Weekly Market Report: March 20, 2025

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

North Italia will open its first Nebraska location in the former Bravo Cucina Italiana space at Village Pointe, according to a city building permit. North Italia is a national chain under The Cheesecake Factory umbrella of restaurant brands and serves handmade pasta, pizza and other Italian inspired dishes. North Italia has 39 locations in 13 states. The closest existing ones are in Kansas City and Denver.

Marrow, a casual fine-dining restaurant, is set to open in Gretna this summer at 17870 Oakmont Drive south of Tiburon Golf Club. The restaurant will blend the comfort of home-cooked meals with the sophistication of fine dining and will invite guests to slow down and savor the “marrow” of life. Marrow is under the same ownership as Timber Wood Fire Bistro, Railcar Modern American Kitchen and Pasta Amore.

Rally Cap Brewing Co., a baseball-themed brewery from Baton Rouge, La., plans to open in the future NOVA Apartments, a mixed-use building under construction at 12th & Nicholas Street in Millwork Commons. The 5-story building will be just north of Charles Schwab Field Omaha and will have 74 apartments and 12,500 sq. ft. of retail space on the ground level. Completion is planned for spring of 2026.

Wild Chicken Grill will soon open its second location at 8220 Giles Road in the former Long John Silver’s/A&W building at Brentwood Village Shopping Center, south of La Vista City Centre. The fast-casual eatery offers grilled and crispy chicken, burgers, stuffed burritos and breakfast items. Its current location is in Bellevue at 3604 Twin Creek Drive.

A Starbucks Coffee restaurant is under construction on the southeast corner of 96th & L Street just west of an existing Romeo’s restaurant. The free-standing building with a drive-thru replaces a former Well Fargo bank Building, which was demolished.

Summer Kitchen Café in Sterling Ridge is expanding. They filed a building permit to double the current their current space at 1110 Sterling Ridge Drive. The expansion takes over a part of the previous Arc Bridal Boutique space and will bring the total restaurant space to 4,000 sq. ft. Arc Bridal moved to Loveland Centre near 90th & Center Street. Summer Kitchen has a second location in La Vista’s Southport area.

Meddys opened for business last week at 17255 Davenport Street in the former Gunderson’s Jewelry space at Village Pointe Shopping Center. It’s the first Nebraska location for the Kansas-based Mediterranean restaurant known for its hummus, shawarmas and platters.

Snowy Sundaes, a family-owned dessert shop in Benson at 6015 Maple Street next to Ted & Wally’s, will reopen on March 22 after remodeling that began on January 13. The shop opened in August 2024 and offers Bingsu (Korean-style shaved ice), bubble tea, takoyaki (Japanese octopus snack), croffles (a croissant-waffle hybrid) and specialty “ice-cool” hotpot desserts.

Cilantro’s Mexican Bar & Grill has officially reopened at its new space near Oakview Mall at 3309 Oakview Drive, immediately east of Reveal Salon & Spa. The restaurant operated at 144th & F for many years before closing that location in October.

Construction is underway for an AutoZone store at 5000 L Street. The retailer currently operates 10 Omaha metro locations, not including a new site on the southeast corner of 22nd & West Chandler Road, which is under review by the Bellevue Planning Department.

Westlake Ace Hardware plans to open an 18,000 sq. ft. store in late 2025 in Papillion’s Shadow Lake Towne Center, according to KMTV.

ALDI held a grand opening this morning for its grocery store at 19311 Oakmont Drive in Gretna. Located just northwest of 192nd & Highway 370, the store is part of the Gretna Landing development, which also includes a Chase Bank, Arby’s, Starbuck’s Coffee, Walgreen’s, McDonald’s, Scooter’s, Centris Credit Union, and eventually, a Fleet Farm store.

Forever 21, the fast-fashion retailer targeting teens, has declared bankruptcy and plans to close all of its stores, including a 2-story store inside Omaha’s Westroads Mall. The Los Angeles-based retailer has 354 stores and 9,200 employees. The company is seeking a buyer, but in the likely event that fails, malls like Westroads will be looking to fill large vacancies.

Looking for some small-town charm? The Black Crow Restaurant and Bar, a family-owned fine-dining restaurant in Beatrice, was recently named Nebraska’s “most charming small-town restaurant” by Food Network. Established in 1993, the restaurant’s menu ranges from steaks and salads to pasta, fish and gourmet pizza.

