Welcome!
Welcome to The From Nebraska Gift Shop and the James Arthur Vineyards Tasting Room! Located in Lincoln’s Historic Haymarket, our From Nebraska Gift Shop is the prime location for customers looking for the best gourmet Nebraska food baskets, gifts and souvenirs. Our tasting room also features wine from Nebraska’s largest and most awarded winery James Arthur Vineyards.
Housed in the historic Huber Building, From Nebraska has a rich history in being a part of the Haymarket. For the past 27 years, our store has showcased the best Nebraska has to offer. Owners Jim and Barb Ballard acquired the business in 2014 and continue the tradition of promoting and selling everything from and about their home state. Also co-owners of James Arthur Vineyards in Raymond, NE, the Ballard’s have expanded the tasting room, highlighted by the trademark grain bin above the tasting bar. They’ve also brought their own touch to the shop that compliments the busy and eclectic Haymarket area.
The From Nebraska Gift Shop and James Arthur Vineyards are excited to be part of the history of the Haymarket beginning with the Huber Building, which was constructed in 1901. This two-story factory, built at a cost of $30,000 (including land), is the Haymarket’s most substantial reminder of the farm implement industry, a vital component of Lincoln’s early economy. Huber Manufacturing Company was a pioneer thresher manufacturer. A Lincoln newspaper boasted in 1904: “This is a fact that Lincoln people ought to repeat over and over again, that this is the best machine town west of the Mississippi River.” Estimates of a $1.5 million thresher trade for 1904 placed Lincoln second only to Kansas City. In 1905 ten of Lincoln’s thirteen threshing machine companies were located in or near the Haymarket.
Port Huron Machinery & Supply Company followed Huber in the building, occupying it from 1941 until the 1980s. The faded combination of Port Huron and Huber wall signs may be garbled as advertising but speak clearly of days past.
Our History
In 2014, Jim and Barb Ballard started looking at locations to expand their winery, James Arthur Vineyards, by opening a tasting room in the Haymarket.
By chance, one March day Jim happened to be chatting with the owner of the From Nebraska Gift Shop, and the next thing you know, the Ballard’s not only had a place for a tasting room but had agreed to purchase the entire business.
Jim was born and raised in Nebraska, while Barb had spent most of her life in the Cornhusker state. Both have a passion for their home and the people who live here, so it was a no-brainer for them to jump on an opportunity to not only sell their Nebraska made wine, but all the other wonderful items created in this state. The cherry on top was the wonderful location the gift shop resides. The revitalization and growth of the area have been a joy to witness, without losing the historical perspective that makes the Haymarket so unique and special.
For Jim and Barb, it was a perfect opportunity for them to share their passion for Nebraska, wine, and family.