Boyd Street October 2020

Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence Award

Sooner Theatre

Norman Regional Health Foundation’s

Paint the Town Pink

Normanite in the Spotlight

David Duncan

October 2020 • Issue 10 • Volume 19

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Features

OCTOBER CONTENTS 2020

ISSUE 10– VOLUME 19

Award-winning Community 14 Theatre

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Mark Doescher

MANAGING EDITOR

by Callie Collins Sooner Theatre celebrates ONE Award, begins fall semester classes.

Lindsay Cuomo

PHOTOGRAPHY

Mark Doescher

CONTRIBUTORS

Paint the Town Pink

24 by Roxanne Avery

Norman Regional Health Foundation celebrates Cancer Awareness Month.

Normanite in the Spotlight:

37 David Duncan

Roxanne Avery | Heidi Brandes Callie Collins | Lindsay Cuomo Kathy Hallren | Joy Hampton Shannon Hudzinski | Chelsey Kraft Bill Moakley | Chris Plank Chat Williams

14

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In Memory of

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by Chelsey Kraft Local dermatologist explains why Norman has felt like home since second grade.

1960 - 2020

Freshmen

42 by Chris Plank

Youngsters shine for the Sooners early in the season.

Norman North vs.

54 Edmond Memorial

by Mark Doescher Images from the Timberwolve’s seasonopening victory.

24

Crosstown Volleyball

58 by Mark Doescher

Boyd Street Magazine 2020 E. Alameda Norman, Oklahoma 73071 Phone: (405) 321-1400 E-mail: editor@boydstreet.com Copyright © Boyd Street Magazine Any articles, artwork or graphics created by Boyd Street Magazine or its contributors are sole property of Boyd Street Magazine and cannot be reproduced for any reason without permission.

Any opinions expressed in Boyd Street are not necessarily that of Boyd Street management.

Spotlights 10 Lieutenant Jeremy Bratcher

Images from the 2020 Crosstown Clash.

Saving Lives with Education

76 by Lindsay Cuomo

42

Local nephrologist combats a silent killer with prevention.

Sweet Success

by Chelsey Kraft

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by Lindsay Cuomo

Boyd Street Teacher Feature

32 Lieutenant Todd Bussell Service Spotlight:

Sauce It Up

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Longtime restaurateur family opens a new pizza shop in Norman.

Blooming Business

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Six Bad Reasons to

88 by Heide Brandes

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Jayci Jacks

Local family opens Pinkitzel location in Norman’s Carriage Plaza.

84 by Roxanne Avery

by Bill Moakley

Service Spotlight:

80 by Callie Collins

Service Spotlight:

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COMM U N I T Y

BY: BILL MOAKLEY

Service Spotlight:

Lieutenant Jeremy Bratcher

F

or most police officers, advancing through departmental ranks is a professional goal. For Norman Police Department Lieutenant Jeremy Bratcher, it’s also very personal.

Bratcher is the grandson of the late Jerry Bratcher, a Norman police officer killed while on duty in November 1963. The older Bratcher was investigating a stolen vehicle operation east of the city on old State Highway 9 (now Alameda Street). On his way back into town, a car failed to stop at a stop sign at 60th Avenue and struck the officer’s patrol car. Jerry Bratcher died that night at the hospital.

His rank at the time? Lieutenant. The same rank pinned to his grandson this summer.

“Knowing my grandpa was a lieutenant, I thought it would be really cool if I made lieutenant,” Bratcher said. “My dad was really proud, and it meant a lot to him that I was able to do it.”

Bratcher has been able to help his father better know his own father. Only seven years old when Jerry Bratcher was killed, Jeremy Bratcher’s dad was left with just a few pictures and memories.

neer. His service would include a tour of duty as part of Operation Southern Watch in Saudi Arabia. Bratcher left the Air Force in 1997 and started a 10-year career in sales with Wonder Bread. The law enforcement itched remained unscratched and with a lot of support from his wife, he decided to chase his dream.

“I worked (at Wonder Bread) for 10 years and started having children and I was making pretty good money,” Bratcher recalled. “I wasn’t sure if I could go out and be a police officer.

My wife said, ‘nope, that’s your lifelong dream. We’ll make it work. You need to go apply.’

“I wanted to do it since I was a kid. But with a family, I began to think it might be better if I stayed with the good job I had.

If it hadn’t been for her, I don’t know if I’d have made that next step.”

“My dad didn’t have a lot of stories or pictures of him because he was so young when it happened,” Bratcher explained. “Being (with Norman PD), I’ve been able to share things with my dad, giving him stories and pictures that the police department had that he never knew existed. For me, that’s really the best thing that’s happened. I’ve been able to bring some of what he lost back to him.”

Bratcher was a member of Norman’s 2009 police academy.

After graduation, he was assigned to the afternoon shift. Following six years on that beat, he would move to days. He has served as a member of the original NPD gang unit, currently the street crimes unit, as well as working with at-risk youth.

He also has served as police training officer (PTO), and currently oversees 10 to 15 on-duty officers as supervisor of the night shift.

In addition to his own grandfather having served as an officer, Bratcher’s stepfather was a police officer as well, helping cement his desire to work in law enforcement.

Now a veteran officer in Norman, Bratcher believes the best thing about the city he serves is the support his department receives from the community.

After graduating from Union City High School in 1993, Bratcher joined the U.S. Air Force and trained as a civil engi-

“It makes it really easy to protect and serve a community that truly cares about you,” he concluded.– BSM

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As a former basketball and softball coach, Jacks said she is used to working in a field that features more men. To her, what matters most is being a good teammate, a hard worker and someone who does what is right.

“To me, it’s not that I’m a female in a male department,” Jacks explained.

“I’m a firefighter in the department and just happen to be around a bunch of good guys.”

Jacks completed the department’s 16week academy last summer. Currently, she is part of Station 4’s C crew, joining that location from Station 3 a couple of months ago.

Almost four years ago, Jacks moved to Norman for a change of pace and started the search for a career that would be a better fit for her. Originally, she was a teacher and a coach, and while she said she loved those roles, she knew it was not what she wanted to do for the rest of her life.

Instead, Jacks started searching for a career that would challenge and keep her physically active. Jacks knew she was interested in the medical side of the job but didn’t realize she wanted to be a firefighter until talking to a female friend who joined a fire department in the Tulsa area. As her friend shared more about 14 | October 2020

Service Spotlight: Jayci Jacks the job, Jacks realized it fit her personality, not just in terms of the active lifestyle but also being part of a team and wanting to help the community.

Jacks’ next step was to do a lot of research since it would be a huge career change. She also earned her emergency medical technician certification, knowing it would make her a better candidate, and completed Camp Inferno, which the Oklahoma City Fire Department hosts for women to see if they feel like they would be a good fit in a fire department.

“That camp kind of solidified, ‘yeah, this is exactly what I want to be doing when I come to work,’” she said. “After that I started training, getting more physically fit and looking into job opportunities and was blessed and fortunate enough to become a part of the Norman Fire Department.”

Jacks’ family lives in the area now too, with her parents moving to Norman from their hometown of Antlers, and her brother and his wife live in Purcell and work in Norman.

