Lincoln Nursery Consolidates Business
After 75 years, beloved Lincoln garden center closes 40th Street nursery to consolidate business
After 75 years, Campbell's Nurseries is closing its doors at 2342 South 40th Street in Lincoln, Nebraska — for good. The final day is Sunday, June 14, 2026, at 5:00 PM, ending more than seven decades at the corner of 40th and A Streets, according to Lincoln Journal Star.
The family-owned business, now in its fourth generation, will consolidate all retail operations at its South 56th Street and Pine Lake Road location. The 40th Street site, a nine-acre property that was once on the edge of town, is now surrounded by one of Lincoln's busiest retail corridors.
114 Years of Roots That Started in a Backyard
Claude C. Campbell founded the business in 1912 as a backyard hobby. He was a railway mail clerk who sold bedding plants to neighbors. The nursery moved several times before Bob Campbell settled it at the 40th Street site in 1950, according to Lincoln Journal Star. Back then, the nine acres sat at the edge of Lincoln. The city grew up around it.
The Campbell family opened a second location at South 56th Street and Pine Lake Road in 1978. That site, now called "The Design Center," offers landscape design, interior plantscapes, and professional maintenance services. It will become the company's single home after Sunday's closure, according to Lincoln Journal Star.
A Neighborhood Landmark Swallowed by Urban Growth
When Bob Campbell bought the 40th Street property in 1950, the land was largely agricultural. Today, the same nine acres sit in a prime retail and residential zone. That shift is a big reason why the family chose to close. The location became landlocked, making it harder to grow or modernize, according to Lincoln Journal Star.
Residents in the nearby Woods Park and Sheridan neighborhoods called the nursery a "beloved landmark" and a "staple of the central Lincoln community." Staff like longtime employee Chad Vanek were still watering and caring for plants during the final week, Lincoln Journal Star reported. The store carried over 200 varieties of annuals and hanging baskets, many grown on the company's 200-plus acres of production fields in Lancaster County.
Strategic Consolidation, Not a Business Collapse
Campbell's is not shutting down — it is right-sizing. The move mirrors a broader trend in the garden industry, where businesses shift from multiple neighborhood sites to single, larger "destination" hubs. The Pine Lake location offers better logistics for the company's landscape design and maintenance divisions, which drive high revenue.
All gift cards, warranties, and landscape contracts will be honored at the 56th and Pine Lake location. The company's growing fields will continue to supply the remaining store. Some staff are expected to transfer, though consolidations like this often reduce seasonal part-time roles, according to Lincoln Journal Star.
Nine Acres at 40th and A Could Be Redeveloped
The nine-acre lot at 2342 South 40th Street is one of the largest remaining open commercial parcels in central Lincoln. City planning documents suggest it is a strong candidate for mixed-use redevelopment — meaning a combination of housing, retail, and commercial space. Lincoln faces a housing shortage, making the site especially valuable.
The closure also comes during a tough economic stretch for Nebraska's legacy businesses. Zipline Brewing Company shut its main operations on June 11, 2026 — just days before Campbell's final Sunday. Local analysts have pointed to stubborn inflation and rising costs as pressure on even the most established local brands, according to Lincoln Journal Star.
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