Park Avenue Thrift receives state Main Street award

May 6, 2023

ENID, Okla. — Main Street Enid won one award at Oklahoma Main Street Center’s 33rd annual Main Street Awards Banquet earlier this week in Oklahoma City.

Enid’s Park Avenue Thrift was named Premier Partner at the statewide awards ceremony.

The award recognizes contributions by an individual, business or organization partnering with the local Main Street organization toward the work of the local program.

“Park Avenue Thrift is one of our biggest supporters and a driving force in allowing Main Street Enid to produce high-quality events for the community,” said Natalie Rapp, Main Street Enid executive director, when finalists were announced in March. “They truly want to see downtown Enid thrive and we can’t thank them enough.”

Stela Jantzen, executive director of Park Avenue Thrift, said she and her organization are happy to help Main Street Enid.

“Main Street Enid is such an amazing organization that works hard to make our downtown community unique and a place where people want to be,” Jantzen said. “Supporting Main Street Enid and other wonderful organizations in our community is essential to building a strong, vibrant and thriving city.

“Of course, none of this is possible without the incredible support we receive from the community when they shop and donate at Park Avenue Thrift.”

Park Avenue Thrift is an Oklahoma 501©(3) that exists to strengthen the Enid community and serve others by collecting donations, running a thrift store and giving the proceeds to Enid nonprofits that invest in quality-of-life initiatives.

In 2022, Park Avenue Thrift gave more than $362,000 to 26 organizations. The thrift store focuses on funding visual and/or performing arts, education, environmental sustainability and projects that keep Enid unique and a place where people want to be.

Programs across the state competed in 23 award categories representing the “Four Points” of the Main Street Approach: Organization, Promotion, Economic Vitality and Design. Panels of outside judges for each point reviewed the entries and determined the winners. In addition, the Program of the Year and the “Watonga Bob” Shoemaker Award for Program Director of the Yea also were recognized.

“These awards truly showcase the hard work and efforts by so many in our local programs,” said Buffy Hughes, director of the Oklahoma Main Street Center. “Through the unique and time-honored events, the volunteers, the restoration efforts and all the small businesses that make our downtowns and historic commercial districts so great, these awards prove that Main Streets across Oklahoma are alive and thriving. Congratulations to all the top three finishers and the winners.”

Woodward Main Street received one award: Persimmon Creek Gifts for Best Interior Design Project Under $25,000.

Main Street Program of the year was Tahlequah Main Street, and Jennie LaFave of Pryor received the Watonga Bob” Shoemaker Award.

Main Street Enid had three other finalists:

• Outstanding Community Engagement Effort, Tools for Your Business/Herramientas Para Tu Negocio, which promotes business growth of the Hispanic community in Enid.

• Outstanding Business Expansion, Enid Axe.

• Business of the Year, Settlers Brewing Co.

Woodward Main Street also had three other finalists:

• Main Street Hero, Jana Walker.

• Outstanding Public Official, Rachael Van Horn.

• Creative New Event, Giant Pumpkin Drop.