http://www.tulsaworld.com/business/article.aspx?subjectid=53&articleid=20100312_53_0_Atfirs381130
Joe Momma's owner adding other ventures
By ROBERT EVATT World Staff Writer
At first glance, Joe Momma's proprietor Blake Ewing is an easy-going guy happy to shoot the breeze with anyone.
But there's nothing laid-back about his business plans. Less than two years after opening the downtown pizzeria, Ewing is about to launch Boomtown Tees, a T-shirt and custom print shop that will be the first of five new establishments he wants to bring downtown. Ewing's other plans include the Max Retropub, a family-friendly retro arcade bar, and three other bar and restaurant concepts.
The entrepreneur said he's proud of Tulsa and wants to bring interesting things downtown. Besides, his restaurant at 112 S. Elgin Ave. has been a big success. "February will be the biggest month we've had so far, and usually winter is bad for restaurants," he said. Ewing attributes the success of Joe Momma's to the many special events held there, including trivia nights, Gong Show-style karaoke, art showings and children's book club meetings, with much of the proceeds going to charity.
He estimates the first two months of "Charity Okie" has raised $2,500 for the Make-a-Wish Foundation.
"We try to make everything we do have a purpose," Ewing said. "We want to make sure we give back to the community."
Ewing said people who attend one of the specialty events often return because they get hooked on his pizza. Boomtown Tees is designed to be an unmistakably Tulsa business when it opens within a month at 114-A S. Elgin. Ewing said many of its shirts will feature vintage-looking takes on Tulsa icons and landmarks. For example, two of its first T-shirts will feature the Zingo roller coaster and the long-gone Camelot Hotel.
The shop will also produce T-shirts that aren't Tulsa-specific but designed by Tulsa artists. Ewing said he'd love to work with as many locals as he can. "Random people can submit ideas, and if we print it, they'll get a commission," he said.
The Max Retropub, slated to go in next door at 114-B S. Elgin by May, aims to recreate the arcades of the 1980s and early 1990s. Although video game systems that deliver realistic, immersing experiences are now in many homes, Ewing said people still like the charm of old arcade games. "Dads and moms have a wonderful nostalgic memory of them, and young kids just light up when they see them," he said. "It's nostalgia or novelty."
He's shooting for 25 game machines in the Max, along with skee-ball. It will also serve what Ewing calls "gourmet junk food," such as a variety hot dogs, homemade pretzels and popcorn. His other three concepts are further off, though he hopes to be started on all of them by the fall. The Back Alley Blues and Barbecue is geared toward Memphis-style barbecue and live music behind the Max. The Phoenix Cafe, slated to go in at Sixth Street and Peoria Avenue, will combine coffee, sandwiches and a used-book store. And he's in the early planning stages of a whiskey-and-cigar bar to be established somewhere downtown. Ewing said he's seeking investors to help him get these three projects off the ground.
Some of the things being talked about might actually draw me in from Suburbia occasionally. Now, if we only had a real trolley from out here to downtown.
I'd settle for a bus.
Quote from: sgrizzle on March 12, 2010, 10:20:51 PM
I'd settle for a bus.
Not me. I want real trolley with steel tracks and overhead electric wires. If I have to take a bus, I'll either take my car or not go. But that's me. I would accept something like the New Mexico Railrunner on a regular schedule for "visitors" to downtown. My sister uses the NM Railrunner to commute to work and loves it.
I have the fortunate/unfortunate experience of growing up in suburban Philly, PA where rail was a real option to the automobile.
Edit:
Let me modify that a bit. I would also like a grade separated third rail system like the SEPTA route 100, formerly the Philadelphia and Western Railway, aka the Norristown High Speed Line. No traffic jams, no overhead wires which some consider unsightly.
No stinky internal combustion rubber tired buses for me.
I would love to have a train, but considering where I am basically isn't served by buses at all, anything is an upgrade.
