TULSA, Okla. -- Tulsa was named by Yelp on Tuesday as one of the best places to start a small business.
As websites like Amazon see an increase in traffic, businesses in Tulsa said their customers have a culture of loyalty.
"They can come into your store and talk to you about your products or engage with you. People are starting to value that I think a little bit more now that they've been shopping online so much. The actually interpersonal experience is becoming more valuable," said "The Goods" owner Shawn Zenthoefer.
From downtown to Brookside, business owners said Tulsans have helped them get through changing trends and economies.
"More and more local things are thriving. Tulsans are even gravitating more towards choosing a locally owned business over a big corporate chain," said "Ida Red" owner Angelene Wright.
Tulsa lands 13th on Yelp's list, based on the probability of these restaurant and stores staying open over the next few months. Zenthoefer said that's largely due to cost of living.
"Taking the risk is a little less scary. Obviously my rent here at the bodega is going to be a little bit less than it would be in New York City. So that could have something to do with it. It's a more manageable risk to take," she said.
Yelp data shows the most economic opportunities are in restaurants and nightlife. Business owners said that's where they're seeing the fastest growth in Tulsa.
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