By Kerri Rempp, Discover Northwest Nebraska
Break a rack and avoid those gobble holes!
With more than a century behind it, one Crawford building has received a facelift and is home to a new business that encourages kids and adults alike to put down their phones and enjoy simpler forms of entertainment.
The Brick House Emporium opened in April in what has long been known as Old City Hall at 209 Elm St. in Crawford. Owner Nina Anderson has fond memories of spending time at The Chief in Crawford when she was growing up, settling into high-backed booths, playing pool or pinball and listening to music on the jukebox.
“We’d just set there for hours. Adults and kids hung out there all the time. I wanted to give Crawford a place like that back,” she said.
Anderson’s career took her away from Crawford as an adult, though she returned to the area in 2002 to take a position in Scottsbluff before later moving to Kansas City. After 30 years with the Federal Aviation Administration, Anderson retired in 2019 and returned to Crawford, where her three sisters and son, Ian, who graduated from Crawford High School while she was stationed in Scottsbluff, still lived.
The Northwest Nebraska community has tried to support a youth center in the past, but never quite succeeded, she said. Anderson, along with her son and Brittany Horan, set out to open a business that would provide a safe place for kids to hang out but also be a fun, relaxed, alcohol-free environment for people of all ages.
“It’s just something Crawford needed,” Nina Anderson said.
The trio looked at a few buildings before settling on Old City Hall.
“We figured it had more potential,” said Ian Anderson, noting that in addition to the business, his mother also lives in the upper story of the building.
Constructed in 1914 for $12,800, the western half of Old City Hall was home to the city government offices, while the Crawford Fire Department occupied the east half from 1915 until the 1960s when it moved across the street. The Crawford Public Library also called the building home, moving into the second floor in 1965 for 20 years.
The fire department’s electric siren was installed in the building’s cupola in 1930, replacing the original 1891 bell and the 1907 steam whistle.
“The siren is still up there because it was too heavy to take down,” Nina Anderson said. The city’s abandoned jail cells still reside in the basement, as well. The building more recently has been home to an antique mall and a café.
With more than two years of sweat equity, the Andersons and Horan are proud to add the Brick House Emporium to the Old City Hall’s history. Pool tables and pinball games, including a Lethal Weapon game they completely rebuilt, offer hours of entertainment while the jukebox plays in the background. Popcorn, snacks, and smoothies keep hunger at bay, and on Mondays Horan, a Scottsbluff native who has worked in delis and bakeries in the Panhandle, prepares and serves homestyle meals from 11 a.m. until the food runs out. She also offers specialty cupcakes every Wednesday.
Though they haven’t been open long, Ian Anderson said it’s been amazing to see the community’s reaction.
“The community has been very supportive,” Nina Anderson said.
The building still needs additional renovation, including Anderson’s living quarters, but when the group looks back over the last two years, they realize just how much they’ve accomplished.
While that old siren is still there, it’s now been enclosed so birds and bats can’t do any further damage. The building has been rewired and the power upgraded, and new windows, insulation and HVAC were installed. The roof on the small side of the building was redone, and one bathroom was converted into two. A kitchen with cabinets by a local craftsman was constructed so Horan can whip up her weekly specials, and in the main room of the business, they painstakingly hand-painted the wall to match the brick wallboard in the kitchen.
Once the structure was sound, they began decorating, choosing steam punk as their theme, Ian Anderson said, pointing out things like gear boxes for light switches.
“I love steam punk décor,” Nina Anderson said.
In addition to the pool and arcade games, the Brick House Emporium is working with local artists to offer their crafts, jewelry and tie-dye. The variety of offerings and the possibilities they hope to explore in the future led them to the business’ name, Ian Anderson said.
“The definition of an emporium is all inclusive, and that’s the idea,” he said.
The Brick House Emporium is currently open 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. Monday; 2-8 p.m. Tuesday; 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. Wednesday; and 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. Thursday – Saturday. It is closed Sunday to the public but is available for private parties.