Omaha Forums

Raising Canes going in just to the east of Ruby Tuesday's.

bbtran72 wrote:Was at the in laws in grand island last weekend and she told me that the new taco bell building(where the old one is on hwy 281& state)will also be shared with popeyes, I might prefer Raising Cane's a little more but popeyes is right behind it.

This seems strange that a Popeyes would be in the mix since KFC and Taco Bell are from the same parent company. I kind of doubt a KFC competitor would team up with Taco heck.. I mean Bell.

According to this video that Canes put on their Lincoln locations facebook page they will be open in November.



I cannot get this video to inbed but if you put the link in your browser it will play,

Drove by the former Dreisbach's take-out location and its being turned into an Indian Cuisine restaurant.

gisbuxfan wrote:Drove by the former Dreisbach's take-out location and its being turned into an Indian Cuisine restaurant.

A niche destination restaurant could work there, where others have failed.

That being said, Dreisbachs had no business setting up shop there, yet shouldn't have failed. Their carryout/drive thru model would have been better served with street visibility and access. Yet, they were doing good till they let too many people talk them into expanding into other areas that they just couldn't support. A full menu and inside dining? Not enough seats and right in the way of the carryout foot traffic.

gisbuxfan wrote:Drove by the former Dreisbach's take-out location and its being turned into an Indian Cuisine restaurant.

That would be awesome. I now work and overnight in Grand Island 3 or 4 days a month, and there are no Indian restaurants that I know of.

nativeomahan wrote:

gisbuxfan wrote:Drove by the former Dreisbach's take-out location and its being turned into an Indian Cuisine restaurant.

That would be awesome. I now work and overnight in Grand Island 3 or 4 days a month, and there are no Indian restaurants that I know of.

Ever since I left Omaha, I have missed getting Jaipur takeout. I am hoping this will be decent.

I have been noticing a couple more construction sites in West GI. The first one is north of the (still under construction) fitness place on Webb Rd behind Home Depot. The second is the lot between Home Depot and Buffalo Wild Wings. Any ideas on these?

gisbuxfan wrote:I have been noticing a couple more construction sites in West GI. The first one is north of the (still under construction) fitness place on Webb Rd behind Home Depot. The second is the lot between Home Depot and Buffalo Wild Wings. Any ideas on these?

The one near Home Depot and Buffalo Wildwings should be Candlewood Suites. I didn't think they were starting for another month or two, so it's good that they take advantage of the warm season. The developer is Paul Younes, who did the Fairfield Inn in that area and all the new hotels by the interstate in Kearney.

I hadn't noticed the one by the fitness place. I thought that was a water detention cell.

gisbuxfan wrote:I have been noticing a couple more construction sites in West GI. The first one is north of the (still under construction) fitness place on Webb Rd behind Home Depot. The second is the lot between Home Depot and Buffalo Wild Wings. Any ideas on these?

That fitness place behind home depot is going to be a gym, my wife went to school(NINW 07) with the kid that is opening it. His name is Cody Raile, he was the manager of health plex for a couple of years and now decided to open his own gym, if i remember right its going to be called Feel Fit Grand Island.

bbtran72 wrote:

gisbuxfan wrote:I have been noticing a couple more construction sites in West GI. The first one is north of the (still under construction) fitness place on Webb Rd behind Home Depot. The second is the lot between Home Depot and Buffalo Wild Wings. Any ideas on these?

That fitness place behind home depot is going to be a gym, my wife went to school(NINW 07) with the kid that is opening it. His name is Cody Raile, he was the manager of health plex for a couple of years and now decided to open his own gym, if i remember right its going to be called Feel Fit Grand Island.

Yes, I was really curious about what is going in directly north of that building. A foundation for a basement was just poured last week. I am guessing some kind of office building, but not sure.

My wife and I visited Grand Island for the first time last week by checking out the State Fair. I had driven by Grand Island quite a few times previously, but never made the turn north. After leaving the fair after three hours, we were impressed by the museum and there is a decent number of interesting restaurants. We also checked out the downtown area and noticed that downtown doesn't seem to be a very popular place to be. Is there any energy in Grand Island for redeveloping downtown? There is some decent architecture, including the tallest building, but our impression is that this area should be healthier than it is.

