Grow Omaha
News Briefs

Masa Luna Tamaleria has opened in the former Muchacho’s space at 1258 South 13th Street in Little Bohemia. Masa Luna is limited to customers age 21 and over. The menu includes handmade masa for tamales and al pastor tacos from the trompo. Masa Luna also offers “a progressive bar program based on additive free, sustainable agave-based spirits.” The primary owners are Carlos Cuevas and Gillian Cromwell Cuevas. Co-owners are Noah and Katie Mock, who also own Nite Owl and Fizzy’s Fountain & Liquors.

Work begins today to remediate a sinkhole on the west side of 16th Street between Farnam and Harney streets. The project will last through November. The sinkhole opened last January when a garbage truck fell into an underground void while turning into an alley. Remediating the sinkhole is more complicated than simply filling it. An exposed building foundation needs to be shored up, a sewer must be repaired, and Omaha Public Power District needs to fix a duct line.

The Peregrine Hotel at 18th & Douglas Street downtown plans to launch two dining concepts in late October. They include The Perch Rooftop, which will be open on top of the building year-round, and the Gilded Feather, a full-service restaurant.

La Plaza Fiesta, a Sioux Falls, South Dakota-based Mexican restaurant, has opened its first Omaha location at 12405 West Center Road in the former El Vallarta space at Westwood Plaza. Known for its margaritas and scratch-made menu, the restaurant is open Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Friday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. – Nicole Buntgen

Up to 30 Metropolitan Community College students will have the opportunity to participate in the ultimate “distance learning project” this fall. Through a partnership with the National Center for Earth and Space Science Education, teams of MCC students will design and propose spaceflight experiments, with one MCC project selected for testing by astronauts on the International Space Station. Registration is open to all MCC students, including high school students participating in MCC dual enrollment programs.

Habitat for Humanity plans to build new housing on vacant lots near 26th Street and Corby Street in north Omaha directly east of the City of Omaha’s fleet maintenance facility. Plans call for 27 housing units, consisting of single-family attached and detached homes and townhomes. Building sized range from 1,000 sq. ft., 2-bedroom homes to 1,800 sq. ft., 4-bedrooms units. The for-sale homes will have an average appraised value of $230,000. Habitat for Humanity also applied for $1.7 million in TIF to support the $7 million project. Construction is set to begin this October and be completed by August 2026. – Isaiah Ang

Bergman Incentives will celebrate a ribbon cutting for its new headquarters at 9700 J Street on September 19 from 2 to 4 p.m. The 44,000 sq. ft. space will also house fulfillment and distribution functions. Bergman Incentives provides branded merchandise and promotional items. In addition to Omaha, the company operates in Kansas City, Minneapolis and Salt Lake City.

Paper Crane Books & Tattoo plans to open Saturday, September 27 at 735 North 120th Street in the Skin Deep tattoo location. The business will be combined indie bookstore and licensed tattoo-and-piercing studio.

Hawaiian Bros will open its second Omaha restaurant Monday, September 8th at 704 North 114th Street in Miracle Hills. The grand opening starts at 11 a.m., and the first 100 customers in line will receive a free t-shirt and a Hawaiian Bros gift card ranging from $25-$500 (with purchase). The local Bros franchises are owned by Dean Hodges of DKPM Investment Corp. Kansas City-based Hawaiian Bros is known for its island-inspired plate lunch, which offers chicken or pork, macaroni salad, a bed of steamed rice or vegetables and Dole Soft Serve for dessert.

The City of Omaha will hold an official, ceremonial ribbon cutting event to celebrate the opening of the $7.5 million Baby Bob bridge on September 10 at 2 p.m. The 1,100-foot bridge has been functionally open for several months now and connects North Downtown to the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge.

The Omaha Planning Department approved a preliminary plat for a 28-unit subdivision east of 40th & Franklin Street. Home Name Housing Corporation plans to build 28 two-bedroom townhomes on 2.8 acres of vacant land. One duplex is planned for a smaller lot off Decatur Street, while the other units will be in 3- and 4-unit buildings. The project is adjacent to the NRD Beltline Trail. – Isaiah Ang

bb.q Chicken has opened its second Omaha location at 1028 South 74th Plaza, next to Eileen’s Cookies. The Seoul, South Korea-based Korean fried chicken chain debuted its first Nebraska location in February 2024 at 2521 South 132nd Street. – Nicole Buntgen

Holy Grounds Coffeehouse & Gifts opened on August 8 at 19405 Polk Street near 194th & Harrison. The faith-based coffee shop and gift store sources locally roasted coffee and offers café fare alongside a curated retail selection. – Nicole Buntgen

Lauritzen Gardens announced that the Marjorie K. Daugherty Conservatory will be reopening to the public on September 20 following a two-phase renovation, which upgraded the facility’s functionality and allows for a new collection of rare and remarkable plants. – Mark Champion

The Cannabis Factory has opened at 3434 South 84th Street in the Westgate area in a building that was once the Omaha Fire Department’s hazmat facility. More recently, it was a Midwest Medical Transport Co. location. The store is open daily and includes drive-thru open 24 hours a day. the Cannabis Factory has 22 locations in Nebraska and says its “Nebraska’s number-one cannabis dispensary.”

Equity Bank of Wichita, Kan., announced today it has entered into a definitive merger agreement to acquire Omaha-based Frontier Bank, marking Equity’s entrance into the Nebraska market. Frontier has $1.4 billion in total assets and operates seven locations in eastern Nebraska. Subject to receipt of customary regulatory and member approvals and closing conditions, the merger is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2025.

For the seventh time in 2025, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, rose slightly above growth neutral in August. The index, which ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 representing growth neutral, climbed to 50.5 from 49.4 in July.

QAT Global is relocating its downtown office from the twin towers of Central Park Plaza to the Capitol District. According to a building permit, QAT Global is planning to remodel space at 1100 Capitol Avenue, an office building with ground floor retail. Current office tenants include Deloitte and Private Wealth Asset Management. QAT Global is a locally grown IT company with international offices in Costa Rica and Brazil. It provides custom software development and IT staffing services. – Isaiah Ang

Los Concuños MexicanFood, a food truck, debuted on August 24 at 9630 Ida Street in the Tractor Supply Co. parking lot. The truck serves tacos, tortas, burritos, sopes, super fries, super nachos and menudo on weekends. – Nicole Buntgen

G1fted Barbershop plans to open September 2nd in Oakview Mall. Locally owned by Wellson Yusif, the 1,300 sq. ft. barbershop will be located next to mall’s food court near JCPenney. G1fted will be open seven days a week.