A beloved Benson furniture store is being forced to close after eight years in business when the building it operates in is being sold.
Laci Mulick, owner of Found Vintage Market, received an unexpected phone call from her landlord that changed everything.
"I got a phone call from the landlord and he said, I'm selling the building. You gotta go. That was it," Mulick said.
I have sold refurbished and custom furniture out of this space for eight years and didn't see an end in sight. The sudden closure has left me scrambling to find a new location, but the search feels hopeless.
"I won't find it. I can already tell you I've been looking. Finding something that has a beautiful storefront, that has the beautiful high ceilings, and that has meant something... I won't find it," Mulick said.
The closure impacts more than just the business. Riley Sneen, who moved to Benson two years ago, says small businesses like Found Vintage Market are vital to the community's growth.
"It's pretty important to have small businesses around just because a lot of our neighbors have said that it used to just be bars here and that they kind of liked when small businesses came in. The thrift shop is a great place to find some hidden gems, so it just kind of brought a little bit more community around," Sneen said.
Benson resident Sydney Monahan says the closure reflects broader challenges facing small businesses across Omaha.
"Yeah, I think, especially in these last few months we've seen small businesses all around Omaha get hit really hard with not as much flexible spending being able to happen and I think it's sad to see some a store in our community have to close down," Monahan said.
The timing is particularly devastating for Mulick, who had plans to give back to the community through a partnership with Benson High School.
"We started working with Benson High School and we were going to give their special needs kids their first job and when I called them to tell them that we had lost our lease and we wouldn't be able to do it, they were really upset and it just makes me sad," Mulick said.
Customer support has been overwhelming. Last weekend, shoppers purchased a third of the store's merchandise as word spread about the closure.
The emotional toll has been significant for Mulick, who has built relationships with customers over the years.
"Every time somebody that I've developed a relationship with comes in and says that they're sorry and they're sad to see us go, it just makes it sad, and I can't do it. I can't even ring people up at the register. I have to have staff do it," Mulick said.
An official closing date has not been set, but Mulick must vacate the space as soon as possible.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
