Omaha Exploration

While taking a stroll through the Old Market this afternoon, it occurred to me that I should take some time to explore the buildings which have become the heart of Omaha.

The building at 510 S 10th Street dates back to the 1880s when it was home to the Metz Hall – sometimes referred to as Metz Garden – perhaps because of the courtyard that sat behind the east facing brick building. The Swedish Library Society of Omaha advertised its annual May festival at the building in 1887. Metz would soon relocate to a new hall at 13th Street just two years later.

Soon afterwards, G.D. Perrine, the western agent for Milwaukee-based A. Gettelman’s Brewing Company, was stationed out of this building. The brewery had recently launched its Milwaukee’s Best brand of beer. While the brewery was sold to Miller in 1964, you can still find Milwaukee’s Best.

After the turn of the century it was served as the brokerage office for J.W. Nicholson in addition to the Vallee Hotel. In 1915 J.A. Barjenburch who had operated a dual barbershop and pool hall was busted for operating a gambling house and bootlegging operation out of its basement.

After the hotel closed it was home to Dayton Scales Company as well as John Plechas’ Market cigar store. By the time prohibition ended it operated as a series of bars for Pete Plechas, Joe Raita and G.W. Fitzwater before becoming Ted Polito’s Merchant’s cigar store which also doubled as gambling operation.

By 1945 Edward Adam opened the long-running Pickwick Bar. During a 30-year run, it helped the family put three kids through college while also billing itself as a bar when you can bring your wife. They would eventually relocate to the south side of the 10th Street viaduct in a space that would later become the Neon Goose.

Back to Lucile Schaaf. She bought the building around 1980 after selling her “Christmas House” in Gold Coast. Lucile was an Old Market pioneer that operated the predecessor to Tannenbaum which she called The Place as well as a cafe called The T Room in the cluster of buildings that are referred to as Lucile Schaaf’s Corner.

Before moving, Lucile and her daughter Stefanie worked to remove loads of clutter from the 8,000 sq ft building as well as the 6,300 sq ft walled-in courtyard. It was within these walls that she was able to combine her hobby of collecting architectural remnants with her love of art and architecture.

Lucile and Stefanie filled the space with stained glass windows from the Brandeis mansion, installed mirrored Murphy bed doors from the Morris Hotel, terracotta cornices from the Farnam Building and wood paneling with the gold-painted names of bankers from City National Bank. They also installed an iron gate at the entrance as well as stone griffins to keep watch over the building.

After Lucile passed away in 2009 followed by Stefanie just one year later, the family was left in charge. Located within the heart of the Old Market, they could have easily sold the property for a mint, however, they feared it would have fallen into the wrong hands.

Instead, they sold it to its current owners who operate Abraham Catering which had long been the exclusive caterers for Lucile’s private events. Since then, the family worked to not only renovate the space particularly the second floor to make it more livable by adding bathrooms, bedrooms, office space, laundry room and family room but to also retain what Lucile and Stefanie worked so hard to create. Lucile’s treasures can still be found inside the building which now operates as Lucile’s Old Market, an event space that is available for weddings, fundraisers and other events.

It’s worth mentioning that the building had three entrances until the 1970s. The northern most entrance at 508 S 10th street was the home to Pioneer Uniform from 1939 to 1973. The southern most entrance at 512 S 10th street was the home to Frank’s Cafe from 1933-1972.

The next post in this series will see us move north to the corner of 10th and Howard Streets.

Content written by Omaha Exploration. Feel free to leave a comment or to let me know if there’s something you want me to explore. Until then, keep exploring!

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