By KALIN KROHE
Panhandle Post
Runza Restaurant opened in Alliance on May 12 located near Holiday Inn Express on Highway 385.
This is the fourth Runza Restaurant in the Panhandle owned by franchisees Neal and Lora Blomenkamp. They also run restaurants in Chadron, Scottsbluff and Gering.
Neal Blomenkamp told Panhandle Post that "opportunity presented itself" when he learned land was available next to Alliance's newest hotel.
"I've always thought Alliance would be a good community for Runza," Blomenkamp said. "I live in Scottsbluff/Gering and so when they said this is what we have for land, we decided to move forward at that time. My wife and I are franchisees. And then I have three children, Spencer, Brooke and Tanner who were also involved in the Runza. And they felt like it would be a good move, so that's kind of how we ended up there. We receive lots of Alliance residents in Scottsbluff, Gering and Chadron."
Blomenkamp said the new Runza location will help grow the company and help travelers discover the restaurant.
"Obviously, you're on the Ports-to-Plains Highway and it will help I guess educate the rest of the United States what Runza is...and what a high performing Nebraska based company is since 1949."
Blomenkamp said Runza also likes to give back to the communities they're in.
"We're definitely a community partner," Blomenkamp said. "We live in western Nebraska, we understand the importance of promoting just all the different not-for-profit organizations. I personally and my family we like to help for beautification. And just a lot with kids programs, whether it be educational, the arts, sports, those types of things. So we can only first give what is first been given to us. We like to share that with whatever communities were involved in."
The Alliance Runza will employee 25-30 people.