Omaha Forums

jhuston wrote: This is one of the reasons I'm expecting something much bigger, than just Embassy Suites... at the South Port development. It is a great I-80/Papio-La Vista location.

Famous Dave's expected to open in February
CHAD NATION, Staff Writer 12/07/2004

Start salivating, the barbecue is coming.

Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que will move into 7,800 square feet of space at the Plaza, near the Mid-America Center.

The new restaurant will feature an exclusive take-out pick-up area, catering capabilities and a bar.

Paul Comeau, president of the Plaza, said that the Council Bluffs Famous Dave's will be the biggest in the metro.

Willy Theisen owns the restaurant chain's four locations in Omaha. He will also own the Council Bluffs operation.

Theisen is well known in the area for starting the Godfather's Pizza chain.

He opened the first Godfather's in Omaha in 1973. The company went public in 1982 and was later sold to Pillsbury.

The new Famous Dave's will feature a theme that has only appeared in two other stores nationally. The concept is called the Smokehouse.

Comeau expects the eatery to be open in the first part of February.

"It's going to be a phenomenal store," Comeau said. "Mr. Theisen has been quite successful with Famous Dave's."

Comeau said that the addition of Famous Dave's is the first of what he hopes will be many national tenants at the Plaza.

"Everything has been on hold until the Bass Pro Shops had their final development plans ready," he said. "Now that we can see where their store will be, others can begin to plan accordingly."

Construction of Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World canceled Comeau's plans of building two additional buildings to join the current two on-site at the Plaza. It's a development that he has accepted.

"I am not sure if everyone understands what a major, major development the Bass Pro Shop will be," he said. "It will take a little time to develop the area, but in three to five years, you won't recognize it."

Construction of Outdoor World has already forced the designers to shift the current path of 27th Avenue. The road will be re-routed to the north, around the store and closer to the Plaza.

While Comeau loses land, he gains from Bass Pro's ability to draw 3,000 people a day and between 12,000 and 14,000 on the weekend.

"The area is a work in progress, and Famous Dave's is going to be a great addition," he said.

Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que features hickory-smoked St. Louis-style ribs, Texas Beef Brisket, and Famous Dave's award-winning Rich and Sassy Barbecue sauce. Additionally, the menu offers BBQ and Country Roasted Chicken, BBQ sandwiches, burgers and salads. Plus, the restaurant serves up such down-home classics as made-from-scratch cole slaw, potato salad, Wilbur Beans, corn bread muffins and Famous Fries.

Famous Dave's delectable homemade desserts include its award-winning bread pudding and hot fudge Kahlua brownie.

Having won awards for everything from best sauce to best ribs to best cookbook, Famous Dave's has received wide acclaim and praise from customers and critics alike.

©Daily Nonpareil 2004

The Council Bluffs Social Security office will soon be moving to a location in the Mid-America Center area.

Doors will open at its new site, 20 Arena Way, Suite 1, on Monday, Sept. 21, said Denise Jones, office manager. . . .

The office outgrew its current location, Jones said, and after reviewing several sites, Social Security officials felt the MAC area was the best. . .

It will be about the same size as the current office, but with a new layout that should provide more efficient service . . .

icejammer wrote:No one's saying they haven't tried, but I don't think they've put nearly as much effort into this as some of their other properties.  The developer is currently trying to market another small retail strip mall right across from Quaker Steak and Lube (supposed to be called Clock Tower Plaza), and he can't even begin to fill this one without stooping to getting the Social Security office?  Nobody has to worry about being first, Famous Dave's has been sitting down there for several years now - yet, the developer can only bring in a chiropractor and a govt. office.  Not acceptable in my book.

S33 wrote:

icejammer wrote:No one's saying they haven't tried, but I don't think they've put nearly as much effort into this as some of their other properties.  The developer is currently trying to market another small retail strip mall right across from Quaker Steak and Lube (supposed to be called Clock Tower Plaza), and he can't even begin to fill this one without stooping to getting the Social Security office?  Nobody has to worry about being first, Famous Dave's has been sitting down there for several years now - yet, the developer can only bring in a chiropractor and a govt. office.  Not acceptable in my book.

I don't know if you've seen all the empty storefront bays around the metro the last couple of years, I think they are just happy to finally have a tenant. (Which I completely understand) If there were better more appropriate options for that area, they would have found them. It is a shame an entertainment "district" will be watered down with the likes of a s.s. office though.

The Plaza – located at 20 Arena Way, near the Mid-America Center – will be sold at a Pottawattamie County Sheriff’s auction.

Court documents indicated Mutual of Omaha LoanPro filed a mortgage foreclosure petition in December 2009 against CMK Development LLC, which built The Plaza in 2003.

In October 2010, a Fourth District Court judge ruled in favor of Mutual of Omaha.

According to the sheriff’s office foreclosure posting, more than $5.5 million is still owed on the property. . .

The firm is seeking $2.1 million in tax increment financing from the city, part of its total estimated cost of $11,400,000 in restructuring the two buildings and seeking tenants.

The developing firm plans to create new entrances elsewhere on the two buildings so that all business, current and future, face the parking lots, he said.

A memo of understanding from Council Bluffs officials, requested by the developing firm of Mid-America Partners, was pulled off the City Council agenda following an in-house meeting of city officials Friday, said City Attorney Richard Wade.

“We’re a little apart on numbers,” he said.

A new effort has started to bring life to a long under-utilized area near the Council Bluffs Mid-America Center.

The Iowa West Foundation has purchased what is sometimes called the “spine” or the buildings in the center’s plaza, IWF President and CEO Pete Tulipana said Wednesday.

The purchase totaled $1.9 million. The intent is to seek entertainment-oriented businesses there, Tulipana said.

“We’ve got a great theater down there, a casino, good restaurants,” he said. “We just need to continue that development.” . . .