Tiger Town Grocery Store

Kayla and Luke Hart have joined a growing group of young entrepreneurs doing business in Pierce County, Nebraska. Having purchased Tiger Town Food Center in Osmond, the couple looks forward to serving the community for years to come. “Kayla and Luke Hart are ensuring the continuity of Osmond’s grocery store - something that is critical for the community. We were pleased to support this project and play a role in helping with the transition plan and putting the funding structure together to make the deal work,” said Susan Norris, Executive Director of Pierce County Nebraska Economic Development (PCED).

Located at 344 N State St. in Osmond, Nebraska, Tiger Town Food Center was under the same ownership for over 30 years. After being burned down in a fire in 2017, it was completely rebuilt. Though it was rebuilt fairly quickly, losing a grocery store for a few months was incredibly difficult for local residents and restaurants. “We knew how important Tiger Town Food Center was to the community and wanted to help facilitate the transition to new ownership when we found out that James and Nancy Bessmer were looking to retire,” said Norris. “To ensure a smooth transition, the Bessmer’s agreed to mentor the Hart’s which is another critical piece of business continuity - sharing the insider knowledge developed over so many years of running a business.”

In addition to helping to find new owners, PCED wrote a business plan and produced a proforma that helped the Harts to access operating capital from a local bank. “The banks in Pierce County, Nebraska are dedicated to helping small businesses operate here,” said Norris. “We are blessed to have so many financing partners.”

The Harts are grateful for the support the community has shown during the transition and look forward to continue the tradition of Tiger Town Food Center. “Luke and I would like to thank everyone who came to our grand opening to celebrate with us. We are truly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community,” said Kayla. “We want to give a special thanks to the Bessmer's for guiding us through this journey and all of our staff for working so hard to make our little grocery store great! From the bottom of our hearts, thank you.”

In addition to being the main provider of food for Osmond residents, the Harts are supporting the community and local sports teams such as the Osmond 8U boys baseball team. “Congratulations on bringing home the league tournament championship! We are proudly displaying it at Tiger Town Food Center for the community to see!”

As for Tiger Town Food Center, this is the place to buy fresh produce, tasty deli items, specialty foods, and items sourced from local and nearby providers. That means shoppers will find all of the basics and so much more. “Our locally-owned store offers a convenient one-stop shop where you can find everything you need from the everyday essentials to specialty items from around the world. Our friendly staff is here to help you find exactly what you're looking for and to offer you assistance regarding all the products we carry,” said Kayla.

Visit Tiger Town Food Center on Facebook

They wish to remind people that by shopping at a local grocery store they are keeping dollars within the community, helping to create jobs, nurturing the community and investing in local ownership. “You make our store a destination and we appreciate it,” said Kayla.

On the Tiger Town Food Center website, you will find information on products and coupons.