#51 OUR FIRST STORE* (revised 6/6) "why tulsa?" part three

Is there a “pride of ownership" in Tulsa and surrounding towns?

Is gardening an active pursuit as part of this pride of ownership?


Pride of ownership is a key element for locating a green garden gates. It is not economical to invest in cities and towns where the residents or businesses are transient and do not have his pride. If gardening is not a part of the life of the community, we cannot rely on a profitable future with our stores.


Tulsa has a dual identity of the Midwestern “can do” spirit and the quiet enduring elegance of the South. Pride in ownership is evident in buildings; residential, commercial and manufacturing. Parks and community areas are well maintained with order and dignity. Older sections of the city have been re-vitalized. New developments are upscale and appealing. Tulsa, as a result of the “boom and bust” economy of its roots as “the oil city” has numbers of estates and large homes interspersed in areas of the city. Business and residential districts within the city are named.

Residents and business owners within those districts are active in keeping the vitality of those districts. 92% of the housing units in Tulsa are occupied. 56% of the housing units were owner occupied compared the national average of 44%, Unique and beautiful architecture abounds in Tulsa. Tulsa is the third city within the United States with the largest number of art deco buildings after Chicago and New York City. Tulsa has pride in ownership. Tulsa has the second, third and fourth tallest buildings in the state. The latest icon building to be constructed is the BOK center that was designed by famed architect, Cesar Pelli, the creator of the famous Petronas Towers in Malaysia. The city continues to shine as when Time Magazine in the 1950's dubbed Tulsa as "America's most beautiful city"



Gardening, growing plants, and landscaping play an important roll in the pride in ownership of Tulsa and Tulsa County. The daily newspaper, The Tulsa World, features up to four gardening column writers in their offering. The Sunday edition is alive with garden articles. There are a number of show and test gardens in the city. The master gardener organization is large and diverse. There is located on an older residential estate, a community non-profit informational and demonstration “garden center” staffed by hundreds of volunteers year round for help and advice to the residents. Plants and plant care are part of the city of Tulsa and the surrounding county. In addition, Tulsa residents have been actively supporting sustainable and locally grown food in the community. That commitment has and will continue to encourage community food gardens in areas around the city. The commercial and industrial businesses keep maintained and consistently upgrade their landscaping features of the building and grounds. Landscape maintanence and construction companies are numerous, active and profitable.


What is the age range of the people of Tulsa?


Age plays a large role in the decision to locate a green garden gates. We are interested in a population of older stable residents with larger discretionary incomes as well as families starting new homes in the area. Our stores will fail if we do not have these groups as customers. The balance of men to women in the area also is important. Women are major customers of garden stores and their presence and ability to purchase is extremely important.


The total population of married couples in Tulsa is 53% of the population. 52% of the total population is female, 48% is male. 45% if the population is in the age range of 18 to 44 while 22% were ages 45 to 64. This means that nearly half of the population in the Tulsa area could be in the process of landscaping and upgrading new and existing homes, with large purchases of trees and shrubs while 22% of the residents may be maintaining their existing homes with smaller but most likely higher ticket plants at the garden stores.


What are the education levels and educational opportunities of the residents of Tulsa?


On the surface, gardening does not seem to be a terribly sophisticated pastime; throw down a few seeds, water and hoe. But in reality, successful gardening and landscaping takes a person who has curiosity, perseverance, and pride in his or her work, as well as the ability to explore and research. We like the gardeners whatever their levels of education or sophistication but we need a population of higher educational levels to grow green garden gates


Tulsa is blessed with 15 institutions of higher learning. University of Tulsa is ranked in the top ten of colleges where students are the happiest in their quality of life and their relationship with their community. The University of Oklahoma branch campus offers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees. Oklahoma State University's branch Tulsa campus offers among other programs, a college of osteopathic medicine and a center for health sciences. There is a major school of aeronautics in Tulsa as well. The Tulsa Vocational Center is the oldest and largest vocational center in the state. Tulsa Community College operates four campuses across the city.


There are three public school districts in the system, with nine high schools. Booker T. Washington high school has been judged to be the 65th best school in the United States by Newsweek Magazine. There are a number of Catholic and religious schools and colleges in the Tulsa market. 84% of the population as a high school diploma compared to the national average of 80%. 71,000 people in Tulsa have a bachelor's degree or higher, 29% of the population compared to the national average of 24%.

