Lower Bricktown 2.0
Twenty years after Lower Bricktown was first pitched to the Urban Renewal Authority as a way to boost entertainment and shopping options downtown, the nonhistoric half of the entertainment district has undergone a transformation.
Only a handful of the original tenants survive. Harkins Theaters still attracts long lines for blockbuster films. Other original tenants include Toby’s Keith’s I Love this Bar and Grill, Sonic, Earl’s, Texadelphia, Marble Slab Ice Cream and Starbucks.
But 2016 marked the beginning of the end for Red Pin Bowling, Dekora and Bolero’s.
KD’s was another original in Lower Bricktown that was a hit when it first opened as a theme restaurant tied to Thunder star Kevin Durant. The restaurant quickly closed when the Thunder star, Kevin Durant, went from hero to villain with a move to the team’s archrival Warriors.
Owner Hal Smith Group replaced it with Legacy Grill, which transformed the tribute to Kevin Durant to one that honored an array of Oklahoma legends while maintaining much of the previous decor and menu.
After giving Legacy Grill a one-year try, the Hal Smith Group remodeled the space and brought in a sure thing: Charleston’s. With 19 locations in seven states, Charleston’s is one the Hal Smith Group’s most popular chains. The vibe is upscale dining, but at affordable prices and welcoming to average folks.
Unlike Legacy Grill, Charleston’s needed no introduction to downtown workers, residents or visitors. The remodeled space retains the upscale bar that was a part of KD’s, but the flow of the restaurant is less closed in than it was before the change.
The restaurant has a built-in customer base for lunch, evenings and
weekends and adds to the area’s foot traffic. And unlike other Charleston’s, the one in Bricktown has a waterfront view.
HeyDay Entertainment’s overhaul of the Red Pin Space included upgrades to the bowling alley, addition of a game room, and a relocation of the dining and bar to make them feel like a more natural fit in the overall mix.
Yet another new arrival is the revival of Sussy’s, a legendary Italian restaurant that had several locations with different names with the last location, Nomad III, having closed a couple of years ago. The revived Sussy’s opened in the old Bolero’s space with a menu that includes old favorites such as fried pepperoni pizza and added items including seafood and the chili served at the stillmissed Crescent Market.
Dekora, previously known as In the Raw Sushi, was drawing good reviews but suffered as streets were shut down by streetcar construction and surrounding storefronts went dark. The restaurant closed in October just as Lower Bricktown 2.0 was getting started.
The Dekora spot is the only one awaiting to be filled. I’m told it will be brought back to life with a new tenant soon.