Growth in Our City and the Ten District: All That You Need to Know on the Group Shaking Things Up in Jenks

By Joshua Taylor

Have you heard the news? Jenks, America is growing!

Almost everyone in town can say that they have seen at least one sign advertising “new construction” or “coming soon,” read an article, seen a post on social media, or heard a rumor or two.

Most of the change in Jenks is coming courtesy of a recently founded organization called The Ten District. But, who and what exactly is the Ten District?

The Ten District–Who, What, and Why:

Bryan Wilks and Shea Roach, Co-Founders of The Ten District.

The Ten District was founded by Bryan Wilks, a 23-year resident of Jenks, and Shae Roach, a lifelong Tulsan. Wilks and Roach are the co-founders and owners of Freeform Agency, a Inc 500 global online marketing company, and one of the fastest growing companies in Oklahoma. Wilks, a native of Shawnee, OK, has received degrees from multiple colleges, including a Philosophy degree from Oklahoma Baptist University, a Masters Degree in Business from Stanford Graduate School of Business, and a Masters in Information Technology from Harvard. Roach, a native Tulsan, received a financial degree from Texas Christian University, and has a CPA designation.

Since 2021, their goal has been to revitalize Downtown Jenks through a rebranding of the as “The Ten District.”

Ten District Mural on Main Street.

“We began reading historical books and documents early on, and discovered that Jenks has 14 historical sites, one of which is called the “Ten Corner.” The Ten Corner was a marker that states that Jenks is ten miles, as the crow flies, from Downtown Tulsa, Broken Arrow, Bixby, and Sapulpa,” said Wilks. “So we thought, ‘that’s a cool name!’ That wasn’t the only reason though. We also discovered that there is a distance of ten blocks between the river and the railroad tracks. Ten represents excellence, it is the perfect number. That’s why we call it the Ten.”

With this rebranding process, their goal is to attract people, stakeholders, and businesses to the city and convince them that Jenks is a prosperous, profitable, and unique city to live in, work in, and visit.

“We do a lot of business analytics, and we discovered that about 20,000 cars go down Main Street every day,” said Wilks, “versus around 5,600 in the Rose District. That’s huge.”

To go even further, Wilks stated that more cars go down Main Street than the Rose District, Utica Square, and even Brookside.

“We also discovered that Jenks’ average disposable income is 30-40% higher than those areas, so we started thinking about how we could be smart and really take Jenks to the next level.”

From Antiquity to Rebirth:

At one point, Jenks, Oklahoma was deemed the “Antiques Capital of the World.” For decades, antique stores, vendor malls, and little shops lined Main Street Jenks, and attracted tens of thousands of people every year from across Oklahoma and neighboring states. However, Jenks’ days of antique glory are in the past.

However, Paradise Found, Abbey Road Antiques, and now Ms. McGillicutty’s Antiques, once fixtures on Main Street, are closed, now just memories of the past. The only true antique store in the city left is American Heritage Antiques, which is ironically housed in the oldest building on Main Street.

“In the late 80’s and early 90’s, Jenks downtown building owners realized there was a large market of antique hobbyists and curators in the area willing to pay a high price per square foot for small spaces,” said a Facebook post made by The Ten District. “They capitalized on this trend and converted their stores from small family-owned businesses to hundreds of small booth rentals.”

“It is fair to say that Jenks has become the booth renting capital, but this model generates very little sales tax for the community and has resulted in building deterioration due to the lack of retail incentives for the building owners. Although the potential to make high profits from booth rental in this downtown is promising, we believe that this downtown has more to offer than just that. With the right mix of businesses, attractions, and amenities, we believe that this downtown could be an exciting destination for all,” the post continued.

“We’re kind of worried that our community is dying, so we are fighting back. We feel it’s our contribution and ultimately our legacy in Jenks to make it the best it can be,” said Wilks.

“I think there’s so much potential here. With our public education and the amount of families and kids everywhere, the more we elevate the city, the more it elevates everyone else,” Roach said.

Growth in Jenks, America:

It is no secret that Jenks is among the most desirable cities to live in and visit in the state of Oklahoma. The city is currently the fastest growing in the State; between the time of the 2010 and 2020 Census, Jenks’ population grew from 16,924 to 25,949, and the U.S. Census Bureau estimates as of July 1, 2023, the population has grown to 27,141.

According to Niche’s list of Best Places to Live in Oklahoma, Jenks is ranked #2, behind only Edmond. Furthermore, Jenks Public Schools is ranked #7 on the list of Best Public School Districts in Oklahoma.

Jenks also has a unique tourism industry. With its picturesque views of the Arkansas River, small town charm, and a unique blend of shopping, restaurants, and entertainment, Jenks is a desirable stop for tourists. From the Oklahoma Aquarium to GolfSuites, to popular restaurant mainstays like Los Cabos and Waterfront Grill, Jenks has a lot to offer for everyone.

