Neligh, A Year In Review: 16 New Businesses In 14 Months

I was recently applying for a grant, and as with most grants, a large portion of the application is bragging about your awesome community. 

I started rattling off new businesses just in the time that I’ve been Economic Development Director, but then I started counting back to some of the businesses that opened shortly before. The next thing I knew I was going back further and further. I stopped at late 2012.

Since late 2012 Neligh has seen 16 new businesses in our small town!  
“No way,” you’re probably thinking!  YES WAY!  

I’ll even list them (in no particular order):
- Nick Krohn Photography – new photographer on Main Street
- 319 Graphics and T’s – graphic design, vinyl lettering, and custom t-shirts on Main Street
- Cents and $ensibilities – used to be Seconds on Main
- Pitzer Digital – graphic design, website development, and marketing
- Antelope County News – online news site that promotes local news and events
- Cabin Realty & Ag Services – new real estate agent, Colten Marsh
- State Farm Insurance – new insurance agent, Melissa Smith
- Farm Bureau – new insurance agent, Brandon Doke
- Walt’s PC Repair – had sold his businesses but later re-opened
- Mainstreet Mall & Consignments – new owner, Bryan Reed
- El Vallarta – new Mexican restaurant
- Big Red Verizon Wireless – expanded out of the Big Red Motorsport store into its own building
- The Loft – antiques and gently used store above El Vallarta
- 2 new daycares opened 
- White Spot Bar and Grill – re-opened on Main Street

Now you might be thinking, some of these were only transitions. I’ll give you that, even though I consider them new businesses because it is a new owner with different services. Even if you take the more stringent view of what a new business is, we are still left with nine new businesses in little more than a year!

By Greg Ptacek, Director of Neligh Economic Development Office