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.
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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.

After working for a heart doctor for 21 years, Joyce Johnson had a new vision: a Christian book and music store and ministry.

“The need to reach people and have a ministry,” she explained as her reasons for beginning True Gospel in Bartlesville 32 years ago. “It’s not just a store. It’s my life and my ministry.”

True Gospel II opened its doors in Claremore again in March after a hiatus while owner Joyce concentrated on her store in Owasso. The store, which used to be in NeMar Center, is now at 322 W. Will Rogers Blvd.

“We decided to come back. I know there’s a need over here. I know because I hear a lot of it in Owasso,” Joyce said. “Our whole motto is ‘one more soul, one more song.’”

​Guests at True Gospel II can find Bibles, books, CDs, gifts, gift baskets, church supplies as well as kids, youth and teen items. Each category is neatly packed into its own room within the store – perfect for quickly locating your item or browsing through the rooms.
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“We not only carry the new releases and best sellers but also we carry the older classics, especially in music,” Joyce said.

She’s able to have both stores, she said, because she’s blessed with good help at each location that allows her to go between the two.

“God has put us downtown for a lot of reasons,” she said. “The reason I wanted Claremore was because I knew they needed a Christian book store. I felt the need. The Lord just opened the door so we could be downtown.”

Additionally, the music ensemble Joyce Johnson and Friends can be found on 99.5 FM radio every Sunday morning and CDs of the group can be purchased at the store.

She said one of things that sets True Gospel II apart from big chain stores is the personal touches, helping a customer or offering to pray with someone.

“[I love] serving people, meeting new people and making friends, that’s the biggest thing,” Joyce said.

True Gospel II is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., except on Wednesdays, when the store closes at 5 p.m.

Robert Melton II and Amy Gordon grew up in the car sales business.

As fourth-generation Meltons, Rob and Amy remember summers pulling weeds along the sidewalk near their father’s car lot in downtown Claremore.

Today, the brother and sister duo work together, along with five other family members, to run the now 70-year-old company, Melton Sales, 200 N. Lynn Riggs Blvd.

Rob and Amy work closely with each another and well with their father, uncle and cousins to run, each bringing a separate strength to the table.

Rob, the general manager, said his parents actually discouraged them from joining the family business. After attending the University of Arkansas, he started leaning toward working in poultry sales in the state.
“I realized it was either selling chickens or selling cars, and I had the fuel in my blood,” he explained. “I didn’t realize it until being away, and probably if my parents had pushed me to do this, I would not be here.”

Amy, however, said she always knew she would come back. After a few years in fashion merchandising post-college, she returned and is now the operations manager.

In the late 1990s, the Internet began to revolutionize the way car sales worked, and Melton Sales was at the cutting edge of it as one of the first five dealers to put its inventory online. In fact, it was the first to list prices.

“It blew people’s minds,” Amy said.

Listing at a lower cost than many competitors, Melton Sales began selling all over the country through the internet. While those sales still come in, Rob and Amy have since refocused back to their roots here in Rogers County.

“We want to be able to serve the people that are here locally,” Amy said. “Our goal is to sell to the Green Country community and Claremore.”

In addition to selling new and used vehicles, the company provides full service maintenance and repairs on all makes and models. Additionally, Melton Xpress Lube is open six day a week with no appointment necessary.

Tires and auto accessories are also available at Melton. In April, the business is running a “Buy 3, Get 1 Free” deal on tires.

While the car sales business isn’t without its hardships, Amy said there is nothing like the buzz of a busy showroom to keep her spirits up and the love for her job intact.

“There’s nothing like the highs,” she said.

Sitting in a pew at church in January of 2011, Kim Prock’s life changed.

The announcement had been made that Hope Harbor, a home for at-risk youth just outside Claremore, would be opening a resale store in downtown Claremore.

“I had been wondering, ‘what should I be doing with my life,’ … so I signed up to volunteer,” said Kim, the manager at Thrift Harbor, 316 W. Will Rogers Blvd. “I slowly realized this was where I needed to be, and it’s been good.”

Proceeds from Thrift Harbor in Claremore, and their brand new location in Bartlesville, benefit Hope Harbor.

The vision for Hope Harbor began in 1947 as the Turley Children’s Home. The mission is to serve at-risk youth and their families. Boys and girls in the program live at different cottages, attend school and receive counseling all on the Hope Harbor campus. Additionally, parents receive training and support to strengthen and stabilize the home environment.

“I grew up knowing about it. My grandpa was a supporter of it when I was a little girl, and he’d … say a portion of this goes to Turley Children’s Home,” Kim said. “It’s kind of nice to think that your grandfather had something to do with it 50 years ago.”

Kim helped get the store up and running while working at Chico’s in Tulsa, but when she was asked to become the manager of Thrift Harbor, she took the opportunity.

The store celebrated its fifth birthday in March of this year. It was voted the Best Resale Store in Rogers County in 2015.

“I wanted it to not only benefit Hope Harbor; I wanted it to be a good thing for the Claremore community,” she said. “Clothes can make you feel good … I think we are doing what my personal mission was to really help people who couldn’t afford new items to feel better about themselves.”

“We try to put out clothing that we would put our own children or ourselves in,” she added.

Kim said she regularly hears stories about how the reduced prices at Thrift Harbor for Christmas or back-to-school items have allowed local families to reallocate funds to family time or other necessities.

“I hear stories just about every week. It inspires me to think that this store really helps budgets and for people to be able to afford nice pieces,” she said.

