Grow Omaha
News Briefs
NP Dodge Celebrates 170th Anniversary in 2025
NP Dodge Company is celebrating its 170th anniversary in 2025. The six-generation, family-owned company was founded in 1855 and is the longest-running real estate firm in the United States.
Kansas Restaurant Opening Omaha Location in February
HomeGrown, a Kansas-based breakfast, brunch and lunch eatery, will open in February at 3555 Farnam Street in the Blackstone Plaza building. The restaurant has 11 existing locations across the Midwest and will feature locally-sourced dishes from Archetype Coffee, La Quartier Bakery, Just Good Meat, Fat Head Honey and more. – Nicole Buntgen
Retail Strip Center Under Construction at 192nd & Q
Construction has started on Woodlands Retail, a two-building retail strip center totaling 19,322 sq. ft. northwest of 192nd & Q Street. Completion is planned for late 2025. Building “A” will total 13,136 sq. ft. Building “B” will be 5,949 sq. ft. No tenants have been announced.
Parliament Pub Closes Downtown Location
Parliament Pub has closed its downtown location at 1212 Harney Street in the Old Market. New Year’s Eve was the final day of business. The English-inspired bar opened in 2008 and operates another location in west Omaha at 16939 Wright Plaza in the Shops of Legacy. – Nicole Buntgen
Wheatfield’s Plans a Second Location at 192nd & Maple
Wheatfield’s is opening an express location at 18902 Evans Street near 192nd & West Maple Road. Interior build-out is underway, and the grand opening is planned for April. This express location will have a drive-thru lane and an extensive self-serve, grab-and-go section. The store will sell quiche, soups, sandwiches and bakery items. The existing Wheatfield’s restaurant is in One Pacific Place near 103rd & Pacific Street.
The Brunch Box Merges Two Downtown Locations into One
The Brunch Box will consolidate its two downtown restaurants into one Capitol District location at 225 North 12th Street. The fast-casual brunch spot will close its Old Market location at 1308 Jackson Street when its sublease ends this spring. The last day of service in the Old Market will be March 30, 2025. The owner of the restaurant said the Old Market location was always intended to be a temporary start for the business. – Nicole Buntgen
Copps Pizza Closes Two Locations
Copps Pizza has closed its locations at 2829 South 181st Street and 7204 Jones Street. The West Center location opened in 2022, while the original Jones Street location opened in 2019. The family-owned restaurant’s Papillion location at 7474 Towne Center Parkway in Shadow Lake Towne Center, which opened in 2020, remains open. – Nicole Buntgen
Creighton University Index Shows Regional Manufacturing Slump
For the seventh time in 2024, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, sank below 50.0 growth neutral threshold. The overall index slumped to 48.7 from 49.6 in November. The index vacillated slightly above and below growth neutral every month in 2024.
Specialty Store Open at 31st & Leavenworth
The Soap Market, a retail store that sells soap, body care products and candles, opened in November at 3152 Leavenworth. The locally owned business had been previously operating as an online store. The neighborhoood has seen several new retailers open over the past couple years and several multi-family construction projects.
Renovations Planned for South Omaha Fast-Food Building
Renovation of a Taco Ball at 3917 South 42nd Street is on the horizon, based on a building permit filed with the City of Omaha. The $400,000 renovation project will bring the store up to current corporate standards of interior and exterior design. – Isaiah Ang
New Sushi Bar Planned for North Downtown
An unnamed sushi bar is planned for North Downtown. A building at 906 North 16th Street, just west of the Tip Top Apartments, was recently renovated for two restaurant spaces. Elie’s Chinchorro, a Caribbean restaurant, moved into the building as the first tenant this past summer. Elie’s was previously located in the former Lo Sole Mio event space in the Hanscom Park neighborhood. Recently, a building permit was filed for interior finishes and installation of kitchen equipment for a sushi bar in Suite B. – Isaiah Ang
Scooter’s Plans to Renovate 77th & Cass Street Location
Scooter’s Coffee at 7772 Cass Street will soon look like new with a $225,000 remodel project. According to a filed building permit, this 1,500 sq. ft. location will be renovated inside and out. While Scooter’s has focused on drive-thru-only buildings in its recent expansion, this location has a legacy as a sit-down coffee shop. The building was previously home to Crane Coffee, a locally owned coffee shop. In 2019, Scooter’s Coffee bought out Crane Coffee and converted all its shops to the Scooter’s brand. – Isaiah Ang
Oklahoma Joe’s Elkhorn Location Permanently Closing
Oklahoma Joe’s announced that its west Omaha location at 1405 South 204th Street will close permanently tomorrow – December 31st. The Aksarben Village location at 1912 South 67th Street will remain open.
