Community Partner Profile: Why National Retailer SCHEELS Chose Tulsa for its First Oklahoma Location

With 75 specialty shops, a massive 250,000 square feet of retail space to explore and a towering 56-foot Ferris wheel, SCHEELS will bring a one-of-a-kind experience to Tulsa in 2024. When it opens in October, the location will become Oklahoma’s first SCHEELS, and is expected to provide more than 450 jobs for the region. We connected with the employee-owned retailer’s development lead, Ryan Dodd, to learn more about why the company chose Tulsa for its 34th store and what the community and visitors can expect when doors open this fall.

The construction of the Tulsa SCHEELS location in Woodland Hills Mall is currently underway, with plans to open in October 2024. Can you tell us a little about the construction progress to date? 

Construction of our first store in Oklahoma is going very well. We’re fortunate to have SAMPSON Construction leading this project as the General Contractor. We also have many local subcontractors from the area executing their craft to help us get to the finish line. October is going to come fast and we can’t wait to show our store to the Tulsa community.

With a location that will include 75 specialty shops, a 56-foot indoor Ferris wheel, and more within 250,000 square feet of retail space, SCHEELS will bring a unique shopping experience to the area. What can the Tulsa community expect when SCHEELS opens its doors later this year? 

SCHEELS is a retail destination for the whole family. With 250,000 square feet of retail space, you’ll find everything from hunting and fishing equipment to sporting goods to fashion clothing and shoes. Plus, you’ll have fun exploring the many amenities available, including a 56-foot Ferris Wheel, a 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium, a Fuzziwig’s Candy Factory, an arcade, miniature bowling, photo opportunities, and more! On top of the unforgettable experience, SCHEELS is staffed by world-class experts trained by our SCHEELS University System. Whether it’s bikes or baseball, or anything in between, they have to be experts out there, before we call them experts in our store. 

With 32 locations across the US, the Tulsa SCHEELS location will be the employee-owned company’s 34th location and the first in Oklahoma. Why Tulsa?

We are beyond excited to be bringing our first SCHEELS location to Oklahoma in October 2024. After many years of research and looking for the right location for our 34th store, we knew Tulsa was the perfect choice. The economy is booming, the outdoor activity options are endless, and the people are passionate about their community and giving back. We couldn’t be more excited to have found a wonderful partner in the Simon team and location at Woodland Hills Mall and are so grateful to the community for the excitement they’ve already shown. We cannot wait to open our doors and begin serving the people of Oklahoma!

Last year, 494 SCHEELS associates volunteered for a total of 3,285 hours in the communities where their stores are located. Could you share more about SCHEELS’ commitment to providing philanthropic support? 

SCHEELS is committed to providing philanthropic support in each community where we are located and Tulsa SCHEELS is no exception. We are active in giving to the community year-round through outreach and volunteerism and take pride in being able to improve the lives of others. We understand the value of giving back to causes and organizations that support our communities, which is why we donate between 8 and 10% of our profits annually to organizations in our local communities and ask that they use the money wisely to create lasting change. Donations and sponsorships are allocated on a store-by-store basis and are used to support a wide variety of local organizations, from veterans services to community athletic programs.

Take a look at the gallery below to see what to expect from the Tulsa location and construction progress.