightest can grab their Clue game sheet at the Claremore Main Street office, 419 W. Will Rogers Blvd., and begin their journey. The entire game, which is good for folks of all ages and completely free to play, should take about a half hour.
​Each step along the way will bring detectives closer to figuring out “whodunit” and will earn them a ticket to win a gift basket valued at $500. Up to eight tickets can be earned playing the free game.

Those clever, brave investigators who dropped their tickets into the Gold Box on Thursday night should keep those tickets as they are still entered to win. They are also welcome to come back on Sept. 3 to go on another track to earn more tickets.

Tickets can also be obtained by dressing as your favorite character or weapon from the game Clue, and with every $10 spent at a participating store.

The gift basket drawing will be at 2 p.m. Sept. 3. The winning number will be posted on the Claremore Main Street Facebook page and website, www.downtownclaremore.org.

The winner will have until 3 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 8, to bring their ticket to the Main Street office to claim their prize. If no one claims it in time, a second number will be drawn.

Calling all detectives! We need your help to uncover a mystery at Food Truck Thursday: Clue in Downtown Claremore on Aug, 25.

The monthly event, set in downtown Claremore from 6-9 p.m., features a fun game of whodunit as attendees work to solve the “Case of the Missing Cupcakes,” a magic show by Spotlight Magic, a free Kids Zone by First United Methodist Church, about 10 food trucks and late-night shopping with a gift basket giveaway.

“Food Truck Thursday is such a fun monthly event in Claremore,” said Jessica Jackson, Claremore Main Street Director. “We love hosting it and seeing everyone come out and enjoy downtown Claremore.”

The “Case of the Missing Cupcake” will begin at the Claremore Main Street office, 419 W. Will Rogers Blvd. It is completely free to play and each step of the way detectives will earn tickets for a gift basket valued at more than $300.
“We are trying to bring something new to our event,” said Carol Thibodeau, the event committee chairwoman and owner of Rhapsody Boutique & Spa, 106 S. Cherokee Ave. “Everyone loves the game of Clue and a good mystery to solve.”

Tickets can also be obtained by dressing as your favorite character from the game Clue, and with every $10 spent at a participating store. The gift basket drawing will be at 8:30 p.m. at the stage in the 500 block of West Will Rogers Boulevard, and you must be present to win.

Spotlight Magic will offer a free magic show from 6:30-7 p.m. at the stage.

The Kids Zone is completely free to attendees, but parents are asked to watch their children while they enjoy the bounce houses, a fingerprinting station, face painting, a “mug shot” station and giant tic-tac-toe.

“The Kids Zone is wildly popular for families,” Jackson said. “First United Methodist Church does a fantastic job incorporating the event’s theme to make the Kids Zone a little different each month.”

Boarding House Books, 300 W. Will Rogers Blvd., will feature a book signing by local authors Daniel Welch, Derek Bullard, Philip D. Smith, Bill York and Robert Scott. LoliPop: A Sweet Boutique will host a children’s book signing with local author Crystal Campbell.

Nine food trucks are scheduled to attend, giving guests a variety of cuisine and desserts. Food trucks include Meltdown Gourmet Grilled Cheese, Dorothy’s Wiches, MooChewSooey BBQ, Taqueria El Jarocho, Papos Latin/American Cafe, Curbside Comfort, BackWatters BBQ Chuckwagon, Kona Ice and Jen’s Java.

There are three other Food Truck Thursday’s remaining this season. Rogers County residents can enjoy I Art Claremore – Downtown Chalk Walk on Sept. 29 and Downtown Zombie Infestation on Oct. 27.

The monthly event is hosted by the Downtown Merchants Group and 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.

Downtown Claremore is one step closer to being placed on the National Register of Historic Places after the nomination was signed off by the state Historical Preservation Review Committee.

The committee unanimously voted to forward Claremore’s nomination on to the National Parks Service, the final stop before the official designation.

Claremore Main Street officials expect to hear the final designation by early October.

“Our volunteers have spent countless hours over the last few years pouring over research on our district’s history to complete the complex narrative for the nomination,” said Jessica Jackson, Claremore Main Street Executive Director. “I couldn’t be more excited to see downtown Claremore within reach of this goal.”

“We are so thankful for our friends at the State Historic Preservation Office for their guidance and assistance throughout this process,” Jackson added.
Dr. Ray Brown, Main Street Treasurer, and former Main Street Director Cindy Bissett spearheaded the project, which resulted in new information and insights about the district.

“When Cindy Bissett approached me about preparing an application for a National Historic Preservation District in Downtown Claremore, I was excited about the opportunity. This seemed to fit right in my wheelhouse,” said Brown, a former vice president at Rogers State University.

“Conducting the research and preparing the application was a challenging but rewarding project. I sincerely enjoyed the project and hope to see more historical renovations downtown,” he added.

As per the nomination, the historic district includes the three blocks of West Will Rogers Boulevard from Lynn Riggs Boulevard to Muskogee Avenue and from 4th Street to the alley between Patti Page and Will Rogers boulevards.

The nomination’s period of significance is from 1890-1955.

Once named to the National Register of Historic Places, downtown Claremore will be protected from federal projects or mandates that may alter the district and building owners have a chance to qualify for 20 percent tax credits for restoration and rehabilitation of their buildings within the district.

“Future prosperity and economic development will depend on using our historical resources and adapting them to meet future needs,” Brown said. “This encourages owners to invest in preservation and renovation of their buildings, which creates for the owners more valuable assets.”

Additionally, the placement on the Register has potential to increase tourist attention, especially among history buffs.

“We took on this project to be able to offer people investing in downtown Claremore the opportunity for the major tax credits and because it is such an honor to be on the National Register of Historic Places,” Jackson said.