Downtown Claremore’s newest store was overrun with people earlier this month as “mobbers” descended to spend $20 and support a local charity in the bimonthly Cash Mob.

The store, True Gospel, 322 W. Will Rogers Blvd., was packed full of shoppers and added $700 to the day’s total in just 45 minutes.

“It was just exciting to see that many people come in our store, see our merchandise, share with us and take some home,” said Joyce Johnson, True Gospel owner. “It’s also nice to see this event serve the community.”

The Cash Mob is hosted by Claremore Main Street. Ten percent of the proceeds from the night were donated to Rogers County Youth Services, the nonprofit chosen by the mobbers on the night of the Cash Mob.

“We appreciate the sacrifices the community makes to our youth and families,” said Steven Blahut, RCYS executive director. “I’m glad to be a part of this community.”

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.

The June Cash Mob was the final one for the 2015-16 season. For more information on next year’s Cash Mob events, sign up here.

Break out your hula skirts, Hawaiian shirts and leis for this month’s Food Truck Thursday, a Downtown Luau on June 23.

The Luau, set in downtown Claremore from 6-9 p.m., will feature live music from Bethany Grace & Gypsy Soul, a bunch of delicious food trucks, a hula hoop contest, a Kids Zone by First United Methodist Church and a shopping giveaway.

“The Downtown Hoedown was such a success last month, we are excited to bring the Downtown Luau to Claremore,” said Jessica Jackson, director of Claremore Main Street, one of the partners hosting the monthly event. “The themes are really fun this year and just enhance the already-enjoyable Food Truck Thursday nights in downtown Claremore.”
In addition to the late shopping, visitors will have the opportunity to Find Frankie the Flamingo at participating stores, indicated by a pink flamingo on the outside of the store.

Frankie the Flamingo will be hidden on a card in the store, and when a shopper finds her, they can enter to win a gift basket valued at $300. In addition, every $10 spent at a participating store earns another spot in the drawing.

Finally, those dressed in Hawaiian-themed clothing can get an entry into the drawing as well.

“We thought the Find the Flamingo would be a fun way to add something new to our Food Truck Thursday event in June and encourage people to explore all the wonderful shops we have downtown,” said Carol Thibodeau, owner of Rhapsody Boutique & Spa, 106 S. Cherokee Ave., and the Food Truck Thursday committee chairwoman.

“You will not want to miss the awesome gift basket with goodies generously donated by the downtown stores,” she added.

A hula hoop contest will take place near the stage at 6:30, 7:30 and 8:30 p.m. Prizes will be awarded to the winners of the contests.

Twelve 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, Cake Smash, 2 Chefs on Wheels, Creole Catering, Taqueria El Jarocho, Kona Ice, Papos Latin/American Café, Dog House, Jen’s Java and Maw & Paw Kettle Corn.

Claremore’s First United Methodist Church will sponsor a Kids Zone, fitting with the Luau theme.

Boarding House Books, 300 W. Will Rogers Blvd., will host area authors for book signings at their store, including Gloria Teague, Bob Avey, Jonita Mullins and Cynda Thomas.

Many of the downtown stores, which will stay open until 9 p.m., will feature discounts throughout the evening.

Each month has a different theme. Rogers County residents can enjoy the Downtown Carnival on July 28, CLUE in Downtown Claremore on Aug. 25, I Art Claremore – Downtown Chalk Walk on Sept. 29 and Downtown Zombie Infestation on Oct. 27.

Join the Facebook event!

This summer, residents can grab great sales on the first weekend of each month as the Downtown Merchant’s Group begins 1st Saturday Downtown.

1st Saturday Downtown is a monthly downtown-wide sale on the opening Saturday of the month. The all-day shopping event begins when stores open, generally 10 a.m., and will feature great deals from the majority of shops in the downtown district.

“The new 1st Saturday Downtown is a great opportunity to come downtown and support our local shop owners and grab some great finds,” said Jessica Jackson, Claremore Main Street Executive Director. “The fact that there will be deep discounts is just an added bonus!”
Each month beginning at 12:30 p.m., a different food truck will be set up in the RCB Drive Thru to give guests another dining option. On June 4, Dorothy’s Wiches, a Claremore-based sandwich truck, will be the food truck in attendance.
​
​The inaugural 1st Saturday Downtown on June 4 also will feature a sidewalk sale and an appraisal fair.

