A lot has changed in this corridor along North Saddle Creek Road and there are still more changes coming as the city revamps this part of the neighborhood.
Just over a week ago, another neighborhood business announced it's taking a pause here, but not forever, the future project has them planning to be back.
- Hay Jay Coffee closed on Sunday, August 18, 2024.
- Owner Deena Hannum says it is a temporary closure with no timeline yet to re-open.
- Hannum says the North Saddle Creek Streetscape project is one of the things that has her committed to staying in the area.
- You'll soon see them in Bennington, Deena is aiming for some time in September.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
For the past 6 and a half years, this has been Hay Jay Coffee's home.
"Everybody is just so welcoming and friendly and we just love the whole community around here," said Deena Hannum, owner of Hay Jay Coffee.
It's a business Deena Hannum says she started to give this space, which used to be a parking lot, a new purpose.
But on Sunday she decided to close Hay Jay Coffee temporarily in this neighborhood, after things weren't going as well as possible.
"Ultimately we just decided it was just the best timing right now to start something fresh and maybe revamp our menu, change it up a little bit within this area," Hannum said.
Customers like Mary Pat Johnson were sad to hear the news.
"I thought that was really sad, you know, because then you know you have to go farther away and you know it is easier for doing a drive-thru especially around here," Johnson said.
It's a busy corridor with concerns about walkability.
"This has been neglected for so long," Johnson said.
Deena serves on the Saddle Creek Business Improvement District board. The BID and the city are working on a streetscape improvement project to revamp this neighborhood.
"The streetscape is going to make this whole neighborhood very walkable and friendly for bikers and people walking as well, having benches, having beautiful trees, having great landscape," Hannum said.
City Council President Pete Festersen says the project is on track, with the goal of construction starting in the spring of next year.
"It's going to be really beautiful here," Hannum said.
While Deena's focus is opening their new Bennington cafe location, this project is one of the reasons she's committed to staying in the Saddle Creek area.
"In the next couple years hopefully, we are moving over into the Northwest Radial corridor, right off Northwest Radial, so that is the big goal," Hannum said.
Creating something new for the community that welcomed her all those years ago.
While Hay Jay Coffee is taking a break from this central Omaha location with no specific timeline yet to reopen. You'll soon see them in Bennington, Deena is aiming for some time in September.
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