I love the reuse of old homes into restaurants, bars, retail stores and the like. It’s one of the things that always draws me to historic neighborhoods like Little Bohemia and Dundee.
One such home is 4915 Underwood Avenue. Located just east of the business district in Dundee, the six-room American Foursquare made of brick and stucco was built in 1910. In addition to a living room with fireplace, it has three large bedrooms, large bathroom, detached garage and a large backyard.
The house was built for Elwood Riggs of the Riggs Optical Company. He only lived there a short time before selling it to Charles Moser in 1913. The house saw a number of occupants after that including Wilson T. Graham – a leader in civic improvement and government reform. In addition to being the owner of Wilson T. Graham & Son Company, he was the president of the Omaha Real Estate Board and a board member of the University of Omaha. He passed away in the home in 1938.
By 1960 it had been converted into apartments before becoming commercial space at least on the main floor. By the 2010s it was the home to the Center for Mindful Living until 2021. That’s when Ted and Nicole Wheeler converted their mobile book cart that held pop-up events at bars and theaters into a brick-and-mortar book store called The Dundee Book Company. The couple even utilized the house’s large backyard to host events. You may have heard of Ted as he is the author of the best selling novel King of Broken Things. The bookstore closed in 2024 when new owners purchased the old house.
The house will find new life this summer when Elleon opens. The new business will offer imported wines, craft cocktails and small bites in a space that is designed for relaxation, education and connection.
Content written by Omaha Exploration. Feel free to leave a comment or a suggestion. Until then, keep exploring!
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