AUSTIN HEADLEE/Muskogee Phoenix
Ed Choate, Muskogee Phoenix publisher, left, Tish Callahan, center, Muskogee Planning director, and Dylan Lucht, Main Street Muskogee president, hold the 2020 Downtown Legacy Awards. The awards were given to Muskogee businesses in historic downtown that have been in existence for 35 or more years. Main Street Muskogee awarded the three local businesses with the awards in collaboration with the Muskogee Historic Preservation Commission on Tuesday. The Muskogee Phoenix was founded in 1888, then combined with the Times-Democrat in 1910. The paper has represented the Muskogee community for over 100 years. Publisher Ed Choate runs the newspaper under CNHI and would like to thank the Main Street Muskogee and the Historic Preservation Commission from the Muskogee Phoenix family. “We’re grateful to each organization for including us and appreciating the value our newspaper has brought to the community for more than 125 years,” Choate said. Club Lunch opened in downtown Muskogee in 1913. They included artifacts from the Muskogee Hotel after Cindy Littrell bought and renovated the restaurant from her parents, Gary and Mary Armstrong. The restaurant has been under the management of Alex Reynolds who has now transferred it to local chef, Ashley Davis. Hoopes Hardware has been in Muskogee since 1933 after the Hoopes family purchased the store at 108 S. Main St. Dr. Jack Hoopes purchased the store from his siblings and included a bike shop and other features after renovating the building when he took over the business.