I live near 111th & Memorial so I expect to get what we have now, nothing. As long as I'm dreaming, I might as well dream for what I would really like. A bus route would be an improvement over nothing but the truth is I probably would not use it. "Never" is a long time so I won't say that I would absolutely not use it. I consider myself to be one of those "riders of choice". Choose a train/real trolley over a car, choose a car over a bus.
does anyone stay on topic anymore?
Quote from: RecycleMichael on March 13, 2010, 11:54:45 AM
does anyone stay on topic anymore?
Sorta, this is how I would like to go to downtown to get pizza.
So that's 3 new businesses opening up on Elgin this year: Blake's Boomtown T's and Max Retropub, and Nelson's Dust Bowl bowling alley/restaurant.
The Phoenix Cafe sounds like a cool concept for the Pearl neighborhood. Will it be at the SE corner of 6th & Peoria?
http://www.1architecture.com/projects/pearl.htm (http://www.1architecture.com/projects/pearl.htm)
Quote from: RecycleMichael on March 13, 2010, 11:54:45 AM
does anyone stay on topic anymore?
What was the topic? Aren't you off topic with your comment?
Where's the BBQ joint going?
116 S. Elgin Ave.
Open in a few months. We're finishing up purchase of the property now. We have a good amount of the capital raised, but are still taking on investors. Regardless, we're going to start construction as soon as the space is officially ours. Expect BBQ in the Blue Dome District early 2011.
Thanks!
Quote from: JoeMommaBlake on September 26, 2010, 01:00:00 AM
116 S. Elgin Ave.
Open in a few months. We're finishing up purchase of the property now. We have a good amount of the capital raised, but are still taking on investors. Regardless, we're going to start construction as soon as the space is officially ours. Expect BBQ in the Blue Dome District early 2011.
Thanks!
AWESOME. What kind of pit setup, etc.? Oklahoma style? BBQ'd baloney on the menu?
We're calling it "slow smoked Memphis style BBQ," but that's not exclusive. Oklahomans like their BBQ and we like all kinds of different things, so we're going to give people what they want.
We'll have a big selection of smoked meats including smoked turkey, bologna, home-made sausage, and beef ribs as well as some other fun things like fresh watermelon, house-made lemonade, sweet-tea and the best buttermilk pie you've ever had.
Also, we'll be the best place in town to catch live blues music. We'll be open late night, have a cool back alley entrance and a back patio that we'll share with The Max and Joe Momma's. Also, look for some cool upgrades to the alley that runs between 1st and 2nd street in the near future.
Thanks for the interest. We'll have more info as we get closer to opening.
The back alley entrance concept sounds like a cool idea. Sounds like Rendezous in Memphis. It's entrance is in an alley and is fantastic bbq. Looking forward to this venture.
Quote from: JoeMommaBlake on September 26, 2010, 12:56:16 PM
Also, we'll be the best place in town to catch live blues music. We'll be open late night, have a cool back alley entrance and a back patio that we'll share with The Max and Joe Momma's. Also, look for some cool upgrades to the alley that runs between 1st and 2nd street in the near future.
That sounds fabulous!
Beef ribs ?
Quote from: DowntownDan on September 26, 2010, 02:36:36 PM
The back alley entrance concept sounds like a cool idea. Sounds like Rendezous in Memphis. It's entrance is in an alley and is fantastic bbq. Looking forward to this venture.
That was my first impression as well, though I have to say, I'm not as enamored with Rendezvous' food as others seem to be. It's good, just not on my top 10 list of 'Que places I've visited.
The Phoenix Cafe concept at 6th & Peoria sounds really cool. That could be just the jumpstart that area needs.
I recently moved downtown (last December), and am a great fan of the Blues. Blake, if you get live Blues downtown - I think you'll have a hit on your hands (like all the other stuff you've done!). The last true venue for blues was Joey's Home of the Blues, way out at the south end of Peoria. I look at listings every week trying to find live blues. Cimmarron is the only consistent blues bar - but it is at 28th and Memorial. I can walk to your blues joint.
Tip: Allow smoking. Blues lovers dig the misic, but will be hesitant to have to go outside to fire one up and miss the music. Not very PC - but definitely a factor.