The appraisal fair, which will be from 1-3 p.m. at the corner of Will Rogers Boulevard and Missouri Avenue, will offer an informal, verbal estimate of worth. There will be no sales associated with the appraisal fair.

For details about the deals offered at the opening 1st Saturday Downtown in downtown Claremore, visit the Facebook event.

Mrs. Flint’s 4th Grade class at Claremont Elementary School is the winner of the Union Pacific Flag Art Contest designed to promotion train history and safety here in Claremore. Fourth-grade classes all over town participated in the contest. Attendees at this year’s Sip, Savor & Shop: Taste of Claremore voted for their favorite flag. The winning class received $100, courtesy of Claremore Main Street and Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce, the contest’s hosts. The flag will be delivered to the contest’s sponsor, UP Railroad, to hang in their corporate office. All the classes’ flags are hanging in downtown Claremore all during the month of May, Train Safety Month.

Thursday nights will come alive in downtown Claremore again this year as the downtown district brings back the popular monthly food truck events.

Rebranded this year as Food Truck Thursday, the family-friendly street party features late shopping, delicious food trucks, top-notch music entertainment and activities along the street for patrons to enjoy.

“We are excited to bring back Food Truck Thursday this year. It’s a great opportunity to shop late while getting yummy food,” said Carol Thibodeau, chairman of the committee in charge of the event.

Food Truck Thursdays will be from 6-9 p.m. on the final Thursday of the month from May through October in downtown Claremore.

The only exception is June when the event was moved to the fourth Thursday to coincide with when the statewide bike ride, Oklahoma Freewheel, will be spending the night in Claremore.
Residents should mark their calendars for this season’s events on May 26, June 23, July 28, Aug. 25, Sept. 29 and Oct. 27.

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

“The monthly street parties give Rogers County residents a chance to gather, shop, eat and listen to great music. We have activities that are fun for all ages,” said Jessica Jackson, Claremore Main Street director. “It’s essentially a city-wide block party in the heart of Claremore.”

Visitors will find most of the stores open late, many with great deals for one night only. Food trucks will line Will Rogers Boulevard, which will be blocked off from Lynn Riggs Boulevard to Muskogee Avenue.

Live music from local and area musicians will entertain crowds and a kids zone will be chalk full of family-friendly activities. Further, non-food vendors will give attendees an even wider variety of browsing options.

“Our customers asked for us to bring back these nights. We plan to continue to grow it and make it even better this year, with different activities available at each event,” said Thibodeau, who also owns Rhapsody Boutique & Spa, 108 S. Cherokee Ave.

At most of this year’s events, local authors will have book signings at Boarding House Books, 300 W. Will Rogers Blvd.

Each month will feature a different theme to which activities will be focused.

Downtown Hoedown
Kicking off both the Food Truck Thursday season and the Will Rogers Stampede Rodeo will be the Downtown Hoedown on May 26.

“The Will Rogers Stampede Rodeo, now in its 75th year, is an event truly a great resource in our community,” Jackson said. “We want participants and guests at the rodeo to get a true Claremore experience, and that’s showcased in our downtown events like Food Truck Thursday.”

DocFell & Co. will be the featured band throughout the evening and a dance floor will give two-steppers a place to bust a move. The night will kick off with the singing of the National Anthem.

Eleven 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, Cake Smash, 2 Chefs on Wheels, Creole Catering, Taqueria El Jarocho, Kona Ice, Papos Latin/American Café, Dog House and Maw & Paw Kettle Corn.

Being a rodeo theme, visitors can enjoy free mechanical bull riding during the event. Other activities and vendors will be along the street to greet guests in attendance.

The Tri-State Gunfighters will perform throughout the evening on the streets in downtown Claremore.

Boarding House Books will host several area authors for book signings. One of the author’s, Doris Coke Myers, the niece of Will Rogers himself, will be there with her book, I Just Called Him Uncle Will.

RCB Bank’s booth will give guests an opportunity to meet and get an autograph with their favorite Miss Rodeo Oklahoma Teen and Princess.

Many of the downtown stores, which will stay open until 9 p.m., will feature discounts and giveaways throughout the evening.

Join the Facebook event!

For more information or to sign up as a vendor, please call Jessica Jackson at 918-341-5881 or Carol Thibodeau at 918-923-7157.