The “Restaurant & Retail Updates” section is sponsored by Anderson Convenience Market, featuring Quality AMOCO Fuels and serving Omaha since 1952, and proud to announce the return of Quality Amoco Fuels. Look for changes this Summer at Anderson Convenience Market – 8 Omaha area locations!

Learn more about Anderson Convenience market at www.Anderson1952.com

An Analysis of Omaha’s Million-Plus Metro Population

The Omaha metropolitan area finally surpassed the 1 million population mark, a long-anticipated milestone. The official estimate is now 1,001,010 inhabitants.

The U.S. Census Bureau last week released population estimates – as of July 1, 2024 – for every county in the nation. Once you know each county’s population, you subsequently know metro area populations. That’s because each Metropolitan Statistical Area is comprised of counties as determined by the Census Bureau. Altogether, the United States has several hundred metro areas.

The Omaha Metropolitan Statistical Area is a two-state region consisting of five counties in Nebraska (Douglas, Sarpy, Washington, Cass and Saunders) and three in Iowa (Pottawattamie, Harrison and Mills).

Omaha’s 2024 population of 1,001,010 is an increase of 12,144 from the previous year’s official estimate of 988,866. That’s a growth rate of 1.23 percent, which is certainly respectable. Since the 2020 census, the Omaha metro area has grown by 3.45 percent.

Omaha is now the nation’s 55th largest metro area, bigger than Honolulu, New Orleans and Albuquerque to name a few.

Both natural change and net migration contributed to our increase in population. Specifically, births outpaced the number of deaths by 4,269. Additionally, there was a net positive of 6,548 due to international migration and 1,329 from domestic migration.

Breaking the metro down by state, 878,138 people live on the Nebraska side, while 122,872 live on the Iowa side. Douglas County’s population is now 601,158. Sarpy County has 204,828. Pottawattamie County has 93,529.

The state of Nebraska’s 2024 population is 2,005,465. Interestingly, 40 percent of Nebraska’s population lives in Douglas and Sarpy Counties, which are two of the state’s smallest counties by land mass. Nebraska has a total of 93 counties. Douglas County alone accounts for 30 percent of Nebraska’s population.

The five largest metropolitan areas in the United States are New York (19,940,274 population in 2024), Los Angeles (12,927,614), Chicago (9,408,576), Dallas-Fort Worth (8,344,032) and Houston (7,796,182).

Here are the newly released 2024 population stats for the eight counties that make up the Omaha metropolitan statistical area (from most to least populated). The percentage growth rate is for one year from 2023 to 2024:

• Douglas (NE) = 601,158 up 7,513 from 593,645 in 2023 (+1.3%)
• Sarpy (NE) = 204,828 up 4,351 from 200,477 in 2023 (+2.17%)
• Pottawattamie (IA) = 93,529 up 176 from 93,353 in 2023 (+0.19%)
• Cass (NE) = 27,492 up 34 from 27,458 in 2023 (+0.12%)
• Saunders (NE) = 23,406 down 65 from 23,471 in 2023 (-0.28%)
• Washington (NE) = 21,254 up 72 from 21,182 in 2023 (+0.34%)
• Mills (IA) = 14,717 up 75 from 14,642 in 2023 (+0.51%)
• Harrison (IA) = 14,626 down 12 from 14,638 in 2023 (-0.08%)

The Iowa side of the metro is dragging down the total metro area growth rate. The three rural counties on the Nebraska side (Cass, Saunders and Washington) are also underperforming.

Here are the top metro areas in Nebraska with national rank followed by 2024 population and increase since 2020:

• Omaha (#55) – 1,001,010 (+3.45%)
• Lincoln (#158) – 350,626 (+3.06%)
• South Sioux City/Sioux City (#295) – 145,994 (+1.15%)
• Grand Island (#381) – 77,278 (+0.31%)

Here are selected regional cities with national rank, 2024 population and increase since 2020:

• Minneapolis/St. Paul (#16) – 3,757,952 (+1.83%)
• Denver (#19) – 3,052,498 (+2.99%)
• St. Louis (#23) – 2,811,927 (-0.30%)
• Kansas City (#31) – 2,253,579 (+2.81)
• Omaha (#55) – 1,001,010 (+3.45%)
• Colorado Springs (#79) – 777,634 (+2.98%)
• Des Moines (#82) – 753,913 (+6.26%)
• Wichita (#89) – 661,217 (+2.10%)
• Quad Cities (#148) – 381,801 (-0.66%)
• Ft. Collins, Colo. (#149) – 374,574 (+4.32%)
• Lincoln (#158) – 350,626 (+3.06%)
• Sioux Falls (#170) – 308,266 (+7.62%)

Isaiah Ang, Contributing Writer

Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium has been named the number-one best zoo in America for the third year in a row, according to 2025 USA Today’s 10Best Reader’s Choice Awards. The Desert Dome was rated as the nation’s top zoo exhibit. USA Today also ranked Omaha’s Laurtizen Gardens as the fifth best botanical gardens in the country.

