Omaha Streetwear Built the Hard Way: The It's Not a Game Story

Before there was a store, there was a stack of flyers.

In 2016, It's Not a Game started as an event-promotion company. For three years, I put up flyers and posters all over Omaha and promoted shows at The Waiting Room and Reverb in Benson. In 2019, I put the name on clothing.

A 10-by-10 Tent in the Goodies Parking Lot

Every Saturday and Sunday, I set up a tent, one table, two chairs and two clothing racks. I sold t-shirts, embroidered caps, socks, slides and keychains to anybody who would stop.

From there, I ran pop-ups at Westroads Mall, right across from the food court. In 2020, I opened my first real storefront: a shipping crate at Fair Deal Plaza.

That April, I was at a trade show in Atlanta when thieves broke in and took our sweatsuits. The next night, they came back wearing them, but they couldn't get in because the store was boarded up. I kept that store open until my lease ended in October 2021.

Five Years on Ames Avenue

That October, “I moved to our former location at 5404 Ames Avenue.” I started in a smaller space for about six months, then moved into the larger space up front.

Running a brick-and-mortar streetwear shop in Omaha means doing it all yourself. I've done flyers, posters, billboards, radio, TV commercials, bus benches at four locations and more vendor tables than I can count. Nobody handed us a crowd. We earned it one customer at a time.

Now we're moving just up the street to 6317-A Ames Avenue, opening November 1.

The Store Is Physical, but the Story Belongs to the Community

The racks have changed. The locations have changed. The clothing has grown, from the World Class Fashion Trucker Cap to the Royal Blue Hoodie and the Excuse the Omaha in Me Tee. But the reason behind It's Not a Game has remained the same. This brand was built for people who understand that showing up matters, even when the results take time.

Where did you first see It's Not a Game: the parking lot, Westroads Mall, Fair Deal Plaza, Ames Avenue, a pop-up, a bus bench or online? Tell us.

Stop by 6317-A Ames Avenue starting November 1.

Life Itself Is Not a Game. Wear what you stand for.