“As a unit we just kind of all decided, ‘let’s be in the same general area.’ We’re pretty committed to Norman for sure,” Jacks said.

When she’s not on shift, Jacks said she likes to be outside, working in the yard, going to the lake or playing sports. She also does CrossFit and dabbles in leatherwork, making radio straps, belts or other items firefighters can use.

For other women or girls who are con-

sidering becoming firefighters, Jacks has a couple of pieces of advice. First, do your research. Look into getting your EMT license and talk to other firefighters to get an idea of what the career is like. Then, once you decide that this is what you want to do, go for it.

“There are people out there who will try to step on your toes just because they can,” Jacks said. “If that’s what you decide, then you put the pedal to the metal and do what you’ve got to do.

As long as you are capable of physically doing the job, and if you’re mentally tough, go for it.”

Jacks has had some people tell her they don’t think women should be in fire service, but that is not what she has heard while working for the Norman Fire Department.

“They’ve accepted me with open arms, and I’m very appreciative of that,” she said and added that she feels blessed that she works in Norman.

For Jacks, this major career change ended up being the right one. If anything, she’s just sad it took her so long to get into the field.

“I’m 35. I started this at 34, which I feel like is a little older than most people get started,” Jacks explained. “But I think it was God’s plan for me. Had I done this maybe in my 20s, I don’t know that I would have even been as appreciative.

I found it at the right time in life. I just wish that the right time would have also been a little sooner.” – BSM

Photo by: Mark Doescher

A

lthough she’s only the third female firefighter to ever work for the Norman Fire Department, Jayci Jacks tries to not think about that – she’s just going to work and doing her job.

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COMM U N I T Y

BY: CALLIE COLLINS

Award-winning Community Theatre Sooner Theatre celebrates ONE Award, begins fall semester classes

N

orman’s own Sooner Theatre is known as a stand-out spot for community gatherings and performance arts on Main Street. This local favorite is getting some statewide attention as a recipient of a 2020 Oklahoma Nonprofit Excellence (ONE) Award.

The Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits recognizes not-for-profit organizations that provide human services and foster community throughout the state with the annual ONE Awards. Best known for live performances, Sooner Theatre has served Normanites since 1929 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.

“Finding out we had been nominated was an amazing day in what has otherwise been a somewhat dark time,” said Jennifer Baker, who has served as executive director of Sooner Theatre for nearly two decades. “Someone nominated us. We don’t know who but we’re absolutely so appreciative.

Thank you to that person. It has meant the world to us to even make the list and then to find out we were a finalist was incredible.”

The Sooner Theatre filled an application in response to the original nomination. Sooner Theatre received a $5,000 cash award for being named a finalist.

“There were 21 finalists selected across

18 | October 2020

seven categories,” Baker explained.

“We’re honored and elated to have been named. When I looked at the list, we were in really good company.”

turn a family away because they can’t afford it. Last year alone, we gave away scholarships that amounted to more than $48,000.”

Other finalists are the Western Trail Historical Society and Muskogee Little Theatre. The overall winner was Tulsa’s The Gathering Place.

Sooner Theatre features a variety of classes for children ages 3 to 18 in its famed Studio, including musical theatre production with a full-scale musical, a plethora of styles of dance, voice, acting, Shakespeare, magic and more. A class for children with Down syndrome is also a point of pride for staffers who seek to be inclusive.

An additional cash prize on top of the

“The Studio is the heartbeat of our organization,” said Baker. “I was a scholarship kid here in Norman from my very first theatre experience. I can’t imagine where I would be or what I’d be doing without performing arts scholarships.”

$5,000 already received will benefit children who count on participation at Sooner Theatre for performing arts classes.

“People are out of work, businesses are closing and paying for extras just isn’t always an option for families,” said Baker. “We have a philosophy here at Sooner Theatre that we never

Baker recalled her mother enrolling her in an acting class at age 5 through the City of Norman. She played a Georgia peach and remembers carrying a cardboard cutout of the fruit across the stage, without a single spoken line.

“I was and still am so grateful for that scholarship and the many that followed,” said Baker, who went on to study musical theatre at the University of Oklahoma before professional performance and choreography became her career.

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Sooner Theatre classes are offered both in person and virtually for the fall semester.

“Children need to maintain their sense of normalcy and go to classes when possible,” said Baker. She credits the Oklahoma Center for Nonprofits with sanitization best practices in the era of COVID-19, as well as pandemic response guidance and webinars.

Baker recognizes the vital role of the community in helping make the arts possible and what the arts offer in return: improved quality of life.

“We are happy and we are honored to provide that but it does take a village,” she said in recognition of the dire situation so many small theatres are facing throughout the country. Statistics show that few industries have been harder hit than live performance and in-person experiences.

“Although we have nearly 1,000 students enrolled and we host sold out shows, our doors only stay open because of donors and sponsors,” said Baker. “We are so thankful for our sponsors and all that they do to help us at the theatre. We absolutely need more community help, especially during these times. Although we are moving forward with a socially-distanced season that includes some performances indoors and some outdoors, we want to have something to come back to and it really does take an entire community to keep it going. We’re grateful for the award but also grateful to Norman.” – BSM

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COMM U N I T Y

BY: ROXANNE AVERY

Paint the Town Pink

Norman Regional Health Foundation celebrates Cancer Awareness Month

T

he Norman Regional Health Foundation is turning the town pink to raise awareness and support for loved ones affected by cancer. Exciting events began with a premier kick-off Sept.

25 featuring Norman’s Philharmonic performing a virtual concert and will continue throughout the month of October.

“We are turning the lights pink at Embassy Suites and Legacy Park,” Erin Barnhart, foundation executive director, said. “We will feature pink at the Fred Jones Museum as well as other buildings around Norman.”

Although Paint the Town Pink is celebrating its third year in Norman, cancer survivor Lee Reynolds, director of development for the University of Oklahoma’s Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication, has a much longer history connected to cancer.

“When I talked about cancer, it was about my father, a bone cancer survivor,” Reynolds remembered.

“Then suddenly it became about me.”

On Jan. 6, 2014, Reynolds worked at a non-profit cancer survivor center in Connecticut when she was diagnosed with colon cancer.

“I was very lucky because they found it early,” Reynolds recalled. “I had a 24 | October 2020

physical and fecal test and they found an issue thought to be minor. I hadn’t had a colonoscopy in eight years, and the doctors found a polyp. It was discovered so early they couldn’t even define it as a stage one or stage two, but at the end of January 2014, thirteen inches of my colon was removed.”

Two years before leaving Connecticut to move back to Oklahoma, Reynolds was included in a medical trial at Yale New Haven Hospital. She took two different pills daily, designed to keep the colon cancer from recurring.

“When I moved from Connecticut, I was able to finish that study at the Stephenson Cancer Center. I was fortunate Stephenson was a site for the study and we are so lucky in Oklahoma to have a National Cancer Institute designated center. That is a very important resource.”

Reynolds’ survivor story mission is to let everyone know when they have a physical to ask the doctor specifically to do a fecal test.

