Omaha restaurants see less business during College World Series

‘They kind of avoid the area’: Local restaurants see less business during CWS

OMAHA, Neb. —

It’s a record-breaking College World Series with more than 5 million fans for the first time in 15 years. Charles Schwab Field isn’t the only place making them feel at home.

“This is always such a special time of year because they come back and we get to see them again and catch up and just enjoy the atmosphere with them,” Ross DiPrima, owner of Jackson Street Tavern, said.

This is DiPrima’s ninth CWS with his restaurant, and he said despite the crowds, business has been spotty.

“Some days will be just crazy and then the next day will be a little bit slower, so we just kind of have to be ready for anything,” DiPrima said.

It’s the same story several streets over at Omaha Tap House.

“We actually had our highest sales in a day ever last year, and sales this year are just not matching that,” Nina Graham, a server, said.

Whether blocks away or across the street, both restaurants said the cause is the same culprit.

“I talked to some people, and I’ll say, ‘Hey, I haven’t seen you in a while, what’s going on?'” DiPrima said. “The general consensus for people in Omaha is just kind of avoid the area because of construction.”

Downtown construction is putting a hamper on their business this season, especially at Omaha Tap House. The restaurant is located at the intersection of 14th and Farnam, where there’s both streetcar construction and work on the new Mutual of Omaha tower.

“We kind of got hit with the double whammy of just a lack of accessibility of people not able to get here and not able to find parking when they do get down here,” Graham said.

While this series is slower, DiPrima said CWS fans are still showing up more than the Omaha natives.

“They kind of avoid the area, so this has been great because, unfortunately, the College World Series fans can’t avoid it and they have to deal with it,” DiPrima said.

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