#50 OUR FIRST STORE * (revised 6/6) "why tulsa?" part two

What about the climate, the weather, and plants that can grow there?

It is essential that we locate green garden gates stores in areas with favorable weather conditions for the springtime planting and fall planting seasons. Our research indicates that 50% if sales are lost with a day of constant rain and showers and that only 25% of those sales are recoverable if the grounds are totally covered and protected. Also, in the fall season, sudden cold weather and recurrent storms will decrease sales dramatically and shorten the season. In order to provide as many plant varieties as possible, we need a climate where they will tolerate and thrive.

Weather and climate in Tulsa and Tulsa County make nearly idea conditions for locating our first store. The gardening season starts early, in March and concludes for the spring at about mid June with an average of only 4 frost days in March diminishing to zero in the months of May and June. The wettest parts of the year are April through June, but because of the rapidly changing daily weather patterns of thunderstorms that average 50 days a year, mostly in the spring, a downpour will occur rapidly and quickly followed by sunshine for the majority of the business day. With those downpours, major floor events can occur. In 1984, a stalled weather front dropped 15 inches of rain overnight, killing 14 people, injuring 288, and destroyed 7000 buildings totaling 180 million dollars in damage. Tulsa now has the most extensive flood control systems in the nation. Our observations note that it is very common for gardeners to stand in the stores and wait out the downpour, returning to their shopping in the full sunshine and warmth of the rest of the day.

The Tulsa area does suffer from relatively high humidity during the spring season, but because of the consistent daily light winds on average of 7 miles per hour, the humidity is for the most part dispersed and not suffocating to gardening customers. The important element of this weather pattern is that this area can received nearly 80% sunshine during the planting season

Tulsa has exciting and challenging weather patterns that will need to be addressed with the building and sheltering of our customers of green garden gates. First, the downpours of rain and often accompanying cracks of lighting and deafening bolts of thunder can be dramatic and occur without notice. Customers will have to be sheltered from these storms for customers to continue to shop for plants. Also, Tulsa and Tulsa county ranks as the number one place for damaging hail in the United States. Plants also will have to always protected from this weather element. Finally, Tulsa and Tulsa County can receive tornadoes, infrequently but possibly. This is “tornado alley” There were 68 large and small tornadoes recorded in this area in the last fifty years. There needs to be adequate safeguards in place for customers and damage to structures in these tornado events.

The average growing season day in Tulsa and Tulsa County is a whopping 220 days nearly 100 days more than areas in the more northern Midwest. Further, if garden plants, shrubs and trees can withstand short periods of colder temperatures, the growing season can be extended even another six weeks. Because of these climate factors, a great variety of plants will grow and prosper. Tulsa is in a United States Department of Agriculture climate zone for plants as 6b, lowest temperatures from 0 degrees down to -5 degrees. Recently Tulsa metro has been upgraded to a 7a, with lowest temperatures from 5 degrees down to 0 degrees. These plant climate zones dramatically improve the ability to offer a larger selection of plant than any other area in the Midwest.

Another area of concern for plants survival in this area is the extreme heat in the summer months. It is not uncommon to have temperatures of 100 degrees or more for a number of days without significant or no rainfall. Tulsa, as a result of heat and air inversions has frequent ozone alerts where residents are advised to stay indoors and avoid driving. Massive and thorough plant irrigation is not as important in the spring months because of the soaking rainfall from thunderstorms, but as the late spring and summer approaches, the design of green garden gates must include an irrigation program that will be penetrating deep into the pots.

#49 COMMENTS * (revised 6/4) "but when I am alone...)

"But when I am alone
In the half-light of the canyon,
All existence seems to fade to a being with my soul and memories
And the sounds of the Big Blackfoot River
And a four-count rhythm
And the hope that a fish will rise."

“A River Runs Through It”

#48 OUR FIRST STORE * (revised 6/4) "why tulsa? part one

“I was used to California girls, with their perfectly manicured nails and their pointy Italian shoes gingerly stepping and placing there hands into the flowers. Everything, I mean everything was hand carried and fitted into their Lexus convertibles.

