By Hola Nebraska
The Nebraska Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has launched Shop Local! Shop South O!, a campaign designed to bring more visibility to South Omaha businesses through videos and social media promotion.
The campaign follows several months of preparation, conversations with merchants and an assessment of the economic conditions facing Latino and Hispanic-owned businesses in Omaha and other parts of Nebraska.
The chamber said the effort is part of its ongoing work with the business community and its review of sales, customer traffic, employment, closures, consumer behavior and business confidence.
The campaign marks a new stage after the assessment
The Nebraska Hispanic Chamber of Commerce said it has worked closely with Latino and Hispanic-owned businesses to assess their economic situation since the June 2025 events in Omaha.
Over the past two months, the organization has also taken steps to support businesses in different areas of the state.
With Shop Local! Shop South O!, the chamber is moving from an assessment of economic conditions to a campaign focused on public visibility for local entrepreneurs.
The initiative will focus on videos featuring South Omaha businesses that will be shared on social media over the next several weeks.
Flower Fashion Boutique & Gift Shop will be the first featured business
The first business featured in the campaign is Flower Fashion Boutique & Gift Shop.
The chamber presented the business as one example of the local shops that are part of South Omaha’s commercial identity.
Some campaign pieces will be in Spanish. The videos will also feature community leaders promoting the initiative and introducing participating businesses.
The organization will share the videos on its social media platforms, including the Nebraska Hispanic Chamber Facebook page.
The assessment shows revenue losses since June 2025
The chamber shared a comparison of business conditions between June 2025, September 2025 and June 2026.
In June 2025, the assessment reported severe and immediate revenue losses. Many businesses reported sales declines ranging from 50% to 90%.
The assessment also found that customers stopped visiting commercial areas because of fear and uncertainty. During that period, temporary closures were reported after the June events, with merchants concerned about possible permanent closures.
On the workforce side, the comparison recorded layoffs, reduced hours and staffing cuts. The assessment also identified fewer trips and fewer purchases among community members.
Read also: Two Omaha senators selected for Midwest leadership program
Recovery remained limited in September
By September 2025, 91.7% of the businesses included in the follow-up said they had not seen significant improvement. Only a small number reported modest gains.
Reduced customer traffic driven by fear continued through September, according to the comparison shared by the chamber.
Several businesses confirmed permanent closures because revenue did not recover. In addition, 21 businesses reported layoffs affecting 39 workers.
Some owners used personal funds to keep employees on payroll. Merchants also described ongoing instability and lower confidence in the business climate.
One year later, many businesses remain under pressure
In June 2026, one year later, 31 of 40 businesses were still reporting major revenue declines, often between 50% and 90%.
The comparison says reduced customer traffic has become a new normal for several businesses, especially along major South Omaha corridors.
Three businesses were already planning to close their physical storefronts and move to online-only operations because of continued financial pressure.
The assessment also identified labor shortages. Some workers have left the area or are unwilling to look for work because of fear, limiting the growth and service capacity of businesses.
Consumer behavior has also changed
The chamber reported changes in consumer behavior during the period assessed.
In June 2025, community members reduced travel and shopping because of fear. In September, fear and uncertainty continued to influence purchasing decisions.
By June 2026, customers were limiting spending to essentials, postponing purchases and keeping cash at home instead of spending or depositing it.
Fear remains the most common barrier to recovery, according to the assessment. Many families still avoid leaving home or taking part in normal economic activity.
The campaign will continue over the next several weeks
Shop Local! Shop South O! will continue with new social media posts featuring South Omaha businesses.
The campaign includes videos of local businesses, entrepreneur stories and messages from community leaders connected to the initiative.
The Nebraska Hispanic Chamber of Commerce keeps information at www.nebraskahispanicchamber.org and by phone at 402-208-0405. Campaign videos will be shared on the organization’s social media platforms over the next several weeks.
Stay informed about what’s happening in your community. Your source for stories that inspire — visit HolaNebraska.org for news, culture, and community updates across Nebraska!