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American Apparel hits NoDo

Saddle Creek has completed its NoDo hipster hotbed complex.

Young hipsters can watch a foreign film at Film Streams, buy skinny jeans at Urban Outfitters, see their favorite indie band at the Slowdown and now, pick out an organic cotton t-shirt at American Apparel – all on the same block.

American Apparel opened its first Nebraska store Friday in the Saddle Creek Records complex in North Downtown. The store joins its neighbor, trendy clothier Urban Outfitters, in attracting young, modish customers.

Walk into the new Omaha shop and you can find an array of soft, casual clothing from t-shirts to hoodies; from sweatpants to underwear. Every piece has a spectrum of colors to select from. One thing you won’t find is a label.

The attire has no logos on it. Instead, American Apparel goes for form-fitting shirts with solid colors and simple stitching. The look appeals to consumers who are tired of being walking advertisements for brands.

Like its clothes, the store has a modern, urban minimalist design. Its white walls are decorated with oversized photos of models wearing American Apparel clothing. But the pictures are much more provocative than your typical Gap campaign.

On my visit to the store, the young and thin staff greeted everyone who walked in (this could be due to the fact that there were more employees than actual customers.) Unlike music blaring Abercrombie & Fitch or dimly lit faux SoCal store Hollister, the neatly laid out American Apparel shop had a laid back atmosphere for visitors to comfortably peruse though styles. The mood on opening weekend may have been a bit too casual; two of the staff members were jostling back and forth to have their favorite playlist (one indie/electro, the other hip-hop) be played on the store speakers.

Prices may be a bit higher than what you would expect for a simple unisex V-neck ($19) or a pair of 70’s style tube socks ($10), but buyers are paying for a finer blend of cotton and a socially conscious business model.

The Los Angeles-based company is known for its “sweatshop free” labor policies. All products are manufactured in American Apparel’s downtown LA factory (the largest clothing factory in the U.S.) where employees are paid well over minimum wage. Workers also get paid vacation and health coverage for $8 a week.

So check out the new American Apparel store for clothes that feel good on your skin (and your conscious.)

American Apparel is located at 14th and Webster Streets. Business hours are 10 – 9 p.m. Monday – Saturday, 11 – 6 p.m. Sunday.

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May 2, 2025

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