Ida Red's Brookside Location Celebrates Reopening After Fire

Ida Red is open just in time for holiday shopping after the doors were shut for two months because of a fire. The small business said it had to replace all of its inventory. 

The doors are open again at Ida Red, and some Tulsans aren't wasting any time to see what's inside.

"I'm done with all my Christmas shopping except for this. This is my very last stop,” Elizabeth Belknap said.

Belknap lives down the street and remembers the day of the fire, which was small, but caused significant smoke damage.

“When I saw the firetrucks pull up the day of the fire, I thought it was her son's birthday for sure. She was gonna invite the firemen, right? I was shocked to find out that it was actually a real fire,” Belknap said.

A ribbon cutting marked the Ida Red rebound, complete with help from GT Bynum, in his final days as Tulsa Mayor.

"Ida Red is one of the best small businesses that we have in Tulsa,” he said. “And it's a business founded on celebrating our city."

"I just feel relieved and so excited that we made it here,” owner Angelene Wright said.

Wright said her support system got her through the last two months, with a smile.

"My family, my kids, and the amazing staff. You know we have such a sense of humor about things and laughed so much over the last two months, truly,” Wright said. “So even when it seemed dark, it wasn't. We had a great time."

Wright said staff just started putting inventory in the store two weeks ago after getting everything cleaned. Candles, coffee cups, coasters and so much more.

"Mad rush,” she said. “Every part of it was just like, go, go, go."

And now, she's hoping shoppers will do the same.

Ida Red has two other locations, and employees said no one was laid off during the last two months. Back in September, the Tulsa firefighters ruled the fire was accidental.