So I was astonished to see in our rain soaked parking lot, two women hoisting a two hundred pound tree into an old unpainted pickup. I ran across the pavement pleading to help them and was greeted by broad smiles, “That’s ok, we got it in and tied down” This was not California. This was Wisconsin. Anything was possible.”

We like everything about the Midwest. Well, almost everything.

The big guy upstairs could have gone a little easier on the bugs and the humidity, the snakes and the muddy water. We felt at home there. The small towns of wood and clapboard, the closeness and bonding of the communities, the values and the work ethic, all lent themselves to a beginning for our dream of green garden gates.

We decided on three areas for our first store; The State of Wisconsin, somewhere along the corridor of the cities of Oshkosh, Appleton, and Green Bay. Another was in Minnesota, Near Chanhassen and Chaska, just Southwest of the twin cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul. For the final choice, we moved to the very south of the Midwest, an area that has a strange split personality of being “Midwest” and being “Southern”, The State of Oklahoma, the city of Tulsa, and Tulsa’s surrounding towns and suburbs.

All of us visited the areas over the course of the three months. We met with community leaders, toured possible land sites, viewed the manufacturing and retail sections, the schools, the government offices, competitive businesses in gardening and building projects. We studied the history and the stability of the region. We moved through neighborhoods and watched gardeners tending their summer proud flowers and foliage. We followed set criteria and scored each area. At last, after days of photos and reports covering our motel beds, we came to only one choice; we would bet our dream on Tulsa..

Why Tulsa?

Is Tulsa located close to other cities?

“I had two bike shops ninety miles apart. I spent all my time driving back and forth on that road from one shop to another instead of taking care of the needs of my customers”

Small bike shop owner

Northern California

Our plan is to gather our stores into a tight area of the country and to expand into other clusters across the United States. We cannot choose isolated cities and towns no matter how appealing they may be. We must be able to service and manage a number of stores within close geographical proximity to one another.

Yes, Tulsa has a number of major cities and towns within two to four hours drive. To the north is Wichita, Kansas and a bit farther, the Kansas City metro market. To the South is Texas and the Dallas/Fort Worth area, To the East are the major cities in Arkansas, Fort Smith and Little Rock, To the West is Amarillo. For immediate expansion the least effort of these areas is Oklahoma City, two hours away. All these areas are easily accessible by vehicle or by airport travel that connects conveniently to Tulsa.

Tulsa has a number of rapidly expanding suburban towns on all directions from the city. To the North is Owasso; To the South are Broken Arrow, Jenks, Bixby and Glenpool. To the West is Sand Springs, and to the East is Catoosa. The population of Tulsa is about 393,000 people with an additional of about 200,000 people living in the major towns and suburbs.

Because of these clusters of cities and suburbs near Tulsa, we are able to develop more green garden gates stores and service these stores easily and economically.

What is the state of the job market and the wage scales in Tulsa?

We want stable cities and towns who are on the upswing in jobs and wages, and have a long term future in solid industries. We cannot invest in areas where unemployment lingers and where factories are closing.

Tulsa is a bright economic area for job growth, population growth, and wages in the lower Midwest and South.

“

Rounding out the Top 5 "Salary Value" cities (in the United States) is the booming Oklahoma town of Tulsa. Tulsa is the second largest city in Oklahoma with 393,000 residents within the city limits, and is expected to gain 30,000 more inhabitants by 2010. Tulsa isn't your typical Oklahoma oil patch town. It's one of America's top industry leaders in aerospace, oil and gas, and technology. Extremely low business and living costs have made the metro a hotspot for entrepreneurs. A low unemployment rate has also helped power Tulsa onto our Top 5.

From Salary.com

The major industries and their employee numbers contribute to the extremely stable workforce. They are American Airlines 9,100 Tulsa Public Schools 7,000 City of Tulsa 4,220 St. Francis Hospital 4,100 St. John Medical Center 4,050 Bank of Oklahoma 2,520 Hillcrest Medical Center 2,350 Tulsa Community College 2,200. The unemployment rate for the Tulsa area is an average of 7.1%. The average salary is 35,586.00.