“A lot of people don’t get offered this test and they need to know about it to ask for it. That test saved my life,” she said.

Reynolds said she has realized that if a person hasn’t been through cancer personally, they may think once a

person is done with treatment their life goes back to normal.

“That’s just not true. I believe you are forever changed,” she said. “I learned so much during (my cancer) experience.”

Cancer has given Reynolds a unique perspective on gratitude and the importance of being healthy as well as the importance of nutrition, exercise and state of mind.

The Paint the Town Pink committee has re-evaluated some of their in-person events due to COVID, but Barnhart said they are moving forward.

“We will have video testimonials and on Oct. 6, the Norman City Council is presenting a proclamation,” she shared.

“We will also visit Moore and Noble to talk about our initiatives.”

On Oct. 9, Neighborhood Jam is sponsoring “Breakfast with Benefits” with the proceeds going to Paint the Town Pink. Oct. 20 will be Pink Out Day, asking everyone in the community to wear pink to school, work and play to show support.

October used to be the month to raise awareness about breast cancer, but Barnhart said that has changed.

“Last year we decided to increase the impact and raise awareness for

The Norman Regional Health Foundation is dedicating the 2020 Paint the Town Pink to Randy Laffoon, former board member and long-time supporter of the foundation. all cancers,” she shared. “While that includes breast health and the importance of mammograms, we also discuss screenings for cancer in general here in Oklahoma.”

In Oklahoma, an estimated 20,000 new cancer cases are diagnosed every year, with lung cancer being the most common, followed by breast cancer and then prostate cancer, according to the American Cancer Society.

“We want to get the word out about detection and screenings because early detection is the key,” Barnhart said.

“Cancer really touches everyone.”

The American Cancer Society estimates 8,400 Oklahomans will die from cancer this year.

“People need to have a colonoscopy, mammogram and all tests their physicians recommend,” Reynolds said.

“Finding issues early helps the outcome to be better. Life is so very precious.”

One of the ways the NRH Foundation raises funds is by selling utility-size pink and white flags that can be personalized in honor or memory of a loved one that will be displayed at all three campuses.

“Anyone in the community can purchase flags which will go up through October,” Barnhart said.

Paint the Town Pink garden flags and

t-shirts are also available.

This year’s goal is to raise $20,000 which helps assist cancer patients and services at Norman Regional. Last year a $5,800 blanket warmer was purchased to keep radiation patients warm in chilly treatment rooms. Jeans Cream lotion is provided complimentary to patients going through radiation to alleviate skin irritations.

Funds raised also assist the oncology clinic with items such as thermometers and vital sign machines.

“All funds stay in our community to support cancer services in radiation and oncology,” Barnhart said. “We are fortunate to have Norman Regional Health System provide comprehensive cancer care close to home.”

Norman Regional also has a Cancer Resource Center available to anyone in the community. The center assists with a variety of needs and is staffed by caring volunteers, many of whom are cancer survivors themselves. To assist with hair loss, complimentary wigs, head wraps and scarves are available. For women who have had a mastectomy, bras and the prosthesis are available.

To learn more about this year’s Paint the Town Pink initiative, go to nrhfoundation.org or call 307-1077 for more information. – BSM

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COMM U N I T Y

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Teaching Norman

Summer Grace Longfellow Middle School

T

he core subjects like math and reading and buzzwords like STEAM often dominate the conversation where education is concerned. However, the need to address the social and emotional needs of students is making its way to the forefront, especially amidst an ongoing global pandemic.

However, this is not breaking news to educators like Summer Grace, a school counselor at Longfellow Middle School.

She isn’t the only one that thinks that way. In fact, her fellow educators selected her as their Teacher of the Year.

“As a school counselor, it is rare to be named Teacher of the Year,” Grace admitted. “It felt really special that my colleagues recognize my contribution to our school and the importance of my role.”

28 | October 2020

Grace spends her days wearing a variety of hats as she hosts lunch bunches, coordinates state testing and spends time with students both inside and outside of the classroom.

“A day in the life of a school counselor never looks the same from one day to the next,” she said. “Although there is always morning, afternoon and lunch duty with various meetings in between, most of my day is based on student needs. From something simple like a schedule change to addressing a mental health crisis, there is almost never a dull moment.”

Growing up in a family of educators, Grace said becoming an educator was actually something she tried to avoid.

“I grew up in a family of educators - teachers, principals and school staff.

Most of my childhood and early adult years were spent attempting to avoid this career path,” she shared. “I

watched the hard work and tireless hours and decided I didn’t want that for myself.”

She instead became a licensed alcohol and drug counselor. But that career path is exactly what led her to teach.

“I began seeing young children and teens… and I started realizing that working with children and public education was where I belonged. Being a school counselor is the best of both worlds.”

For Grace, the relationships she is able to cultivate are her favorite part.

“There is no way to describe what it feels like when you realize that a student trusts you and feels they can rely on you,” she said. “It is one of the most rewarding feelings I have ever had and I can only hope these relationships impact my students in the most positive way possible.” – BSM

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Service Spotlight:

LieuTENANT Todd Bussell

P

atrol Lieutenant Todd Bussell said he’s had an inner drive to protect people for as long as he can remember. Working in law enforcement was a childhood dream that has crystalized as a mission to courageously protect and compassionately serve the people of Cleveland County.

“When I was six years old, I brought home a questionnaire from school on what I wanted to be when I grew up, and my mom said I had written police officer,” Bussell remembered. “I didn’t have anyone in my family who was law enforcement. I just always looked up to them.”

His father had been in the military and Bussell grew up in a loving, structured family.

“I just always wanted to protect the people who can’t protect themselves,” he said.

Bussell graduated high school and thought about going into the Air Force, but instead took a job working at the Oklahoma County jail. The day after he turned 18, he started work at the detention center operated by the Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Office.

“My brother-in-law had worked for Oklahoma County and we had friends who worked there,” he said. “I wanted to be 32 | October 2020

a cop and I felt working for Oklahoma County would give me a better opportunity to do that than the military would.”

Bussell worked at the Oklahoma County detention center from 2001 until 2008.

“At that point, I was promoted to the field working in the patrol division,” he said.

In 2011, he was selected to work as a K-9 handler and was partnered with Falco, a dual-purpose dog trained in narcotics and tracking.

“I always loved animals and seeing what the dogs were able to do in the field and how they became a team member more like family inspired me to become a handler,” he said.

During that time, he continued on patrol, taking calls with Falco as his partner. Over his lifetime, K-9 Deputy Falco helped Bussell make numerous drug busts and recover murder weapons as well as find people.

“He was a good tracking dog,” Bussell said. “We were doing a demo for an elementary school once and a mother of one of the children took off her wedding ring and threw it into the field.

Falco found it.”

Falco retired in February 2018 and lived with Bussell until his death about a year

later. By that time, Bussell had taken a job at the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office.

“After I moved to Cleveland County in 2018, I started getting messages from my buddies who had worked with me at Oklahoma County, wanting me to come to Cleveland County,” he said.

The leadership at Cleveland County and the expectations of the department won him over.

