Behind The Scenes

4/1/2025: Two Weeks In

-The Highs, the Lows, and the Why Behind It All

We’re two weeks into Courts & Commons being open, and I’m feeling all the feelings.

Some days are an absolute high—packed from morning to night with families laughing on the pickleball courts, people grabbing smoothies on the go, foodies snapping pics of their pizza or cali gringo burrito, and bar regulars posted up for good conversation.

And then there are days that are just... quiet.

Those are the ones that mess with your head a bit.

You start asking questions.

Did we promote enough?

Did people have a good experience?

Is this going to work?

It’s been a roller coaster already. The kind where you go from 100 to 0 and back to 100 in the span of an afternoon. One day, you feel like you’ve created something that Tulsa has truly never seen before. The next, you feel like you’re trying to convince the world to care about something you poured your whole heart into.

But here’s the thing that keeps me going: I know, deep down, this is a place where great moments will be made. Where friends will meet for Friday night pickleball and then split a pie at Moonrise Sourdough. Where someone’s going to fall in love over tacos at El Coyote Guapo. Where a kid’s first smoothie bowl from Outcast will be the thing they beg their parents for every weekend. Where a regular will start forming at Backcourt Kitchen because they can’t not get the "fo schnitzel sandwich" again.

This is more than a food hall.

This is more than a pickleball facility.

This is your new favorite place to eat in South Tulsa.

I truly believe that each of the four restaurants here is the best at what it does. If you’re a foodie, you’re going to love this place:

• Moonrise Sourdough has the best sourdough pizza in Tulsa, hands down.
• El Coyote Guapo is a move forward from the standard "Tulsa Mex" that is so prolific.
• Backcourt Kitchen From the best cocktails to the liege waffles and chicken, it's a chef ran concept that brings something new to Tulsa
• Outcast Smoothie Bowls is a clean, cool vibe with bowls that look like art and taste as good as they look.

Ultimately, I know that Courts & Commons is something that really hasn't been done before. I realize there will be ups and downs...but I do believe that when people realize that this is your new go-to-spot for lunch, dinner, family time, date day, and overall great Tulsa vibes, that it will be as special to this city as any of our other favorites.

So yeah—it’s been a ride already. But I wouldn’t trade it. Not when I see the little moments starting to take shape. Not when I remember why we built this.

See you at Courts and Commons. Let’s make some moments.

-Josh Juarez