Former Cactus Cafe

omahastylee459 · Post by **omahastylee459** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 4:27 am

I heard tonight that the former Cactus Cafe will be turned into a piano bar. I didnt hear too many details but the guy I talked to seemed pretty sure it was happening.

Post by **Brad** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 7:15 am

I heard only part of the old cactus cafe was going to be a piano bar, the other half was going to be something else.

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 11:40 am

I have heard that the piano bar will be there and the other half of the space might become a new franchise of a popular place already DT.

omahastylee459 · Post by **omahastylee459** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 2:25 pm

DTO Luv wrote:I have heard that the piano bar will be there and the other half of the space might become a new franchise of a popular place already DT.

What do you think it could be? This is in close proximity to a lot of the businesses in the old market so it wouldnt seem smart to open up two of the same thing that close together. Maybe something on the southern or western ends of downtown. Would it be an original business opening another location, or a franchised business adding a new location?

DTO Luv · Post by **DTO Luv** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 6:20 pm

It would be not an exact franchise but a different spin on a place. I hear the person looking at the site wants to make it a restaurant of something they don't really have DT now. From what I've talked with them about it, if they get it going, I think it will be a big success.

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Sun Aug 17, 2008 10:48 pm

The site is a bit jinxed. And the building looks completely all wrong for a piano bar! That sort of thing says old building charm, with brick walls, dark woods and soft lighting. Exactly the opposite of what that place is, with it's harsh modernistic exterior and absence of anything that says "cozy."

Ben · Post by **Ben** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 11:09 am

nativeomahan wrote: ....all wrong for a piano bar! That sort of thing says old building charm, with brick walls, dark woods and soft lighting. Exactly the opposite of what that place is, with it's harsh modernistic exterior and absence of anything that says "cozy."

Yes, I'd agree with your assessment, but I'd much rather it say "attempting to make a piano bar work" than "for rent". :D

Also, the city's most popular piano bar, at DJ's Dugout doesn't exactly scream piano bar either - heck, its in the back room of a sports bar - but it makes it work, quite successfully too.

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 8:36 pm

Ben wrote:
nativeomahan wrote: ....all wrong for a piano bar! That sort of thing says old building charm, with brick walls, dark woods and soft lighting. Exactly the opposite of what that place is, with it's harsh modernistic exterior and absence of anything that says "cozy."
Yes, I'd agree with your assessment, but I'd much rather it say "attempting to make a piano bar work" than "for rent". :D

Also, the city's most popular piano bar, at DJ's Dugout doesn't exactly scream piano bar either - heck, its in the back room of a sports bar - but it makes it work, quite successfully too.

There's a piano bar at DJ's Dugout???!!! Why? Wouldn't Jiffy Lube make more sense?

Post by **Brad** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:37 pm

There is a piano bar in Dallas Texas that is on the second floor of a normal building. It looks like the Funny Bone at Village point. While Piano Bars are cool with Charm.... The players make it a good Piano Bar! DJ's usually has fair to good talent and that place packs them in every weekend. If you could get a Piano bar in Downtown with two Awesome performers, that place would be amazing no matter what building its in!

Big E · Post by **Big E** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:51 pm

The rumored chain:

http://www.erniebiggs.com/

As with all rumors, believe it when you see it.

Post by **Brad** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 10:57 pm

That looks like the one in Dallas. I am not sure how big the Cactus Cafe was , but those places are big...

nativeomahan · Post by **nativeomahan** » Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:38 pm

Let's hope it works out. That end of the Market could use a boost.

Omaha's Mexican · Post by **Omaha's Mexican** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:13 pm

I heard that La Mesa was going to open a restaurant in that space. I wish they would, because Michaels is sub-par Mexican food, and Stokes is more Southwestern than Mexican.

Post by **Brad** » Sun Oct 26, 2008 5:14 pm

Omaha's Mexican wrote:I heard that La Mesa was going to open a restaurant in that space. I wish they would, because Michaels is sub-par Mexican food, and Stokes is more Southwestern than Mexican.

I heard another rumor, similar, but different restaurant...

OmahaChef · Post by **OmahaChef** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 3:40 pm

I had heard the La Mesa rumor a good nine months ago, and posted it in another Rumor thread, but I had a friend check into it and was unable to get any confirmation that they might be looking at a downtown site.