OPPD Ranked #1 Midwest Midsize Electric Utility
J.D. Power, known for its consumer product reviews and rankings, ranked OPPD as #1 in Residential Customer Satisfaction in the Midwest Midsize electric utility segment. OPPD beat out 15 other utilities overall and topped three of six subcategories including billing and payment, price and communication. – Isaiah Ang
Japanese Restaurant Opening in Blackstone This Spring
Koen Japanese BBQ & Sushi is set to open this spring at 3863 Farnam Street next to Insomnia Cookies in Omaha’s Blackstone District. The family-owned restaurant offers an interactive dining experience where guests can grill pre-marinated meats and vegetables at their tables. Koen’s existing location is in Lincoln, which opened in 2018. – Nicole Buntgen
Signage Installed for Nebraska’s First Wienerschnitzel
Signage is now in place for the first Wienerschnitzel location in Nebraska or Iowa. The popular California-based hotdog chain is getting close to opening in MH Landing northeast of 72nd & Grover Street. Wienerschnitzel will share the building with Salty Dog, a sports bar which opened earlier this month.
Korean Restaurant Coming Soon to Old Market
Chick Bo-Bao plans to take over an empty bay at 1213 Howard Street in the Old Market. The Korean restaurant has an existing location at 7440 North 30th street. The menu includes fried chicken, salads, mochi donuts, Korean corn dogs and bubble tea.
Nebraska Ranks as #2 State for Online Shopping
Nebraska is the second-ranked state in America for highest percentage of Christmas shopping completed online, according to Nebraska Examiner. The number-one state was West Virginia. The article speculates that Nebraska’s vast rural expanses mean that brick-and-mortar stores are too far away for much of the state, thus compelling people to shop online.
Soccer Club Moves to Office Near MultiSports Complex
Evolution Soccer, a youth sports organization, is opening a headquarters at 12040 McDermott Plaza, Suite 101 in La Vista’s Southport East area. The new office is just west of the CHI Health MultiSports Complex. The organization provides training and mentorship for youth athletes, ages 4 to 19, from across the metro area.
Oklahoma Coworking Company Expanding to Omaha
The Root Coworking plans to open in a new mass-timber office building in North Downtown. Interior build-out is underway on a 25,000 sq. ft. space inside the 4-story, 120,000 sq. ft. building at 1501 Mike Fahey Street. Opening is planned for May or June. The Oklahoma-based coworking office provider has two locations in Tulsa and one in Fayetteville, Ark.
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Temporary Concession Providers Opening in Eppley Terminal
Eppley Airfield’s terminal will transition to interim concession providers starting January 1st. The existing food-and-beverage businesses are closing permanently. The temporary replacements will be known as "Runway 14R Bar & Grill" in the north terminal and "Runway 18-36 Bar & Grill" in the south terminal. Hudson will continue to provide retail service in both terminals during construction. An entire slate of new vendors will open when the terminal is expanded and renovated.
Party City Closing All Stores Including Two in Omaha Metro
Party City is in the process of shutting down as a company and closing all of its 800 stores. The New Jersey-based retailer has two Omaha metro area stores, both of which are scheduled to close February 28th. The Omaha store is in Montclair Center near 132nd & West Center Road. The Council Bluffs store is at 3271 Marketplace Drive.
Noddle Companies Moving Headquarters to North Downtown
Noddle Companies will move its headquarters from Aksarben Village to North Downtown next year. The real estate development firm will move into its recently completed, 4-story, 120,000 sq. ft., mass-timber building at 1501 Mike Fahey Street. Noddle will maintain a small office at Aksarben. Fly Fitness is already open in the new building.
Unique Coffee Shop Opening in Florence
Cups Café will host its grand opening on January 7 at 8501 North 30th Street in the Florence neighborhood. Located in the No More Empty Pots Food Hub, the coffee shop aims to support community self-sufficiency, food security and local and regional entrepreneurship. - Nicole Buntgen
African Steakhouse Adding Food Truck
Chuanjui LLC, an African steakhouse, will soon open a 22-foot-long BBQ food trailer at 3424 North 90th Street in the Unity Church parking lot. Chuanjui has participated in local events like “A Taste of Africa” and “A Taste of North Omaha” and specializes in high-quality beef cuts with various Cameroon West African-inspired sides, sauces, stews, soups, rice dishes and more. – Nicole Buntgen
Thai Restaurant Opening January 2nd in Papillion
We have an updated opening date for Red Lotus Thai Express. The Thai and Asian fusion restaurant will open on January 2 at 1449 Papillion Drive in Papillion. Red Lotus will feature a mix of traditional and modern Thai and Asian fusion dishes, including menu items like Beef Pepper Steak and Spicy Tilapia. - Nicole Buntgen
New Restaurant Opens in Dundee
Bomb Taco, a local taqueria and cantina, has opened a new location at 5003 Underwood Avenue in the former Hoppy Taco space in Dundee near 50th & Underwood. Bomb Taco also operates locations at 120 Olson Drive in Papillion and 12321 West Maple Road. - Nicole Buntgen
Pizza West Announces New Ownership
Holly Purcell, owner of Skyybox Bar and Grill has purchased Pizza West, which has locations at 12040 McDermott Plaza in La Vista and 12301 West Maple Road in Omaha. "We’re thrilled to take the helm of such an iconic local establishment," Purcell said. "Pizza West has always been about great food and a great community vibe, and we look forward to building on that legacy while introducing new ideas to enhance the experience for our customers."
