514 S 11th Street from Fire Station to Upstream Brewing Company

Published January 12, 2024 | Updated July 10, 2026

January 12, 2024

Long before Upstream Brewing Company opened its doors at the northwest corner of 11th and Jackson Street, the building had a very different calling.

The building was originally three stories tall. Designed by George Fisher and Harry Lawrie, it featured a gabled top floor that gave it the appearance of a French Chateau.

1904 Durham Musem photo of Upstream at 11th and Jackson as Fire substation number 1.

It opened its doors as Fire Substation number one in 1903. It had garage doors on the south side of the building facing Jackson Street from where the horses, fire wagons, and firefighters would come and go. Inside, the ground floor held horse stables and stalls. The second floor served as the sleeping quarters and recreational area for the firefighters, while the third floor was used as a hayloft. The harnesses were hung from the ceiling and lowered onto them when there was a call.

Somewhat unbelievably, the buildings third floor was completely destroyed by a fire as the firefighters were outside sunbathing in 1917. Bystanders rushed over to tell them that the building was on fire. The two-alarm fire destroyed the third floor. It was subsequently removed and never rebuilt. The building continued to serve its intended purpose until 1944, when it was ultimately forced to close due to a lack of manpower during World War II.

1989 photo in the New York Times showing Dick Mueller in front of the Firehouse Dinner Theater.

For the next couple of decades, the building changed hands a few times as the area around it was transitioning into a produce market. As such, it was at times utilized as a warehouse and even a garage. It found new life in 1972 when Dick Mueller opened the Firehouse Dinner Theater. At that point, a stage was added, as well as a kitchen in an area where the horses were once stabled. The basement, where the zoo once stored alligators in the winter, was converted to a wine cellar.

Recent photo showing the south side of Upstream along Jackson St. The arches with black windows replaced the old garage doors.

The beloved community theater provided the Old Market with another go-to destination along with the French Cafe at a time when it was just becoming the district that we know today. Despite an arsonist setting fire to the theater’s stage and forcing it to close in 1975, it reopened a few months later. That same year, it produced two world premieres of Leland Ball shows, Red Dawg and Battle Hymn. Its reputation proved to be a serious draw for national talent, including Broadway director Joshua Logan, who directed shows at the Firehouse four times. Over the course of its 19-year run, it was the site of countless live shows. By 1991, however, entertainment and dining options in the area had increased and caused its attendance to decrease, and it closed. Spaghetti Works, a restaurant located next door, purchased it afterward.

2026 Omaha Exploration photo of Upstream Brewing Company.

Brian Magee, who was working at the Cornhusker Hotel, hired architect David Erickson to renovate the building for use as the city’s second brewery, Upstream Brewing Company. The intent was to replicate the look of the old fire station. As a result, the space was opened up by removing plaster to expose the brick walls. He added numerous large windows, installed replicas of the original garage doors, and moved the original cornerstone emblazoned with the year 1903 inside to serve as a showpiece. He also added a patio on the east side of the building where thirsty horses once drank from a stone trough.

By the time it opened in 1996, the brewpub, with seating for 240, featured an open-style kitchen and a rectangular bar with seating all around it and booths separating it from the dining room. The second floor was accessible via a steel staircase. The floor offered a bird’s-eye view of the first floor and resembled an upscale pool hall with a second bar and rooftop patio.

During the course of its 120-year history, the building has served first as a fire station, then as a beloved dinner theater, and now as a pioneer craft brewery. Not only that, but it has witnessed the surrounding area transform from the city’s original warehouse district to a produce hub to one of the city’s top tourist destinations.

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