On a hot afternoon in August, shop owner Stephanie Sunday works on a new line of Day of the Dead skulls. Sunday founded Dig It! in Oklahoma City’s Plaza District as a place to sell both her artwork and a carefully cultivated selection of ’70s, ’80s and ’90s fashion. Since it opened in September of 2012, the store has carried work by local artists, pop-culture t-shirts, VHS tapes, records, racks of clothes, and even local publications, zines, and comics.
Dig It! is best-known for carrying an eclectic assortment of art and accessories with a horror streak, but Sunday doesn’t think there’s anything inherently dark about it.
“A lot of what we do is always going to be horror-oriented,” Sunday said. “We worked with a lot of vendors that also do sci-fi style stuff, and sort of pop culture — what’s become pop culture — the super hero, the comic book, and Doctor Who and Star Wars kind of stuff.”
The Dig It! proprietor has sold art and clothes in the Plaza District for nearly a decade, witnessing the growth of the area into the exciting destination it is now. Her love of the neighborhood and the high quality of stores, restaurants, and art spaces played a large part in keeping her here.
“I wanted to move out of Oklahoma City. I thought it was awful,” Sunday joked. “Being a part of watching something grow is really great. And I’ve been a part of that before but not with such a sense of community like they have here. I love being a part of it.”
The building where the store is now was actually the location of the original Bad Granny’s Bazaar. The shelves of Dig It! are now filled with artwork by many of the Oklahoma artists who display their goods at the annual Underground Monster Carnival, run by Sunday’s husband. This includes Amelie’s Anomalies, a line of wall décor made out of repurposed frames painted in bright colors and filled with everything from baby doll legs and cat skulls to decorative eyeballs and plastic unicorns.
Regulars stop in for the one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry, as well as wigs, sunglasses, and other essentials for cosplay and costumes. However, Dig It!’s stock doesn’t carry something many boutiques in OKC do.
“We don’t sell a lot of Oklahoma-themed merchandise as other stores in the neighborhood do, so that helps keep us a little different,” said Sunday. “We like to think we’re edgier.”
Every clothing item is handpicked by the owner to form a cohesive shopping experience that feels a lot like looking in someone’s closet.
Sunday, also an artist, gives Dig It! an edge with many of her own creations. Her Day of the Dead skulls are particularly popular during the month leading up to the Mexican holiday. As one of her signature offerings, the skulls represent much more to her than death.
“I just love world culture because all their artwork is so colorful,” Sunday mentioned. “They can see the enjoyment in things that Americans mostly find dark. [Day of the Dead] can be a fun and colorful celebration that isn’t morbid.”
According to Sunday, approximately 60 percent of her clientele are tourists. The Plaza District and Dig It! have been featured in articles by Travel & Leisure, Thrillist and Time, which is especially exciting for Sunday, who believes sustained success comes from a larger reach.
“I love local love,” she said. “But the only way to grow is to bring in people [who are] visiting; the bigger picture is getting people to Oklahoma City in general.”
The immediate future of Dig It! ties directly to its past. This September’s Live on the Plaza is the four-year anniversary of the store’s soft opening. Sunday will host a fashion show that evening for one of their vendors, Bearclaw Clothing, featuring the upcycled, wearable art of Kimber Watson. This year’s Plaza District Festival falls on the four-year anniversary of Dig It!’s grand opening. You can expect plenty of merchandise available on the street as well as in the store itself.
