Speaking to Josh of Josh’s Sno Shack about his wonderful business in Tulsa.

Today Jennie is in Brookside to speak with Josh of Josh’s Sno Shack. They sell snow cones and serve up summer happiness!

Jennie: So who are you, and what do you guys do here?

Josh: I started this business in 2005, and it was meant to get me through college. However, I finished college and kept growing the business. We’ve sort of become the Tulsa staple for snow cones. If you like summer and snow cones, then you have to visit one of our locations in Tulsa or Stillwater.

I’ve seen your shacks all over town. How many locations do you have now?

As of just the other day, we have seven locations open, another is opening in a few days, and two more should be open for the summer. We also have a couple of snow cone trucks that drive around to events, and we do about 100 events every month during the summer. We’re going all out right now.

We love promoting our local business owners, and you’re giving back to the community by employing young kids who are still learning and growing. What’s been the greatest joy as a boss and a growing leader or our youth?

“If you like summer and snow cones, then you have to visit one of our locations.”

This is the 17th summer we’ve been open for business, and I always tell people that I don’t wake up saying, “I love snow cones!” What I love most is the opportunity to invest in young folks, get to know them, hear their stories, and hopefully teach them a little about life and business. This is a first job for a lot of people, so we teach them jobs skills such as how to communicate with customers and each other, which I think are great tools for them to learn by the time they graduate from high school.

Those are needed skills that they may not be learning in the classroom. What are some of your most interesting flavors that people should try?

We have crowd favorites, but the most interesting flavor we have is called the Lotus, which has hibiscus in it. I enjoy that one a lot; it’s a light, sort of floral taste, so it’s unique. Any of the flavors on the “Only at Josh’s” list are more unique than you’d find at competitors’ stands. Another fun flavor is Butterbeer; if you’re a Harry Potter fan, it tastes like the butterbeer drink you can get at Universal’s The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park. Also, the Josh’s Mix is our secret house special that we’re known for; you can’t go wrong with any of these flavors.

Then starting in June, we have a flavor of the week that we launch with a special topping. We usually try to make those flavors based on something culturally relevant.

Summer is your busy season, your main season. You’re mostly a summer business, so as a business owner, how does that work?

It’s honestly pretty incredible. Sometimes in business, we get caught up in the grind of it and don’t have time to truly think about things. We hit the ground running around January 15 by hiring and making sure our contracts are in order. Then we’re open through about mid-October and have November to decompress everything.

I use November and December to be a thinker and spend plenty of time with my family. I have an amazing life where I have time to think up ideas, explore new concepts, and see if they work or not. It’s crazy right now though!

We’re so grateful that Josh’s Sno Shack is here and a Tulsa staple. People can find one of your shacks on most of the popular corners of town.

If you Google us, we’re probably only a few miles from you.

To learn more about Josh’s Sno Shack or book them for your next event, visit their website. If you ever have any real estate questions or needs, visit The Wolek Group’s website. We would love to help you!

Take a look around our historic city with the amazing Tours of Tulsa.

Tulsa looks awesome on Tours of Tulsa! I’m excited to talk with Kelly and learn all about the amazing things they do down here, and I mean down here, in an underground tunnel. Recently, our team did a little tour, and we had the best time in downtown Tulsa. We wanted to talk to Kelly so that she could share what they do here.

How’d you start this business? Tell us all about it.

My name is Kelly Gibson, and I’ve been touring in town now for 15 years. I have not always had the pleasure of owning my business, but it was in 2013 that I was fortunate enough to buy the tour company. Then I hired and trained six tour guides that work for me. We’re doing all types of tours on a daily basis.

This city is so rich in history; we have beautiful history in Tulsa. We also have history that’s not beautiful, but it’s our responsibility to tell all of it because our history is who we are in Tulsa.

What are some of the most popular, or your favorite, buildings or things to feature on the tours?

Our most popular, most requested tour happens to be a walking historical art deco tunnel tour. A lot of people think we’re just going to be walking through the bowels of downtown Tulsa, but that tour is rich with history and many stories. We love that tour, and it lasts for an hour. However, if you’d like an hour and a half or even two hours, we can walk for that long.

