The vision behind a north Tulsa grocery store

A diverse crowd of hundreds gathered May 17 for the grand opening of Oasis Fresh Market, 1725 N. Peoria Ave. Before the official ribbon cutting, we spoke with AJ Johnson and Joe Hair, part of the store’s ownership group.

The two spoke about their vision for separating north Tulsa from the phrase “food desert” by bringing residents access to healthy foods and other resources. 

AJ, a grocery store in north Tulsa like this one is long overdue. How long have you dreamed of opening a grocery store here?

AJ: Well, the crazy thing is, I actually hadn't dreamed of having a grocery store in north Tulsa. My first job at 13 was at Reasor’s at 71st and Sheridan, and my first job out of college at the University of Tulsa was with a grocery distributor, as well. And so, with the background and what happened at Tulsa Dream Center — the pandemic, you know, all the great work that we did there (handing out free groceries, etc.) — when Rose Washington (CEO of Tulsa Economic Development Corp. Creative Capital) approached me about this, it was like the perfect next step fit.

But now this reality has birthed the desire to really change the model for food deserts in rural and underserved communities — really, for me, not just in Tulsa, not just in Oklahoma, but now I've got a dream, a desire, to really do this across the nation. Because I really feel everyone needs quality groceries, everyone needs access to fresh produce, to fresh meat on a high level, and that's what we're doing at Oasis Fresh Market, where we are more than just groceries. That’s our motto: Oasis Fresh Market. More than just groceries. Equipping you for life.

What do you mean when you say that?

So Oasis Fresh Market is a for-profit grocery store. But what we've done, the ownership group and myself, is we've created a nonprofit, and it's called the Oasis Project. And every first Saturday we're going to bring in some awesome resources to equip people. If they have the desire to go from being a renter to a homeowner, Gateway Mortgage is going to have information and applications to help. And even if they're not ready right now, that's where they can start that process. Bank of Oklahoma is going to partner with us on teaching people the importance of debits and credits, and really the basic skills that a lot of individuals will need to have. Also American Heart Association, American Diabetes, because the life expectancy rate in this community is 11 years shorter (than in some zip codes in south Tulsa). So every first Saturday, we're going to have different recipes and different opportunities where people, if they fall in certain categories, can get the proper information on a budget — everyone wants to ball on a budget — on how to live a healthier life because we believe that health is wealth. And so whatever we can do to resource them, outside of a grocery store — really for us it's almost got a nonprofit feel. And so we're going to do what we can every month to give back.

So every first Saturday will be called the Oasis Give Back, and that's what we're going to be doing. Every single month we'll have some incredible resources, partnering with Still She Rises for women and family, partnering even with the Tulsa Dream Center on the produce that the kids will grow in their garden. We're going to have a local spot where we can sell that right here, and the proceeds will go back to the Tulsa Dream Center and the kids. And so (we’re) teaching them the principles of really learning how to become an entrepreneur.

We're talking to organizations right now to help people that have the desire to have their own business, but maybe they don't know how to write a business plan, maybe they don't know how to approach the bank. Well, we're going to offer real skills that will resource them. 

I am expecting that this will be the catalyst to where we will see a different model of for profit and nonprofit coming together to bring true transformation to communities like north Tulsa and others alike. 

We know you as executive director of the Tulsa Dream Center. Will you be splitting your time between the grocery store and there?

I will not. So my role is the greatest cheer captain at Oasis Fresh Market. I'm on the ownership group. I'm one of some great owners here. Joe Hair, who's also an owner, who is our CEO, he's the brain —like “Pinky and the Brain.” He's the brain behind the operation.

And so, yeah, I will be here. We're actually working on some plans for other Oasis Fresh Markets that will break ground this year here, one in west Tulsa. And the second, I can't yet fully say, but it’s coming. But that just shows you how many communities … even in west Tulsa, there was once a Warehouse Market there, and there's not. And so there are communities within where individuals unfortunately don't have proper access. And we believe, all the owners and myself, we believe everyone deserves access, everyone deserves quality, everyone deserves the opportunity to live a healthier and better life. And this is one of those steps to help point them in that direction.

You worked with Tulsa Economic Development Corp. Creative Capital on this project. How was that?

Rose Washington, she's amazing. She’s the captain. And shout out to the City of Tulsa to for doing the community block development funding. Councilor Vanessa Hall-Harper really championed this, as well. They've been at this work for the past four years. But I believe that they were waiting for AJ and Joe to show up and say, “We'll take it by the horns and serve this community.” And what's so special is it's right on the cusp of the centennial (of the Tulsa Race Massacre). And obviously there's a lot of work still to be done for minorities — Black and brown, Asian, no matter what ethnicity — but this is a step. As a Black man, as an owner of a $7 million grocery store — that's what this build was — it's a step. I believe so many amazing organizations — GKFF and Zarrow and Schusterman (the foundations) — and all the great work that Rose Washington and Councilwoman Vanessa Hall-Harper have done have led us to this day. And it's an honor to serve. 