The City of Bellevue held a groundbreaking ceremony today for the $60 million Bellevue Bay Water Park to be located at the Highways 75 & 34 interchange. Grading has already started, and opening is expected to occur in two years. Bellevue Bay will be the fourth biggest indoor water park in America and is expected to draw visitors from all 50 states. The 60,000 sq. ft. building will be 80 feet tall and will feature a retractable roof.

Scooter’s Coffee held its GROW Conference at CHI Health Center Omaha earlier this week, drawing an estimated 1,500 attendees. Founded in Bellevue in 1998, Omaha-based Scooter’s now has 850 locations nationwide. The conference included general sessions, breakout discussions, networking opportunities and the popular Barista Cup competition. Sixty percent of attendees traveled from outside the Omaha area.

The former Paul’s Sinclair gas station at 13205 Millard Avenue has been demolished. The long-time Millard business included also auto repair and propane services. The new owner plans to redevelop the site with new construction. The actual retail/commercial use has not yet been announced.

Omaha ranked seventh in the “North America’s Next 25 Markets” list featured in CBRE’s Scoring Tech Talent 2024 report, according to Silicon Prairie News. The rankings of “lesser known and underdeveloped” markets were based on recent trends in total tech workforce employment, total tech field graduates and average wages for tech jobs. Here’s the top 10: 1. Huntsville, Ala.; 2. Colorado Springs; 3. Dayton, Ohio; 4. London, Ontario; 5. Halifax, Nova Scotia; 6. Albany, N.Y.; 7. Omaha; 8. Trenton, N.J.; 9. Providence, R.I.; 10. Rochester, N.Y.

Street Repair Updates – Omaha’s efforts to replace and repair damaged streets continues with major projects in 2025. In 2020, voters approved a $200 million bond to start the Street Preservation Fund. The intent was to use the funds specifically for pavement replacement and repair and to eventually replace or resurface all existing roads in the city. Since that time, more than 800 lane miles have been resurfaced or replaced. In 2024, voters approved an additional $192 million bond.

While voters approved the city to increase the tax levy up to 3.5 percent in 2020 to help pay the debt service on the bonds, the city has actually decreased the levy by 12 percent. The levy is the lowest it has been since 2010.

The Omaha City Council this week approved a resolution to fund an $8.6 million project to resurface 144th Street between Pine and Arbor streets and between Eagle Run Drive and Hillsborough Drive. Harrison Street will also be resurfaced between 132nd Street and Eastport Parkway. While the City will pay the total cost of the project, it will submit a request for reimbursement to the Federal Highway Administration, which may cover up to 80 percent of the costs.

Grow Omaha Snippets are brought to you by Baird Holm LLP, the Exclusive Legal Partner of Grow Omaha. Baird Holm’s dedicated team of real estate lawyers has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate law, including purchases, sales, construction, zoning and land use, leasing, and dispute resolution. Click HERE for more information.

Guardify, a company that helps law enforcement and legal teams manage digital evidence, is acquiring Engage Vision, a company that specializes in smart video analysis. Both companies are based in Omaha. Guardify will now offer tools that can quickly find and track objects in videos, making it easier to review and manage evidence. Guardify’s customers will start seeing these new features in the coming months. The updates will also enhance Justice Hub, Guardify’s platform that helps agencies store, share and analyze digital evidence.

G2 Aesthetics is opening April 1 at 17785 Mason Street, Suite 105. That’s in the Pacific Springs area northeast of 180th & Pacific Street. Owned and operated by women’s health nurse practitioner Alicia Wachal, the clinic will provide aesthetic and weight-loss services.

Crestcom is the Greater Omaha Chamber’s business of the month for March. Crestcom offers leadership training courses for local businesses, developing core leadership competencies in its students.

