Main Street Broken Arrow

This chilly November morning found me on a rapidly growing Main Street for an enjoyable day with my mother and a friend. Broken Arrow's Main Street has undergone some serious revitalization over the past six months. Starting on June 10, Broken Arrow started refurbishing and restoring their Main Street one block at a time, and the result is amazing. In addition to some loyal Main Street business owners, whom Broken Arrow can probably thank for helping to initiate the transformation, their Main Street now has some new attractions that make it a hopping spot from morning to night. In fact one shop owner said that where before she would lock up her store at 5:30 in the evening and be one of the few people still in the area, now she can return to her shop in the evening to grab something she forgot and find the street lined with cars.

A lovely aspect about Broken Arrow's Main Street is that there's a little something for all of your needs from clothes to body care to decor to kitchen and pantry items to chocolate (which as a independent chocolatier for Dove Chocolate Discoveries I am all over) to great eats and entertainment.

Their Main Street has a couple of traditional stores with vendor booths--one where you can find antiques and resale and one where you can find new, boutique items. On the Corner was our first stop this morning. Owner, Ashley Colston, is a friendly and knowledgeable host. She has a beautiful store

 full of boutique items from need-to-have Broken Arrow gear, if you live in Tiger country, to baby clothes and nursery items to jewelry and blingy hats to scarves and gloves. All in all it's the type of shop a girl, no matter how young or old, is going to love--and it's probably a good thing my seven-year-old daughter wasn't with me or I may not have had any money to spend in any other shops after that one.

Southern Magnolia represents what I traditionally think of as vendor booths. They have over 37 vendors selling largely resale, antiques, and hand-crafted items. It's a store where you could spend a significant amount of time looking at all the merchandise in every nook and cranny, and this time of year it's even more spectacular as many of the booths are decked out in Christmas splendor. It's a wonderful place to find that one-of-a-kind piece you have been looking for. Beyond it's merchandise, though, Southern Magnolia offers another feature that has helped to keep Main Street busy past 5:30 and even on Sundays. On the second floor, spanning the front of the building is the Rose Room, an event room that is available for bridal showers, baby showers, birthday parties, company gatherings, and more for a reasonable $99 for four hours. In addition to this, they have a beautiful milk glass collection that can be rented for your hosting needs. Definitely wonderful extras that keep the place busy morning, day, and night.

In addition to these stores offering a variety of merchandise for a variety of needs, there are also several home decor and personal care boutiques. The first one we stopped at today was Hollow Tree Gifts. Not only were we treated to an array of great giftables but we had an enjoyable time visiting with JoAnne, who has owned her business for more than thirty years. Her little shop is very quaint and organized by line to make it easier for customers to find their favorite products. I have to confess that most of my time was spent smelling all of the delectable soy candles she had for sell. I even had to come home with a Black Spice Rum and a Pumpkin Spice Ale drizzle for my Scentsy. Equally "scentsational" are her glycerin soaps that she cuts into individual sized bars each day when she opens her shop. Each block has a different design and a different scent and is perfect for a stocking stuffer or a gift.

Nearly two blocks down and on the other side of the road from Hollow Tree Gifts is another great gift shop that I almost missed because I was running out of shopping time. I'm glad I didn't, though, because Bella Vita has a wide array of items to offer as gifts. From home decor and kitchen and dining ware to soup and dip mixes to lotions and soaps to jewelry and accessories, it has a little bit of everything to offer. Like many of the other stores it was decked out for Christmas, and walking into it's back display room was like walking into a Christmas serenity room. There they had a vast array of wintry decor and in a corner peaceful fountains gurgling against the soft Christmas music playing in the background. If I had a room in my house like that one, I would probably never leave it. I would say the store is worth the visit just so you could enjoy the magic of that room, but if you go in there, I guarantee you'll find something you love and just have to have, too.


Of course, when it comes to gifts, we all like the unique, and when we're giving something to help others remember us, we want something that represents who we are. 1907 is a charming boutique that offers both of these great gifting elements. 1907 sells a variety of shirts commemorating the great state of Oklahoma and provides many other stylish gift choices that are made in Oklahoma and, therefore, support Oklahoma artisans. It also offers trendy clothing that, while not made in Oklahoma, is made in the U.S.A. 

The more you read The Girl on Main, the more you will discover that a close second to shopping for me is eating. I love to go to a Main Street and find restaurants thriving and drawing business to the area after normal shopping hours. I have long been a fan of The Main Street Tavern and follow them on Facebook. The ambiance is classy yet intimate and the food is delicious. While I would recommend anything on the menu, I am always drawn again and again to their croque monsieur. With its thick slices of ham and creamy cheese, it is magic to my taste buds. Having been a fan of Main Street Tavern for so long, though, I decided for this trip I might try something new for lunch, so we stopped into McHuston's, a book shop and Irish eatery. While my mom and friend opted for sandwiches, which they found delicious, I couldn't stop in a place touting Irish cuisine and not get shepherd's pie. I have to say that I was not dissatisfied. It was delicious and the perfect lunch for a cold November day.

After lunch, though I didn't have time to hit every store on Main Street in Broken Arrow, before I left I made sure that I did hit one--Nouveau L'Atellier du Chocolat. What seems like ages ago they used to have a store in Tulsa that I had the opportunity to visit once or twice before they moved out to Broken Arrow. For the longest time, I thought they had just closed, so I was thrilled when I stumbled upon them a few years ago on Main Street. Thus, there wasn't any way I was going to leave Broken Arrow without visiting this lovely piece of chocolate heaven. While I didn't indulge in one of their handmade chocolates, I did order a s'more hot chocolate and started a list of items I would have to come back for when it came time to stuff some stockings and to make goodies for friends and family. For Nouveau is not just a great little shop to buy chocolates ready-to-eat; it is also a great shop to by chocolates for tempering and making your own truffles and candies as well.

While it would have been nice to make it into every store Broken Arrow's Main Street had to offer, sadly there is only so much time during the day. But I encourage you to stop in and check them all out the next time you're in the area. You'll find a wealth of merchandise to pique your interest and to bestow upon your friends and family. And with Black Friday and Christmas right around the corner, it's a great time to become familiar with all they have to offer. So be sure this holiday season to invest in your community, support your Main Street organizations, and shop local.