Tip: Bring in Anthony Gomes. That guy can play, and still plays small venues.
Extra Special Tip: Next time I see you, which will probably be at JM for lunch with sgrizzle, I have a great idea for you to contemplate.
Tulsa used to have a trolley - until they drank the GM bus/automobile Kool-Aid and got rid of all of them.
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on September 29, 2010, 12:48:01 PM
Tulsa used to have a trolley - until they drank the GM bus/automobile Kool-Aid and got rid of all of them.
Used to have 2 trolley companies plus the trolley to Sand Springs.
Don't forget Firestone and Standard Oil. They helped.
Yeah, but GM was the point company leading the way. And they had the court events that proved it.
This whole "Blue Dome" district stuff is bizarre (lame - kind of like renaming 15th street "Cherry Street"). Pretentiousness wrapped in self-importance, doused with a splash of outright goofiness. "Blue Dome" is the old Veteran's Bar. Before that a gas station. Run down, ragged out heap of brick and concrete. Cute architecture, but not any more special than any of the other old buildings in downtown (most of which were torn down for urban renewal.) Well, we just have to have "special places" to pique the interest and imagination, don't we? Or maybe the loss of all those other buildings makes the remaining ones more precious??
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on September 29, 2010, 01:16:27 PM
Yeah, but GM was the point company leading the way. And they had the court events that proved it.
This whole "Blue Dome" district stuff is bizarre (lame - kind of like renaming 15th street "Cherry Street"). Pretentiousness wrapped in self-importance, doused with a splash of outright goofiness. "Blue Dome" is the old Veteran's Bar. Before that a gas station. Run down, ragged out heap of brick and concrete. Cute architecture, but not any more special than any of the other old buildings in downtown (most of which were torn down for urban renewal.) Well, we just have to have "special places" to pique the interest and imagination, don't we? Or maybe the loss of all those other buildings makes the remaining ones more precious??
Man you are on a roll. It's no different than naming entertainment and dining districts in other areas like Lo-Do, Deep Ellum, Westport, SoHo, etc. What is so pretentious about that? That and the Brady district (named for a racist if you believe your hippie in spirit FOTD) are about the last of the good red brick districts in town. It's got a cool vibe and for many of us who watched the gradual drain on downtown then the long stagnation in redevelopment, it's a dream come true.
Lighten up you old codger
LOL, LOL, LOL. Thought that might get some reaction.
I spent my early life downtown and have always wanted it to be 'revived' - way before it was "cool". It had/has way too much very good stuff to do the things to it that have been done in the name of "progress". Now, there seems to be some actual progress. (It IS pretentious to name 'districts'.) Upper East Side. Lower East Side. Bowery. All 'cutesy' little things that we as humans seem to have to indulge in.
Union Station would have made that wonderful art deco museum that The Artist has talked about. But should have been done 30 years ago! I guess Tulsa is STILL about 3 decades behind me. They were just barely starting to fix the water system with Patty Eaton (no thanks to John Thomas for running it into the ground!) when we should have been doing all the stuff that is happening now.
May actually have to go eat some pizza this weekend. Is JoeMomma's as good as Shotgun Sam's??
Still wish they had done an actual architectural design instead of just crashing an alien spaceship for the arena!
And yeah, Brady was a racist. And yet, we still have his heritage alive and well in Owasso in the form of Randy Brogdon.
Quote from: heironymouspasparagus on September 29, 2010, 12:48:01 PM
Tulsa used to have a trolley - until they drank the GM bus/automobile Kool-Aid and got rid of all of them.
See map at Michael Bates' site.
http://www.batesline.com/archives/2009/12/tulsa-streetcar-and-interurban-l.html
How do you feel about Oklahoma Joe's opening up in Brady? I have to say, if his 'cue is anywhere near as good as the one in KC...it's going to be tough to beat.
I think that is a different Joe's. Jeff Stehney (sp?) versus Blake Ewing.
But if you want bar-b-que - well you ain't gonna get it in Tulsa today. You have to go to Oologah. Black Jaxx.