“Our history is who we are in Tulsa.”

I sure hope that so many other people can experience your tours. What’s the best way that people can find out more?

You can email us at [email protected], give us a call at (918) 625-4909, and we have a website as well. All of our tours are private, so you can choose your best day and time and let us know how long you’d like to go.

Typically, the way that we charge for our tours is $80 per hour, but that’s not per person. That rate is good for one to 10 people on walking tours. If you have more than 10 people, we have additional guides so we can have multiple groups going at the same time. Everyone can start and end at the same time, just in smaller groups.

I love it so much; I know we’ll be looking to set up another tour here soon. Thanks to Kelly for sharing her stories! It’s so fun to learn. Their biggest goal at the end of each tour is that people will have a brand-new appreciation of the city of Tulsa.

Don’t forget to book your tours, and let us know if you need anything. Just call or email us. We’d be happy to help!

Here is how Revitalize T-Town helps low-income Tulsa homeowners.

Today we’re talking with Jennifer Barcus-Schafer, the CEO of Revitalize T-Town. She’s done a ton to help this community, and they have an upcoming event on April 28 that sounds like a ton of fun. This organization is truly something special, so let’s get right into our conversation. 

Can you tell us a little bit about what you guys do here in Tulsa and how you give back to your community? 

Revitalize T-Town is a local nonprofit, and our goal is to make homes safe and healthy for low-income homeowners in Tulsa. We serve those in need of roofs, energy efficiency, repairs, and anything that can make their homes a healthier place to live long term. We want people to age in place and raise their families in our community. 

We know you do so much good for our families here in Tulsa, so what is the greatest need you see? Where do people need the most help? 

I would say roofs since they’re the biggest expense for a home. If you’ve never had to replace a roof, you don’t know how much of a financial burden it is. At that point, you’re hoping for a hail storm so that insurance covers the costs! Without a solid roof, everything else in the home is jeopardized, and with our severe weather, it’s especially important. 

As an organization, I know you guys work hard to garner donations and help, so is that the best way people can support you? How many families do you help, and how much does that cost? 

“Our goal is simply to keep people in their homes. ”

Last year, we served 120 families in Tulsa, which equaled about 226 people. For every house we work on, the average cost is around $9,900. Some are more; some are less. It sounds crass, but our biggest need is money because that’s what ultimately gets the repairs done. With inflation and supply chain issues, we can have as many willing folks as possible, but without money, we can’t do much. 

Our business is helping people with their homeownership, and your purpose is the same; you just go about it in a different way. What is your ultimate goal? 

Our goal is simply to keep people in their homes. Just like with most people, these families’ biggest assets are their houses. Many of them inherited their places, so they might not know everything that goes into maintaining their property. If we can help them get started and educate them, we can keep them in their homes and improve their neighborhoods. 

So if people want to help you help our community, where can they find you and donate? 

We have a website with a donate button at www.revitalizettown.org, and you can also visit our Facebook page. We have an event called Raise the Roof coming up on April 28, at The Vista at 21. There will be music, food, drinks, and a beautiful view of downtown Tulsa. Also, if you or someone you know needs help, our website is a great resource to get in contact with us. 

We’d like to thank Jennifer for speaking with us once again. As always, if you have questions about anything real estate-related, please call or email us. We’re always willing to help!

1907 is a fun shop in Broken Arrow that has a little bit of everything.

Tulsa looks so good on 1907! Located at 115 E. Fort Worth St. Broken Arrow, we’re excited to be with Bree at 1907. Bree was kind enough to answer a few questions about her business for us below:

What is 1907, and what makes it unique?

“1907 is a celebration of Oklahoma, and our store is called that because 1907 is the year we became a state. Everything in the store is made locally, and we make a lot of it. We have a little bit of everything including super-soft shirts, tumblers, koozies, earrings, soaps, salsas, jams, and more.”

It looks like there’s something for everyone in all different sizes and shapes. What are some of the most popular items?

“It depends on if you’re an Okie or a transplant. We have Okie girl stuff, but you have to identify as one to want those items.”