Green Plains Inc. announced that construction has commenced on the compression infrastructure for its carbon capture and storage initiative in Nebraska. The compression equipment will enable the permanent sequestration of approximately 800,000 tons of biogenic carbon dioxide each year from the Omaha-based company’s three Nebraska facilities in Central City, Wood River and York.

Union Pacific Railroad and the National Conference of Firemen & Oilers announced a tentative agreement that will be sent to NCFO members for ratification. The tentative agreement covers a five-year term and includes wage increases, additional vacation time, health and welfare benefits and minor work rule changes. The existing agreement expires July 1.

Berry Law will hold a ribbon cutting and open house for its new office April 11th at 312 Olson Drive in Papillion’s Midlands Place.

For the 18th time in the past 19 months, Creighton University’s Rural Mainstreet Index sank below the growth-neutral reading of 50.0 in March, according to the monthly survey of bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and energy. The region’s overall reading for March increased to a weak 41.1 from February’s 38.0.

Nebraska’s unemployment rate continues to rank as the fifth lowest in the nation, according to WOWT. The state’s preliminary unemployment rate for January 2025 is 2.9 percent. That rate was unchanged from the revised December 2024 rate and is up .3 percentage points from January 2024.

Expensive Snacking – PepsiCo, owner of Frito-Lay, said people bought 3 percent fewer snacks last quarter, according to CNN. The reason? High prices are causing consumers to snack less.

Dean Snyder Construction (DSC), founded in 1958, is a family-and-employee-owned general contractor and design-build firm. We serve the commercial, food and beverage processing, industrial, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and healthcare markets. Our commitment to hard work, direct communication, owner involvement, and exceeding client expectations ensures long-term customer satisfaction. Contact us at www.deansnyder.com

How Are the First Couple Months of 2025 Looking?

By Jill ANderson

How are the national and Omaha housing markets doing so far this year? Below are results for February 2025.

U.S. existing-home sales fell for the first time since September, slipping 4.9 percent month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.08 million units, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), as elevated home prices and higher interest rates continue to impact buyer activity.

Despite the drop, sales were up 2 percent compared to the same period last year, marking the fourth consecutive monthly year-over-year increase. New listings decreased 36.1 percent for new construction and 9.5 percent for existing houses. Pending sales decreased 35.8 percent for new construction and 5.0 percent for existing houses. Inventory increased 2.3 percent for new construction and 23.6 percent for existing houses.

The limited number of properties for sale has continued to push home prices higher nationwide.

Year to date, the average sales price (not accounting for seller concessions) for the Omaha area was $319,232 for existing houses (up 3.6%), and $460,666 for new construction (-1.1%). Inventory has increased by 6.9 percent for existing houses and is down 5.2 percent for new construction.

Grow Omaha Residential is developed and sponsored by Jill Anderson, President Residential Sales, NP Dodge Real Estate 402.255.5099 or jill.anderson@npdodge.com.

We’re not just real estate. We’re NP Dodge.

Cole Young, Contributing Writer

UNO Hockey concluded its season Saturday, losing 3-2 to North Dakota in the quarterfinals of the NCHC Tournament. The Mavericks closed the year 18-17-1 overall and 14-9-1 in the NCHC, one of college hockey’s premier leagues.

While the season fell short of the goal of a Frozen Four appearance, there are plenty of individual achievements to celebrate. Junior goaltender Simon Latkoczy was named to the All-NCHC First Team while forward Sam Stange was named to the All-NCHC Second Team. Three members of the program are up for NCHC honors of their own.

Last Thursday, head coach Mike Gabinet was announced as one of three finalists for the Herb Brooks Coach of the Year award for the third time in the last five years, following his fifth winning season in a row. Defenseman Nolan Krenzen was named a finalist for the NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year. Simon Latkoczy is a finalist for the conference Goaltender of the Year after posting a conference-high 909 saves and the second-best save percentage (.925). Award winners will be announced tonight at the NCHC Awards Celebration.

The NCAA Tournament Round of 64 started today, with (9) Creighton defeating (8) Louisville 89 to 75 in the first game of the weekend in Lexington, Ky. Louisville featured former Bellevue West standout Chucky Hepburn. Now Creighton will have the opportunity to face #1 overall seed Auburn on Saturday, provided they take care of 16-seed Alabama State. Creighton is coming off back-to-back Sweet 16 appearances.