“That was something I was not getting at Oklahoma County at that time,” Bussell said. “I think the mission, vision and values are something a lot of us use generally in our decision-making, but it was never written down in one place.”

Bussell liked having that unifying purpose and, at Cleveland County, he was quickly promoted to lieutenant and now is a patrol supervisor.

“Having a clear set of values to follow and being able to provide those expectations to our coworkers and the citizens of Cleveland County are important to me,” he said.

Bussell believes accountability to citizens is key to establishing trust and building a positive relationship with the public.

“It’s not just something we talk about,” Bussell said. “We live it.”

This is a continuation of our series on public servants in Norman.

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COM M UNI T Y

BY: CHELSEY KRAFT

NORMANITE IN THE SPOTLIGHT

David Duncan

A

s David Duncan’s parents tell it, starting in the second grade he always said he wanted to be a doctor. Duncan stuck with that childhood goal and has practiced dermatology in Norman since 1994.

“I know thinking back that my pediatrician, Dr. Tom Thurston, who has been a Norman pediatrician for many years, had a big impact,” Duncan explained. “I was really impressed by him and what he did and just always gravitated that way. I never really thought about doing anything else.”

While Duncan was born in Altus, he considers Norman his hometown because his family moved to the community when he was in the second grade.

Duncan’s father worked for Southwestern Bell and although the family moved often before ending up in Norman, once they arrived in town, they wanted to remain here.

“My parents really liked Norman and the school system, so my father decided he would take any promotion he could as long as he could stay living in Norman,” Duncan explained.

Duncan earned his undergraduate degree in zoology from the University of Oklahoma before attending the OU Colboydstreet.com

lege of Medicine, graduating in 1990.

Originally, Duncan thought he wanted to do pediatric genetics but the more he learned, the more he realized he wanted to treat people rather than just diagnose what they had. After taking an elective rotation in dermatology during his third year of medical school, he realized the specialty would be a good fit.

“I found that I really enjoyed the breadth of what we did,” Duncan said.

“We see all ages. We see the things that people think about like skin cancer and acne and psoriasis, but there’s a lot of other types of things we see also, and we’re able to treat a lot of those, so I enjoyed that part of it.”

After completing his four-year residency, which included a year of internal medicine followed by three years of dermatology at the OU Health Sciences Center, Duncan joined Dr. Thomas Urice in private practice in 1994. Duncan and Urice still practice at the same clinic, and Dr. Jennifer Roberts joined them about 10 years ago.

Duncan and his wife, Marla, married in 1989 after meeting at church. The couple has two daughters, Kathryn and Elizabeth, who both followed in their

parents’ footsteps and are currently attending OU. The OU family legacy goes back another generation, too, as Marla’s mother also was a Sooner.

Duncan said he loves Norman and thinks it is a great city, which is part of the reason why he decided to settle here long-term. Also, his parents and his brother and family still live in the community too, so those connections were another draw.

The Duncans did consider a move when Marla, who is a CPA, was working for Cox Cable and they offered her a job at the headquarters in Atlanta.

But when they considered what Norman would offer as they moved forward in their marriage and had children, the Duncans decided to stay.

“Norman is a great place, and I really just feel incredibly lucky and blessed that I can practice here,” he said. “It’s just such a great city and has great people.”

In his free time, Duncan enjoys working out and running regularly, even though COVID-19 has broken his lunchtime workout routine some.

He said he also likes spending time with his family and in the past was involved with his church, teaching a Sunday school class for a long time.

Prior to having daughters, Duncan said he also used to fly fish in Colorado and play golf some and still does both occasionally.

When it comes to the day-to-day of his job, Duncan said he most enjoys interacting with people and building relationships so he can take care of them – not just their skin, although that is his primary goal.

“I think it sounds cliché sometimes when people say they like helping people, but I do,” Duncan shared. “There have been times over the years where I had a patient who we diagnosed with a stroke, and we had a patient with a hernia, things that aren’t dermatology, but they’re still medical. If you develop enough of a relationship, people will be comfortable talking to you and you can really help them be healthier through that. That’s the most rewarding to me, that person-to-person type of interaction.”– BSM BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 37

38 | October 2020

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S P O RT S

T

BY: CHRIS PLANK

hrough an offseason filled with uncertainty, there never really seemed to be the right time to talk about football. Even after the Big 12 decided to forge ahead with a fall college football season, on the field talk was met with trepidation.

But once the season finally kicked off and the Sooners took the field, a familiar adage emerged in 2020 as it has in so many previous seasons. Oklahoma Sooner Football does not rebuild, it simply reloads.

Despite losing a pair of first-round picks, a leading receiver, rusher, passer and a Heisman Trophy finalist at quarterback, the Sooners have not skipped a beat.

Although 2020 has been different, many of the new faces making noise are fresh faces. A redshirt freshman quarterback and a pair of true freshmen at running back and wide receiver have shown that they are ready for the opportunity on college football’s biggest stage.

Quarterback Spencer Rattler, running back Seth McGowan and the all-time leading receiver in Texas high school football history Marvin Mims have made their presence known. The dynamic trio has shown an incredible amount of promise and excitement for the future of Sooner Football.

QB1 It may have been the most anticipated debut by a quarterback in years. Spencer Rattler has been talked about for years and the amount of hype was reaching epic levels. As a five-star recruit, Rattler was the highest-rated quarterback to sign with the Sooners out of high school in over a decade.

Rattler holds the Arizona high school record for career passing yards with 11,083 yards and his debut as the Oklahoma Sooner starting quarterback was as anticipated. He waited for his moment, putting in the work and learning behind Jalen Hurts in 2019 before winning the job in a hard-fought competition with Tanner Mordecai.

The pressure is immense. The expectations are astronomical. The hype is through the roof. But so far, the talented freshman has welcomed all of it.

“I had a lot of hype in high school and attention. So that prepared me for this… to me pressure is a privilege,” Rattler said. “I look at it to embrace it. I’m not going to run away from any expectations… I just focus on what I have to do with my team. I’ve got a great group of guys around me and a great supporting cast of coaches so what we’re focusing on right now is game week and we’ll go on from there.”

The pressure comes not just from Rattler as an individual but also from the expectations laid out by his predecessors as starting quarterbacks at Oklahoma under Lincoln Riley. Baker Mayfield was a Heisman Trophy winner, played in two playoff games and was the first pick in the NFL Draft. In his only season as the Sooner starter, Kyler Murray won a Heisman trophy and like Mayfield was also selected number one overall in the NFL Draft by the Cardinals. After transferring from Alabama, Jalen Hurts made a trip to New York as a Heisman finalist and ended up as the first quarterback taken on day two of the NFL Draft.

The expectations for Sooner quarterbacks are high, and the road will include challenges. As Rattler looks to rise above those potential challenges, his preparation will be key as will his versatility.

“It’s something I’ve been working on my whole career,” Rattler said. “It’s just being in the mode of being able to make plays on my feet, get guys open down the 42 | October 2020

FR

Youngsters shine for the Sooners early in the season boydstreet.com

Photo by: Ty Russell - OU Athletics

ESHMEN

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 43

Photo by: Mark Doescher

field when you get outside the pocket.