People can also make custom items here. Besides that, what are some special features of 1907? 

“We’ve been here since 2013, which feels like forever ago. We started out with a little store and just made jewelry and bought everything else. I’ve always loved doodling, and in art school, everything I drew looked like doodles, and that’s turned into a business. 

One time I drew the Osage shield with a dreamcatcher in the background, and taking that to get printed was the coolest feeling; I took an idea, turned it into something, then turned it into items people can buy. I’m not selling expensive paintings—it’s everyday art all people can appreciate. Then I just did another and another, and my favorite part of this business is making something people can take home. If you like a design, you can get it on a t-shirt, cuff, or coaster. I love seeing the way people light up when they see something they like.”

How can people find you?

“Come by the store; we have way more here than you’ll see on our website because the in-person stuff is our specialty. However, our website is great, and you can also find us on our Instagram and Facebook page. We’re located at 115 E. Fort Worth St. Broken Arrow, OK 74012; we’re a big red barn, you can’t miss it. Bigfoot is outside, so you can take a selfie!”

We appreciate Bree sharing all of her passion and her very cute store with us. If you ever have any real estate questions, call or visit The Wolek Group website. We would love to help you.

Here is the latest Tulsa market report and what it means for you.

Hey there! I just wanted to share with you all of the great things that are happening in the Tulsa real estate market. We want to be your local real estate economist of choice; we are here, we are knowledgeable, and we are in the market every day. Today I have a market report that’s fresh off the presses from our local multiple listing service. As a team, we are always monitoring and checking this report to see what is happening in the Tulsa market.

This is an amazingly detailed report, and you can find the whole document on this site. We typically like to focus on the year-over-year stats. They are going to be a snapshot of how 2021 compared to 2020. We saw huge increases in a lot of areas and huge decreases in some other areas. 

Real estate is always about supply and demand. When we have a low supply of homes for sale, the demand goes up, which also means the values go up. That is definitely what we have seen here over the last year. 

The top categories are the number of closed sales, pending sales, and new listings on the market. We had an increase in sales and pendings, but the active new listings are down over the whole year. 

A seller can price their home for whatever they like; it just may not sell for that, so we want to see what the reality is of you getting what you priced your home for. The number that tracks that is the average percent of listing price to selling price. It is now at 99.26%, so you can see that people who priced their homes at market value got that price. 

The average sales price over these last two years has continued to increase. From 2020 to 2021, there was a 15.9% increase, so while you were sitting in your property, it has appreciated almost 16% by doing nothing. Isn’t that pretty cool?

“There is a huge need for active properties!”

The other determining factor we like to look at is how long it takes to sell a home. With low supply and high demand, you can imagine that homes not only sell for more money but in a shorter amount of time. In the past, the average was at 33 days on the market, and now it is at 23 days. That is down 27%!

The months’ supply of inventory, or absorption rate, is also really important to note. This compares how long a new home would take to sell with a snapshot of everything available right now. That number is at 1.63 months, so in almost two months, everything that is currently active would sell. That again tells us that there is a huge need for active properties.

With that being said, we’re in a crunch; we need help selling homes to our buyers! We have active buyers looking for properties, but we’ve scoured the market, and all of them are either sold or not on the market yet. Maybe you have a home that you’re thinking about selling, or you might just be curious about your home’s value. We want to be here for you when you have these questions, thoughts, or even an inkling of curiosity. That’s what we’re here for!

Another cool thing about being in contact with us is that we have many agents working with buyers and sellers every day. I shared with you that active inventory is low, but we’ve already met with future sellers who are finishing up some painting or repairs and getting their homes ready for the market. We have an active pipeline of properties coming up, so if you’re interested in getting a report whenever those properties hit the market, we’d be happy to send you those. Just email or message us to get on our hot properties alert list.

Call or email us if you have questions, concerns, ideas, or any real estate needs. We’d love to speak with you!

The Demand Project’s vitally important work of fighting human trafficking.

What the Demand Project does for the Tulsa area community is just so amazing. We recently sat down with Kristin so that she could share what the organization is all about and why her work is so invaluable.

