Omaha Home: neighborhood profile Story by Bailey Hemphill • Photos by minorwhitestudios.com
Retro Chic Hits the Road Diane Flynn’s Vintage Van, Dotty
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f you see a black and Bel Air blue 1953 Olsen bread truck rolling down the streets of Omaha, you will most likely spot Diane Flynn behind the wheel. Flynn, the owner of Tweed Couch, purchased the vintage truck—which was then a bright yellow color with an aluminum interior shell—from a buyer on Craigslist with plans to convert it into a mobile advertisement for her furniture store. After looking into the costs of advertising, Flynn thought the vintage truck would be a fun, original way to advertise her local business as she drives around town. Flynn has a passion for giving new life to vintage pieces, so the retro bread truck was a perfect fit for her personality. “Tweed Couch is a business that marries old with new and modern,” she explains. So it only makes sense that she would buy an old truck and make it over into a modern ride. “Just because it’s old doesn’t mean it should be discarded. There’s a lot more life in that old truck, and I’m going to make sure of that.”
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january/february • 2012
Flynn has affectionately nicknamed her vintage ride ‘Dotty Davenport,’ and this old girl’s not your typical delivery truck. “She has fabulous style!” exclaims Flynn. Although the exterior and interior structure has a classic ‘50s feel, the furniture and décor is extremely modern. “Opening up the back doors and looking in is the icing on the cake because no one expects what’s inside,” says Flynn. And what’s inside? Black and white checkerboard flooring, a table with reupholstered print chairs, artwork and photos on the walls, and Bel Air blue- and white-striped leather front and passenger seats. Adding a touch of whimsy, a chandelier hangs from the van’s ceiling. Flynn already drives Dotty to work and around town, but every now and then she takes Dotty out on the town for special events. At baseball and football games, Dotty is a tailgating pro. At local car and home shows, Dotty is a retro masterpiece holding her own against muscle cars and roadsters. Flynn loves showing her off to other people. “It’s amazing how many men love taking pictures of the van, but the women love to take pictures of the inside.” Of one thing you can most definitely be sure—Dotty is a hottie. www.OmahaPublications.com