**MYSPACE DD**
As some of you posters know, I sent out 150 messages or so to residents of Choctaw and Midwest City to get their opinion on Market 99 as both a store and an investment.
I've received over 30 responses -- some have been extremely positive, some extremely negative in regards to the Choctaw M99. Some respondents should not have even responded, since they gave me a buy/sell recommendation all the while admitting they had never been there.
I thought this would be a good time to share a handful of responses, good and bad. Maybe Phil can even share them with Desmond and Jason???
NOTE: Choctaw is a town of 10,000 people, don't buy shares you cannot afford or sell shares you might want to keep based only on these FEW responses.
Holly - 37 Years Old - Choctaw resident
Hi, Steve, sorry about the slow response.
I'm a mother of 5 small children, and we are well familiar with Market 99. Much like a Dollar Tree, there is one fixed price on everything in the store. In this case, 99 cents.
In the few months that Market 99 has been open, we have been there many times. We find the selection of items to be great, the store is big and open (unlike Dollar Tree, with its crowded aisles), and its location in Choctaw is very convenient.
I have not heard any negative feedback on Market 99 at all. There are a Family Dollar and a Dollar General nearby, but I would go to Market 99 first, unless it was a larger item that I thought Market 99 wouldn't carry.
Market 99 even carries a good selection of food items, now with produce and refrigerated items. It's definitely my favorite new store!
Let me know if you have any other questions about the store.
Chris - 29 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
This is a first!!!
I think the store has the ability to compete with the other 2 stores; however, I'm not sure that the location in Choctaw is prime realestate. There have been several big named stores, Stage (a store like JC Penneys-not sure if you've ever heard of it before) for example, that have not last through the time.
I know that it has not been here that long. It has not had much advertising or PR. The only way to know it even exists is if you drive in the plaza.
Hope this was helpful.
Sarah - 29 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
Hi Steve,
I am not on myspace very often so I just got your message. Choctaw is the next up and coming "suburb" of OKC. My husband and I bought a home in Choctaw 3 years ago because we believe that it will be the best resale in the area. I will have my husband write to you to give you more info about Choctaw etc at a later time.
I can tell you about the Market 99 store and the plaza that it is located in. The actual plaza is a little run down, however, the owners have just repaired or replaced all of the lighting fixtures in the parking lot. They have made improvements to the pavement as well. It probably will just be a matter of time before the plaza is completely remodeled. The store seems to be a really neat place. I have not been able to shop there yet (husband in the military, I have a full time job and a 2 1/2 year old... busy busy) however, my mother-in-law has shopped there and likes the store. I will also ask her for her input. I believe that the store opened about a month or two ago.
The shopping center has Choctaw's ONLY grocery store, a blockbuster, a gym, about four restaurants, an eye doctor, a dry cleaner, a thrift type store, and an autozone. It defintely has the traffic needed to attract business.
Up and down 23rd street ... a few other auto buisnesses, gas stations, doctors, the City of Choctaw Chamber of Commerce, and many other businesses. The library and post office is nearby. There is an Oklahoma owned Ice Cream / Dairy chain called Braums on 23rd street. They have had a store here for many years. They just bought a parcel of land just west of the plaza and have built a much bigger and better store. In my personal opinion this is the first of many reall upgrades to Choctaw.
I believe that Choctaw will be the next "Edmond" Oklahoma. Edmond is located just north of OKC and attracts many professional families. You may wish to look at the city of Edmond to get an idea. Since we have moved to Choctaw three years ago there are no less than 8 new neighborhoods in the process of being built or already completed. There will not be a shortage customers available. Although I cannot tell you a lot about the store right now I will ask around and see what my neighbors and family think. As I said before I have not gone inside the store myself but my initial reaction to the store was curiosity and the desire to shop there. The actual building has windows the entire legnth of the store so customers driving by can see inside. I thought that was an interesting marketing idea, to show the customer the products so that they would come inside.
Well I hope that this helped you a little. Please write back any comments or other questions. Again I will talk to those who have shopped there to give you their feedback.
Brent - 27 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
I have never been there. I drive past it all the time, but usually go to Dollar General if I am going to one of those stores, probably because I know what is there. I haven't tried it, and I don't know of anyone who has.
Amy - 19 Years Old - Ex-Choctaw Resident
um yea i use to live in choctaw yea choctaw plaza is very popular plaza in choctaw
Beth - 36 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
We do have a market 99 here in choctaw. To be honest, I am not completely impressed with it. I like the concept, but most of the products are cheap. I have only been there once, but it was not a good experience. The service was awful.
I have been told that I am a snob, lol, but I really like Dollar General and Family Dollar much more.
You didn't bother me... :P
Beth
Amanda - 26 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
okay if this question is for real....then i'd say dont do it. ive went in there one time and walk right out and never been back. there is no name brands what so ever and i shop more at the dollar store anyway. it is a poor mans store and im not sure that the poor man would shop there.
Delbert - 36 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
I didn't even know it was there honestly. My wife does though and she says she goes there before the dollar general as it is cheaper and about same quality products. She just bought some foam board the other day at market 99. Choctaw is pretty a good location I guess, as the plaza is the only place to shop for about 20 miles in any direction. The way my wife described it I would worry more about the dollar tree, as competition, than the dollar general or family dollar. The closest Dollar Tree is in Midwest City off se 15th and airdepot. again about 20 miles give or take a couple miles. The mean income in Choctaw iis about 50,000/yr (according to some internet zip code statisitic sight I was looking at a couple montha ago)if that helps. Good luck and God bless.
Jill - 28 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
well, lets see, we have family dollar, dollar general, and market 99 all in walking distance. i haven't shopped much at market 99 but they had an amazing grand opening where they had drawings all day for great prizes! i do know a lot of people shop there just for the gift bags and other gift wrapping needs! i think the property is way too big for the store so it looks like there is a lot of wasted space. so maybe if it was in something the size of the other 2 stores it would seem like they have more items.
Carl - 27 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
Steve
Why are you comparing two companies that compete for two seperate taget markets. The family dollar and dollar general are not in the same target area as market 99. market 99 is in the target market as the dollar tree. The store is rather usefull if you need a Dr pepper. The down side is very little brand name product. Where the comp. dollar tree is carrying brandname. As far as popularity it is a new store it was good in the beginning and now is never that full when i attend. As far as where the store is located it seems they are smart on the location. Choctaw is booooooooming right now. The price in the housing market jumped from 14 psft to 39 psft. Someone in there corperate office was thinking when they build in choctaw.
My overall opinion is that they will not capture as much of the market as they would like. Dollar tree is huge here and holds the majority of the market. So as far as a good investment no I would not say so. If you were smart you would invest into williams who just bought out every albertsons in the state of oklahoma 2 months ago.
Hope this helps if this info can make you alot of money send me a case of wine. lol
Carl
Lacy - 22 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
yea its a pretty cool store but some things are made really cheat it is ususally busy there but i dont know
Dave - 27 Years Old - Choctaw Resident
yeah that was totally random... ah well i have never been inside the place but my wife has and she said that it was a good place to get party supplies and that they are reasonably priced on most of there stuff. other than that man sorry i can't help you.
Summary
Message me any follow up questions for these people! Gone for weekend, see you all Monday