I think that’s one of the stronger qualities to my game. I’m excited to do it in a game and show everybody what I’ve got. I’ve got a great (offensive line) that’s going to protect me, and I’m excited to get out there and throw the ball where I need to put it.”

His much-anticipated debut did not disappoint. The Sooners lit up the scoreboard against Missouri State and Rattler looked the part of the next elite quarterback to wear the crimson and 44 | October 2020

cream. In his first start as a Sooner, he completed 14 of 17 passes for 290 yards and four touchdowns in one half of action. The debut of Rattler caught the eye of the country.

“I know it was Missouri State,” Fox Sports analyst and former Notre Dame and NFL Quarterback Brady Quinn said. “This isn’t an overreaction. He’s following in the footsteps of Jalen Hurts, Kyler Murray, Baker Mayfield.

He looked like he’s been doing this for a long time. With a cut-down offseason,

when you don’t have as much time to practice and scrimmage, to come out and look as smooth as he did, to show off that arm talent...for a guy who’s not overly big, he can absolutely sling the football. He’s going to have a lot of big-play opportunities. I was really impressed with this young man.”

Former USC quarterback and college football analyst Matt Leinart agreed… tweeting, “I just watched the Oklahoma game from last week. I understand who they were playing, but Spencer

Rattler made some throws that made me have to rewind a few times. Kid has special talent.”

For Rattler, he was able to take the opening game performance in stride.

“Knowing how my teammates have my back, and I’ve got there back, we all trust each other, we trust the system, we trust the coaches,” Rattler said after the opening game win. “It was good to get out against a different team and show them what we’ve got.”

Lincoln Riley was impressed with not just the on the field performance but also the way the Rattler handled himself emotionally.

“He certainly had energy and juice, but he didn’t let that consume him and he didn’t try to do too much,” Riley said after the opener. “That’s always some of your chief concerns as a coach. I’m proud of the way he handled the situation. Your first start is always an experience and an emotion that you

boydstreet.com

can’t really duplicate or predict until you actually just go in there and truly experience it. His calmness and poise allowed him to have a clear mind and make a lot of good decisions.”

Riley offered Rattler a scholarship when Rattler was just a freshman in high school. The much-anticipated debut brought excitement, but also a desire to continue to improve.

“He wasn’t too high or too low for this one, so I thought that was important,” Riley said. “And I thought our line did a really good job early of taking care of him and letting him settle. He did some good things, made a few mistakes like he was gonna make, so, all in all, a positive start but a long way to go.”

For Rattler, the charge is to continue to improve and make the right decision.

The hype train had already left the station before he even took a snap for the Sooners, and now it is rolling like a locomotive full steam ahead.

“It makes me work harder,” he said.

“It’s motivation… Being mentioned with Kyler and Baker and I haven’t done anything near what they’ve done. I’m just here to play my game.

We’ve got some things to clean up, but we’ll clean them up. I thought we had a good game and we had a lot of fun out there playing.”

MCGOWAN AND MIMS Spencer Rattler is not the only freshman making noise during the early part of the schedule for the Sooners.

True freshman running back Seth McGowan and wide receiver Marvin Mims have exploded onto the scene early for the Sooners.

McGowan scored the Sooners first touchdown on the season becoming just the seventh Oklahoma football player to hit pay dirt on his first carry.

Mims wowed the Sooner Nation with his blazing punt returns and his overall play at receiver.

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 45

Photo by: Ty Russell - OU Athletics

“They both did some good things,” Riley said of McGowan and Mims.

“They’re two pretty explosive kids for their age. Both kids physically are in a pretty good place and have picked stuff up well. They both have some home-run ability.”

Neither the coaches nor their teammates were surprised with the early breakout performances from the Sooner freshmen.

“We were able to see it all throughout fall camp with guys like Seth McGowan, Trevon West and Marvin Mims,” Senior transfer wide receiver Theo Howard said. “Obviously, I think they did a great job today. For 46 | October 2020

it being their first college game, they made a lot of plays and they were really calm and relaxed and looked like veterans out there.”

At the running back position, Seth McGowan found himself with an opportunity to contribute to the Sooners offensive attack that was somewhat unexpected this soon. The Sooner running back room was deep with talent and experience and McGowan was one of two standout running backs who had committed to Oklahoma.

The Mesquite, Texas product was one of the top-rated running backs in the 2020 class and had been a long-time

commit to the Sooners along with Aledo, Texas product Jase McClellan. But McClellan switched his commitment and signed with Alabama leaving McGowan as the only running back in the 2020 signing class for OU. The deep running back room underwent a complete facelift when DeMarco Murray took over as the running backs coach and its depth started to whittle away. Ramondre Stevenson was suspended prior to the playoffs last season and, unfortunately for the Sooners, the suspension carried over to the start of the 2020 season.

Trey Sermon decided to transfer to

Ohio State to finish his playing career in Columbus and then weeks before the opener Kennedy Brooks who was the leading returning rusher for the Sooners decided to opt out of the season. TJ Pledger was listed atop the initial depth chart for the Sooners but was not in uniform for the opener.

“He’s done well… Obviously you have the normalities behind coming from high school to college and this being his first year,” Murray said of McGowan in the preseason. “He’s adjusted well…starting early he came in as an early enrollee. He has done some really good things on the field for us.”

McGowan seized the moment and made an emphatic statement with his performance in the opener. McGowan was the Sooner leading rusher, scoring twice and averaging 6.8 yards per carry. While the depth had taken a hit, McGowan was getting an opportunity for reasons well beyond just the numbers.

And for Riley, it was reassuring to see the freshman calm in his biggest moment of his young career.

“That dude’s a monster,” Rattler said.

“I even said it before the game, if he touches the ball four times, he might score four times. And I think he almost did that tonight. He’s a great player.”

McGowan had caught the eye of Murray in camp and the former Sooner standout was impressed with what he had seen from the freshman early on in his career.

“The moment wasn’t too big,” Riley said. “He was able to take some things he’d done on the practice field and carry them over to the game field. When you don’t have hesitation at a young age, that’s a great quality.”

With McGowan wowing in the backfield, Marvin Mims has been stealing the show early at wide receiver. Based on his accomplishments prior to stepping on campus, it should come as no surprise that Mims is adjusting as well as he has to date.

The freshman from Frisco, Texas had an impressive high school resume, maybe as impressive as any Sooner wide receiver in school history. Mims is the Texas high school state record holder for receiving yards in a career (5,485) and in a season (2,626). He is sixth alltime in single-season receiving touchdowns with 32 and posted 22.5 yards per catch during his senior season.

“He was a pretty polished kid coming out of high school,” Sooners outside receivers coach Dennis Simmons said recently of Mims. “He’s stepped into a room with an opportunity and a sense of confidence and understanding that I’m not just happy to be here but I belong here.”

The names may be different, but the results remain the same. No matter how often things change for Oklahoma Sooner football, the expectation remains the same. With the trio of Mims, McGowan and Rattler, it looks like they are in safe playmaking hands for years to come.– BSM

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Say Boo to the Flu! Join Norman Regional and Moore Pediatrics for a free family flu clinic Saturday, October 31, 9 a.m. to noon (while supplies last). This walk-in clinic will offer free flu shots for both adults and children (ages 6 months and up).

