<a href="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/2010/12/christmas-parades-galore-tulsa-kids-day-out/dsc_1794/" rel="attachment wp-att-3983"><img src="http://www.tashadoestulsa.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/DSC_1794-500x332.jpg" alt="The Blue Whale Christmas" title="The Blue Whale Christmas" width="500" height="332" class="aligncenter size-large wp-image-3983" /></a>

<em>Today's post comes from <a href="http://jenniferluitwieler.com/" target="_blank">Tulsa blogger and writer Jennifer Luitwieler</a>. She blogs at jenniferluitwieler.com/blog, and her book, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Run-Me-Accidental-Runner-Power/dp/0615524761/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322145278&sr=8-1" target="_blank">Run With Me: An Accidental Runner and the Power of Poo</a>, was released earlier this year. Welcome, Jen!</em>

Fifth and Boston, downtown Tulsa. Once, holiday shoppers filled the street, popping into one department store after another, gathering gifts, gazing up at the lights draped wildly over the street. 

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Hordes of women in bouffants and cat’s eye glasses passed from department store to specialty boutique, on the prowl for bargains on gifts through streets hugged by the ornate buildings of downtown Tulsa. 

Now, we flock to the low-flung, sprawling expanse of the 71st and Memorial corridor, sitting in gridlock on the roads and in the parking lots, bumping up against each other in stores packed to the ceiling with gifts from the other side of the world, the proceeds of which will scatter like ripped wrapping paper back to their point of origin rather than into the coffers of the local small business owner. 

Libby Auld, President of the Deco District Business Association, wants to change that. Auld worked with leasing agents willing to make temporary and affordable space available to retailers in downtown Tulsa. Then she went on the prowl for retailing gems to take up residence, for one month, on Fifth and Boston. Vendors like Bedlam Sports, Mecca Coffee, Candy Castle and Books Are Fun are bringing Auld's concept, <a href="http://decodistricttulsa.com/pop-up-shopping/" target="_blank">Pop-Up Shopping</a>, to life by opening satellite shops in the Thompson and Philcade Buildings for holiday shoppers. Indie Emporium and Therarganics will have a presence in the shops, too, and three start-ups will celebrate their Tulsa debuts. 

Pop Up Shopping opens on November 28th, and on Wednesday the 30th, the Deco District will celebrate with the first of a series of Winter Wednesdays. On those days, shops will remain open one hour later, until 8 p.m. Merchants will offer their usual Two Bucks on Boston deals, and Pop-Up Shops are encouraged to have a $2 offering as well. Live music by Klondike 5 and Desi & Cody will play shoppers to the registers. Santa will patrol the street so visitors can snap a free photo of him with the kids. Area choirs are slotted for caroling. 

The Deco district is within an “eight-minute walk by my 80 year old grandmother,” Auld said, to Winterfest at the BOK Center plaza, where ice skating, horse-drawn carriage rides and hot chocolate will be on offer. The Blue Dome and Brady Districts are not far, either. Free Pedicab rides, with a tip of course, will be on hand to grease the wheels, whisking a new generation of shoppers around downtown. 

Pop-Up Shopping hours begin on Monday, Nov. 28. Shopping will be available Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Wednesday, 10 a.m.-8p.m. (or later); and Saturday, 12 p.m.-8 p.m., until Dec. 30. <a href="http://decodistricttulsa.com/pop-up-shopping/" target="_blank">Learn even more about Pop-Up Shopping in downtown Tulsa at decodistricttulsa.com</a>.