Omaha Exploration

Heading west from Benson, I often passed Joe’s Cafe. It’s one of those places that seems like it’s been there forever. Today, we explore the old-school cafe that continues to bear his name.

The one-story building west of Benson’s main district is a nondescript building located at 6564 Maple Street. It originated as the home of Herman Hansen’s neighborhood grocery store, which was later taken over by Butch Shewell, who turned it into another grocery by the name Checkerboard.

The building continued to serve as a grocery until 1942, when it found new life under Ethel West, who opened the Maple Inn. Ethel was experienced in the restaurant industry, having previously operated the Empire Buffet at 14th and Howard Street downtown. Ethel had called it quits by 1958, and the building, which resembled a 45-seat small-town cafe, was listed for sale again. That’s when Joe, an employee of the Martin Bomber Plant, took over.

That Joe is Joe Seidenspinner, a man whose father was a longtime cafe owner. Growing up in the industry, Joe had plenty of experience being around the business and knew what to expect. By the time Joe’s father passed away, the younger Joe left his job at the plant to follow in his footsteps.

He aptly named it Joe’s Cafe and dedicated the rest of his life to providing home-cooked meals six days a week starting promptly at 6 each morning. It remained that way, growing into a reliable and beloved option for those living or working nearby. I imagine it was a frequent stop for post office employees given its proximity. As Joe grew older, he contemplated shortening his hours but didn’t because he really enjoyed both the people and the work. As he approached 40 years at the helm of his namesake cafe, the Omaha World-Herald referred to the 72-year-old as the dean of Omaha cafe owners in 1994. He kept plugging away doing the work he enjoyed at the cafe that had become a second home until he passed away in 2000.

Joe’s largely remained the same over the decades, but one thing that did change was the conversion of the back area that had long served as living quarters into an additional dining area. Joe’s had plenty of regulars who would meet for coffee and sometimes return for lunch and a friendly game of horseshoes out back. His cafe also had a reputation for the friendliness of its staff and its customers, who would often buy a stranger’s meal to brighten their day.

While it changed hands a few times since Joe’s death, the name has been a constant. Before taking the cafe over in 2010, Jose Palomares operated businesses in South Omaha including a restaurant, Paleteria & Restaurant San Luis, at 24th and L Street, in addition to a small grocery store at 24th and P Street.

Like most places that have been around a while, Joe’s has witnessed changes, including the transformation of the Benson neighborhood from a town in its own right to a sleepy business district and most recently an entertainment destination with a variety of restaurants and bars. Joe’s, however, continued to fill a niche. Not only did it offer easy parking given the lot in which it sits, it was quiet enough to sit in silence or enjoy a conversation without the noise of the strip a few blocks east. It also provided tasty and consistent breakfast fare.

By 2013, the cafe was painted with its distinctive orange exterior to complement the booths inside. The old-school lunch counter, however, remained and may even date back to the days when Ethel first opened her small cafe in this building in 1942. It still provides neighbors and workers a steady option that is open 363 days per year, including Thanksgiving. While Joe is long gone, the cafe continues to thrive in its familiar home of the last 66 years. It offers more than just friendly conversation and the occasional free meal from a generous customer — it’s recognized as one of the best cafes in town.

It’s been more than a quarter century since Joe Seidenspinner opened his Maple Street cafe. While Joe is long gone and a lot has changed, his cafe remains right where it’s been since the day he turned on the lights in 1958.

Please feel free to comment to share your thoughts and memories.

Until next time, keep exploring!

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Sources

• Omaha World-Herald archives