Built in 1923, the one-story, two-door brick building on the southeast corner of 35th Avenue and Center Street has served multiple purposes over the years. Starting with the eastern side of the building, its story starts with Raduziner Grocery and Meat Market. After Louis Raduziner moved out in 1955, it continued to serve the community as Field Club Pharmacy until the 1970s. After that it was the dental practice of Dr. Maurice Griffin.
It found new life as the city’s first organic food market, Prairie Sunset Co-op, by 1973. It operated as an alternative supermarket selling food including fruits, vegetables, spices, herbs, flour, honey, peanut butter, breads, rice and a few other products but no meat. The store also featured a reading room and a “free store” where you would find everything from dishes to used clothing. Membership to the co-op cost $5 per year and entitled members to a discount. After the co-op relocated to 5524 S 32nd St, the entire building was put up for sale in 1974, this space alternated between an auto parts store, another drug store and a home furnishings store for a time.
From the time it was built in 1923, the western half served as Douglas Drug Store. Fast forward to 1938 and it was briefly the home to Mahan’s Dinette and then Knight’s Donut Company before it relocated. It seems that Field Club Pharmacy which had operated out of the eastern half consolidated by taking over the entire building by 1959.
After purchasing the building, Petros Axiotes moved his OK Cleaners from 313 N 16th St to 3521 Center Street in 1975. His shop, a community hub where you had clothes tailored, shoes shined, hats blocked and even order a custom suit. It didn’t stop there, you could even get a cup of coffee, cookie and engage in good conversation. Deeply patriotic, Petros often tailored, cleaned, and repaired police and military uniforms for free. When his store closed in 1989, it was the end of an era. He really deserves a story of his own so perhaps we’ll explore that in the future.
More recently the western half has been the home to Will Style Bridal Boutique which had been operating since the mid-2000’s. Meanwhile the eastern half has been occupied by of one of Omaha’s first tattoo studios, Grinn & Barrett which moved from its longtime home at 30th and Leavenworth in 2022.
The most notable aspect of the building is the large mural on its east wall facing the parking lot. The wall had been tagged with graffiti twice in 2000. That’s when the owner of Center Street Cafe Espresso across the street painted the Hanscom Park lagoon along the wall with the help of other residents. At the time she said that if others could paint graffiti on it, she could paint something beautiful.
With mural fading and paint chipping, 12 years later muralist Craig Lee began prepping the site to paint a new neighborhood themed picture on the wall. Completed six months later, it featured nearby houses, trees, blooming plants and his pup Georgia. He also applied a clear acrylic coat designed to easily remove graffiti. Craig’s other work can be found around town including inside Vis Major next door.
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