Grow Omaha
News Briefs
Cold Stone Creamery to Open Bennington Store
Cold Stone Creamery will open a store at 15602 Whiting Circle on the southwest corner of 156th & State Street in Bennington. Wetzel’s Pretzels will open right next door. The national ice cream chain has more than 1,000 locations nationwide. – Nicole Buntgen
Backyard Bar & Bottle Shop Opening in Dundee
Duck Duck Bottle Shop, is opening this week at 4917 Underwood Avenue in Dundee. Described as “a backyard bar and tea hangout,” Duck Duck Bottle Shop also functions as a café in the mornings. All seating is outdoors behind an historic house, but a bottle shop is set up in the basement. Food and beverages are served through a concession-style window at the back of the building. The backyard also includes a small performance stage.
Beyond Memory Care Plans to Build at 106th & Fort Street
The Omaha Planning Board approved a special use permit for a dependent care facility on the southeast corner of 106th & Fort Street. The proposed facility, named Beyond Memory Care, will house up to 22 occupants in 20 units. The project is located on a 36,000 sq. ft. lot and will consist of a 14,000 sq. ft., 1-story building. The facility will boast a garden space, chapel and beauty salon. – Isaiah Ang
Clio to Open West Omaha Restaurant May 21
Clio, the popular Mediterranean restaurant in the Old Market, will open a second location in west Omaha next week on Thursday, May 21. Clio is replacing Blatt Beer and Table at 2835 South 170th Plaza in the Shops of Legacy. Both brands are owned by Omaha-based Flagship Restaurant Group.
Woodhouse Auto Family Sells Porsche Omaha to Florida Company
Woodhouse Auto Family has sold Porsche Omaha to Hanania Automotive Group of Jacksonville, Fla., according to W.G. Nielsen & Co, an investment banking firm involved in the deal. The dealership is located northwest of 180th & West Dodge Road. Woodhouse, which had owned Porsche Omaha since 2005, has 25 dealerships. Hanania now has 18 dealerships.
Omaha Organization Among “Best Nonprofits to Work For”
The NonProfit Times has named Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands one of the Best Nonprofits to Work For in 2026. The Omaha chapter of the organization placed #7 out of 50 top organizations nationwide while employing 44 individuals. – Mark Champion
Fleet Feet Consolidating Omaha Stores
Fleet Feet will consolidate its Aksarben Village store at 6750 Mercy Road into its Legacy location at 17660 Wright Street on May 17. The locally owned running store opened in Lincoln in 2014 and expanded to Omaha in 2017. A final group run from the Aksarben store will be held on May 16 at 7 a.m. – Nicole Buntgen
Two Additional MV Hondius Passengers Arrive at UNMC
Two more passengers from the MV Hondius cruise ship arrived at UNMC’s National Quarantine Unit this afternoon, bringing the total number of individuals undergoing assessment to 18. Those two individuals had been at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta since the passengers arrived from the Canary Islands Monday morning. They were medically cleared to transition to UNMC’s quarantine unit.
Flower Child Opening June 30 at Regency Shopping Center
Flower Child will open its first Nebraska location on June 30 at 120 Regency Parkway on the north side of Regency Shopping Center. The 3,969 sq. ft., health-food restaurant will feature an open kitchen, patio and a custom lemon mural created exclusively for the Omaha location. – Nicole Buntgen
L.L. Bean to Open First Nebraska Store in Avenue One Development
L.L. Bean plans to open its first Nebraska store in Omaha’s Avenue One Good Life District. The famous outdoor clothing and recreation retailer will open in 2027 in a 15,000 sq. ft. space to be constructed southeast of 192nd & West Dodge Road. Based in Freeport, Maine, L.L. Bean has 54 stores in 21 states. The closest existing ones are in Minneapolis and Chicago. Other retailers coming to Avenue One include Trader Joe’s, West Elm, Arhaus, Pottery Barn and others.