The Burlap Closet and North Block Common were recognized with first place awards at the 27th annual Oklahoma Main Street Awards Banquet on May 3 in Oklahoma City.

Further, Sarah Sharp, Claremore Main Street vice president, was recognized as Board Member of the Year for the program.

Claremore Main Street’s Crowning Achievement was the Strategic Plan, which renewed the focus needed to take the program to the next level.

Thirteen representatives from Claremore made the trip to Oklahoma City for the banquet. Melton Sales, Inc. provided a vehicle for many of the attendees to carpool together.

Main Street programs across the state submitted more than 250 nominations in 21 separate categories to Oklahoma Main Street Center to be considered for the awards.

The Burlap Closet
The Burlap Closet, 405 W. Will Rogers Blvd., took home the grand prize for Best Visual Merchandising, a category that features businesses that have a unique way of showcasing their items.

“It was exciting just to be in the running. I never really expected to win. We are truly blessed beyond measure to be in this community doing what we love,” said Katrina Pope, the store’s owner.

The Burlap Closet isn’t your average boutique, and it certainly doesn’t remind customers of a department store.

In the boutique, shoppers will find clothes and accessories hanging from a chair on the wall or inside an antique hutch, purchased from a neighboring downtown store. Almost all the items used to display her merchandise were bought downtown.

The store maintains a rustic-chic look throughout with wood pallets on the wall and modern furniture on the ground for visitors to rest.

Burlap Closet was a finalist in Best Building/Business Branding for their exterior signage as well.

North Block Common
North Block Common, 115 N. Missouri Ave., earned the Best Façade Rehabilitation Under $10,000 at the banquet.

“It was fun to see the energy and excitement of Main Streets across Oklahoma,” said Robert Melton, one of the owners of North Block Common who attended the banquet. “We are honored to be a part of Claremore Main Street and look forward to what is clearly a bright future.”

During their renovation last summer, brother and sister owners Robert Melton and Amy Gordon removed dated white painting on the bricks, uncovering an old ghost sign for a grocery store they later discovered was owned by their great-grandfather, George Melton.

Further, they replaced the windows and doors and added new outdoor lights and signage. The clean look of the building preserves its historic significance while updating to a modern feel.

The inside of the 3,500 square-foot building was turned into a co-working and meeting space that is now home to moreClaremore.com and Claremore Collective.

North Block Common was also a finalist in Best Interior Design Project.

“North Block Common was honored to be nominated for two categories and excited to bring home an award,” Amy said. “We are proud that our efforts have been recognized on a State level and look forward to working more with our Main Street community.”

Sarah Sharp
Claremore Main Street Vice President Sarah Sharp was voted as the Board Member of the Year by the local chapter’s Board of Directors.

Sarah has been with Main Street for six years and serves on several committees, including co-chairing the Promotions Committee and chairing the St. Paddy’s Committee.

“It’s great to see Claremore recognized for the strides business owners, organization and individuals have taken and continue to take to improve our community,” Sarah said.

Her keen organization skills, her knowledge of the program and its history and her presence at all events hosted by or in downtown either as a volunteer or an attendee led to her peers nominating her for this honor.

Sarah’s dedication to Main Street is invaluable and, more importantly, her character is unmatched.

This is the second time Sarah was named Board Member of the Year, having taken the honor in 2014 as well.

The Strategic Plan
In 2015, Claremore Main Street saw a year of transition and refocusing, which after hundreds of volunteer hours by Board members and stakeholders, resulted in the Strategic Plan.

The Strategic Plan put the program on the path to becoming stronger and more valuable in the years to come through specific goals, realistic objectives and renewed passion for the work the program does.

The Strategic Plan included six goals: increase memberships and sustainable funding, improve visual appeal through updates, increase the number of available properties, increase foot traffic, establish a strong merchant group and maintain ongoing communication with key audiences.

Each goal was assigned to one of the organization’s committees, and progress on each has gone well since the adoption of the plan last summer.

“The tides are turning and change is occurring,” Sarah said. “It is an exciting time for Claremore and its citizens.”

Claremore Main Street volunteers known as the “Façade Squad” spent their Sunday helping the Thibodeau family remove an awning from their newly purchased building in downtown Claremore.

Carol Thibodeau and her family purchased 318 W. Will Rogers Blvd. and will be moving their store, Rhapsody Boutique & Spa, 108 S. Cherokee Ave., in the coming months.