I don't think this is just big for north Tulsa. I believe this is big for our city at large and our state. This is an opportunity because all the eyes are on Tulsa, with us barely falling short to get Tesla, with the Gathering Place opened up, with BMX coming to town, with what's happening in north Tulsa with George Kaiser Family Foundation bringing these high-quality jobs, all of that with a grocery store and our school systems hopefully continuing to get better. That's going to change the economic development for this community and the taxes that will stay right here in this community. That's how I believe we bring true transformation.

How many are you employing here in this store?

Right now we have 30 employees. And the greatest part of that is the majority of our employees live right here in north Tulsa. And that's going to be the goal for us going forward in all of our stores that we equip, hire and train residents from that community. 

How did the soft openings go last week? Tell me what you're hearing in the community.

We probably had 2,000 customers that actually bought product, but we had hundreds and hundreds of more that were just surprised and just wanted to come see.

We had a lady drive from Arkansas that grew up right here in north Tulsa. She just wanted to purchase her groceries during the soft opening because she said this is her grocery store, as well. And so the community has shown us they have been waiting for excellence. Well, Oasis Fresh Market is here today to be that excellent service for them. That almost made me get emotional.

Is there anything else that you'd like to say?

Man, I'm grateful. I'm grateful because it represents true life change for our community and for people. And our motto will always be one of our mottos. Our core values will always be people over profit. We want to care about the person more than just making a dollar. And we believe that's going to be one of the unique differences here at Oasis.

Joe, what is your background in Tulsa and the grocery business?

Joe: Five or six weeks ago I didn’t know anything about grocery stores. I own Integrity Customs automotive customization shop. We have two locations in Tulsa and one in Oklahoma City. … I came in and started helping get the operations side (of Oasis) going and everything. And then we just started talking about ownership and stuff like that, and that's when it changed from there. I also have a partnership in the Brook (restaurant) they just built downtown. I don't manage that one; they manage that. I'm just a silent partner there. But yeah, I know more about a grocery store today than I ever thought I would. It's been interesting and it’s been fun.

What was it about this that excited you and made you want to become involved?

I grew up in north Tulsa and I've lived in housing projects. I've lived in what I didn't know was a “food desert” before. Me and AJ have known each other for a long time through the Tulsa Dream Center. I volunteered out there and stuff like that. Actually, I'm a high school dropout from Booker T. (Washington High School). I’ve got my GED. So my biggest thing is kids that come through here — people, their purpose, and kids, talking to them — that they're not held down by anything. I own or have partnership in five businesses now, and I have a GED that was court ordered. It’s God's grace on me and stuff, but I mean, I want to speak that into these kids, especially the ones that come through here.

Is there anything else you wanted to say?

It's exciting. Listening to people last week talk about the store, how much I feel like they're going to take pride in it, and how much they enjoy being in the atmosphere, I really think it's going to be a game changer.

I told our staff last week, we had a meeting, I said, “You're part of the beginning. What would be the thing if in five years and look up, and this model’s successful. And they've taken this model to other cities to other food deserts. You look up and five years from now, there's 100 grocery stores this size and this scope battling the food desert problem, and you were a part of that beginning?” And I think that's pretty cool for our employees to realize what they're a part of right now.

It’s a state-of-the-art building. Everything is fresh and new. And so to go from not having a grocery store period to having this like, to me that just speaks so much about, like, you know, when you when you get nice things, it's like you feel worthy, even though that doesn't determine your worth, but like it says something about other people's belief in you. And so I think that's really powerful. It's huge.

I'm so glad TEDC did this building brand new because the original talk was just going into that building (next door) and making a smaller building where there had already been two grocery stores. And I think that would just be a rerun of what's been. Yeah, you can put new paint on the wall, but this is fresh and new, and everybody sees it. Hopefully everybody understands that … (Our sign) says “welcome to your neighborhood market,” and AJ keeps talking about we need to take that down and say, “welcome to our neighborhood market,” because it's the community’s. We're here to operate it and run it on a daily basis, but it truly is the community’s store, and we want them to take ownership of it and take pride in it.

You know as well as I do, when you read articles about grocery stores in north Tulsa, there are always naysayers. What would you say to the naysayers who haven't set foot in the store?

We’ve had people through here, and we've had naysayers come into the store. And the one thing I would just say is give it time. Just believe in it. You know, I think that's the hardest part is the mindset that we have to change with the store being new. We have to change that mindset because they have to know this is theirs.

This isn't some big corporation coming into town and opening up. AJ is the majority owner. He's here. He'll be here on a daily basis. I think that's what they have to understand. Those naysayers will set there talking about, “Watch. Watch what's going on. There’s been two stores that haven't survived.” Well, we're not those two stores. We're not the same size, we’re not going to run the same hours. We are our own people. Give us a shot to make a difference. 

Do you know, what is the development going in a bit south of you, at the corner of Pine and Peoria?

A Wendy’s. They saw how successful Sonic was, McDonald's was, so then they put the Burger King, they put the Taco Bell, they got Popeye’s, they got Wendy's. That's why AJ talks about the (healthy eating) classes and stuff like that. We need to talk to people not just about fast food, but healthy living.

The biggest stat that he always brings up is if you live north of I-244 your lifespan is 11 years shorter than out south. That's education. We need to help people.