“Tulsa's central location in the United States makes it a desirable place to locate nearly any type of business, from manufacturing to retail, telecommunications, and service-oriented industries. Operating costs generally run well below the national average. According to a 2004 study published by Forbes magazine, the Tulsa metropolitan area ranks as the third lowest metro area in terms of cost-of-living in the United States.”

From Forbes Magazine

What is the quality of life in the Tulsa area?

We want our customers and our employees to be immersed in a satisfying quality of life in their community, in their work, and at home. Quality of life means available financial means and overall pride in ownership, which we believe translates directly to gardening and green garden gates.

Tulsa has a nurturing wonderful quality of life.

“Incorporated in 1898, Tulsa lies in the heart of "Green Country," a fertile forested region of rolling hills in northeastern Oklahoma. Straddling Tulsa, Osage and Rogers counties, Tulsa is the second largest city in the state, located 90 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, the state capital. We are a flourishing city with the friendliness and close-knit attitude of a much smaller town. Tulsa boasts of low unemployment, with an economy based on telecommunications, manufacturing, aerospace, transportation and energy.

Tulsa's energy jobs have helped it remain relatively stable during this economic downtown, and Oklahoma is among the six states whose metropolitan areas have managed to avoid a recession. January's unemployment rate in Tulsa rose to 5.6 percent—a bit high for Tulsa, but more than 3 points below the national average. Tulsa also boasts a deep water port located on the McClellan-Kerr Arkansas River Navigation System, offering a Foreign Trade Zone, two industrial parks and liquid and dry cargo storage. Tulsa International Airport offers direct service to most major cities in the United States. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis has reported that Oklahoma ranked number 4 nationally in percentage growth of personal income in 2008.

So we remain optimistic, and we continue to grow. Tulsa's BOK Center, our state-of-the-art sports and entertainment venue, is thriving in spite of the tough economy. In a recent tally of ticket sales at the top 50 venues in the world, the BOK Center was ninth worldwide, and second in the United States. Home to the Tulsa Talons arena football league team and Tulsa Oilers hockey, the BOK Center also hosts concerts, ice shows and other world-class entertainment. Next year will see the completion of a major renovation to the Tulsa Convention Center, featuring the opening of the largest ballroom in Oklahoma. We've already broken ground for the John Hope Franklin Reconciliation Park and memorial near downtown Tulsa, and for ONEOK Field, a new stadium that will open in 2010 for the Tulsa Drillers, the double A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies.

Tulsa is a city of districts, each with a unique character. The Greenwood Historical District was once one of the most affluent African-American communities in the United States, known as "Black Wall Street." The up-and-coming East Village and the Pearl are walkable neighborhoods with lofts, shops and services. In Midtown you'll find a wide variety of American style homes ranging from the Craftsman bungalow to the ranch-style home to Greek Revival houses, mostly built in the early part of the twentieth century. The Maple Ridge Historic District is home to the mansions on "Black Gold Row," built by the oil barons in the 1920s. And in South Tulsa you'll find many new developments, with houses and apartments for every price range.

Tulsa Public Schools is on a “Journey to Performance Excellence,” a five-year strategic effort to make our excellent schools even better. The largest district in Oklahoma, we are proud of our schools, including Booker T. Washington High School, a magnet school ranked among the Top 100 high schools in the United States by Newsweek. The school system, which also includes Union Public Schools and Jenks Public Schools, acts as a unifying organization within the community, providing activities for its families and a sense of pride, support and identity for its patrons. We also have several private K-12 schools, many of them affiliated with Catholic, Protestant or Jewish religious communities. Fifteen universities serve the Tulsa area, including the University of Tulsa, Oral Roberts University, and a branch of Oklahoma State University

We are proud of our cultural diversity, and of the cultural activities that celebrate our part and our future. We are home to four major museums, including the Thomas Gilcrease Institute of American History and Art, which houses the world's largest collection of Thomas Moran's work, and various music and dance companies, including the internationally known Tulsa Opera and the Tulsa Ballet. We have a revitalized downtown, and the historic Greenwood Jazz District and the Blue Dome Arts District are not to be missed.

With all Tulsa has to offer, it's no wonder more people relocate here every day. Oklahoma placed Number 6 in the first "Happiness Index" from the personal finance site MainStreet.com, and we would be more than glad to share our happiness with you.

From Re-Locate America Magazine

“America’s top 100 places to live in 2009”