With Jenks growing rapidly, Wilks and Roach believe that in order to keep up with cities like Owasso, Bixby, and Broken Arrow, change needs to happen, or Jenks will lose all of its forward momentum.

“I think if the chance is not taken, and the revitalization of Main Street is not happening, the schools will only be able to sustain for so long, and people will look to invest their money and time and the growth of their families elsewhere,” said Roach.

“When we started here almost 2 years ago, rental rates Downtown were well under $10 per square foot. Today, they’re $25. That says that we have garnered a lot of attention,” said Wilks, “and we’ve put a lot of pressure on the city, on the chamber, on the school, to rise and take initiative.”

With that in mind, The Ten District, in partnership with the City Council and Chamber of Commerce, has put forth plans for many new developments in the city.

“We have Lululemon and The Free People Movement, moving in downstairs before the end of the year, as well as a couple of other national brands,” said Roach.

“We believe that one of the most underserved markets is the High School. Whether it be pickleball courts, smoothies, or even taking your girl on a nice date at the City Hall Steakhouse coming soon, we are striving to give high schoolers the experiences they deserve right here on Main Street,” said Wilks.

Other developments include two apartment complexes with over 20,000 square feet of retail, restaurant, and office space, a new location of Coweta institution Roy’s Chicken, a renovation of and construction of Tedford Insurance’s new three-story home office, a food hall similar to Mother Road Market, ClimbJenks, a new In The Raw concept, and High5, a entertainment complex with laser tag, bowling, arcade, escape rooms, and miniature golf. A new petition has also been created for the addition of a Trader Joe’s grocery store to the city.

And of course, the Tulsa Premium Outlet Mall, featuring 80 outlet stores and sitting at over 330,000 square feet.

“Obviously the Outlet Mall has had more movement in the last six months than in the last ten years,” said Wilks, “but all jokes aside, Simon has this property ranked in the Top 5 in the Country, competing with the likes of Minneapolis and Phoenix. We’re super excited.”

Wilks and Roach stated that a total of $50 million has already been spent on developments, with over $600 million still on the way.

One thing is certain: Jenks will look a lot different 5 years from now.

How Residents Feel About The Change:

The Ten District and the City Council’s plans for the future of the city, however, has not come without controversy.

When the city announced in March that Former MLB legend Cal Ripken’s company, The Ripken Experience (which currently has 4 massive baseball field complex locations throughout the nation) was interested in adding a new location at 106th and Elm, many residents publicly voiced their concerns about such a complex being built at that location due to noise and traffic concerns.

According to a Fox23 article, The Jenks Coalition for Smart Growth, a citizen-led group, “wants the citizens, not the city council, to decide if the Ripken Experience project is the right fit.”

The group created a petition after the City Council voted 7-0 to approve the project, and that petition has since passed its required number of votes, resulting in a ballot vote on the issue in the November elections.

The Ripken Experience isn’t the only thing citizens don’t like about the growth. Others have similarly voiced different concerns.

“I am excited for economic growth,” said resident and Former City Councilor Kaye Lynn, “but I believe there is a right way and a wrong way, and currently it’s happening the wrong way. I have many concerns about antiquated infrastructure, and the water has not been tested for safety. They (The Ten) have talked about involving long time residents, and being one of those residents, I can’t find another person who has been asked for input.”

Other residents are concerned about having enough parking, traffic concerns, and overall public safety.

Lynn also mentioned that another big concern she has is with the city’s Fire Department, which is down to only one operating fire station after the closure of the Jenks Central Fire Station earlier this year.

“It is totally uninhabitable now because of mold. It is totally shut down,” said Lynn.

Ultimately, the biggest concern for Jenks residents is that the city they love, for its uniqueness and character, will vanish with the influx of change. Wilks, however, has a reassuring message for citizens of Jenks, America.

“I’m a big believer in telling people everything, because we’re here to establish trust in the community, whether you agree with us or not,” said Wilks. “We don’t believe in building seven-story buildings all over Jenks and having new construction on every corner. We want a blend of old and new, a mixture of national chains and local stores, like you’re walking back into the 60’s.”

And though the growth is unsettling for some, Wilks says that the developments are necessary if Jenks wants to continue to succeed as a city.

“We need the public and kids know that we’ve bet on them here, and we’ve put our money where our mouth is,” said Wilks. “We want people to know that three years down the road, this will be better than The Rose District, better than Utica, and better than Brookside, and just by living here and witnessing it, they will have become a part of a historical resurgence in the City of Jenks.”

Jenks is without a shadow of a doubt stepping into a new chapter as a city, and we as citizens, students, and visitors are no more than just words on a page.

For a complete list of all developments in the City of Jenks, please click here for more.