Counseling Business Opens in Downtown Papillion
Grin and Heal Counseling has found a new home in a 1,584 sq. ft. office building at 131 North Washington Street in downtown Papillon, according to Brian Thomas of NAI NP Dodge, who brokered the building sales. The mental health therapy practice focuses on Veteran, Military Members and their families.
Two Restaurants Recently Closed
Two restaurants have closed in west central Omaha. Which Wich Superior Sandwiches has closed its location at 307 North 114th Street. The only remaining Which Wich in Nebraska is seven hours away in Scottsbluff. Coolgreens closed its healthy food restaurant at 8990 West Center Road in Loveland Centre this past Friday.
New Restaurant Moving into Former Muchacho’s Space
Masa Luna Tamaleria is set to open a brick-and-mortar location in the Little Bohemia neighborhood in spring 2025. It will be located in the former Muchacho’s space at 1258 South 13th Street and will offer a variety of tamales and agave-based cocktails. Masa Luna is a sister business to Fizzy’s Fountain & Liquors – Nicole Buntgen
New Downtown Library Wins Architecture Award
Omaha Public Library’s downtown branch received Architect’s Newspaper’s 2024 Design Award for Adaptive-Reuse Education. Local architectural firms, HDR and TACKarchitects were recognized for their work on this project. The downtown branch opened at 1401 Jones Street in May 2023, serving the urban core after the former W. Dale Clark Main Library was razed for the Mutual of Omaha tower project. – Isaiah Ang
Cheddar’s Opening Village Pointe Location February 3rd
Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen will open on February 3 at 17373 Chicago Street in Village Pointe. The 7,500 sq. ft. building is east of Firebirds Wood Fired Grill and west of Scheel’s. Cheddar’s operates an existing Omaha location near 120th & L Street. – Nicole Buntgen
New Bar Opens in Little Bohemia
The Platypus, a wine-focused bar, has opened at 1409 South 13th Street in Little Bohemia, next to Tiny House Bar and under the same ownership. The concept features a curated wine list, classic cocktails and paninis from Block 16. Platypus is described as “vintage 1970s design meets a modern, welcoming atmosphere.” – Nicole Buntgen
Rural Economy Shows Signs of Concern
After advancing above growth neutral last month for the first time since July 2023, Creighton University’s Rural Mainstreet Index sank below the 50.0 reading in December, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy. December’s overall reading plummeted to 39.6 from November’s much-stronger 50.2. It was 11th time this year that the overall reading has fallen below growth neutral.
Salty Dog Bar & Grill Officially Opens Omaha Location
The Salty Dog Bar & Grill has opened its second location at 3401 South 72nd Street in MH Landing northeast of 72nd & Grover. Its existing location is at 2411 South 24th Street in Council Bluffs. The new building will be shared with Wienerschnitzel, which is expected to open soon. - Nicole Buntgen
Nebraska Population Now Exceeds 2 Million
The 2024 U.S. Census Bureau's state population estimates revealed that Nebraska surpassed the 2 million mark for the first time in history. Nebraska added 17,601 people, with 13,000 attributed to international migration. Nebraska’s .9 percent annual growth rate, was below the 1.0 percent national average, but tops among surrounding states, except for Colorado. Local population estimates will be released in March. - Isaiah Ang
The Grove Juicery & Wellness Café Expanding to Aksarben
The Grove Juicery & Wellness Café is adding a second location at the Inner Rail Food Hall in Aksarben Village. Construction is now underway. Opening is planned for March. The Grove’s existing location is at 2401 Farnam Street downtown.
Crunch Fitness Plans Location in Maplewood
Crunch Fitness will open a new Maplewood location at 2650 North 90th Street in the former Family Fare space. Tentative opening date is spring of 2025. The $5 million, 40,000 sq. ft. fitness center will also offer kids babysitting, hydromassage, UV tanning and more. Crunch also operates a location near 138th & Q. – Nicole Buntgen
Site Grading Complete at Valley Landing Project
ACCESS Commercial and Montage Builders have started construction on Valley Landing, a 63.9-acre development at 264th & Meigs Street in Valley. Site grading is complete, and now workers are excavating a lake that will be part of the development. Confirmed occupants include a Fareway Grocery and DC West Athletic Complex, which is set to open in the fall of 2026.
