Plattsmouth to gain Hollywood Diner, bowling alley
Who says Plattsmouth doesn’t welcome new business?
After rejecting bids from a pork processing plant and stymieing first-round plans for a Wal-Mart last year, the Cass County town of more than 7,000 soon will welcome the neon blaze and celebrity of the Starz and Strikez bowling alley and Hollywood Diner.
The 14,000-square-foot building at 1003 Chicago Ave. — which formerly housed CR Lanes and Sports Bar — is set to reopen in April, according to Omaha real estate developer Larry Richling.
“It’s going to be a fun and entertaining place for people to go,” said Richling, president of the Keystone Group in Omaha. “There are really not a lot of places to go for fun down there (in Plattsmouth).”
Jeanene Wehrbein agreed, saying the former bowling alley and restaurant closed at the end of August.
“We’ve missed the bowling alley, that family location to spend time,” said Wehrbein, executive director of the Plattsmouth Chamber of Commerce. “It’ll be wonderful to have a new place to go, and I’ve heard great stories about (Richling’s) businesses in Omaha and that they are successful.”
With the Keystone Group, Richling founded two Hollywood Diners in Omaha last year. The restaurants feature a celebrity motif and movie memorabilia from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. They offer such menu items as the Elvis, a peanut butter and banana sandwich, half-pound hot dogs and meatloaf.
Plattsmouth’s Hollywood Diner will seat more than 100, and an outside patio area being added north of the building will have room for 40 more patrons. Classic movies such as “The Wizard of Oz” and “Casablanca” will play continuously on a television in the diner.
The new bowling alley will be a nonsmoking area with vintage boomerang-like seats salvaged from the old Ranch Bowl in Omaha and will have more than 20 arcade games, plus private party rooms. The lanes also can be covered for dances and live entertainment.
Richling said there would be many programs geared toward kids, such as a summer “Don’t Do Drugs” bowl-for-free event. Bowling leagues also will be formed.
“When the old bowling alley closed, it affected businesses, I’m sure,” Wehrbein said. “We used to have a lot of bowling teams come here from surrounding areas. When it closed, they went somewhere else. We’re hoping the bowlers come back now.”
The bowling alley and diner are just the beginning for Richling and his plans for enterprise in Plattsmouth, he said.
“People don’t realize how close Plattsmouth is to Omaha,” Richling said. “We looked at putting a bowling alley in Omaha, then this opportunity in Plattsmouth popped up. The competition down there isn’t as heavy as it is in Omaha.
“There’s an opportunity to make the community grow,” he said. “Even Wal-Mart’s looking at building there, and they’re a huge player. Evidently there’s something in the market.”
Richling said building renovation was under way, and the business would offer 70 full- and part-time jobs.
The diner is scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Bowling alley hours have yet to be set.
“We’re very excited for the new business,” Wehrbein said. “It’s going to be a family venue, and we are always looking for another restaurant in our community. Lots of positives will come from this. Anytime you bring financial interest to a community, it’s a win-win for everybody.”
Reach Jonnie Taté Finn at 473-7395 or tfinn@journalstar.com.
After rejecting bids from a pork processing plant and stymieing first-round plans for a Wal-Mart last year, the Cass County town of more than 7,000 soon will welcome the neon blaze and celebrity of the Starz and Strikez bowling alley and Hollywood Diner.
The 14,000-square-foot building at 1003 Chicago Ave. — which formerly housed CR Lanes and Sports Bar — is set to reopen in April, according to Omaha real estate developer Larry Richling.
“It’s going to be a fun and entertaining place for people to go,” said Richling, president of the Keystone Group in Omaha. “There are really not a lot of places to go for fun down there (in Plattsmouth).”
Jeanene Wehrbein agreed, saying the former bowling alley and restaurant closed at the end of August.
“We’ve missed the bowling alley, that family location to spend time,” said Wehrbein, executive director of the Plattsmouth Chamber of Commerce. “It’ll be wonderful to have a new place to go, and I’ve heard great stories about (Richling’s) businesses in Omaha and that they are successful.”
With the Keystone Group, Richling founded two Hollywood Diners in Omaha last year. The restaurants feature a celebrity motif and movie memorabilia from the 1940s, ’50s and ’60s. They offer such menu items as the Elvis, a peanut butter and banana sandwich, half-pound hot dogs and meatloaf.
Plattsmouth’s Hollywood Diner will seat more than 100, and an outside patio area being added north of the building will have room for 40 more patrons. Classic movies such as “The Wizard of Oz” and “Casablanca” will play continuously on a television in the diner.
The new bowling alley will be a nonsmoking area with vintage boomerang-like seats salvaged from the old Ranch Bowl in Omaha and will have more than 20 arcade games, plus private party rooms. The lanes also can be covered for dances and live entertainment.
Richling said there would be many programs geared toward kids, such as a summer “Don’t Do Drugs” bowl-for-free event. Bowling leagues also will be formed.
“When the old bowling alley closed, it affected businesses, I’m sure,” Wehrbein said. “We used to have a lot of bowling teams come here from surrounding areas. When it closed, they went somewhere else. We’re hoping the bowlers come back now.”
The bowling alley and diner are just the beginning for Richling and his plans for enterprise in Plattsmouth, he said.
“People don’t realize how close Plattsmouth is to Omaha,” Richling said. “We looked at putting a bowling alley in Omaha, then this opportunity in Plattsmouth popped up. The competition down there isn’t as heavy as it is in Omaha.
“There’s an opportunity to make the community grow,” he said. “Even Wal-Mart’s looking at building there, and they’re a huge player. Evidently there’s something in the market.”
Richling said building renovation was under way, and the business would offer 70 full- and part-time jobs.
The diner is scheduled to be open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Bowling alley hours have yet to be set.
“We’re very excited for the new business,” Wehrbein said. “It’s going to be a family venue, and we are always looking for another restaurant in our community. Lots of positives will come from this. Anytime you bring financial interest to a community, it’s a win-win for everybody.”
Reach Jonnie Taté Finn at 473-7395 or tfinn@journalstar.com.
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