Three siblings who own a speakeasy in Omaha have filed a lawsuit against the Nebraska Board of Barber Examiners over their business name [1].

The legal battle tests the boundary between state professional licensing regulations and First Amendment free speech protections for business owners.

The venue, located in the Blackstone District, was previously known as "Barber Shop Blackstone" [1, 3]. However, Nebraska law reserves the specific term "Barber Shop" for establishments that are licensed to provide barbering services [4]. Because the establishment is a bar and not a licensed barbershop, the state board required the owners to remove the phrase from their branding [4].

In response to the state's mandate, the owners announced a temporary name change during the week of May 15, 2026 [2]. The establishment is now operating as "Censored Shop Blackstone" [2].

The owners filed their lawsuit on Feb. 23, 2026 [2]. The legal challenge argues that the board's restriction on the name infringes upon their trademark rights, and their First Amendment rights to free expression [4].

The three siblings [1] seek a court ruling that would allow them to retain the original name despite the lack of a barbering license. The case highlights a conflict between the state's goal of preventing public confusion regarding professional services and the owners' right to choose a creative brand name for a themed bar.

“The venue... was previously known as "Barber Shop Blackstone"”

This case centers on whether a state's power to protect consumers from professional misrepresentation extends to the creative naming of businesses that do not actually offer those services. If the court rules in favor of the bar owners, it could limit the ability of professional boards to regulate industry-specific terminology in non-professional contexts.