Presented by: Norman Regional Health Foundation Free Family Flu Clinic Saturday, October 31 // 9 a.m. – Noon* Norman Regional Moore Conference Center 700 S. Telephone Road *While supplies last.

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• Masks are required on all people over 2 years old.

• The event will be held in the Conference Center.

• Only those receiving the vaccine and one support person (if needed for assistance) are allowed inside.

• If you do not feel well, have a fever, or signs of respiratory illness, do not attend this event.

S P O RT S

BY: MARK DOESCHER

Season Opener

54 | October 2020

Norman North beats Edmond Memorial 46 to 7

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BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 55

S P O RT S

BY: MARK DOESCHER

Crosstown Volleyball

Timberwolves beat Tigers 3 sets to 0 58 | October 2020

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B USI NESS

Six Bad Reasons to Refinance Your Home Loan

ack-to-school season is traditionally marked by a run on discounted pencils, overcrowded malls and lots of nail-biting nerves about new teachers. But this year, the back-to-school season is entirely different.

With interest rates trending downward over the last several months, refinancing is all the rage. For many homeowners, refinancing an existing mortgage to a home loan with an interest rate that’s at least a full point lower than their current rate can hack hundreds of dollars off their monthly payment. This can easily add up to tens of thousands of dollars in saved interest paid over the life of the loan.

However, refinancing is not always a good idea. Here are six bad reasons to refinance a home loan.

1. TO EXTEND THE TERM OF THE LOAN

Refinancing to a mortgage with a lower interest rate can save you money each month, but be sure to look at the overall cost of the loan. Homeowners who are more than halfway through their 30-year mortgage loan will likely not benefit from a refinance. Stretching out the remaining payments over a new 30-year loan will mean paying more in overall interest, even when it is at a lower interest rate. Also, by paying a monthly mortgage for many more years than originally planned, homeowners will be tying up their funds instead of having more cash available for other purposes.

2. TO CONSOLIDATE DEBT

Refinancing a home loan for consolidating debt can be an irresponsible move with devastating consequences.

Mortgages are secured debt, backed by the borrower’s home. Credit card debt, though, is unsecured. Consequently, the interest payments on credit cards are generally a lot higher than interest rates on mortgages. This can make it seem like moving debt from a credit card issuer to a home lender is a great idea; however, transferring unsecured debt to a loan that is backed by a home means the borrower can stand to lose their house if they default on the debt.

Refinancing a mortgage to consolidate debt can also be a way of enabling bad financial habits that got the borrower into debt in the first place.

3. TO SAVE MONEY FOR A NEW HOME

A refinance will cost money, generally two to four percent of the entire loan. It can take several years just to break even on a refinance. If the borrower is planning to move before then, the refinance will not save them any money.

4. TO SPLURGE ON AN EXPENSIVE PURCHASE

A cash-out refinance replaces an existing mortgage with a new loan that is more than what is owed on the house. The difference goes to the homeowner. Some homeowners opt boydstreet.com

for a cash-out refinance to get their hands on cash for an expensive purchase.

Using a house like an ATM is not a recommended practice for several reasons.

First, the loan isn’t cheap. Closing costs can be thousands of dollars, and if the new loan is more than 80 percent of the home’s value, the homeowner will also need to pay private mortgage insurance (PMI) until they have 20 percent equity in the home.

Second, using a home’s equity for an expensive purchase means the borrower will see little or no return on their money. Financial experts, like certified mortgage planning specialist Elizabeth Rose, caution against using home equity for anything that will not improve the owner’s finances.

“There has to be some sort of net tangible benefit to the homeowner to refinance,” Rose says. “I don’t recommend cash-out refinancing for anything that won’t add security to or improve your financial picture.”

5. TO TAKE CASH OUT FOR INVESTING

Refinancing a mortgage with plans to use the extra cash each month for investing is, generally, not a responsible choice. Cash is easily spent and it takes tremendous discipline to actually invest the money that is saved from a refinance. Also, paying off a mortgage toward a house can actually be a better long-term investment than pouring money into a risky stock.

6. TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A NO-COST REFINANCE

There is no such thing as a no-cost refinance. A lender might offer to refinance a mortgage with no closing costs attached, but these fees will be added to the loan in the form of higher interest payments. Alternatively, the closing costs may be rolled into the mortgage, which means the borrower will be paying interest on these payments throughout the life of the loan.

Refinancing when rates are low can help some homeowners save hundreds of dollars each month, but be sure to look at the full picture before going ahead with a refinance.

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 65

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BY: KATHY HALLREN | JOE’S WINES & SPIRITS

Fall for Red Blends

F

all is here and what better time to turn to red wines, specifically red blends. Sometimes red blends get a bad rap as being inferior juice, but surely no one would say that about a good French Bordeaux?

French wines, particularly red wines, have traditionally been blends. French wines were historically named for the region and only recently have the labels reflected the grape from which the contents were produced. Spanish wines were also traditionally blended.

Italian wines, however, if bearing a region specification, are required to be produced from a very high percentage of the particular grape grown in the area. Chianti, for example, must come from Tuscany and be over ninety percent Sangiovese.

Consumers may shy away from red blends because it can be difficult to predict the taste profile in the bottle. However, the winemaker can produce an expected taste profile from year to year such as the popular Apothic Red. Especially in upscale wines, winemakers can assure a consistent depth of flavor and predictable characteristics, like Prisoner, a proprietary blend.

LI F EST Y L E

The red blend section is where your local retailer and staff can help you find the best wine for your taste. Some of the blends will have the grapes listed and some will even have the percentages. If not, it is safe to assume that the order in which they appear reflects the relative amount of the grape in the bottle.

There is something for every taste in the red blend aisle.

Cooper & Thief has jammy notes, while Cyrus is dry and heavy on Cabernet Sauvignon. I recommend Grenache-Shiraz-Mourdevre selections, inspired by Spanish Rioja. Nevertheless, what do you do with an unfinished bottle of red wine?

The easiest thing is to put it in the refrigerator and then, in a day or two, take it about twenty minutes before you want to consume it. It may lose a little of the subtler notes, but will still be very nice. There are corks with suction devices that can remove some of the air to extend the life of the wine for up to 14 days. Or, you can invest in a Coravin to preserve your more expensive wines for much longer.

Enjoy and stay safe, Kathy

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T

Core Training

otal body training is a key component to the program philosophy at Youth Performance. The upper body, lower body and core training are all critical.

Training the core, or the abdominal region of the body, is an important component to include in strength and conditioning programs and can be accomplished through several methods.

The core can be challenged when performing traditional exercises like the squat or a power clean as well as with exercises that are specifically designed to target that area of the body including body weight crunches on the floor, resistance machine exercises, medicine ball exercises and stability ball exercises.

Core training should vary and be challenged with multiple modalities, different intensities and in multiple planes of motion to target all areas of the core.

Incorporating circuits with different movement patterns or multiple pieces of equipment is an excellent way to keep

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LI F EST Y L E

programs fresh and increase intensity, tempo and volume.