Bellevue to Sell Good Life District Lot to Hotel Developer
The City of Bellevue plans to sell a 6.7-acre lot next to its Bellevue Bay indoor waterpark to a hotel developer. According to an ordinance under consideration by the city council, Bellevue would sell the lot to Wonder Lodging, LLC. The hotel would have a skywalk connecting it to the waterpark. The city is building the water park, but it will be branded as one of the first Mattel Wonder Indoor Water Parks with Mattel-themed rides and attractions. – Isaiah Ang
Home Outlet Store Plans to Open First Nebraska Store in Omaha
E.C. Barton & Company plans to open Nebraska’s first Home Outlet store this summer in Omaha. Located at 1902 North 90th Street, the discount building supply retailer will sell flooring, cabinetry, plumbing, door and window products. The location is next to a Walgreens store southwest of 90th & Blondo Street. Based in Jonesboro, Ark., Home Outlet has 112 locations in 21 states.
Bellevue Food Pantry Breaks Ground on New Facility
The Bellevue Food Pantry last Friday broke ground on a new facility in the former Bellevue Public Library at 1003 Lincoln Road. The future location is 20 times the size of the 1,000 sq. ft. space Bellevue Food Pantry has occupied for more than 15 years. After renovations, the new space will include a 3,000 sq. ft. pantry, walk-in coolers and freezers, community meeting areas and a community garden. The facility is expected to open this December. – Mark Champion
Ralston-Area Liquor Store Changes Ownership
Sapri Liquor Store in the Park Drive Shopping Center has changed ownership. Dilip Sathu purchased the business last month at 8524 Park Drive. The 3,100 sq. ft. store originally opened in 2017. The new owner is updating the decor, changing hours and bringing in new products.
New Development Coming to 192nd & Q Street
An apartment project is being proposed for the southwest corner of 192nd & Q Street. The Omaha Planning Board approved the final plat of the 9.51-acre site. Details are unknown, but according to submitted plat drawings, the project will consist of six, large, multi-family buildings and feature significant landscaping including nearly 250 trees. – Isaiah Ang
London Reporter Shares Impressions of Omaha During Berkshire Weekend
In his recent Business Insider article, correspondent Theron Mohamed shares his impressions of Omaha after traveling 4,400 miles from London to attend the 2026 Berkshire Hathaway shareholders meeting. In addition to the meeting – his fourth Berkshire “pilgrimage” – Mohamed visited Nebraska Furniture Mart, a Charlie Munger mural downtown, the Gene Leahy Mall and even Warren Buffett’s Dundee-area house. See the article HERE.
Pottery Studio-Retail Store Opens in Bel Air Plaza
Andra’s Pottery has opened in Bel Air Plaza at 12100 West Center Road, Suite 706. The studio offers classes in wheel throwing and hand building as well as workshops, team-building events and private parties. Monthly memberships are available for experienced potters. The business also sells pottery made in studio. Andra’s Pottery is designed to be accessible with wheelchair friendly spaces and ground-level access.
Paulette Home Opening Retail Store in Blackstone District
Paulete Home will open its first brick-and-mortar store around June 15 in the Blackstone District at 3737 Farnam Street, Suite 102. Interior build-out is underway. Paulette Home is currently an online store, offering furniture lighting, décor, art and rugs. The company has a “hybrid selling model,” in which part of the store inventory will be local consignment, while some will be full retail.
Japanese Restaurant Opens at 49th & Dodge in Dundee
Shiki has opened in a corner space at 4900 Dodge Street previously occupied by Varsity Sports Café. The Dundee-area restaurant focuses on sashimi, nigiri and sushi-maki with small plates and hot Japanese entrees. Chef Tom Buder blends “elements of Japanese & American cuisine with Cajun, Korean, Thai, Italian, Peruvian and Indian influences complemented with a curated wine list and house-made cocktails.”
UNO Graduates More Than 2,000 Students
The University of Nebraska at Omaha held commencement ceremonies last week at Baxter Arena, recognizing 2,059 graduates – 1,559 baccalaureate degrees, 456 master’s degrees and 44 doctoral students. The graduates represented 32 countries and 33 U.S. states. Eighty-one percent of the graduates were from Nebraska, and 638 were the first in their families to go to college.