The Demand Project was founded due to a story Kristin heard in 2004 of a horrible incident that was recorded and shared online for others to watch. It was so awful that Kristin felt that she had to do something about it.

The organization was formed to cover the gaps in the system, help prevent sexual exploitation from happening, protect those who need it, and help victims recover when awful things do happen.

The Demand Project can hold presentations just about anywhere to help people better understand the extent and nature of the problem of human trafficking. They host an Aware Workshop that works with parents and teaches them how to keep kids safe online and out on the streets. There, you can learn how to identify and fight sexual exploitation—if you see something, then having the resources and knowledge to say something can make all the difference.

Kristin also recommends that anyone who is serious about learning how to combat these issues check out other, similar organizations like Shared Hope, the Polaris Project, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

“Having the resources and knowledge to say something can make all the difference.”

If you’d like to get involved, the Demand Project could use the extra time, money, and resources to keep up the good fight. They’re always looking for house guardians for their campus, respite care, office assistance, and much more. Visit www.TheDemandProject.org to learn more about who they are, what they do, and all the ways that you can lend a hand to keep our children safe.

And if you have any questions or would like to hear more about how you can become more active in the community to help keep the Tulsa area wonderful, don’t hesitate to give us a call at the Wolek Group. We’d love to have a conversation with you!

Here’s what Keri from SALT Yoga had to say about her fantastic business.

Today we’re chatting with Keri from SALT Yoga about her awesome business. We’re huge fans of SALT, so we hope you enjoy this interview as much as we did!

What would you say to someone who hasn’t started their yoga journey yet? What are some of the benefits?

To just start! There are a lot of questions and mysteries around what yoga is, but my main piece of advice is don’t be intimidated. The benefits are truly endless, so there’s no reason too big or too small to walk through the doors of SALT Yoga. 

If I had to break down the main goal of yoga, it’s to reconnect with yourself. We get so caught up in our busy lives, so we want people to leave their stress behind when they come into our studio so that they can get quiet and get in touch with their bodies no matter what shape they’re in. 

One thing we really enjoy about SALT, besides the stretching and exercises, is the breathing. It’s so important for us in this busy world to do that, especially given the last couple of years. What are some things that you love about SALT specifically that other yoga studios might not do?

Since we’re a hot studio, we provide a detox experience for our clients that typical studios can’t provide. We want people to feel strong, clean, and open when they’re done, and sweating helps us accomplish this. Also, while we have restorative meditation classes for beginners, our courses can be pretty challenging. Everyone leads busy lives, so we try to get as much as we can out of the hour you have with us.

“The main goal of yoga is to reconnect with yourself. ”

In our experience, all are welcome at SALT as well. It’s not intimidating or scary at all! 

Exactly; one of our biggest priorities at SALT is to cultivate a welcoming environment. I remember the first time I walked into a yoga studio I thought, “What is this mysterious place? Who are these people?” We know it can be intimidating, but we don’t want that here. 

I’d like to thank you once again for talking with us, Keri. Does SALT have anything going on that people should know about?

Yes! We always have our 10 for 10 deal for new clients. If you live in Oklahoma and you’ve never done yoga before, you can do 10 consecutive days of unlimited classes. You can get a feel for the instructors, check out meditation, and get a feel for if yoga is right for you. 

If you are interested in SALT Yoga, shoot them an email at [email protected] or visit their website at www.saltyogatulsa.com. You can also stop by 1708 Utica Square, Tulsa, OK 74114, and see what they have to offer. Finally, don’t forget you can always ask us questions about real estate, local businesses, or any other topic by calling 918-706-9845. We look forward to hearing from you!

At Board Brush, you can create the wooden masterpiece of your dreams.

Tulsa looks good on you, and it looks great on Stacy with Board Brush Creative Studio. I’m feeling the energy and excitement here, and I’m so delighted to talk to her about all the fun things about her business today!

Board Brush is a DIY paint-sip studio. They serve wine, beer, and other beverages to go along with their unique wooden art projects. Nobody has to do the same project at their workshop, unlike other sip and paint studios. Everybody gets to decide on what they want to make. 

“ The possibilities are endless.”

