CARLY CHASE/THE CREIGHTONIAN
Shop Five Nine is home to an array of stationery, occasion cards, knickknacks and Parsnip, the shop cat. The store is located in Benson, and it’s sister store Ceremony is right next door.
In the heart of the Benson neighborhood, a small, locally-owned stationery shop by the name of Shop Five Nine is open from 1 to 7 p.m. on weekdays and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. The story behind the shop and owner, though, is something much deeper than just a stationery store.
Megan Hunt, the owner of Shop Five Nine, is an “entrepreneur, designer, mom and Nebraska state senator representing the 8th District,” in her own words in an online interview.
“But if you ask me what I am, first and foremost, I’m a shopgirl.”
Hunt’s dedication to her business operation is evident but is also a testament to her dedication to the community she lives within. She is a wearer of many hats, clearly, but her passion for community –– through her retail ownership –– is clear through conversation about her store.
Hunt has started a slew of different businesses in Omaha, including Princess Laserton, a handmade bridal accessories store; CAMP, a coworking space; and Hello Holiday, a clothing boutique she cofounded. She currently owns Shop Five Nine and its sister clothing store, Ceremony.
“I’ve always been motivated by the freedom to make something of my own — to take an idea seriously enough to see what it could become. Small business has given me a way to combine creativity with making a living and contributing to my community.”
Shop Five Nine was born out of the closing of Hunt’s previous business, Hello Holiday. She mentioned she was missing retail and design, and Shop Five Nine was born with the help of her daughter, Ash, who was 10 years old at the time. Hunt said her daughter was involved with every aspect of the shop, and Ash named it after their shared birthday, May 9. The shop opened during the fall of 2020 and Ash was involved in every single part of the launch of the shop, even the legal structure and taxation.
The story, as well as the store’s contents, are extremely unique, which makes Hunt’s story all the more moving. Her ambition doesn’t go unnoticed, and her care and enthusiasm for her work –– as well as for her customers –– are what make her, and so many small business owners, perfect proponents of the Omaha community.
Shop Five Nine itself is defined as a specialty store, carrying stationery, paper goods and “practical art for people who still write things down.” Everything in the store is hand-picked, and some of the items for sale include specialty Japanese planners and pens that are hard to come by, as well as notebooks, cards, wrapping paper, local art/Omaha neighborhood prints and personal gifts for any occasion. They will even wrap your gifts for you, and you might even get the opportunity to meet their shop cat, Parsnip.
PHOTO COURTESY OF MEGAN HUNT
Megan poses with her daughter, Ash, who helped create the namesake for Shop Five Nine.
Their shop motto is “serious tools for people who don’t take themselves too seriously,” which is extremely fitting. Not everything needs to be serious, but good quality items are hard to come by in a society where fast fashion and cheap knockoffs can sometimes rule the industry. It’s important to shop small and local when you can.
Hunt mentioned that she wanted readers to know that “the small rituals in your day matter. Writing a letter, keeping a planner, using a pen you love: those are ways of paying attention to your own life. It’s all for fun, but fun isn’t frivolous.”
Hunt mentioned that “finding independent makers and bringing their work to Omaha is one of my favorite parts [of owning the shop]. Making something real with my own taste and my own hands, and watching people respond to it … I [also] love the thoughtfulness involved in helping someone choose a gift.”
However, finding and stocking fun knickknacks in a store is not everything. Community support is vital to small business operations and survival.
When asked what community means to her business, Hunt said, “It’s everything … Our customers have watched my kid grow up behind the counter. A neighborhood shop only survives if the neighborhood decides it’s worth keeping, and Benson has decided that for us over and over.”
She mentioned that she hopes that the Omaha community finds a “place that feels good to be in” in Shop Five Nine –– whether that is a perfect card for any occasion, or just leaving the store with a smile.
Hunt also expressed that community interaction with small businesses in Omaha is extremely important to their survival, as well as upholding the community as a whole.
“When you buy a notebook here instead of online, that money pays local rent, local wages and local taxes. Small businesses run on thin margins, and the difference between a good month and a scary one is often just a handful of people choosing to show up.”
And, for any student looking into entrepreneurship or owning a business, Megan Hunt is very encouraging.
“Omaha is a city where you can actually start something. There’s room here, rent is still possible and people genuinely root for you. If you have an idea, you don’t have to move to the coasts to do it.”
Megan Hunt’s story is a testament to hard work and entrepreneurship, but also the community-based spirit that so much of Omaha is built upon. She consistently utilizes her creativity and passion, turning them into a business that is supported by many who live here in Omaha — a true testament to the mindset of the community of Omaha.
For anyone looking for their next gift, occasion card or maybe even some new stationery for yourself, Shop Five Nine is worth the stop. And, Ceremony, Shop Five Nine’s store neighbor and sister store, is a perfect place for your next secondhand, vintage or new clothing wants and needs — and there’s a sterling silver charm bar with a photobooth. Make the trip to Benson –– you can see Megan’s story in real time, shop for exclusive international stationery, find some new (or used) pieces for your closet and get a cute and very on-trend photo souvenir, all while supporting local.
For anyone interested in the shop, you can find out more on shopfivenine.com, or shopfivenine on Instagram.