Building More Than Businesses in Downtown North Platte

North Platte – For Jeff and Shae Caldwell, business has never been just about business. It has always been about people — and about building a North Platte where the next generation wants to come back.

“I’m one of those people who believes downtown is the heart of a city,” Shae Caldwell says. “If the heart dies, the city dies.”

That belief has shaped not only Shae’s deep commitment to volunteer leadership but also the many businesses she and her husband, Jeff, have built and grown in North Platte. Together, they have opened and expanded a portfolio that includes a screen printing and personalization shop, a bicycle shop, a management company, commercial property ownership and renovation, and Pizza Ranch — all while investing heavily in downtown revitalization.

Caldwell describes herself as a “serial entrepreneur,” drawn to organization and creativity. With a background in secondary English education, she says she always approached her work as a leader who cared about people first.

“I taught the student, not the material,” she says. “And I’ve always loved helping people make their visions come to life.”

The couple’s first venture came together unexpectedly. Caldwell and her husband originally planned to open a bicycle shop, but when that plan fell through, an opportunity arose to purchase a longtime local screen-printing business. What started as a “little hobby” quickly became far more.

“It went to a full-time-plus job,” Caldwell says. “I had no idea it was going to take off and do what it did.”

Over time, the bicycle shop became a reality as well, integrated into the growing operation after the original owner passed away. Meanwhile, the Caldwells began purchasing and renovating downtown buildings — including the strip mall across the street they eventually bought and filled, as well as the historic Paramount Theater, with more projects on the horizon.

Their entrepreneurial spirit extends to the next generation. The Caldwells’ daughter, Piper, started her first business at 14 and now, at 17, operates a downtown storefront, creates commercial content, and continues the drone work pioneered by the Caldwell’s son, who passed away in 2023f from a blood clot.

Community has always been the “why” behind it all. Caldwell recalls the moment that sharpened her focus: a question her daughter asked from the backseat after school.

“‘Mom, what will make me want to come back after I leave for college?’” Caldwell remembers. “That question smacked me in the face.”

From that point on, Caldwell’s work in business and volunteer leadership focused on creating opportunities, strengthening local pride, and building a community that young people can envision returning to.

In the early stages of launching their first business, the Caldwells turned to the Nebraska Business Development Center (NBDC) for guidance.

“They helped us come up with our business plan when we first got our loan,” Caldwell says. “We put together the gist of it, and they formulated it in a way the bank would accept.”

“Shae and her family exemplify what community-centered entrepreneurship looks like,” said Moraine Davis-Magnuson, MCRP, NBDC Center Director in North Platte. “Their leadership, investment and generosity have played a critical role in where North Platte is today and where it is headed next.”

As their businesses grew, Caldwell says the biggest challenge became finding specialized employees — like skilled graphic designers and bicycle mechanics — and learning to adapt when the unexpected hit, including during COVID.

“We weren’t closed a single day,” she says. “We had to think outside the box, and we were able to keep all of our employees.”

That commitment to people extends into how the Caldwells give back. Their businesses regularly support fundraisers, memorial events, school programs, athletic facilities and community impact nights, and their screen-printing shop has often become a place of comfort during some of North Platte’s hardest seasons.

“The favorite part of my job is also the worst part of my job,” Caldwell says. “When we’ve lost someone in our community…we’ve made shirts for memorial services, and people just sit there because that’s the only place they feel at peace.”

Even now, Caldwell continues to lead through personal hardship. In July 2025, she was diagnosed with stage four metaplastic, triple-negative breast cancer. She has continued working through months of treatment and is preparing for a double mastectomy on January 30.

“You have two choices,” she says. “You can let things knock you down, or you can just check it off the list.”

Asked to describe her entrepreneurial journey in one word, Caldwell doesn’t hesitate.

“Grit,” she says. “Or relentless. I just don’t quit. I have a purpose to fulfill in this community, and I’m not going to quit.”

Through downtown investment, business leadership, and a steady commitment to serving others, Shae Caldwell and her family are helping shape a stronger North Platte — one built on resilience, opportunity, and community heart.