Not only is it a fantastic place for holiday and team events, they also offer public workshops as well as private events for anniversaries, birthdays, showers, and more! When you walk into the studio, you feel inspired by all the amazing pieces lining the walls. 

At Board Brush, you can customize exactly what you want to make on your board. You’ll choose a design ahead of time, then start with raw wood. Then their instructors will walk you through how to sand, stain, stencil, paint, and finish the project. There are different stains, techniques, and over 80 colors to choose from; the possibilities are endless. 

Even if you aren’t the most artistic person, there’s something for everyone here at Board Brush. If your creation doesn’t turn out how you like, they will help you fix it or fix it for you to your liking. To learn more about Board Brush, you can head on over to their Facebook page, give them a call at (918) 615-0722, or visit their website.

If you have any other questions for me or suggestions for a future video, don’t hesitate to reach out via phone or email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Here’s why Tulsa looks great on The Succulent Shop in Broken Arrow.

Tulsa looks good on you, and it also looks good on The Succulent Shop in the Rose District of downtown Broken Arrow. I can’t wait to take you on a tour of this amazing shop today.

I’m so excited to be joined by Andrew Meredith to talk about his amazing space and how it came to be. He has a landscaping background, but it was Andrew’s wife Cassidy who actually came up with the idea after returning from her bachelorette party. You can read the full storyhere.

Their vision resulted in The Succulent Shop. It’s a fun, unique space where people can learn more about plants, how to care for them, and create customized treasures by building their own succulent masterpieces. Andrew is excited to be a tool for them. They teach new plant owners how to take care of their plants and bring in fantastic options for experienced plant people as well.

“Whatever your preference, The Succulent Shop has it.”

They’re all about DIY and cultivating a family atmosphere. There is a bar, but there are no TVs. They want families to spend time together away from the screens, come in, get their hands dirty, learn, and have a good time while doing it.

In my short period of time here, I can attest to how wonderful this place is. There are plants of all shapes and sizes. Whatever your preference, The Succulent Shop has it.

Their greatest joy so far has been bringing something brand-new to the community and seeing people respond to it. The people of Broken Arrow and surrounding areas have been fantastic, and they’re so excited to serve them.

To learn more about The Succulent Shop, visit them on Facebook, Instagram, their website, or head on down to 319 S Main St. in Broken Arrow to have a drink and find your perfect plant.

If you have any real estate questions for me, don’t forget that I’m always here to answer them. Just reach out via phone or email today.

Teresa Brockwell of Farmers Insurance talks insurance and helping her clients.

Today, we’re excited to share our conversation with a fantastic local business leader: Teresa Brockwell from Farmers Insurance! She offers so much value to her clients, but her biggest strength is maintaining strong relationships. She’ll share what she does, how she helps her clients, and much more. So we think you’ll really love this conversation if you’re interested in how insurance works. 

Teresa has been an insurance agent for over 23 years and she is a valued partner of the Wolek Group. According to her, one of the biggest trends in the industry right now is the amount of options people have with their policies. Back when she started, you only had one or two options, and if you didn’t like something, that was it. Now, there are upwards of 10 policies to choose from. This is great for consumers, but it can also lead to issues. If you don’t talk to a professional like Teresa, you could rush into a policy with some unforeseen gaps. 

If you rushed into a policy, or if you haven’t reviewed your coverage in a while, Teresa’s team will do an audit of your insurance policies free of charge. Of course, if you want a quote, she’ll give you one, and her rates are pretty great right now. There’s a good chance she can save you money, so we encourage you to reach out and see what she can do for you.

You can listen to our full conversation in the video above, or skip to each topic using the timestamps provided below:

0:00 — Introducing Teresa

0:53 — Teresa’s background and experience

1:59 — What are the biggest insurance trends right now?

3:27 — Why Farmers Insurance focuses on building relationships

5:25 — Farmers will do an audit of your insurance free of charge

6:47 — How you can reach Teresa

7:45 — Wrapping up

If you have any questions about today’s topic, please reach out to us via phone or email. You can also reach Teresa at (918) 496-1800 or [email protected]. We look forward to hearing from you!