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Nebraska Medicine Activates Nebraska Biocontainment Unit
Nebraska Medicine has activated the Nebraska Biocontainment Unit on the University of Nebraska Medical Center campus. It is hosting one U.S. citizen, who was a passenger on the cruise ship associated with a hantavirus outbreak. A total of 17 passengers landed in Omaha in the early hours this morning. Most of the passengers are now being assessed at the National Quarantine Unit inside UNMC’s Davis Global Center at 42nd & Leavenworth Street.
Tasty Pizza Opens in Former Lo Sole Mio Space
Tasty Pizza is now open for business at 3001 South 32nd Avenue, a building formerly occupied by The Mio. Before it was The Mio, the building was famously home to Lo Sole Mio for 30 years. Tasty Pizza’s current locations are at 1418 South 60th Street and downtown Blair.
Visit Omaha Announces Douglas County Tourism Award Winners
Nearly 14,000 votes were cast in the 2026 OMA Tourism Awards, which honor tourism-related businesses in Douglas and Pottawattamie counties. According to Visit Omaha, here are the winners in Douglas County: Joslyn Art Museum for Best Attraction; Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel for Best Hotel; Big Mama’s Kitchen for Best Restaurant; and City Limits for Best Retail Business. All were first-time honorees.
Good Life Sports Bar Plans to Open in North Downtown
The Good Life Sports Bar & Grill plans to open at 1501 Mike Fahey Street in the Builders District. The North Downtown bar is currently under consideration for a liquor license. Interior build-out has started. Opening is anticipated to coincide with the College World Series. The 7,258 sq. ft. space is on the southeast corner of the building and will include a three-season, covered outdoor seating area. Good Life has five existing locations in Omaha, Papillion and Gretna.
Renovations Start inside Future Dillard’s Store at Westroads
Work has started inside the former Younker’s store at Westroads Mall. Dillard’s will relocate its Oak View Mall department store into the space when work is completed in the second half of 2027. Dillard’s is using its own in-house construction company, Arkansas-based CDI Contractors. Dillard’s will gut the space, add a 32,000 sq, ft. expansion and construct a new entrance. Once complete, the two-story store will total 207,800 sq. ft.
City Approves Streetscape Improvements for North 24th Street
The Omaha City Council approved the acquisition of land along North 24th Street. The Omaha Public Works Department will improve the land as part of a major streetscape project. The stretch of North 24th Street extends from Ohio Street to Sahler Street. Improvements include pedestrian nodes that shorten crosswalks, on-street parking, sidewalks, landscaping and signage. The project is in final design consideration. Construction is planned to start in spring 2027. – Isaiah Ang
Technology Company Moving to Regency Landing
Regency Landing northeast of Interstate 680 & Pacific Street will be home to another office tenant. According to a building permit for tenant-finish at 10730 Pacific Street, EGiS Technologies will occupy a 5,500 sq. ft. office space. EGiS is currently located at 210 Regency Parkway and provides computer and technology services. – Isaiah Ang
Bar Blaha Opens for Business in North Downtown
Bar Blaha opened last week at 721 North 14th Street in the former Zipline Brewing space in North Downtown next to the Ruth Sokolof Theater. The upscale-yet-approachable bar has 24 taps, 12 of which feature rotating craft beers. Locally owned by Oliver Blaha, Bar Blaha features a modern-industrial setting and opens at 3 p.m. daily.
Omaha Ranks #5 on Best Large Metros for Working Moms
A CoworkingCafe study has ranked Omaha as the fifth-best large U.S. metro area for working moms in 2026. The analysis reviewed metros using 14 metrics, from employment and income to childcare affordability, commute times and access to healthcare. The only metros with more than 1 million people to place ahead of Omaha were Minneapolis, Denver, St. Louis and Kansas City. Omaha has more than 83,000 working moms.
State Board Approves Turnback Financing for Union Omaha Stadium
The State of Nebraska’s Sports Arena Facility Financing Assistance Act Board this week approved turnback-tax financing for Union Omaha’s planned 6,500-seat soccer stadium in North Downtown. Union Omaha plans to build the $140 million stadium in partnership with the City of Omaha, which will own it. The site is currently a mostly vacant, former Union Pacific railyard northeast of 11th & Cuming Street. As part of the project, plans call for an adjacent mixed-use development with residential, retail and entertainment uses.
