Main Street businesses finalist for awards

Three Ponca City businesses are finalists for state Main Street Association awards.

The City of Ponca City is nominated for best Premier Partner.

Jayne Detten,Ponca City Main Street Director said this award is for an entity that works well with the Main Street organization.

“ Anything from sidewalks and trash cans, and lamp posts and support for every event that we do, and trash removal and volunteer help," Detten said. "Help from the electric department and help from the parks department. Pretty much every special event that we have the city helps us out in a major way. They are really cooperative and they supply human resources and material resources, which greatly benefits us. They also offer us an office in City Hall and the office equipment that we need. Not all cities are that benevolent."

Another nominee is The Bag Lady for Business of the Year in Oklahoma.

Detten said The Bag Lady is family owned and philanthropic.

She also said the store is run effectively and has quality merchandise.

The last nominee is Old Pine Street Wood Shop for best facade remodel under $100,000.

Detten said the front of the store was rebuilt to resemble how it looked in the 1900s.

She said historical value is a prized thing in land of Main Street.

Oklahoma has 40 main street organizations approved by the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Detten said this is high compared to some other states like Michigan, who only have nine.

"It’s rigorous, the city has to give full support, the city commissioner council has to be very much in support, there are just steps you have to go through," Detten said. "We were accepted in to the program in 1987. 1986 was the first year to have Main Street in Oklahoma, but out of all the states we have a more active, involved Main Street presence with 40 communities, that’s high for a state this size.”

Detten said all of Ponca City’s nominees have a high of chance of winning Tuesday night.

The City and Old Pine Street Wood Shop have been nominated in previous years.

Winners receive a trophy and statewide recognition.