But first, rehab.
​
Carol’s husband, William, and son Brad joined the Façade Squad, comprised of Tracy Whittaker, Ray Brown and Dale Peterson, on Sunday for the first step to the renovation.
​“We are thankful for the assistance of the Façade Squad,” Carol said. “They came ready with tools in tow, gave up their Sunday and worked hard. A true example of a community coming together to support each other.”

It took the group three hours to remove the awning and clean the area of debris. Since then, the owners have been removing paint chips from the building in preparation for a new coat of paint.

In the process, the Thibodeau’s have discovered a ghost sign that says “Daily Progress.” 318 W. Will Rogers was once home to the Claremore Daily Progress.

Some tickets are still available for Saturday’s Sip, Savor & Shop: Taste of Claremore event in downtown Claremore.

The popular event kicks off at 6 p.m. April 30 and offers attendees an opportunity to sample from 26 restaurants and wineries set up inside various downtown Claremore stores along the three-block district.

Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 on the day-of while children five years and younger who are sampling off an adult’s plate are free. Tickets are limited and while available are on sale at participating downtown stores.

In addition to the food and shopping, the evening will feature a variety of sidewalk entertainment by Heartland Xpress, Ben Neikirk, EJ “Elvis” Sharp and Sara Maud and Cortney Toumayan.
​Participating restaurants are: 6:19 Nutrition, Arri’bin Hills Winery, Belvidere Tea Room, Blue Coyote Winery, Boom-a-rang Diner, Buffalo Wild Wings, Cappuccino Corner, Carl’s Coney Island, Charlie’s Chicken, Diamondhead Winery, El Charro, Elk’s Lodge Catering, El Maguey, Front Porch Bakery, Hammett House, McDonald’s Café, Oke Ozark Winery (two locations), Okie Annie’s, Papa John’s Pizza, Rib Crib, Sam’s Club, She Brews Coffee House, Summerside Winery, The Pink House, Walke Brothers Meats and XS Smokers.

Participating stores are: A Gallery of the Arts, Ann & Barbara’s, Bike-About Bicycles, Boarding House Books, Burlap Closet, Cozy Cottage, Cranberry Merchant, District on Main, Dorothy’s Flowers, Fatpants Alley, Grapevine, Hillary’s Boutique, Homeward Bound, Iron & Pottery Connection, LoliPop: A Sweet Boutique, North Block Common, Outwest Home Décor, Rhapsody Faith and Fashion, Sailor Antiques, Thrift Harbor, Vintique Charm and Boutique, Waterfront Frame and Willow Tree.

Signs directing attendees throughout the event will be placed along the streets on the night of the event.

Additionally, flag art depicting train safety, designed by fourth-graders in Claremore, will be on display. Visitors are encouraged to vote for their favorite flag during Sip, Savor & Shop. The flag art is made possible by Union Pacific Railroad.

Sip, Savor & Shop: Taste of Claremore is hosted by Claremore Main Street and the Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce, both of which are non-profit organizations in town. Proceeds of the event go to support the organization’s individual missions.

It is sponsored by the City of Claremore, moreClaremore.com and RCB Bank.

For more information, visit www.downtownclaremore.org or call Claremore Main Street at 918-341-5881.

Downtown Claremore was mobbed earlier this month – mobbed by a group of local supporters who were eager to spend money at the bimonthly Cash Mob.

Shoppers flocked to The Grapevine, 404 W. Will Rogers Blvd., for the event and spent nearly $900 in less than an hour.

The Cash Mob is hosted by Claremore Main Street. Ten percent of the proceeds from the night were donated to the United Methodist Church’s School Supply Program, the nonprofit chosen by the mobbers on the night of the Cash Mob.

“We loved having the Cash Mob come and support our store and the wonderful vendors we have,” said Jeannie Smith, owner of The Grapevine.

“To show our appreciation for what the Cash Mob did for us, we were very honored to make a donation to the school supply program,” she added.

​Last year, UMC’s School Supply Program helped 3,215 children – more than a quarter of all public school children in Rogers County – with their school supplies.

“This will send five-and-a-half kids to school with full supplies,” UMC Pastor Ray Crawford said of the $100 donation. “They are just giving them a pencil and notebook.”

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.

The final Cash Mob of the 2015-16 season will be at 5:30 p.m. June 7. To participate in the final one, sign up here.