Aspiring restaurant owners, artists needed for new Kendall-Whittier program

TULSA, Okla. — Regenerate|Reimagine is looking for creatives in Tulsa interested in opening a restaurant.

“We’re working with real aspiring restaurateurs and experimenting at what opportunity might look like in Kendall-Whittier,” Jackiez Gonzalez said.

Regenerate|Reimagine is a local initiative founded by Gonzalez in 2021 and funded by the City of Tulsa’s Vision Arts program.

The program begins this month and goes through April next year.

“There is a lot of great stuff already happening in Kendall-Whittier but we really are missing the food option,” Gonzalez said.

The program is also looking for artists who can help elevate branding for these prospective businesses.

Two applications are available now; one for the aspiring business owners and the other for artists who have experience in either graphic design, interior design or branding.

“This whole project is focused on public art as an economic development strategy,” Gonzalez said.

Anyone who plans to apply and wants to be a part of opening a restaurant in Kendall-Whittier – whether that be a brick-and-mortar business, permanent pop up or food truck – is eligible.

Applications are due on Nov. 9.

Special consideration will be given to minority-owned prospective restaurants as well as those who have started or graduated from Kitchen 66 or Cocina 66.

“The Kendall-Whittier neighborhood is predominately Hispanic and we want to increase representation of business owners to be more reflective of the community that they live in,” Gonzalez said.

The program will consist of three phases which include pairing prospective business owners with local artists to create branding, providing pop-up space for the restauranteurs to showcase their menus and then a vote from the neighborhood on which restaurant they wish to make a permanent resident.

“We really hope this can be the start of some amazing new businesses in the neighborhood,” Gonzalez said.

Regenerate | Reimagine is a local initiative by Jackiez Gonzalez and Kendall Whittier Main Street, funded by the City of Tulsa’s Vision Arts program. The program begins this month and goes through April of 2023. The ultimate goal is to provide enough support for one food-related business to be in a position to open its doors in Kendall Whittier in 2023.

Request for Qualifications for both artists and prospective restauranters are available online at rr.trytulsa.org in English and Spanish. Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. central on November 9, 2022.

TULSA – Regenerate|Reimagine is seeking prospective food-related entrepreneurs, restauranteurs and local artists for an initiative that combines economic development and art as a way to foster entrepreneurship.

The RFQ for restaurateurs invites prospective food-related entrepreneurs and restauranters to submit complete the RFQ to be considered for this project, which may result in enough support for one business to open.

The program is competition-based, where the public can vote on its favorite concepts – and later vote based on tastings – through three phases until one business is selected.

Prospective restauranteurs or food-related businesses who are ready to start the process of opening their doors in Kendall Whittier – whether in a brick-and-mortar business, permanent pop up or food truck – are eligible. Special consideration will be given to minority-owned prospective businesses as well as those who have started or graduated from Kitchen 66 or Cocina 66.

A second RFQ seeks Tulsa-metro based artists with experience in graphic design, branding and/or interior design are welcome to apply. Special consideration will be given to minority artists.

Artists will be paired with prospective food-related businesses and asked to design visual concepts, branding support and other design needs. Artists will be compensated by the program for their time.

Artist/Business pairings will remain consistent throughout the three phases, but not all sets will move through the phases as it is a competition. Artists will be required to execute an agreement to grant Regenerate|Reimagine, Kendall Whittier Main Street, and their paired business an artistic copyright to promote, reproduce, photograph, or republish images and works created for this program.

Jackiez Gonzalez is a workforce, education and inclusive economic development advocate. She founded Regenerate|Reimagine in 2021 as a way to use art to elevate economic development opportunities for aspiring business owners in Tulsa. Additionally, she is slated to serve as the 2023 TYPROS chairwoman.

Kendall Whittier Main Street is a nonprofit organization that supports businesses and property owners in Kendall Whittier, hosts events to bring people to the district and works closely with local and state liaisons for improvements. Kendall Whittier is a certified cultural district by the Oklahoma Arts Council.

Vision Arts, a collaboration between Tulsa City Council, the Mayor’s Office and Tulsa Arts Commission, provides selected 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(3)-sponsored organizations funding for programs that art projects that stimulate economic development throughout Tulsa.

For more information about Regenerate|Reimagine or the RFQs, email Gonzalez at jackiez@trytulsa.org or Kendall Whittier Main Street at info@visitKendallWhittier.com.

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