Star City Six – Nikke Hollenbeck
H.F. Crave is a local, family-run eatery off of 48th and Holdrege St. featuring burgers, sandwiches, sides, and sauces straight from the farm. Nikke Hollenbeck and her husband JR are the owners of H.F. Crave.
Tell us a little about your business.
H.F. Crave is our sweet, little gourmet burger place. We have a heart for sharing fresh, all natural beef and locally sourced vegetables…and absolutely love that we can share the story of Hollenbeck Farms with our customers. Raising cattle and farming have been in my husband’s family since 1901. We feature local craft beer and cocktails that complement our menu. It’s our hope that Lincoln considers us the place to go to get a taste of everything that is truly made in Nebraska by people who are just like us.
Tell us a little about your family.
JR and I are a blended family of six children. You may have seen them serving burgers a time or two! Jake (25) lives in Utah, Owen (21) goes to college in Arkansas, Emie (20) attends college in Arizona, Olivia (18) is a senior in high school, Brady (17) is a junior, and Ethan (15) is a freshman. We also have a bonus daughter, Anne-Marie, and two grand dogs, Jax and Riley.
What is your favorite thing to do on a day off?
We love to boat and spend lazy days at the lake with friends and family in the summer. Our favorite getaway is a lake in Alabama. In the winter, I could spend every day on a ski slope in the beauty of the mountains. The majority of our time is dedicated to watching our kids play basketball, baseball, football, and running track.
What is the most unique or interesting thing about you that most people probably don’t know?
I guess I’m a little bit of a tomboy? I do love spending a day in the tractor or working cattle on the farm with JR. I’m a retired U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant and played roller derby here in Lincoln for several years.
What is your favorite quote or the best piece of advice you’ve ever received?
It would have to be from a recent message I heard while attending church. It encouraged us to grow where we are planted. We are called to plant our seeds in fertile soil, to tend carefully to them so that they take root—strong, life-giving roots. A tree above the soil is easily moved by the wind, but deep roots help it weather the storm and produce the best fruit. This speaks a lot to our passion in this business as well.
If you could choose only one descriptive word to be remembered as, what would it be?
Kind.
If you could have a super power, what would it be?
To convince JR to make the bed.
Which talent would you most like to have?
I have always wanted to learn to play the violin or the fiddle. I grew up in the South in a musically talented family, and I have a bit of a voice of my own, so I think it would be a hoot.
What local nonprofit organization(s) are you passionate about or involved with, and are there any special reasons why?
Being involved in the local church is something we are hugely passionate about. Matt Talbot Kitchen & Outreach, The Bridge, Good News Jail Ministry, and Lincoln Sports Foundation are just some of the many organizations that are doing great work in our communities. We love and support their missions and see the importance of giving back even in the smallest of ways.
If our readers would like to contact you, how should they do so?
(402) 867-4072; hfcrave@gmail.com; hfcrave.com; Facebook and Instagram (@ hfcrave).