When my mom reminisces about the time in her 20's that she worked in Downtown OKC, she talks about shopping on her lunch break in the underground, grabbing jelly bellies from a cute little candy shop and strolling along beautiful shop windows. Although this may not be a completely accurate perception of Downtown OKC in the 70's (I'm sure Steve Lackmeyer will let me know), it's one that I've always held as a goal. 

I want a downtown that's bustling with activity — all day, not just 8-5. I want shops and restaurants to have successful businesses in our downtown. I want visitors that stay at the Skirvin to have a plethora of unique places to go within walking distance. 

We've come a long way and if the success of places like Shop Good and Elemental Coffee or the grand opening of our first downtown grocer Native Roots Market are any indication, we're headed in the right direction. 

This holiday season, I've curated a set of Pop-Up Shops in the Myriad Botanical Gardens' restaurant. I want this to not only serve as an efficient way for downtown employees to get ALL of their holiday shopping done at local shops but also as a preview of what our downtown can become. I encourage you to support these pop-up shops and let them know that you appreciate the work that it's taken to set up a temporary shop downtown. 

The complete details of the event are available on my Pop-Up Shops page. But, here's a quick list of who to expect at some point in this holiday season: Blue Seven, Full Circle Bookstore, Uptown Kids, Sara Kate Studios, Cedarburg Square, The MakeUp Bar, A Date with Iris, Urbane, Kokopelli, Pencil Shavings Studio, True North Living, Native Roots Market, Bella Vita Jewelry, Boho Gypsy and a gift wrapping station. That's a group of OKC's finest, people! 

Shops open Black Friday and will continue popping up until Christmas Eve. Hours of operation are 11am-8pm.

I'm so optimistic about the holiday season — there's something magical that comes from doing a project that you have only dreamed of....

Cheers to an local-shop-lovin' holiday season!