A History of Battiato’s Super Market

North Omaha has been home to a lot of different grocery stores. In the 1950s, many of them were modernizing and trying to serve new customers. This is the history of one of them called Battiato’s Super Market.

Around 1945, Dominic “Don” or “DJ” Battiato (1911-1974) opened his first grocery store at North 30th and Cuming and called it Don’s Montclair Market. Affiliated with the Jolly Giant label, it succeeded quickly in the older neighborhood. During this era he was also president of the Omaha Food Retailers Association.

After becoming involved in the concrete industry with his brothers, the Battiato family worked together to build the Ames Plaza in response to the area’s growing needs. Don opened a new, major grocery store called Battiato’s Super Market to be an anchor for this middle class suburban shopping area development.

Battiato’s Super Market at 5622 Ames was opened in 1960. Anchoring a 14 acre site, the plaza was also anchored by the Ames Bowling Center and Hested’s Department Store. In 1961, the name of Don’s Montclair Super Market was changed to Battiato’s 1, with the Ames store called Battiato’s 2.

However, Battiato’s 2 wasn’t made to last, and closed down after just a year of operation. Offering 23,000 square feet, the site was sold to Baker’s Supermarket, which operated a store there until 1969. Battiato’s 1, which was called Don’s Monclair Market for the rest of its years, was open until 1963.

As of 2022, a Dollar General store and a pawn shop are located in this space. There is no recognition of this site’s historical role in developing this corner of North Omaha.

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MY ARTICLES RELATED TO THE HISTORY OF AMES AVENUE
NEIGHBORHOODS: Saratoga | Collier Place | Monmouth Park
INTERSECTIONS: 30th and Ames | 40th and Ames | 24th Street | North Freeway | Fontenelle Boulevard
BUSINESSES: LaRue’s | Max I. Walker | North Star Theater aka Ames Theater | King Solomon’s Mines aka Shaver’s | Beacon Theater | Parkside Cafe | Ames Plaza | Battiato’s Super Market | Mergen House
PUBLIC PLACES: Ames Avenue Bridge | Saratoga School | Charles Washington Branch Library | Monmouth Park School | North High School | Fontenelle Park
OTHER: Druid Hall | St. Vincent’s Retirement Home | Ames Avenue United Methodist Church | Mergen House

BONUS