Some buildings were built for grand reasons and others for plain ones. Constructed on busy commercial drives or next to them, some became popular and lasted for a century, while others were demolished or simply faded into obscurity. Sometimes they are simple storefronts off the main drag converted into garages that still stand today. This is a history of 2404-2408 Sprague Street in North Omaha.

There was a time at the turn of the 20th century when the south end of Saratoga wasn’t developed, and the north end of Omaha ended at Sprague Street. The intersection of 24th and Sprague was a sort of outpost, a last stop in Omaha before heading into the far north suburbs. Bars and groceries, barber shops and diners, a movie theater and more were all packed around this fertile commercial intersection.

In 1926, a new building was constructed to replace a big old house that was just off the main intersection. Located at 2404 – 2408 Sprague Street, this structure was built to be commercial storefronts that could house small boutiques, a grocery store, or perhaps a dentist’s office, or as its first ad said, “Suitable for any type of business.” It was a walkup location with a single floor with almost 2,600 square feet total, featuring three storefronts in an interesting Spanish revival inspired design. Located less than 20 yards from a bustling streetcar stop, it was a good place that inspired good business for decades.

Copley’s Tire Shop opened there immediately when the building became available. In the late 1920s and 1930s, H.P. Batt had a store at 2408 Sprague. Selling sodas, candy, cigars and more, it operated for more than a decade. One of the early occupants of the building was also the Specialty Baking Company, which was a wholesale bakery for grocery stores in the area. It didn’t last for long.

In 1933, John L. Timm started a new association for community manufacturers that was headquartered in the building. Also in the 1930s, the location was home to Method’s Dairy Products, which made whipping cream, butter, and sold eggs and dressed chickens. In 1936, an ice cream factory opened in the building. Called the Malt-A Products Company, it was a wholesale and retail manufacturer that made “high grade homemade ice cream and home-style malted milk.” Opening a “refreshments store” at 44th and Dodge called Twin Gables, the company apparently evaporated soon after opening.

There must have been a meeting room in the building, too. The North Omaha Industrial Club contributed to a campaign called “Renovize Omaha” and other citywide efforts for a few years before folding. The Omaha Amateur Baseball Association was formed in the building in 1934, and continues to operated today, albeit at a different location. Another group, the Honest Government League, also held meetings there in the 1930s.

In 1943, brothers Gus and George Graske founded G&G Manufacturing Company. Moving into the building at 2408 Sprague, it was their second small factory. Building all kinds of industrial and agricultural materials, they made farm implements, small vehicle equipment, train parts, and more. In 1948, the built a factory around the corner at 4109 N. 25th Street and stayed there for decades. The company later moved to Florence and continues operating today at 4432 McKinley Street.

By the 1960s, the first auto shops were located in the building. From 1964 through 1977, J.B. Auto Service was there. It was operated by J.B. Crumbley (1911-1993). Blue Line Body Shop was located there for several years, too.

Jackie Harper ran Sprague Street Auto there for several years, and that business still runs there now. There have been several other businesses there in the last 25 years, too, including DewLux Transport, Inc. and a barbershop called DGreen’s Styles and Cutz.

All of this is to say that history doesn’t just belong to fancy places or big names. Instead, its owned by regular people doing normal things everyday. Hopefully, the century behind this building won’t be lost.

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MY ARTICLES ABOUT THE HISTORY OF N. 24TH ST.

NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES: 24th and Lake Historic District | Calvin Memorial Presbyterian Church | Carnation Ballroom | Jewell Building | Minne Lusa Historic District | The Omaha Star
NEIGHBORHOODS: Near North Side | Long School | Kellom Heights | Logan Fontenelle Housing Projects | Kountze Place | Saratoga | Miller Park | Minne Lusa
BUSINESSES: 1324 North 24th Street | 24th Street Dairy Queen | 2936 North 24th Street | Jewell Building and Dreamland Ballroom | 3006 Building | Forbes Bakery, Ak-Sar-Ben Bakery, and Royal Bakery | Blue Lion Center | Omaha Star | Hash House | Live Wire Cafe | Metoyer’s BBQ | Fair Deal Cafe | Carter’s Cafe | Carnation Ballroom | Alhambra Theater | Ritz Theater | Suburban Theater | Skeet’s BBQ | Safeway | Bali-Hi Lounge | 9 Center Five-and-Dime | Jensen Building | Independent Telephone Company Exchange Building
CHURCHES: Calvin Memorial Presbyterian Church | Pearl Memorial United Methodist Church | Immanuel Baptist Church | Mt Moriah Baptist Church | Bethel AME Church | North 24th Street Worship Center
HOUSES: McCreary Mansion | Gruenig Mansion | Redick Mansion
INTERSECTIONS: 24th and Lake | 24th and Pratt | 24th and Ames | 24th and Fort | Recent History of 24th and Lake | Tour of 24th and Lake
EVENTS: 1898 Trans-Mississippi and International Exposition | 1899 Greater America Exposition | 1913 Easter Sunday Tornado | 1919 Lynching and Riot | 1960s Riots
HOSPITALS: Mercy Hospital | Swedish Covenant | Salvation Army
OTHER: Omaha Driving Park | JFK Rec Center | Omaha University | Creighton University | Bryant Center | Jacobs Hall | Joslyn Hall | Harlem Renaissance
RELATED: A Street of Dreams  | Redlining | Black History in Omaha | North Omaha’s Jewish Community | Binney Street | Wirt Street

MY ARTICLES ON THE HISTORY OF ARCHITECTURE IN NORTH OMAHA

GENERAL: Architectural Gems | The Oldest House | The Oldest Places
PLACES: Mansions and Estates | Apartments | Churches | Public Housing | Houses | Commercial Buildings | Hotels | Victorian Houses
PEOPLE: ‘Cap’ Clarence Wigington | Everett S. Dodds | Jacob Maag | George F. Shepard | John F. Bloom
HISTORIC HOUSES: Mergen House | Hoyer House | North Omaha’s Sod House | James C. Mitchell House | Charles Storz House | George F. Shepard House | 2902 N. 25th St. | 6327 Florence Blvd. | 1618 Emmet St. | John E. Reagan House
PUBLIC HOUSING: Logan Fontenelle | Spencer Street | Hilltop | Pleasantview | Myott Park aka Wintergreen
NORMAL HOUSES: 3155 Meredith Ave. | 5815 Florence Blvd. | 2936 N. 24th St. | 6711 N. 31st Ave. | 3210 N. 21st St. | 4517 Browne St. | 5833 Florence Blvd. | 1922 Wirt St. | 3467 N. 42nd St. | 5504 Kansas Ave. | Lost Blue Windows House | House of Tomorrow | 2003 Pinkney Street
HISTORIC APARTMENTS: Historic Apartments | Ernie Chambers Court, aka Strehlow Terrace | The Sherman Apartments | Logan Fontenelle Housing Projects | Spencer Street Projects | Hilltop Projects | Pleasantview Projects | Memmen Apartments | The Sherman | The Climmie | University Apartments | Campion House | Ivy / Fairfax Apartments
MANSIONS & ESTATES: Hillcrest Mansion | Burkenroad House aka Broadview Hotel aka Trimble Castle | McCreary Mansion | Parker Estate | J. J. Brown Mansion | Poppleton Estate | Rome Miller Mansion | Redick Mansion | Thomas Mansion | John E. Reagan House | Brandeis Country Home | Bailey Residence | Lantry – Thompson Mansion | McLain Mansion | Stroud Mansion | Anna Wilson’s Mansion | Zabriskie Mansion | The Governor’s Estate | Count Creighton House | John P. Bay House | Mercer Mansion | Hunt Mansion | Latenser Round House and the Bellweather Mansion
COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS: 4426 Florence Blvd. | 2410 Lake St. | 26th and Lake Streetcar Shop | 1324 N. 24th St. | 2936 N. 24th St. | 5901 N. 30th St. | 4402 Florence Blvd. | 4225 Florence Blvd. | 3702 N. 16th St. | House of Hope | Drive-In Restaurants
PEOPLE: Clarence Wigington | John Latenser, Sr. | Joseph Guth | Jacob Maag | Everett S. Dodds |
RELATED: Redlining | Neighborhoods | Streets | Streetcars | Churches | Schools

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