As two local businesses close on Main Street, a new oyster bar and steakhouse will open.
Human Interaction, a vintage apparel and flower shop on Main Street, announced it will close in August, three weeks after local ramen restaurant and bar, Inkfire Ramen Tapas & Bar, closed its doors.
Human Interaction owners Jacob Peregrin and Amy Lacher-Peregrin wrote in an Instagram post Saturday the shop will be open for three more weeks before closure.
Located in a post office built in the 1900s, the couple opened the shop seven years ago to sell all of their favorite things such as florals by the stem, vintage and new apparel, potted plants and scents, according to the Human Interaction website.
Peregrin wrote in a text message to OU Daily Tuesday that it has been difficult to financially support the shop for the last seven years, but this summer has been the most challenging despite both owners taking on side jobs.
“This summer was the worst we’ve had in all of those seven years,” Peregrin wrote. “There was no product really (and) no way to add more.”
Peregrin wrote the couple could not afford to restock the shop, which led to its closure.
“Without any product we can’t make any sales,” Peregrin wrote. “We had to make the quick and difficult decision to throw in the towel.”
The couple will stay in Norman running their AirBnb, The General Arthur, above the store in downtown Norman, and will continue helping grow a local real estate sale company.
“I’m sure we’ve got more ideas up our sleeves for someday,” Peregrin wrote.
Human Interaction’s last day of business will be Aug. 31.
New restaurant on Main Street
Juliette Oyster Bar and Steakhouse will replace Inkfire Ramen and Bar, which closed last month after two years of business. The restaurant will be housed where Bud Risinger’s Barbershop once stood, the place where the idea to create OU’s football team was introduced in 1895.
Juliette will offer takeout, outdoor seating and reservations serving steaks, fresh fish, oysters and cocktails
Juliette owners told OU Daily Tuesday the restaurant is in the beginning stages of permits and menu rough drafts, and will move into downtown Norman as early as October.
Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman welcomed the restaurant in an Instagram story post Tuesday expressing his excitement for the addition and bringing a unique dining experience to downtown.
“Over the past two decades, we’ve seen incredible investment in downtown Norman – from new restaurants and shops to improved public spaces and events that bring people together,” Holman wrote in the post. “Juliette adds another exciting destination for residents, visitors, and OU fans alike, helping make our historic downtown an even stronger hub for culture, dining, and community life.”
OU Daily reached out to Inkfire owners but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
This story was edited by Ana Barboza. Sophie Hemker copy edited this story.