(15) Omaha, in its first NCAA tournament game ever, will take on Hall of Famer Rick Pitino and the (2) Saint John’s Red Storm tonight at 8:45 p.m. on CBS. It’s the Johnnies’ second straight game against a team from the Omaha area. Omaha hopes to be the 12th-ever 15 seed to win a tournament game, and the first since Princeton took down Arizona in 2023.

(9) Creighton Women’s Basketball will play their first March Madness game Saturday, March 22 against (8) Illinois. Like the men’s squad, the Lady Jays finished second in the regular and postseason of one of the nation’s top basketball conferences but were awarded a perplexing nine seed in the Big Dance. Creighton is heading to its fourth-straight NCAA Tournament and is led by Big East First-Teamers Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly and veteran head coach Jim Flanery.

Former Creighton Bluejay Baylor Scheierman had a breakout game for the Boston Celtics on Tuesday night in a win against the Brooklyn Nets. The former Bluejay and Aurora, Neb. native scored 20 points in just 16 minutes, going 8-9 from the floor and a blazing 6-7 from three, with one in buzzer-beating fashion to take the lead going into the fourth quarter. After swinging between Boston and their G League affiliate Maine Celtics all season, Scheierman may have earned himself a more permanent role in Boston with his latest performance. The Celtics’ next game is tomorrow, March 21 at 8:30 p.m. against the Utah Jazz.

The Omaha Supernovas have yet to lose in March and sit in first place in current PVF standings at 12-4 thanks to their four-game win streak and latest win over the second-place Orlando Valkyries. That game concluded their three-game road trip, and they will be back at the CHI Health Center on Saturday for a match with the Indy Ignite at 6:00 p.m. The Supernovas are 3-0 against the Ignite on the season and should be familiar with the club, as this is the third time they will match up in five games.

LOVB Omaha announced Tuesday that former Stanford middle blocker Sami Francis will join the team effective immediately. Francis will be available for the club as early as its next game against LOVB Austin Friday night. LOVB Omaha sits last in league standings at 4-7 overall. First serve on Friday at Baxter Arena is at 7:00 p.m. The club will be celebrating ‘Healthcare Heroes Night.’

The Omaha Beef are defending their National Arena League title this season. In their first year in the NAL, they picked up right where they left off after winning the CIF in 2023, posting an undefeated season and winning the NAL championship. They are currently 2-1 with their loss coming in the first game of the season to the Minneapolis Warriors on a last-second touchdown pass. That loss snapped a two-year winning streak that started before the Beef moved leagues to the NAL and dates to June 25, 2022, a loss in the CIF championship game. Omaha’s next game is Saturday, March 29 at 6:30 p.m. at Liberty First Credit Union Arena.

With the storm yesterday, it may not feel like baseball season is upon us. However, there will be a clash of two crosstown rivals next Tuesday when Creighton Baseball makes the seven-mile journey to Omaha’s Tal Anderson Field. Creighton is 11-5 and on a three-game win streak, while Omaha is 5-13 and on a three-game losing streak. Both programs have an opportunity to build momentum heading into next week’s matchup with three-game series this weekend. Creighton will host Saint Mary’s at Charles Schwab Field while Omaha hits the road for a weekend with Oral Roberts in Tulsa, Okla.

Upcoming Games

• Omaha Men’s Basketball vs. St. John’s | Today, March 20 | 8:45 p.m.
• Creighton Women’s Basketball vs. Illinois | Saturday, March 22 | 6:15 p.m.
• LOVB Omaha vs. LOVB Austin | Friday, March 21 | 7:00 p.m.
• Omaha Supernovas vs. Indy Ignite | Saturday, March 22 | 6:00 p.m.
• Creighton Baseball vs. Saint Mary’s | Friday, March 21 – Sunday, March 23 | 6:00 p.m. Friday
• Omaha Baseball at Oral Roberts | Friday, March 21 – Sunday, March 23 | 6:00 p.m. Friday
• Omaha Baseball vs. Creighton Baseball | Tuesday, March 25 | 5:00 p.m.

Don’t know much about title insurance? That’s ok, we do and we’re here to help! TCN offers title insurance, settlement and 1031 exchange services for all property types and we absolutely love what we do. Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer, a seasoned developer, a real estate agent, a lender, an attorney, or anyone with a real estate need, we’ve got you covered. Our team boasts more years of industry experience than we’d care to admit and we’d love to put it to good use on your next real estate transaction. Reach out any time. We’re only a click or call away and we would love to work with you!