Further, she said she loves seeing the liveliness of downtown Claremore change and grow in the last five years.

“We’ve grown a lot in the five years we’ve seen downtown and I can see that it’s going to continue,” she said. “Now, it’s real exciting to see all the cute boutiques and all that’s happening down here. Anytime you have all this growth down here, it creates all this energy.”

Thrift Harbor accepts donations of almost kinds. For various reasons, employees cannot accept mattresses, baby car seats, helmets, TVs or gas-powered items. The store, however, always needs more knick-knacks and decorations, Kim said.

Follow Thrift Harbor on Facebook!

The always-popular Sip, Savor & Shop: Taste of Claremore returns to downtown Claremore on April 30, offering an opportunity to sample local fare while enjoying the shopping offered in the downtown district.

The three-hour food and shopping stroll begins at 6 p.m. and spans the three blocks of downtown along Will Rogers Boulevard.

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 will go on sale in the participating downtown stores mid-April.

In addition to the food and shopping, the evening will feature a variety of sidewalk entertainment by talented local musicians.
​We are really excited about the Taste of Claremore this year,” said Jessica Jackson, Claremore Main Street Executive Director. “It is a perfect event to showcase the great shopping opportunities downtown as well as the wonderful dining options and local talent we have here in Claremore. It’s truly an event for all the senses!”

In 2015, more than 25 local restaurants and wineries set up inside various downtown stores and businesses, showcasing samples to the hundreds of people sipping, savoring and shopping.

Jeannie Smith, owner of The Grapevine in downtown Claremore, is a member of the event’s planning committee and said this event is one of her favorites downtown has to offer.

“It brings the community together in a fun and relaxing family atmosphere, all while discovering what our downtown has to offer,” Smith said.

Sip, Savor & Shop: Taste of Claremore is family-friendly, but also a great date night option or a fun girls’ night activity, said Dell Davis, President and CEO of the Claremore Area Chamber of Commerce.

“We love any occasion to bring the musicians from the area out to show off the talent we have right here in Rogers County,” Davis said. “This is just a great event for families, couples or anyone who loves Claremore and all it has to offer.”

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, including a list of restaurants, musicians and participating stores as the event draws closer, tap here or call Claremore Main Street at 918-341-5881.

The downtown Claremore EGGS-Travaganza offers customers a chance to get discounts or prizes at other downtown stores or a piece of Easter candy just for shopping local.

The EGGS-Travaganza will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on March 19, one week before Easter.

Shoppers can visit participating stores during that time for a chance to draw an egg from a basket. Some eggs will have candy, while others may offer a prize or discount from another participating store. Discounts and prizes are good that day only.
Participating stores to date are: Outwest Home Décor, The Grapevine, LoliPop A Sweet Boutique, Iron & Pottery Connections, Dorothy’s Flowers, The Burlap Closet, The District on Main, Vintique Charm, Rhapsody Faith and Fashion, Homeward Bound, The Cozy Cottage, The Willow Tree, The Cranberry Merchant and She Brews Coffee House. Other stores are expected to participate as well.

Visit the Facebook event!

Claremore Main Street, Claremore Chamber of Commerce and Claremore Expo Center are excited to present an outstanding group of celebrities and activities for the upcoming March 12-13 show.

Randy Oitker Precision Archery Shooter will have two performances both days of the show, hosted by Bill’s Sporting Goods. Randy is a true archer, no tricks-no illusions. His shots are done with stock compound bows and equipment.

Randy has performed on Jimmy Kimmel Show, America’s Got Talent, is currently a regular on the Outdoor Channel TV Show-Shooting USA’s impossible shots. Randy is the first archer to be featured on a Topps Trading Card. He travels more than 40,000 miles a year performing for audiences. Randy currently holds four Guinness World Records, 17 National Archery titles, two NABH World Championships and three NABH Shooter of the Year Awards.

In addition to Oitker the Outdoor Sporting Expo will have an outstanding celebrity lineup, which includes BASS Angler Terry Butcher, Bow Hunter and Outdoor writer Eddie Claypool, Lincoln Tapp, teenage hunter from YoungWild.TV, Champion Noodlers, Colby & Terry Morrow, Crappie expert Dale York, professional fishing guides Chuck & Chase Deveraux and America’s favorite whitetail deer hunter Roger Raglin. [Full schedule of events]

New to this year’s Outdoor Sporting Expo on Saturday is deer head scoring and a 3D Archery competition for adults and youth. Certified experts for Boone & Crockett, Pope and Young and Cy Curtis will be on hand to measure your buck and record.

3D Archers will have the opportunity to win cash prizes and a choice of 3D target. Four-hour registration begins at 9 a.m. Shooters may begin following registration. [3D Target Competition rules and regulations]

Kids can experience archery fun of their own with the hands-on Right On Target -Archery in Schools Program, a catch-and-release fishing pond, sling shot and more.

Admission is $10 per adult, Veterans, seniors 65 and older and youth are only $6. Children 10 years and younger get into the show for free with an adult. Families can attend Sunday and enjoy the half-price Family Day promotion.

Show hours are 9 a.m. to 8 p.mm on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.

Outdoor Sporting Expo is sponsored by Hillcrest Hospital Claremore, Grand River Dam Authority, Tulsa RV Sales & Services, Suburban Chevrolet, Nabatak Outdoors, RCB Bank, Bill’s Sporting Goods and Bennett’s Route 66 Pharmacy. Exhibitor and show information, visit www.outdoorsportingexpo.com.