The Outlet Mall: Pros and Cons
By: Darby Graff
An image of the main entrance to the outlet mall. Photo from Tulsa World
By: Darby Graff
Imagine you’re in a hot desert. The heat makes the people around you multiply, seemingly thousands of people are surrounding you. All of them go in separate directions in search of the best deal. This isn’t your average desert; this is the new Outlet Mall.
After years of construction, extensions, and missed deadlines the thing all of Tulsa has been waiting for has finally arrived. Bringing new jobs, more business, and increasingly more traffic the Outlet Mall has been welcomed by many, but will it live up to the local’s standards? It’s common for locals to be averse to new developments in their area, but we on the Trojan Torch wondered if it was that bad, and I took the time to get to the bottom of it.
To start, I know at least 6 people my age that have gotten jobs at the new Outlet Mall. They all seem to really like it. It’s busy, so it is never super slow, the pay is good, and even better–the discounts they receive are incredible.
“I really like working at the Outlet Mall- I get fifteen dollars an hour to talk to customers and restock stuff,” said Ian Pollard.
Ian Pollard works at Adidas and describes the job as entertaining.
“The Outlet Mall is so new, so my day is packed. Hundreds of people come into the store, and sometimes it seems to be never ending. Everybody at the store says it will slow down eventually, so I’m not worried, "said Pollard.
Beyond just providing jobs for people and making others better off financially, it will also help make Jenks more economically stable. This is because it increases tax revenues. Malls generate property and sales tax revenues for our local government, which contributes to public finances. This means Jenks can spend more money on maintaining our city. We can have new roads, new parks, new lights, and just a better quality of life.
The Outlet Mall generates income for the city through taxes, but also through the development of new businesses. Since the Outlet Mall opened, construction on two different businesses has begun. One of them actually happens to be right behind my house. It’s rumored that it will be a new CrossFit gym or a second location for the popular breakfast restaurant, BBD 2. The other location is a drive through coffee place that is across the street from the new CrossFit/breakfast place.
A photo taken from Google Maps of the outlet malls construction site.
Here is this map that I made to help illustrate the new construction sites and how close they are to major traffic areas. Which conveniently leads me into my next topic; The traffic problem.
Monday through Friday, August through June school is in session and at 4 o’clock every day around four thousand people are released from the same building at the same time. This plus Jenks natural traffic cycle, road construction, business construction, and the new Outlet Mall traffic has created a recipe for disaster. One day it took me around fifteen minutes to just get across the bridge.
I have lived in Jenks for seven years. I’ve seen boujee boutiques pop up in downtown and quickly leave because nobody could afford their hundred fifty dollar sweater.
To get a more seasoned opinion about the new Outlet Mall I went to a local that has lived in Tulsa since the 80’s, Aaron Morgan. He has been involved in Jenks in various different ways; from driving a school bus for Jenks to performing at the trading post for all of us to enjoy. He has even been a part of Jenks’s leadership program.
“When Tulsa Hills was created I thought that it wouldn’t work,” said Morgan.
Morgan then went on to explain that he has the same belief about the Outlet Mall,
“I’m happy about the new business, but I’m worried that because the Outlet Mall doesn’t have warehouse-styled stores that it won’t work out,” said Morgan.
Throughout my interview with him it became evident that his biggest concern was the Outlet Mall not working out and just sitting there. He was worried that an abandoned warehouse type building would attract more crime and unwanted people in the Jenks area.
I can’t predict the future of the outlet mall, but so far, the future's looking bright. Despite the traffic congestion, it opens the doors for new business ventures, financial opportunities, and jobs. The Pro’s definitely outweigh the cons and I’m excited to see how the Outlet Mall changes Jenks.