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

The most effective leaders aren’t the ones who seem to have all the answers. The most-effective leaders are those who question themselves. So says Naomi Rothman in her recent Wall Street Journal article: “They are, in other words, ambivalent. They feel and exhibit conflicting emotions—and are tolerant of them—and can hold two contradictory thoughts or feelings in their heads.”

What are the attributes of a great organization or company? According to the Malcolm Baldridge Excellence Framework, they are leadership, strategic planning, client focus, market focus, measurement/analysis, knowledge management, workforce focus, process management and business results.

Forty-seven percent of U.S. adults say people are behaving more rudely in public now than they did before the pandemic, according to the Pew Research Center.

SALES

When a prospect goes dark on you, one of the first things you could do is check your assumptions, says sales expert Al Davidson. You might think you are deeper in the sales process with a given prospect than you really are. There are often a variety of steps, approvals and budgetary concerns involved on the client’s side that need to be resolved before the client is truly “ready.”

Because business can be so competitive, some sales leaders look for ways not only to beat the competition but to weaken it preemptively. Many of Sun Tzu’s ancient Chinese theories on military strategy apply to the game of sales. In sales, you sometimes need to outflank the competition, employ the element of surprise and weaken your competitors before you even begin the battle. A dramatic way to strike a blow to a competitor is to hire away one of their sales reps. If you can’t beat ’em, steal their best salesperson.

WISDOM

“Don’t push the elephant under the rug. Anxiety and happiness both come from within. And so you have to ask, which one do you prefer?” – Greg Norman

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Did you know Queen Elizabeth II briefly visited the Omaha area in 1984? Her plane stopped at Offutt Air Force Base to refuel before flying to London. While the refueling took place, a U.S. Air Force general gave her a guided tour of the base. Source: Historian Howard Hamilton

Did you know that three Omaha Supernovas were selected for the inaugural Pro Volleyball Federation All-Star Match?

Did you know Douglas County has 29,000 agriculture-related jobs, which is more than any other county in Nebraska? That’s significant, because Douglas County is by far the state’s most urbanized county.

This section is sponsored by Lockbox Storage, an affiliate of Omaha-based McGregor Interests Inc. We provide storage solutions for all of your storage needs. Our facilities have full-time managers and bright lighting to provide superior security for your belongings. In addition to space for rent, we also provide packing supplies, protection plans and locks along with complimentary handcarts and dollies. Visit LockBox Storage and let us help you with all your storage needs.

Millwork Moves: Yoga in the Dock happening on Tuesdays: Happening on select Tuesdays, Millwork Commons is hosting Yoga in the Dock with Lotus House of Yoga! This event is free and taught by a certified yoga instructor. Simply bring a mat, a water bottle and show up to enjoy flowing movement with the community.

Mission: Astronaut Exhibit happening daily until May 18th: Welcome to Mission: Astronaut, a hands-on experience where visitors learn about space exploration, the technology that makes it possible, how it benefits life on Earth, and more through astronaut training challenges. It’s at the Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum. Each section presents interactive tasks that require an astronaut’s mindset to solve and focus on engineering, physics, teamwork and fun! General admission tickets required only.

Pickle Party happening on March 22nd: Get ready to pucker up and party at the 2nd Annual Midtown Pickle Party, presented by Bloc Fitness! Happening Saturday, March 22 from 3 to 6 p.m. at Midtown Crossing, this back-by-popular-demand event is sure to please all pickle-lovers near and far with participating retailers offering deliciously fun pickle-themed drinks and nibbles. This neighborhood pickle-party crawl promises “pickle-icious” surprises around every corner. Don’t forget to deck yourself out in green or your favorite pickle-themed attire.

Greater Omaha Orchid Society’s Orchid Show and Sale happening on March 22nd & 23rd: Discover the beauty of orchids at the Greater Omaha Orchid Society’s Orchid Show and Sale! Explore stunning displays, shop from regional and national vendors, and find the perfect addition to your collection. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting out, experts will be available to offer tips on care and cultivation. Come out to immerse yourself in the world of orchids and connect with fellow plant enthusiasts!

Candlelight: Queen vs. ABBA happening on March 23rd: Experience the magic of a Candlelight Concert in Omaha, where live music meets an immersive, multi-sensory atmosphere. Join others at The Hitchcock Theater at The Rose Theater for a breathtaking performance featuring the timeless hits of Queen vs. ABBA, all set against the warm glow of candlelight. Performed by the Listeso String Quartet, this unforgettable evening brings legendary music to life in a way you’ve never seen before. Secure your tickets now!

