There’s not a lot of retail in east Midtown. If Victoria is keeping a Secret in Midtown it’s still a secret to me. Couldn’t this fab ‘hood be home to some Lucky Brand? Nope, retail remains a Gap in our neighborhood’s economy.

BUT when east Midtown does retail it does it with honest, gritty, urban Omaha style. Shopping in 1919 Nebraska meant visiting the cobbler and the blacksmith. You had a tactile relationship with what you selected and a personal relationship with the craftsman who made it. That was important because whatever you were buying, you were buying it once. One hundred years later, that’s the experience you find at Artifact Bag.

Artifact is tucked into a historic iron-adorned storefront at 2709 Leavenworth. I used to drive by it and think, ‘That’s that place that has all the great press, I need to go there sometime.’ This fall I stopped for coffee at Farine + Four (another east Midtown classic) and noticed the baker wearing an Artifact apron. I complimented her on her choice, went home and found my birthday check from the in-laws in the mail. Determined not to let a gift be washed away in the cash flow I had my excuse to head down Leavenworth for my serious-adult culinary apron.

Artifact isn’t a large store, the selection isn’t massive, there’s no shiny color-saturated fashion. Still I felt so comfortable and at home among the simple waxed canvas copper-riveted wares that I studied each item to delay having to leave. The workroom is in back and I snuck a peek through the shop’s back door to see where the magic happens. The honesty of Artifact’s craftsmanship is something I’ve seen before in antique items but never in anything contemporary. No wonder LA Times, Bon Appetit, Esquire and New York Times have crowed about our east Leavenworth retail. I hesitate to mention their website, artifactbags.com, because I want you to experience the shop yourself. No website can do it justice.

My denim apron hangs as the pride of my pantry. Someday I’ll cook wearing something I love more than my apron. That will be the day I actually use it.

Originally published 1/5/19

Old school Midtowners still call it the Hinky Dinky.

I visited Supermercado at 29th and Leavenworth yesterday for fresh tortillas, quesadilla cheese, 20-cent limes, house-made pico, RIPE avocados and those paper-thin steaks that are perfect for fajitas. Try finding that in West-O! Need to drive a nail with an avocado? Head west of 120th. Maybe it’s thanks to the holiday season but I happened upon a selection of pig heads. I fought the impulse to buy one for our Christmas table to counterweigh my daughter’s vegan dishes.

If you like grocery carts that match each other or match the name of the store you’re in, this isn’t for you. Supermercado isn’t Whole Foods. I brought my reusable sacks, the cashier placed them on the bagging carousel and then loaded my groceries into plastic bags. I still don’t know how he knew, since I’d forgotten, that I needed plastic bags given yesterday was litterbox cleaning day! I got three bags of groceries and change back from my $20. Like I said, not Whole Foods.

When you visit Supermercado make sure to appreciate the mid-century transportation mosaic between Supermercado and the neighboring thrift store. Midtown Omaha is filled with treasures if you only know where to look.

Originally published 12/17/18