Serving up British heritage and goods, Chippy’s brings new experience to Omaha

2• JUNE 4, 2021 • Midlands Business Journal

by Gabby Hellbusch

New to Omaha, Chippy’s, a British market and bakery, is a truly one-of-a-kind concept for the area. England native Glenn Greet and his wife, Laura, opened the store in April and have seen a steady influx of curious customers ever since.

Chippy’s Omaha

Phone: 402-330-3020 Service: British market and bakery Address: 2718 S 123rd Ct., Omaha 68144 (Westwood Plaza) Founded: April 2021 Employees: 7 Goal: Eventually open a ‘phase two’ restaurant-style business. Website: www.chippysomaha.com

“Glenn has lived in the states for about 20 years now, but had missed the food and culture that he grew up with,” Laura Greet said. “We really wanted to be able to show our children parts of Glenn’s childhood so we opened the shop.”

The business includes a grocery section where customers can find a large selection of imported British goods, as well as a market side where British soaps, lotions and other items can be found. In addition to traditional British foods that are baked in the business’ in-house bakery, the business also offers over 475 British imported foods and gifts.

Owners Glenn and Laura Greet are bringing back nostalgia for British goods. (Photo by Roger Humphries)

“I’ve always wanted to own a bakery so it’s really fun that both Glenn and I have been able to fulfill our dreams together,” she said. “We see all walks of life come through the door and we have a map of England so that people who used to live there can pin their location. The board is already filling up. We also really enjoy

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Vanessa Schutte

AIA, ALEP, Central Region K12 Education Sector Leader, DLR Group Omaha Office

Associations/Titles: Principal, American Institute of Architects, A4LE Accredited Learning Environment Planner, Leadership Omaha (Class 36); Current Lecturer at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Architecture Hometown: Papillion, Nebraska Education: Bachelor of Science from the University of Nebraska at Omaha

hearing stories from so many Americans who love to travel and have been there.”

Along with the authentic goods and personable staff, Greet said the cultural experience at the shop makes customers feel like they’ve just stepped into England.

“A really big piece for us is that we love to put smiles on people’s faces,” she said. “A lot of the time, they’re getting a chance to buy things they haven’t seen in years since they’ve lived in or visited England. The shop also brings back memories for families who have traveled there and allows them to relive those experiences.”

While figuring out staffing needs was challenging at first, as the Greets didn’t know what to expect for foot traffic, the business has since been running like a well-oiled machine.

“There’s really nothing else quite like this in Nebraska and we’re really capitalizing on that,” she said. “We’ve been lucky that we haven’t really been affected by the pandemic, except for enforcing health guidelines. We’re noticing that people are ready to get out and get back to some type of normalcy so it’s been an exciting time for us.”

In the future, the Greets hope to expand with a “phase two” of Chippy’s by opening up more of a restaurant style of business that serves traditional British meals like fish and chips. For now, the owners are excited to continue to meet new faces and hear their stories.

“The biggest win for us is seeing the number of people coming in and out of the store and hearing the compliments from customers,” she said. “Whether they’ve visited England or not, we love knowing that our customers are enjoying the sights and smells of the shop that can transport them to another country.”

Midlands Business Journal

Established in 1975 FOUNDER, Robert Hoig ADMINISTRATION PUBLISHER, Andrea “Andee” Hoig EDITORIAL EDITOR & VICE PRESIDENT OF NEWS, Tiffany Brazda EDITORIAL ASSISTANT, Savannah Behrends

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OFFICE

OFFICE ASSISTANT, Rosemary Gregurich

How I got into the business: Construction and design have been a part of my life since I was a kid. My parents added on and renovated our lake cabin at least five times growing up and really involved my sister and I in the process.

Accomplishments or milestones: Appointed Principal in 2016; President of the Nebraska Chapter of the American Institute of Architects in 2018; and speaking engagements at national conferences.

First job: Picking up trash at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo.

Biggest career break: The Great Recession in 2008. We slowed down considerably, which allowed me to dig deeper into educational facility planning and programming. I had the opportunity to gain a wealth of knowledge that is invaluable today and was noticed by my peers.

The toughest part of the job: The ones you don’t win — the projects you do not get the opportunity to work on.

The best advice I have received: Raise your hand.

About my family: My husband PJ and I will celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary this summer. We are proud parents to three boys – Jones, 11, Creighton, 9, and Norman, 7.

Something else I’d like to accomplish:

Raise three good men.

How my business will change in the

next decade: Education has of course been heavily impacted by COVID-19. I think it will continue to rapidly evolve, even more so than perhaps the past decades and centuries combined.

Mentor who has helped the most in my

career: Curtis Johnson and Mark Brim.

Outside interests: Drawing.

Favorite vacation spot: Anything outdoors.

Other careers I would like to try: Artist.

Favorite cause or charity: United Way. Always open to new ones!

Favorite app: Aaptiv.

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