Husker tradition lives on at new Melichar’s location

LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) - A popular gameday tradition in Lincoln is getting a new look.

The Melichar’s gameday prediction is up again this year, but at a new location near 48th Street and Normal Boulevard.

For more than five decades, Melichar’s manned the gateway to the historic district.

“It always felt like home,” Jeff Melichar, co-owner of Melichar’s 66, said. “Having kind of grown up there even as a kid, it was just home.”

In May, seeking catharsis, father and son duo Bruce and Jeff Melichar rented rooms at the Graduate Hotel across the old shop and watched their building come down.

“When the crane first hit the canopy, that stung,” Jeff said. “And you knew it would. Like you knew it would be a hard thing.”

This week, the Melichar’s kept the tradition going and unveiled their optimistic predictions for Thursday night’s game, something they’ve done since their business first opened.

“It’s probably the first time it’s really felt like football season’s here,” Jeff said. “Because that was always a major part of it was getting the sign ready. People would be looking for it, ‘Hey what’s the prediction going to be?’ And now that we have it up it certainly feels like husker season.”

Tank the dog who greeted visitors at the previous Haymarket store was brought that same reserved charm to the new, more specious spot.

“It’s starting to feel like home,” Bruce said.

The owners said business booming 30% higher than before, and they’ve kept most of their old customers and brought in many new ones.

“If you need something, you want to call a guy you know,” Bruce said. “You want to talk to him on a first name basis. And he’ll sell you what you need. And that’s how we do it.”

Bruce and Jeff said they’ll miss hosting tailgates in the old Melichar’s parking lot, but now, they’ll get to sit back and enjoy other peoples’ parties.

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