Business Briefs (Week of Dec. 4)

Looking for business briefs? This week's roundup (for the week ending Nov. 20, 2020) from the Journal Record.

Online sales keeping doors open
This year more than ever, Oklahomans will do much of their Christmas shopping online. But that does not necessarily spell doom for local, brick-and-mortar retail – not if those stores are also selling their products online. Some local retailers are effectively using online sales to keep their doors open into the new year. A recent survey of businesses that applied for assistance through Oklahoma City’s Small Business Continuity Program found many local businesses cited customer confidence as one of their most critical needs at present. The ability to shop online and pick up curbside provides customers a level of confidence that has been driving sales, Mode boutique owner Amanda Lee said.  

OCC claims authority in wake of ‘McGirt’
The Oklahoma Corporation Commission has issued a ruling asserting its continued authority to regulate oil and gas activity on lands affected by the McGirt decision. Shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court’s July ruling in McGirt v. Oklahoma that millions of acres of eastern Oklahoma are actually Indian land, as the Creek reservation was never formally dissolved, regulators in Oklahoma faced a challenge to their jurisdiction to regulate oil and gas activity for the lands in question.

Amazon formally announces fulfillment center in OKC
A new fulfillment center planned by Amazon in Oklahoma City will bring 500 jobs to the metro. The long-anticipated center, which is planned to launch in 2021, will create more than 500 new full-time jobs, the company confirmed. In the new 1-million-square-foot fulfillment center, Amazon associates will work to pick, pack and ship bulky or larger-sized customer items such as patio furniture, outdoor equipment, or rugs.

RiverSport to add indoor slope for snow skiing, boarding
RiverSport is bringing alpine skiing and snowboarding to Oklahoma City with a new indoor slope, Ski OKC. The new experience is being made possible through a grant from the Inasmuch Foundation and will open in late spring. Ski OKC will feature an infinite, articulating ski slope and will be installed inside RiverSport’s Whitewater Center. The indoor ski simulator is covered in a specially developed artificial ski grass called PoleSnow.

Ice storm leads to electrician costs
Some Oklahoma City families that were already financially disadvantaged going into 2020 faced setbacks from the COVID-19 pandemic only to get surprised with another large, unexpected bill – as much as $2,500 – caused by October’s ice storm. Many customers were unaware that parts of the system OG&E uses to supply power to private homes are the property and responsibility of the homeowner. OG&E sent out a mailer in recent weeks to customers and others in the Oklahoma City area with a possible solution to the problem, highlighting the utility’s partnership with home repair warranty company HomeServe USA.