Omaha1000 wrote:My wife and I visited Grand Island for the first time last week by checking out the State Fair. I had driven by Grand Island quite a few times previously, but never made the turn north. After leaving the fair after three hours, we were impressed by the museum and there is a decent number of interesting restaurants. We also checked out the downtown area and noticed that downtown doesn't seem to be a very popular place to be. Is there any energy in Grand Island for redeveloping downtown? There is some decent architecture, including the tallest building, but our impression is that this area should be healthier than it is.

A good time to be "downtown Grand Island", but a bad time to visit for the first time for first impressions. Downtown GI is undergoing a lot of underground water main updating to enable more volume for future development of upper level residential and the downtown Kaufman Center Park is being completely rebuilt and will include a small amphitheater. The Third Street core of downtown is pretty much blocked by cones and barricades right now. Several new businesses have opened in the last year and more restaurants are opening in the coming months. there isn't a lot of traditional retail left, but a number of niche markets, ethnic businesses and arts and crafts businesses have opened in the last few years. The Grand Theatre has undergone a major facade remodeling and is a popular weekend haunt with a Nebraska Filmmakers Festival coming up soon.

It's messy right now, but check it out next time you're through and you'll see that when the bandages come off, it'll be healthier than it's been in a couple of decades.

Thanks for the info. It's good to know that there is some momentum for downtown re-development.

Has anyone heard that a Chuck E. Cheese and a Chili's Restaurant are going into the shopping center where the Hastings Bookstore is at when the construction is all finished?

socaln8v wrote:Has anyone heard that a Chuck E. Cheese and a Chili's Restaurant are going into the shopping center where the Hastings Bookstore is at when the construction is all finished?

Haven't heard either one of those. I heard Culver's was going in there somewhere. Also, just heard that Papa Johns is returning to GI in the old Quiznos.

Good news in the pizza delivery department. Papa John's is moving back to town! They are opening a location in the former Quizno's. Looks to be open mid October.

socaln8v wrote:Has anyone heard that a Chuck E. Cheese and a Chili's Restaurant are going into the shopping center where the Hastings Bookstore is at when the construction is all finished?

I have been hearing about the Chuck E Cheese for a while, if it happens it will be all about finding a location to handle it. I could potentially see something like that in the old Kmart location. I kind of doubt we'd see a Chili's. Last time I heard they were closing locations. Too bad, they have great chicken fried steak!

The Royal Indian restaurant is a classy, white table cloth dining spot, featuring a lunch time buffet. The food is excellent, as good as the better places in Omaha. I am very happy for this addition to the dining scene in GI. On my Tuesday night visit it was packed, with a steady take out business.

nativeomahan wrote:The Royal Indian restaurant is a classy, white table cloth dining spot, featuring a lunch time buffet. The food is excellent, as good as the better places in Omaha. I am very happy for this addition to the dining scene in GI. On my Tuesday night visit it was packed, with a steady take out business.

Good to hear Indian food is popular in Grand Island!

nativeomahan wrote:The Royal Indian restaurant is a classy, white table cloth dining spot, featuring a lunch time buffet. The food is excellent, as good as the better places in Omaha. I am very happy for this addition to the dining scene in GI. On my Tuesday night visit it was packed, with a steady take out business.

I'll have to try it next time i am in town(only 30 mins away), the oven in lincoln is still by far my favorite next to mother india in omaha. thanks for the heads up as i never heard anything about this.

bbtran72 wrote:

nativeomahan wrote:The Royal Indian restaurant is a classy, white table cloth dining spot, featuring a lunch time buffet. The food is excellent, as good as the better places in Omaha. I am very happy for this addition to the dining scene in GI. On my Tuesday night visit it was packed, with a steady take out business.

I'll have to try it next time i am in town(only 30 mins away), the oven in lincoln is still by far my favorite next to mother india in omaha. thanks for the heads up as i never heard anything about this.

