A liquor store, a Mexican market and a long-dreamed candy shop signal steady, grassroots growth across the city
Three new businesses have quietly opened their doors in North Platte, each bringing something different to the table. From late-night spirits to everyday groceries and nostalgic sweets, the openings point to small-scale confidence in local foot traffic and neighborhood demand.
None arrived with fanfare. All are already finding their rhythm.
Highball Liquor opens with long hours and local flavor
Highball Liquor officially opened on November 21 in the 1100 block of Rodeo Road, taking over the storefront previously occupied by Express AVL. The shift marks a new chapter for the space, now lined with bottles instead of audio gear.
Owner Marci Spradlin says business has been encouraging right out of the gate. Not explosive, but steady. The kind of pace that feels sustainable.
The store carries a broad mix of wines, spirits and beer, along with lottery tickets. A separate section is dedicated to skill games, creating a layout that allows customers to linger rather than rush.
Spradlin sees that as part of the appeal.
One short sentence captures it: people stay longer than expected.
Customers are allowed to enjoy a drink on-site while playing skill games, though beverages must stay inside the store. Structured tastings are also on the drawing board, something Spradlin hopes will add a social layer beyond retail.
Highball Liquor’s hours are expansive, aimed at flexibility rather than formality.
Here’s how the schedule breaks down:
| Day | Hours |
|---|---|
| Monday–Saturday | 9 a.m. to 1 a.m. |
| Sunday | Noon to 8 p.m. |
Express AVL, meanwhile, hasn’t left the building entirely. The audio business relocated to another section of the same structure, allowing both operations to coexist without overlap.
La Guadalupana Market brings familiar tastes next door
Right next to Highball Liquor sits another new arrival, La Guadalupana Market. It opened quietly in early November and already feels lived in.
The market specializes in Mexican food items, offering snacks, pantry staples, sauces, beverages and a rotating selection of ice cream. Household supplies fill out the shelves, making it more than just a specialty stop.
Owner Adolfo Nieto describes the early weeks as calm and organic. Customers are discovering the store through word of mouth rather than advertising blasts.
That seems intentional.
La Guadalupana Market is affiliated with D’Leon’s fast food restaurant, located just one block east. D’Leon’s operates seven franchises across Nebraska, and the connection gives the market a built-in sense of familiarity.
Still, the market stands on its own.
The name carries cultural weight. La Guadalupana refers to Our Lady of Guadalupe, also known as La Morenita, a central figure in Mexican Catholic tradition. According to tradition, she appeared in December 1531 on the Hill of Tepeyac, now part of greater Mexico City.
For Nieto, the name reflects identity as much as inventory.
One simple line says it best: the store feels personal, not transactional.
A candy shop dream finally lands downtown
Downtown North Platte gained a sweeter addition in mid-September with the opening of Canteen Candies.
For owner Molly Mendoza, the store is the result of a lifelong habit turned into action. Growing up in North Platte, she remembers only one candy store, a small section inside the mall’s Hallmark shop that closed years ago.
When she traveled with her mother, candy shops became a ritual stop. Over time, the idea stuck.
Opening one at home felt overdue.
Mendoza and her husband, Ryan Araujo, both work full-time jobs, so the shop operates on a schedule that fits around real life. Evenings during the week run from 5 to 8 p.m. Weekends stretch longer, from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.
It’s not about maximizing hours. It’s about sustainability.
Canteen Candies carries a wide range, mixing what’s trending now with what people remember from decades ago. Customers can find newer favorites like silky gems and smash ice cream alongside retro staples such as Black Cow, Zotz and Zagnut.
The contrast is intentional.
Some shoppers come in curious. Others walk straight to what they loved as kids. Both leave smiling, which Mendoza notices more than sales numbers.
Timing, trust and a closed storefront
The opportunity came unexpectedly.
In July, Mendoza learned that the longtime Vac and Sew store downtown was closing so the owner could retire. The location opened up. Conversations that had once been casual suddenly turned serious.
When Ryan said, “let’s go for it,” they did.
They moved fast, opening by mid-September and embracing the learning curve that comes with first-time ownership.
One brief paragraph says a lot: there was no grand plan, just momentum.
Why downtown matters to small owners
Mendoza says being downtown was non-negotiable.
The shop’s logo features a locomotive, a nod to North Platte’s railroad history and a visual fit for its surroundings. Foot traffic, window shoppers and nearby events all feed into the decision.
Downtown, she says, feels connected.
Not rushed. Not anonymous.
That sentiment echoes across the other new businesses as well. Whether it’s Rodeo Road or the city center, each owner is betting on familiarity and repeat visits rather than quick spikes.
A pattern of modest confidence
Taken together, the three openings don’t signal a boom. They suggest something quieter and perhaps more durable.
These are owner-operated businesses. No chains expanding aggressively. No flashy launches. Just people filling gaps they noticed themselves.
Highball Liquor extends late-night options.
La Guadalupana Market adds cultural and culinary range.
Canteen Candies restores something that had been missing for years.
Each one meets a different need.
And each one seems content to grow at its own pace.
What locals are responding to
Early reactions point to a shared theme: approachability.
Customers talk to owners. They ask questions. They linger. That’s easier in places that don’t feel over-designed or rushed into existence.
One-sentence truth: these stores feel lived-in already.
As North Platte continues to evolve, it’s these kinds of openings that often shape daily routines more than headline projects.
