50 Penn Place in Oklahoma City: Mixed-Use Shopping and Office Complex with Retail Anchors

A 16-story mixed-use tower at the corner of Penn Avenue and Memorial Drive, 50 Penn Place combines office space, upscale retail, and dining in a single vertical complex that functions as both a destination for specific shopping needs and a weekday lunch hub for downtown workers. Built in 1990, it sits at the northern edge of the central business district and caters primarily to professionals and shoppers seeking established chain retailers rather than independent boutiques.

What 50 Penn Place actually is

50 Penn Place is a vertical shopping center and office complex, not a traditional single-floor mall. Ground-floor and lower-level retail occupants have included anchors like Saks Fifth Avenue (now closed), Crate and Barrel, Williams-Sonoma, and Barnes & Noble, though retail occupancy shifts periodically. The building also houses dozens of professional office suites above retail. This vertical layout means a single visit targets one or two specific stores rather than casual browsing across a large footprint.

Anchor tenants and retail makeup

Crate and Barrel occupies a prominent ground-floor space and draws furniture and home-goods shoppers; Williams-Sonoma serves the same demographic. Barnes & Noble's presence historically made the complex a destination for book and café traffic, though anchor tenants change. Office buildings in downtown Oklahoma City typically cluster mid-size law firms, consulting practices, and corporate regional offices on upper floors. Unlike Quail Springs Mall or Penn Square Mall, 50 Penn Place does not position itself for weekend family shopping; it functions as a professional address and a weekday retail stop.

How it compares to other Oklahoma City shopping areas

50 Penn Place differs fundamentally from both Quail Springs Mall (north OKC, indoor climate-controlled mall format, 150+ stores, weekend-family oriented) and Penn Square Mall (northwest OKC, similar scale and family focus). Compared to Bricktown's street-level retail corridor, 50 Penn Place is vertically stacked and car-dependent; it offers no outdoor pedestrian experience. The Paseo Arts District houses independent galleries and studios; 50 Penn Place is corporate-chain retail. Choose 50 Penn Place for specific home-furnishings chains or if your office sits downtown. Choose Penn Square or Quail Springs for variety and casual browsing. Choose Bricktown for dining and entertainment alongside shopping.

Who it suits and who it does not suit

50 Penn Place suits downtown office workers, people familiar with the building's specific tenants, and shoppers seeking Williams-Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, or other anchors. It does not suit shoppers seeking independent retailers, discount outlets, or a traditional mall experience. Parking garage access means it is not pedestrian-friendly for extended browsing, and no food court or casual seating replaces the anchor restaurants that once drew lingerers.

What the first visit involves

Parking is garage-based; validate at retail storefronts to reduce rates. Enter via ground-level storefronts or through interior mall corridors if weather is poor. Navigate to specific retailers rather than expect to wander discovering new shops. If office-visiting, use the main lobby elevators. Retail hours vary by tenant; larger anchors typically operate 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays and shorter hours on weekends, though this shifts seasonally and by business.

Hours, parking, and logistics

Ground-floor retail hours typically run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays, with reduced weekend hours, but confirm directly with individual tenants as closures and relocations change occupancy. Covered parking is available in the attached garage; validate your receipt at retail locations for discounted rates (typically $2 to $3 for up to two hours, depending on tenant). The building sits one block east of the Myriad Botanical Gardens and two blocks west of Bricktown, making it accessible via car from I-35 or I-44. No public transit stop is immediately adjacent; nearest EMBARK bus routes are several blocks away.

50 Penn Place remains a functional vertical shopping hub for specific chain retailers and a professional office address rather than a destination shopping experience. Its value lies in consolidation: one parking garage covers office, home-goods retail, and dining for weekday users who know what they came for.