This section is sponsored by Eagle Mortgage, a locally owned, full-service mortgage company helping you with Conventional, VA, FHA and USDA loans in both Nebraska and Iowa. Learn how Eagle Mortgage helps people afford the home of their dreams by clicking HERE!

NP Dodge Real Estate has welcomed new residential sales associates including Paw Eh Hser Moo, Kate Rudloff and Tiffany North.

First Westroads Bank has named Adam Childs, vice president of finance, and Hammer Stinson, AVP of data and systems administrators, as officers of the bank. Childs has been with the bank for 10 months but has more than 20 years of banking experience. Stinson has been with the bank for five years and has a total of 17 years of industry experience.

Praju Doshi, vice president of capital markets at Mutual of Omaha has been named to the 2025 Power 100 list by Executive Woman magazine. The annual list highlights 100 extraordinary women making their mark at their companies and in their industries. Doshi leads the company’s capital markets and investor relations strategy.

The Greater Omaha Chamber is a catalyst and connector, advocating for businesses small and large. Learn, share and grow with more than 12,000 professionals from 3,000 member businesses across Greater Omaha. Click HERE to see our latest events.

Shakespeare once opined, “A rose by any other name, would still smell sweet.”

Well boys and girls, Wall Street is hell bent on proving Shakespeare wrong. Wall Street loves creating shiny new bobbles designed to put money in their pocket, not yours. But, calling a cow pie an index fund, doesn’t make it an index fund.

Within an hour of the announcement of the November election results, Wall Street turned the dial on their product machine to warp speed and new products began flying out the door. One of the more egregious fillings is labeled the Defiance Seven ETF and consists of seven companies it has anointed the “Trump Index.” Its ticker symbol is MAGA. You can’t make this stuff up!

Regardless of your political affiliation or sense of social justice, mixing politics with investing is an old, persistent and pernicious idea that has led many an investor and money manager down the road to ruin. (More so the investor than the Wall Street money manager – they get their fees up front). Of the 12 “Trump funds” cited in a recent Wall Street Journal article, the best performer is trailing the S&P by 1.4 percent, the worst by 3.7 percent. Two never achieved lift-off because they failed to attract enough money.

Going back to Shakespeare, what makes roses stink? Let me count the ways. Any idea obvious enough to you and me should be obviously everybody else. Many stocks that got the Trump bump after the election have done poorly, because as I have been preaching for decades, Mr. Market is not always driven by lodging and reason. There are many, many factors that go into stock prices, and there is a multiplicity of players involved in establishing those prices, such as commodity traders, hedge funds, high speed traders. And the list goes on and on.

But if you’re a Democrat, don’t get smug. When you read that Republican-leaning portfolios have bombed, consider one of your noble windmill tilting causes, ESG, the acronym for environmental, social and governance. This was the big deal under the Biden administration. And as always, Wall Street was more than eager to accommodate those politically indignant souls with more money than brains. The end result was that those who jumped on Wall Street ESG band wagon ended up with lots of warm fuzzies and a lighter wallet.

My favorite country western song is “Here’s a quarter call someone who cares.” Mr. Market does not care about your political affiliation. He cares about the mighty American economic engine and the best way to ride that train is an index fund that is actually an index fund, not something created by Wall Street marketing gurus.

Hubbell Realty Company is a full-service development company providing construction, development, homebuilding and management services since 1856. Click HERE for more information.

Quantum Fiber in Omaha, Nebraska, is super-fast, reliable internet. We did away with data caps, bundles, and pricing gimmicks because you don’t want them. Instead, you get game-changing customer service, transparent pricing, and a powerful app for freedom, simplicity, and control over your internet. Quantum Fiber is what internet service looks like when it’s built for the world of you.

The Grow Omaha radio show broadcasts live every Saturday morning at 9:00, but now you can watch videos of each episode instead of just listening.

Grow Omaha’s brand-new website features video footage shot inside the radio studio during each week’s show!

Videos include News of the Week, Lightning Round, guest interviews, and “Grow Omaha Uncut,” a behind-the-scenes look at what happens during commercial breaks.

Support the Grow “O” Mission

Don’t keep this newsletter to yourself. Forward it to your friends, clients and co-workers. You want to know the real reason we produce this report? It’s to remind Omahans about the vibrant, prosperous and growing city they call home. The more Omaha residents believe in their city, the more successful we’ll all be. Spread the news!

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