If you’re heading to Omaha this summer or just looking for something to do in your own backyard—the Old Market should be at the top of your list. This historic Downtown Omaha neighborhood is known for its cobblestone streets, locally owned shops, and a vibe that somehow feels both laid-back and alive at the same time. Here are the places worth visiting in Omaha’s Old Market.
Hollywood Candy
Located at 12th and Jackson, Hollywood Candy is the kind of place you could easily lose a few hours in. It starts as a candy store, but step inside, and it opens into something closer to a nostalgia museum—8,000 square feet spread across a historic Old Market warehouse. The anchor of this beloved Omaha candy store is the Hollywood Pinball and Arcade Museum in the back, with more than 80 machines ranging from 1960s mechanical pinball tables to 1980s arcade cabinets. Beyond the arcade, there’s the Hollywood Diner—a working vintage soda fountain originally pulled from a local drugstore—now serving milkshakes, sandwiches, and old-fashioned sundaes. A small movie theater rounds it out, screening free films on a rotating schedule and available to book for private events.
- Address: 1209 Jackson Street, Omaha, NE 68102
- Hours: Sun–Thurs, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. | Fri–Sat, 11 a.m.–10 p.m.
Amazing Imaginarium
The Amazing Imaginarium claims to carry over three million unique items, and after spending any amount of time inside, that number stops feeling like an exaggeration. The shop carries everything from movie props and vintage toys to graphic novels, comics, and collectibles spanning every imaginable franchise. Whether you’re a serious collector hunting something specific or a casual browser looking for a new treasure, the Imaginarium probably has it. Costume pieces fill the store from floor to ceiling with the density of a well-stocked antique mall, and the inventory turns over constantly—which makes repeat visits worth it.
- Address: 1113 Howard St, Omaha, Nebraska 68102
- Hours: Mon–Thurs, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. | Fri + Sun 10 a.m.–11 p.m. | Sat, 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
The Old Market Passageway
The Old Market Passageway surprises most first-time visitors, and the reason is simple: it doesn’t look like anything from the street. Originally an alley in the late 1800s where people stored produce in the lower-level cellars, it is now a covered, multi-level alley with brick walkways, string lights overhead, and small shops and restaurants, thanks to a developer in the 1970s. Two of the Passageway’s original tenants are still there. V. Mertz, a long-running fine dining restaurant, operates in the lower level alongside Trini’s Mexican Restaurant, which has been feeding people in the same basement space since the renovation first opened. If you want to see something really special, visit at night when the string lights light up the alley in a way that daytime can’t quite replicate.
- Address: 1020-1098 Howard St, Omaha, NE 68102
- Hours: Sun–Sat, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
Old Market Emporium
The Old Market Emporium is two floors of pop culture collectibles, novelties, and memorabilia laid out in a maze-like floor plan that keeps revealing new corners. Sports memorabilia, LP records, vintage video games, comics, and action figures share space with dedicated sections for franchises like Star Wars and classic cinema. It’s the kind of place that’s best explored with no agenda and plenty of time.
- Hours: Mon–Thurs, 12 p.m.–9 p.m. | Fri, 12 p.m.–10:30 p.m. | Sat, 11 a.m.–10:30 p.m. | Sun, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
- Address: 423 S 13th Street, Omaha, NE 68012
Great Plains VTG
Great Plains VTG is tucked away on 11th St—and could be easy to miss if you’re not looking for it, but it is definitely worth the stop. Find everything from graphic tees and jerseys to snapbacks, flannels, and collegiate gear repping Nebraska, Iowa, and schools across the Midwest. Stock turns over daily, so no two visits look the same. And for more vintage and thrift options across the city, our roundup of the best thrift and vintage stores in Omaha covers the full landscape beyond the Old Market.
- Address: 507 S 11th St, Omaha, NE 68102, on the second floor
- Hours: Mon, closed | Tues–Fri, 1 p.m.–7 p.m. | Sat, 12 p.m.–7 p.m. | Sun, 12 p.m.–4 p.m.
Homer’s Record Stores
Homer’s Record Stores has been in the Old Market since 1971, which makes it one of the longest-running independent record stores in the region. The inventory spans far beyond vinyl—CDs, cassettes, VHS tapes, and other physical media fill the shelves in a way that rewards slow browsing over quick passes. The staff knows the stock, and the store occasionally hosts listening events tied to new releases or notable reissues.
- Address: 1210 Howard St, Omaha, NE
- Hours: Mon–Sat, 10 a.m.–9 p.m. | Sun, 11 a.m.–9 p.m.
City Limits
City Limits is hard to categorize, which is kind of the point. The shelves run novelties, gag gifts, unusual socks, quirky kitchen tools, gourmet hot sauces—the kind of mix that makes more sense in person than it does on paper. It’s the perfect spot to pick up a gift or something for yourself, and the prices stay low enough that impulse buying feels completely reasonable.
- Address: 1114 Howard St, Omaha, NE 68102
- Hours: Sun–Thurs, 10 a.m.–8 p.m. | Fri–Sat, 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
The RiverFront
Just steps from the Old Market, Omaha’s RiverFront is complete with three great free locations to let out some energy or relax. The Gene Leahy Mall has large slides that are fun for both kids and adults, green space for cornhole and hammocking, and a bustling walking trail. Heartland of America Park is a scenic area overlooking the Missouri River with swings, an amphitheatre, and a Skate Ribbon for roller skating in the summer and ice skating in winter. Lewis and Clark Landing is close to the Kiewit Luminarium and the iconic Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge, allowing you to cross into Iowa, and even stand in two states at once! The space has a playground for younger kids to enjoy and sand volleyball courts.
- Gene Leahy Mall: 1001 Douglas St, Omaha, NE 68102
- Heartland of America Park: 800 Douglas St, Omaha, NE 68102
- Lewis and Clark Landing: 345 Riverfront Dr, Omaha, NE 68102
- Hours: Sun–Sat, 5 am–11 pm
Whether you’re a local or planning a trip to Omaha, find more things to do in Omaha and best local food, all on Hurrdat ONE!
