Downtown OKC Businesses Celebrate 20-Years Of The Bricktown Canal

It’s been 20 years since Oklahoma City’s Bricktown Canal opened. Around the anniversary, the OKC Downtown Partnership and the Bricktown Association are celebrating the landmarks time in the city. The celebration’s theme is “party l

Friday, June 28th 2019, 9:37 am

By: Ashley Holden

Downtown OKC Businesses Celebrate 20-Years Of The Bricktown Canal

It’s been 20 years since Oklahoma City’s Bricktown Canal opened.

Around the anniversary, the OKC Downtown Partnership and the Bricktown Association are celebrating the landmarks time in the city. The celebration’s theme is “party like it’s 1999”, the year the canal opened.

The event will include throwback goodies, like slap bracelets, special products at area businesses and live music.

News 9 talked to businesses ahead of the celebration about their memories and stories of the canal.

Avis Scaramucci owns Painted Door. The boutique shop is located on the corner of Mickey Mantle Dr. and Sheridan.

Scaramucci moved to that location about 14-years ago, but she remembers when the canal was first built.

“Oh the beginning, hearing about [it]. You know the mere idea that there was talk of taking a city street and not only tearing out the street but digging down to make a water way, it was exciting,” said Scaramucci.

The Bricktown business owner said when the canal was built it was a risk.

“At that time bricktown was certainly nothing that it is now,” described Scaramucci.

She said only in the last five or six years has Bricktown really blossomed into what it is now.

Fast forward 20-years, the city has the Thunder, hotels have gone up, the street car is up and running and now the city is extending even farther with Scissortail Park.

“Sometimes, whether it be a person a business or a city, when you try new things it doesn't work. This is one of those success stories,” said Scaramucci.

She said the canal gives her an amenity to brag about, but also gives her a responsibility.

“We all know part of my job is to recommend other places and not necessarily all in Bricktown," said Scaramucci.

She hopes this shows the true community OKC really is.

Another business helping ring in 20-years, the winery Put a Cork In It.

John Burwell and his wife Andrea Griggs Bricktown's only winery because of the canal.

"We figured if we were going to take advantage of Oklahoma City's tourism, this would be the place to do it," said Burwell.

The pair rely on tourism for their business. They said they hope more businesses and developers take advantage of the area.

"I think Bricktown is going to be home to small businesses for years to come," said Burwell.

Put a Cork In It is going to have special products out on the patio during Saturday's celebration.

The canal celebration runs from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, June 28.

For more information head to their event description on Facebook.

Ashley Holden

Ashley Holden joined the News 9 team in June 2018. She's excited to call Oklahoma her new home. Before arriving at News 9, Ashley reported and anchored for three years at the NBC affiliate in Davenport, Iowa. While in the Quad Cities market, along the Ill

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