The historic Florence neighborhood in North Omaha welcomed a new community cornerstone last week with the grand opening of Cups Cafe, a project by local nonprofit No More Empty Pots (NMEP). Located at 8501 N. 30th Street, the cafe officially opened its doors on Jan 7. Cups Cafe aims to support local food entrepreneurs and become a place where the community can connect.
The cafe reopened after a pandemic-induced closure following eight months of operation in the Little Bohemia neighborhood. Now, it marks a fresh chapter of opportunity for the Florence neighborhood and North Omaha.
“We are thrilled to finally open Cups Cafe this year with regular hours — it’s been a long time coming, and we couldn’t be more excited to welcome the community into this space,” said Cafe Lead Nyarok (Rayn) Tot in a press release. “Our goal is to create a welcoming and vibrant environment where coffee enthusiasts and community members alike can gather, learn, connect and find solace.”
A gathering space for the community
Cups Cafe fills a gap in the Florence area by providing residents a much-needed “third place” — a space separate from work and home where people can gather and connect. This focus on community needs is particularly significant in Florence, a neighborhood with limited gathering spaces beyond its library, and a rise in social isolation.
“We don’t have a lot of those in that part of town in Florence…because people don’t have a space to come together, they have to go somewhere else to get that,” said NMEP CEO Talia McGill. “We felt strongly that there was more of a need to build space for the community than it was about the coffee. The coffee is a perk that just kind of is the gateway.”…