The Hayden House on the UNO Campus was commissioned in 1926 by Ophelia Hayden.
HISTORY // Story by Wendy Townley
Brothers to
Businesswoman
THE HISTORY OF THE HAYDEN FAMILY IN OMAHA
T
he retail shopping experience in downtown Omaha has certainly changed over the years. Department stores, locally owned boutiques, and the like have long been a part of the downtown experience for both residents and visitors.
One such store—the Hayden Brothers General Store—opened its doors along South 16th Street between Douglas and Dodge streets in the late 1880s. The space was small: a single room with six employees. // 42 //
NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2021
The namesakes of the store, Irish immigrants and brothers Edward and William Hayden, first opened Hayden Brothers in Chicago in 1885. Following advice from friends paired with aspirations to continue seeking the dream of American prosperity, the brothers moved to Omaha. Success soon followed and a third Hayden brother—Joseph—joined the family business.
A variety of goods, paired with strong community ties, signaled growth for the small general store. Following a handful of years in business, Hayden Brothers moved a stone’s throw away to a 40-thousand-square-foot space that became part of Omaha’s downtown history.
