Grow Omaha
News Briefs

Commercial development is stretching into far northwest Omaha as several buildings are going up northeast of 168th & State Street. Heartland Dental is now constructing a 4,124 sq. ft, one-story building at 16759 Willit Street, immediately west of a recently opened McDonald’s restaurant. Based in Effingham, Ill., Heartland Dental supports 1,900 offices in 39 states.

Park Omaha has launched a program to help employees of businesses impacted by streetcar construction. Employees can now access $1 parking sessions in two downtown garages and one surface lot in the Blackstone District. Corridor businesses must sign up through the program and validate their employees before they receive the rate. A similar program to help the general public is coming within a few weeks.

Monty’s Bar & Bottle Shop opens for business today at 2 p.m. in the former Wine Beer and Spirits space at 1037 Jones Street. Operated by Charles “Monty” Carter, the neighborhood bar is on the ground level of the Old Market Lofts Building. Wine Beer and Spirits’ original location near Oak View Mall remains open. The retailer has additional stores in Fremont, Lincoln and Grand Island, Neb.

Creighton University’s Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas under the leadership of Dr. Ernie Goss, moved above growth neutral for the third straight month, pointing to improving economic growth in manufacturing and the overall economy. The index increased to 56.0 in April from 55.6 in March. A score of 50.0 represents growth neutral.

The Omaha Planning Department presented the 2025 Tax Increment Financing Report to the City Council last week as required by law. In 2025, the city approved 22 TIF projects providing $52 million in TIF loans to support $424 million in total development. The projects could create 1,600 residential units and more than 75,000 sq. ft. of commercial space. More than $6 million of the covered costs support public infrastructure improvements. – Isaiah Ang

Park Omaha, the City of Omaha’s Parking & Mobility Division, won the 2026 International Parking and Mobility Institute’s Organization of the Year award. Criteria focus on an organization that creates a culture of excellence; embraces innovation, excellence and technology in parking, transportation and mobility; and demonstrates years of proven leadership. Park Omaha will receive the honor at a conference in June.

Masala Indian Bar and Grill has opened at 7007 Grover Street inside Comfort Inn & Suites. The restaurant specializes in regional Indian cuisine with freshly ground spices and traditional clay-oven cooking. – Nicole Buntgen

Metropolitan Community College is hosting a ribbon cutting and open house celebrating its Small Business Development Center designation by the U.S. Small Business Administration on Wednesday, May 6. The MCC center is located at The Ashton building in Millwork Commons, and will be the second federally designated Small Business Development Center in Nebraska. – Mark Champion

Another “dirty soda” shop chain appears to be opening its first location in Nebraska, this time near 72nd & Dodge Street. According to a building permit, Swig plans to take over a former Starbucks coffee shop at 219 South 72nd Street. Swig is the original “dirty soda” shop and was started in St. George, Utah. The dirty soda concept focuses on non-alcoholic beverages, primarily soda, mixed with cream, syrups or fruit. The company has around 150 locations in 16 states. Currently, the closest locations are found in Kansas City, where there are eight. – Isaiah Ang

Dairy Queen Grill & Chill has reopened at 404 North 114th Street on the southwest corner of 114th & West Dodge Road after extensive renovations. Crews demolished the second floor and roof of the classic, barn-style Dairy Queen building last December. The ice cream shop has been converted into a contemporary, single-story, fast-food restaurant.

The Lerner Company will break ground Friday on Gretna Crossing, a 70-acre retail development southwest of 192nd & Highway 370. Some site preparation work has already started. The development will have up to 500,000 sq. ft. of retail, restaurant and commercial space, while supporting 1,400 permanent jobs. Upon completion, Gretna Crossing is expected to generate an estimated $50 million in combined sales and property tax revenue for the City of Gretna over 10 years.

A building permit has been filed for a Trader Joe’s store at 210 North 191st Street. The 13,500 sq. ft. store would be constructed on the northeast corner of 192nd & Burke Street, just south of West Dodge Road in the Avenue One Good Life District. The California-based grocery chain has an existing Omaha store at One Pacific Place. Other retailers planning to join Avenue One include West Elm, Arhaus, Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Barnes & Noble and Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille.   

Ageless Skin Co. has opened at 1150 Sterling Ridge Drive southeast of 132nd & Pacific Street, relocating from its previous 96th & L Street space. The med spa also has a location in Gretna and will celebrate its seventh anniversary in May. – Nicole Buntgen

Still Poppin Gourmet Popcorn will occupy a storefront in north Omaha. According to a building permit at 3207 North 30th Street, Still Poppin will open a 1,700 sq. ft. store. Known as Malcolm’s Place, the mixed-use building has 51 apartment units and ground-floor retail. Still Poppin is currently selling out of Big Mama’s Kitchen in the Highlander Accelerator building in the Seventy-Five North development. – Isaiah Ang

Baker’s has filed a building permit for its planned 100,181 sq. ft. grocery store at 18303 Evans Street, which is southwest of 180th & West Maple Road. The building will sit on a 13-acre lot, which was originally going to be a Fleet Farm store before those plans changed. Kroger, which owns Baker’s, has not announced a construction timeline. Baker’s has another store under construction northwest of 204th & Q Street.

Kidlavie, an entertainment center for children and families, has opened in Oak View Mall. The indoor amusement park occupies a 22,000 sq. ft. space on the mall’s second level between a vacant Sears store and the former Rush Market. Geared to children ages 1 through 12, Kidlavie also has a full restaurant. The business was founded in 2022 and has another location in Mobile, Ala.

Forbes featured Don and Linda Eckles, founders of Omaha-based Scooter’s Coffee, yesterday in an article titled, “From Coffee Kiosk to Billion-Dollar Business: How Scooter’s Became One of America’s Top Franchises.” The Eckles founded Scooter’s in 1998. The company now has 912 locations in 32 states and rang up $859 million in total sales last year. The Eckles, who remain majority owners, said they are not currently looking to sell the company, and "for now, we love being a privately held company." 

Three more upscale retailers have filed for permits at Avenue One, the Good Life District south of 192nd & West Dodge Road. A week after Arhaus filed, West Elm, Pottery Barn and Williams Sonoma filed permits. Pottery Barn will occupy 12,500 sq. ft., and Williams Sonoma will have 5,600 sq. ft. in the same building. West Elm’s 12,500 sq. ft. store will be in the same building as Arhaus. – Isaiah Ang

Osaka Steakhouse & Sushi Bar Elkhorn will open in mid-2026 at 18118 Evans Street southwest of 180th & West Maple Road. The restaurant, previously planned as Kyoto Sushi & Hibachi, will be owned by Michael Zhu and Amy Chen, who also operate the original Osaka location in La Vista. The 7,000 sq. ft. space will feature an expanded kitchen, hibachi dining and a menu similar to the La Vista restaurant. - Nicole Buntgen

Tipico Helado, a locally owned Mexican ice cream shop, is opening a Gretna location inside the former Cold Stone Creamery space at Nebraska Crossing. Opening is planed for May 15. Founded in 2017, Tipico Helado has existing shops in South Omaha, the Old Market, 156th & West Dodge Road and downtown Fremont.