The Alibi Room Bar Coming to 90th & Arbor
Signage is up for The Alibi Room at 9001 Arbor Street in the former VIP Lounge building north of 90th & West Center Road. The cocktail lounge has not yet announced an opening date. VIP Lounge relocated to 8505 Frederick Street last summer. - Nicole Buntgen
Orel Alliance Opens Community Center at Bel Air Plaza
Orel Alliance, an Omaha nonprofit organization founded in 2024 in response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, celebrated the opening of its first community center at the Bel Air Plaza near 120th & West Center Road on May 3. So far, Orel Alliance has provided more than $1.5 million in direct financial support to 2,500 Ukrainian families across the Omaha area. The new community center will house the program’s offices as well as community programming. – Mark Champion
Shoeman’s Grocery Opens in Blackstone District
Shoeman’s Grocery has opened next door to Shoeman’s Liquor & More at 3737 Farnam Street in the Blackstone District. The bodega-style, neighborhood-focused grocery store opened May 1st on the ground floor of the 9-story 37 West Farnam Building. The liquor store opened back in November. The owner, Chad Shoeman, also owns the Red Lion Lounge one block to the west.
The Only Facial Opening Second Omaha Location
The Only Facial, a top-rated facial spa, plans to open its second Omaha location Monday, May 11 at 17219 Evans Street. That’s just south of West Maple Road. Local owners Skip and Katy Joyce have an existing location at 1020 South 74th Plaza. Founded in 2017 and based in St. Louis, The Only Facial has locations in 11 states.
Research Firm Ranks Omaha as Nation’s #8 Hottest Housing Market
Among large cities, Omaha is one of the top-10 hottest housing markets in the nation, according to Construction Coverage, a San Diego-based construction research company. Here’s the top 10: 1. San Francisco; 2. San Jose, Calif.; 3. Minneapolis; 4. Virginia Beach, Va.; 5. Milwaukee; 6. Oakland, Calif.; 7. Chicago; 8. Omaha; 9. Baltimore; 10. Seattle. Among the states, Nebraska ranked No. 9. Connecticut was number one, while Texas was 50th.
Kiddie Academy Child Care Centers Break Ground in Omaha Area
Two Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care locations broke ground in the metro area last month. Kiddie Academy of Bennington will be located at 15623 Hanover Falls Drive. Kiddie Academy of Papillion is under construction at 2055 Creekside Drive. Based in Maryland, Kidde Academy has 375 locations in 40 states. Each building will be 12,900 sq. ft. Together they will serve 400 children. Kidde has an existing Omaha location at 1111 South 206 Circle.
Benson Grocery Opens on Northwest Radial Highway
Benson Grocery has opened at 5420 Northwest Radial Highway in the Benson area. The space, which was previously occupied by Hosiery Plus, is west of Hartland Bar-B-Que. The neighborhood grocery store sells food and convenience items.
Indian Creek Opens New Restaurant in Renovated Clubhouse
Indian Creek Golf Course has opened Approach, a new restaurant on the upper level of its recently renovated clubhouse near 202nd & West Maple Road. As a public golf course, Indian Creek’s clubhouse is open to everyone. Approach is a chef-driven, casual-fine dining restaurant open year-round, offering lunch, happy-hour and dinner menus.
The Buckle Opens May 11th and Nebraska Crossing
The Buckle plans to open a new store on Monday, May 11th at Nebraska Crossing in Gretna. Between May 11 and June 8, the store plans to give away several gift cards as part of its grand-opening giveaway. The Buckle is taking over the former Eddie Bauer space. Based in Kearney, Neb., The Buckle has 444 stores in 42 states.
Maharaja Indian Cuisine Opening Second Location in Papillion
Maharaja Indian Cuisine will open its second location at 8419 South 73rd Plaza in Papillion, replacing the former Miyake Sushi House space. Its original location is in Miracle Hills at 617 North 114th Street. - Nicole Buntgen