The food was really good. I am glad Indian food is now an option in GI. However, I have recently been following a Facebook page called Grand Island Guardian (https://www.facebook.com/Grand-Island-G ... 2/?fref=ts). He posts the latest Health Inspection reports to local restaurants and the report for this place is a bit concerning. Hopefully, they get the "bugs" worked out and up to par with city inspections.

Raising Canes opens tomorrow.

Anyone happen to know what's going on to the lot that is between BWW and Home depot? they have been clearing and leveling and i'm curious

bbtran72 wrote:Anyone happen to know what's going on to the lot that is between BWW and Home depot? they have been clearing and leveling and i'm curious

Yeah, I believe its a Homewood Suites which will be operated by Younes Hospitality out of Kearney.

gisbuxfan wrote:

bbtran72 wrote:Anyone happen to know what's going on to the lot that is between BWW and Home depot? they have been clearing and leveling and i'm curious

Yeah, I believe its a Homewood Suites which will be operated by Younes Hospitality out of Kearney.

Any information on how big it will be? The lot is only 1.3 acr compare to Fairfield inn and holiday inn at 2.1 acr.

bbtran72 wrote:

gisbuxfan wrote:

bbtran72 wrote:Anyone happen to know what's going on to the lot that is between BWW and Home depot? they have been clearing and leveling and i'm curious

Yeah, I believe its a Homewood Suites which will be operated by Younes Hospitality out of Kearney.

Any information on how big it will be? The lot is only 1.3 acr compare to Fairfield inn and holiday inn at 2.1 acr.

my apologies, it will be a Candlewood Suites. I am not sure what the size of it will be.

Northwest Commons is getting a couple new tenants. Harbor Freight Tools will have a large store front facing Hwy 281 and a nail salon is up in the middle portion the north side.

I spent some time out there over the holiday it seamed people there were pretty excited about new-to-the-market options they've been getting. It made me appreciate what we have here in Omaha with our limited options, until I went to Denver... A lot of businesses are propagating to smaller markets where population is barely relevant I'm thinking it's the economy and an evolved business strategy to push down.

Grand island itself is only about 50,000 pop. but when you add the 3 counties(hall/adams/buffalo) together it's about 130,000-140,000 people, with the majority of shopping/dinning in grand island is pretty much the market to go to for central Nebraska.

Starplex Cinemas are selling the Stadium 7 in the Conestoga Mall to AMC. Expect the $5 adult admission prices to rise a bit.

The original "Conestoga 4" theaters were owned by AMC, so it's a homecoming of sorts.

I unfortunately had to see The Force Awakens premier there, if they started charging more it would be a rip-off given the facility is at 90s standards.

Whole Foods Market and Planet Fitness coming to old K-Mart building on 13th St & Diers Ave.

badlander wrote:Whole Foods Market and Planet Fitness coming to old K-Mart building on 13th St & Diers Ave.

Just drove past that building last night and started imagining what could possibly go in there... Never would have guessed those two.

Candleshoe wrote:

badlander wrote:Whole Foods Market and Planet Fitness coming to old K-Mart building on 13th St & Diers Ave.

Just drove past that building last night and started imagining what could possibly go in there... Never would have guessed those two.

Just when we thought there were too many restaurants in GI, now we have too many fitness places! As for Whole Foods, I didn't think they came in to smaller markets? Interesting on both.

Does GI have enough hipsters to employ Whole Foods?

Linkin5 wrote:Does GI have enough hipsters to employ Whole Foods?

Not enough and GI is too diverse, more logical town would be Kearney, i would never would guess that Whole Foods Market and Planet Fitness would go there.

What's your source on these two coming to town?

badlander wrote:Whole Foods Market and Planet Fitness coming to old K-Mart building on 13th St & Diers Ave.

I talked with a rep from both of these companies. Whole Foods said they have no expansion plans as of now, but Planet Fitness does plan on coming to GI later this year.

And Hardees returns to GI. Going to build across the lot from Burger King on N Webb RD in front of Dicks Sporting Goods.

A better menu and location than their last try. The Fazoli's on W Second was their original home.