It also keeps the athlete engaged and motivated.

Improved balance, core stability and increased power through the hips and abdominal region are just a few of the benefits that can be achieved by core training. These improvements can lead to a stronger and more stable individual, potentially decreasing the risk of injuries while participating in activities that are physically challenging.

Once the individual has acclimated to multiple variations of an exercise and has been instructed properly on several pieces of equipment or modalities, exercises can be grouped together to develop circuits, increasing the overall intensity and volume of a routine. Combining multiple exercises using a medicine ball is an excellent example of a core circuit.

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BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 73

HE A LT H

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

Saving Lives with Education

Local nephrologist combats a silent killer with prevention Dr. Kendral Knight

K

idney disease is the tenth leading cause of death in Oklahoma and affects an estimated 37 million people in the United States, according to the National Kidney Foundation. Dr. Kendral Knight, a nephrologist with Norman Regional Health Systems, says that often patients aren’t even aware of the life-threatening condition until it is almost too late.

“The kidneys are usually collateral damage to what is happening in other parts of the body,” Knight explained. “The kidneys don’t hurt unless you have a kidney stone, so they don’t tell us anything is wrong and symptoms are usually nondescript like fatigue, high blood pressure or poor appetite.”

“Without regular doctor appointments and lab work, you might not know what damage has been done,” he said.

Loss of kidney function can significantly affect a person’s health, and is usually irreversible, Knight cautioned.

“When you lose kidney function, a lot of times, it is permanent,” he said. “It is important to manage expectations because we don’t have a magic pill or procedure. As the saying goes, if the toothpaste is out of the tube, it’s not going back in.”

Knight says his best weapon against kidney disease is prevention education.

“I come from a strong teaching background in that both of my parents were educators,” he said. “Nephrology allows me the unique opportunity to educate patients about the different aspects of their renal disease. My patient care is very personal.

They come in like a sponge, eager to learn what is going on. I get to teach and explain, and calm their fears.”

Kidney function is closely tied to a person’s overall health, which means that diet and exercise play an important role.

76 | October 2020

“There are some things we don’t have control over like a genetic predisposition but conditions like diabetes and high blood pressure can lead to damage,” he explained.

“It’s common sense, living a healthy lifestyle with exercise, a healthy diet, staying hydrated, avoiding salt and being cautious about supplements.”

Knight also encourages Normanites to schedule regular visits with their primary care provider to stay on top of issues like hypertension and blood sugar levels. Some overthe-counter medications can be harmful to the kidneys as well.

“Non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or Mortin are okay for occasional use but overtime trying to manage chronic pain on a daily basis for months or years can have side effects,” he said.

Knight recently joined Norman Regional Nephrology Associates, which includes Drs. Cuong Nguyen, Dustin Tedesco and David C. Williams. The office is located at 1553 N. Porter Ave. in Norman. Knight also sees patients at the Norman Regional Moore campus.

He treats patients with acute kidney injuries, chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease as well as inflammatory and autoimmune diseases that affect the kidneys.

Knight served in the US Army as a physician and was deployed to Afghanistan where he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his service. He is board certified in both nephrology and internal medicine by the American Board of Internal Medicine.

To learn more about the risks and treatment of renal disease, visit the National Kidney Foundation at kidney.org or Nephrology Associates at normanregional.com. – BSM

BY: LINDSAY CUOMO

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B U S I N E SS

BY: CALLIE COLLINS

Sweet Success

Local family opens Pinkitzel location in Norman’s Carriage Plaza

T

he Jantz family knows about serious fun. As the owners of Pinkitzel, a boutique-style sweets and novelty shop unique to Oklahoma, their four stores and five children keep them busy but connected to the community.

The family resides in Norman, the location of their newest store.

Pinkitzel is best known for artisan baked goods, candy and upscale toys. The Bricktown location in 2010 came first, followed by stores in Edmond and Tulsa.

“It was always our dream to own a store that’s just a special, fun, happy experience,” said Jonathan Jantz, who owns the local shops with his wife, Christa.

“There wasn’t a lot to do in Bricktown, especially then, besides the Chesapeake Energy Arena and some bars. We wanted something for families, to get some 80 | October 2020

sweet treats and make it more than going to a gas station for some candy. A special experience is always our goal.

That’s what we’re all about.”

“We don’t mess around when it comes to remodels,” said Jantz. “We signed the lease in May, gutted what was there, started over and we were ready to go.”

The couple also owns Jumpin Jackalope Mercantile, a retail store specializing in gourmet jerky, nuts, fudge and western goods, with locations in Bricktown and Tulsa.

The couple’s children range from college age to upper elementary. Oldest daughter Asheley is a student at the University of Oklahoma, followed by four brothers currently in Norman Public Schools. Having a family gives them first-hand experience with what their primary audience is looking for when it comes to birthday party venues and shopping preferences.

The name “pinkitzel” is a play on the words “pink” and “kitzel,” a Yiddish word for “tickle,” which come together to mean “tickled pink.” “Kitzel” also has a secondary meaning, a term of endearment for children.

The Carriage Plaza Pinkitzel store opened on July 8. The shopping center was formerly home to The Candy Basket, although Pinkitzel occupies a space that used to be a grocery store.

“We live in Norman and we’re proud to be here as part of the community. All our kids go to school here and we are so thankful for the way Pinkitzel has been received,” said Jantz. “Mayor Breea Clark has been so helpful, the city was helpful with the permits and getting the store up and going. We are so thankful.”

In addition to those family-oriented community ties, the Norman location was something of a happy accident that resulted from the COVID-19 pandemic. Stock from the Tulsa store after a recent move and short-term closure made it possible to have enough product selection for a fourth location.

Every Pinkitzel is known for its decor and features. Edmond’s location, for example, stands out for its cupcake bar. The new Norman store features a charming party room with pink and green as its main theme colors. A plywood counter overhang stretches 30 feet across the ceiling and was designed with custom wallpaper for an outstanding backdrop.

The store is centrally located, with easy access to OU’s campus.

In addition to cupcakes, handmade truffles, macaroons and more than 100 kinds of loose candy, the Norman Pinkitzel offers candies in crimson and cream that are extra sweet.

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“Deliveries can help the students not feel so lonely and we’ve had fun working with some OU sororities,” said Jantz.

Bridal and baby showers, wedding receptions and private parties of all kinds for all ages are regular occurrences on-site. In fact, same-day delivery is free and offered at all Pinkitzel locations.

Curbside pick-up is also available, which is ideal given the current public health situation.

“Our stores are busy but people aren’t really hanging out, which is a positive in a pandemic,” said Jantz. “You can get in and get out, get what you need and not have to be around a lot of people.

If you don’t want to come in the store, we are more than happy to get your order ready for curbside or delivery.”

Find hours of operation and keep up with the latest happenings at Norman’s very own Pinkitzel location at pinkitzel.com. – BSM

BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 81

B U S I N E SS

BY: ROXANNE AVERY

Sauce It Up

Longtime restaurateur family opens a new pizza shop in Norman

T

here’s a new handcrafted pizza, pasta and subs restaurant in town.

Sauce It Up, located at 2627 Classen Blvd., is the creation of recent University of Oklahoma graduate Brian Heermans and his family and friends who always wanted a restaurant like this in Norman.

an idea to the Heerman family. McReynolds had worked with two restaurant franchise locations that closed and explained all the kitchen equipment had just been sitting in storage for over a year.

He told them about the pizza equipment and asked the question, “What are Brian’s plans when he graduates ?”

“You’ll taste the freshness of our ingredients which really sets us apart,” Heerman said. “We take pride in using only the best ingredients which is the big thing about Sauce It Up and is what makes people come back.”

“When the opportunity of owning and operating my own restaurant was presented, it was natural to pursue this dream. It gave us that head start we really needed because 90 percent of the equipment for this restaurant was made available to us. We took out a bank loan and, from October to January, we had the tedious task of disassembling and cleaning all this heavily neglected equipment in order to bring it up to my standards.”

Using only the freshest ingredients, the meats and cheeses come straight from Dietz & Watson in New Jersey and are not pre-sliced. The fresh dough is made on premises daily and almost every sauce is homemade including marinara, alfredo and garlic butter. The meatballs are handmade as well and the Rosselli Company olive oil is from Italy.

The dream began in May 2019 when family friend Russ McReynolds brought 84 | October 2020

With graduation nearing, Heerman realized he did not want to enter the corporate world as an engineer so the decision was made to purchase the equipment.

Heerman’s knowledge of engineering gain from his studies earning a bach-

elors of science degree in Industrial Systems Engineering came in handy when renovating the old Billy Sims Barbeque location into a high-quality, modern restaurant where people can get food fast and dine inside while watching sports on the television monitors, or grab it and go.

“My engineering degree really helped when we did the layout for the kitchen and dining room,” he said.

He even sanded the old paint off the chairs and stools to give them the trendy wood look that fits perfectly into the modern décor. Heerman then commissioned his friend, local artist Nikki Cricklin, to create the contemporary artwork throughout Sauce It Up. Making the transition from engineer to restaurateur was not as difficult as one might imagine given that the family has a long history in the restaurant industry and food distribution in Norman. Heerman’s great grandparents Rosa and Paul Malone owned and operated Malone Chili Company, dating

back to 1952 just down the street on Classen where Buffalo Wild Wings is now located.

His grandparents, Bill and Shirley Malone continued the family business later renamed as Malone Products, Inc. serving as regional food distribution service to Sonic, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Dairy Queen and many other local establishments until 2003 when they retired.

Heerman’s great aunt and great grandmother owned and operated Hassler’s in Norman for many years in the late 80s and 90s.

Opening Sauce It Up during Covid-19 in June was actually good timing, according to Heerman.

“We had to figure everything out and there was a huge learning curve, but COVID actually made it easier to slow down, train our staff and figure stuff out. I’m very happy with the way things are turning out,” he said. ​Menu favorites at Sauce It Up are the Hippie Roll and the Hippie Meatball Roll.

“Really, anything with meatballs is very popular here,” Brian said. “The Hippie subs definitely have an East Coast influence because my dad loved this sandwich in the mid-80s when living just outside of Washington, D.C. in Woodbridge, Virginia. And our pizza is New York style, only thicker.”

The Heerman family love Norman and can’t imagine bringing this dream to life in any other city.

“I want to be known for outstanding customer service,” he shared. “This is what my grandparents were known for and I want to continue that legacy.” – BSM

B U S I N E SS

BY: HEIDE BRANDES

Blooming Business

Redbud Floral moves to new location in Norman

L

orie Stewart always had a love of growing things, of watching people’s faces light up when they received a bouquet and of designing arrangements that were both lovely and uniquely original. Even as a young girl, she knew the field of her future would blossom with floral accents.

Stewart has owned and operated the Redbud Floral shop in Norman for over two decades, her business blooming even when others told her that Norman couldn’t support another florist. She sprouted even bigger, and now Redbud Floral is bigger and better at its newest location at 913 N. Flood Ave. Redbud Floral is family owned and operated and specializes in floral arrangements and gifts, backed by service that is friendly and prompt.

“We are a retail floral business that started on June 1, 1998,” Stewart said. “I pretty much always loved floral design.

Even as a kid, I knew I always wanted to work in a flower shop. I’m grateful that we’ve been here for 22 years.”

88 | October 2020

Stewart cultivated her love for floral design while participating in Future Farmers of America (FFA) at Guthrie High School. The Guthrie FFA was the only FFA in the central region with a horticultural aspect.

“We would grow plants and do all the floral arrangements for the events at the school,” Stewart said. “I would enter arrangements at The Oklahoma State Fair, and I just loved horticulture.”

After graduating high school, Stewart enrolled in the OSU-OKC’s horticulture program to learn even more.

While attending, she met a girl who told her about a job opening at a local florist business.

“I applied for the job and got it,” she remembered. “I worked at Parr’s Flowers in Oklahoma City for about a year before moving to Norman. I got another job at Capitol Hill Florists because it was a bit closer, and I worked there for five years.

“Around 1998, I thought it was time to open our own shop. I had asked my boss if he could open a store in

Norman that I could run, but he said Norman couldn’t support another flower shop.”

At the time, Norman was home to roughly a dozen flower shops. However, Stewart knew the community could support another florist.

“I read the book ‘The Profit-Minded Florist’ and based on the population, I knew it could work,” she said. “I quit Capitol Hill Florists that April and opened in June at the Redbud Plaza, which was pretty new at the time. I was one of the first tenants.”

Stewart, who was only 23, said opening her own business was a challenge, but a dream come true.

“It was so scary. I didn’t know if I would make it a year,” she said. “I didn’t have a single customer outside of friends and family. I did a ton of promoting. If I had leftover flowers, I would drop them off at places with my cards. I left flowers everywhere.”

The promotions worked, and Stewart’s business started to bloom. In 2011, another Norman florist retired.

Stewart bought the phone number for Ardella’s Flowers, and soon, her business was even better than ever.

“We grew like crazy. I would say we grew 55 percent that year,” Stewart said.

It wasn’t just the phone number that caused her business to sprout up like a weed. Her skill and designs with flower arrangements became well-known in Norman. Redbud Floral specializes in floral arrangements for events like weddings and funerals, but also “every day vase” orders as well.

“You learn from other people, and I’m still learning today,” Stewart said. “You pick up all the theory of design in school and the knowledge you need, but when you actually do it in real life, you can change things. I think our products, our designs and our customer service make us stand out.”

Now at a new location on Flood Ave., Redbud Floral is one of five flower shops in Norman.

“The new space is 1,000-square-feet bigger, so we have more coolers and more display space,” she said. “We did a lot of remodeling during COVID, like knocking out three rooms and creating this big, open space. I can’t wait for Valentine’s Day for all the displays we can do in here.”

Until then, Stewart will continue to do what she always dreamed of doing - creating magic through flowers.

For more information, visit Redbud Floral at redbudfloralok. com or call 292-0758. – BSM

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BOYD STREET MAGAZINE | 89

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