The April 9th Weekly Market Report

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

Bobo’s Noodles and Dumplings has opened at 812 North 14th Street in the former Session Room space at 1415 @ The Yard Apartments. The restaurant, under the same ownership as Blue Hawaii, is in a soft-opening period through April 21, offering 20 percent off all orders.

Pastime Neighborhood Bar and Grill has opened at 5059 South 108th Street in the former Therapy Bar & Grill space near 108th and Q Street. The bar features weekly events including karaoke, music bingo, live acoustic music and a DJ, along with pool and darts. The kitchen is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Wing It On!, a quick-serve restaurant concept, will open its first Nebraska location in Harvey Oak Plaza northwest of 144th & West Center Road. Local owner, Bill Anderson, signed a franchise agreement with Wing It On! last year to open three locations in Nebraska. Wing It On! serves fresh, never frozen chicken wings and chicken sandwiches with a choice of over 20 different sauces. The Waterbury, Conn.-based business has nine locations, primarily on the East Coast, with the closest in Chicago.

Perry’s Steakhouse & Grille has filed a building permit for its planned restaurant in the Avenue One Goodlife District southeast of 192nd & West Dodge Road. The Houston-based chain of prime steakhouses will occupy a 12,000 sq. ft, 1-story, free-standing building to be constructed at 310 North 191st Street. Opening is planned for summer 2027. Perry’s has 23 existing locations in nine states with the closest existing ones in Chicago and Denver.

Ben’s Soft Pretzels, a national pretzel franchise with both brick-and-mortar stores and food trucks, is coming to the metro area. Local franchisees Benjamin and Melissa Gaul are launching a Ben’s Soft Pretzels trailer on May 8th. It will be based in Gretna but will serve areas in Nebraska, Iowa and South Dakota. The brand is known for Amish-inspired, jumbo soft pretzels and has an existing metro-area location inside Vala’s Pumpkin Patch.

Wingstop opened last Thursday in an end-cap bay at 3120 Manawa Centre Drive in Council Bluffs. The retail strip is part of Manawa Power Centre, southeast of Interstate 80 & South Expressway. Wingstop is a fast-casual restaurant chain, specializing in cooked-to-order Buffalo-style wings and now has 11 Omaha metro area locations.

Slick City Action Park, “the world’s first indoor slide park,” is building its first Nebraska location as part of a 32-acre, mixed-use development northwest of Westport Parkway & West Giles Road in La Vista. The 41,000 sq. ft. building will have slides and other indoor attractions, according to Trenton Magid of NAI NP Dodge, who represents Slick City. Opening is planned for early 2027. Co-headquartered in St. Louis and Nashville, Slick City started in 2022 and has 34 locations open and 43 in development. The closest existing ones are in Minneapolis and St. Louis.

Westroads Mall has signed a lease with Miss A, a chain of affordable cosmetics stores geared to teenagers and young women. The store is expected to open late this year before the peak holiday shopping season. The Dallas-based retailer started in 2013 and has 80 stores in 16 states and another 27 stores in the development pipeline. The closest existing Miss A is in Wichita, Kan.

Casey’s General Store plans to build a location in the Valley Landing development southwest of 264th & East Meigs Street in Valley. Opening is planned for a year from now. The mixed-use development is next to DC West Community Schools’ recently completed, 45-acre sports complex. Valley Landing will also be home to a Fareway grocery store. Construction will begin soon.

Jerk Makin Shack, a food truck inspired by traditional Jamaican cooking, plans to launch this month. The truck will operate throughout the metro area at local events, food truck gatherings and private catering opportunities. Locally owned by Shava Jackson, Jerk Makin Shack specializes in authentic Caribbean flavors, featuring jerk chicken, jerk pork, oxtails, Jamaican beef patties and coco bread.

Mondo Dogs, a late-night pop-up restaurant, now operates out of the Dandelion Pop-Up on the northwest corner of 13th & Howard Street, according to the Omaha World-Herald. The business operates as a concession stand offering quick eats Friday and Saturday nights from 8 p.m. to 2:30 a.m.

The UPS Store has opened in Gretna at 18870 Oakmont Drive, Suite #8, in a retail strip just east of Hy-Vee supermarket on the north side of Highway 370. The first day of business was yesterday. Other tenants in the strip include Bisou Nail Spa, Great Clips, Club Pilates and a veterinary clinic.

SubLuna, an herbal wellness company, will open a 1,653 sq. ft. brick-and-mortar space at 12109 Emmet Street near Tranquility Park. The brand’s products are currently carried locally at Myrtle & Cypress Coffeehouse. SubLuna offers herbal remedies, functional beverages, electrolyte mixes and gummies.

Perfume Palace has opened a second location within Westroads Mall. The first location is on the mall’s upper level near the H&M store. The second one is now open on the level one across from Victoria’s Secret and PINK. Perfume Palace has several stores in Florida and a handful of them in the Midwest.

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Barroco Wine Bar Mixes Old-World Romance & Great Cocktails

By Chris Corey

Barroco Wine Bar & Craft Cocktails opened in 2020 in Rockbrook, along South 108th Street between West Center Road and Prairie Hills Drive. Husband-and-wife team Tyler and Heather Ray had already begun developing the space when the pandemic hit, pushing their planned April opening off track. Heather was determined to open by year’s end.

They opened that December despite Tyler’s concerns the governor might announce another shutdown.

“Well, then we’re just going to sit and drink,” Heather said.

Heather was born and raised in Germany and attended high school in Munich. She went to college in America, because she loved football and wanted a school with a competitive program. She chose the University of Nebraska, and during her time there, the Huskers won two national championships. She met Tyler when he was her client at a marketing company. The two share an entrepreneurial spirit and own several Omaha businesses, including The Witchery barber shop and Christian Nobel Furs, both neighbors to Barroco.

It’s worth noting that The Witchery reinforces Barroco’s speakeasy-adjacent identity. After a haircut, a bookcase opens to a secret entrance to Barroco, where guests can follow a swanky trim with a luxurious cocktail.

“With our craft cocktails, we did prohibition era cocktails initially,” Heather said. “So that it kind of had that speakeasy feel, even though at that point we didn’t have the speakeasy door.”

Step inside Barroco and you’re transported to a place of old-world romance. Warm lights, stone walls, chandeliers, dark wood and deep red accents make the bar feel like a European hideout. The atmosphere reflects how they want guests to feel, best said by Heather: “We wanted this to be a place that people feel comfortable, warm and loved.”

For the Rays, it was all about creating a haven. Not just for date night or a nightcap, but for book clubs that may or may not read the book, private celebrations, holiday strays and regulars who arrive carrying both joys and grief. Regardless, Heather wants them to walk out feeling better than they came in.

As Jennifer and I took it all in, we sampled a generous portion of the cocktail list and small-bites menu.

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City Council Considers Tax Increment Financing for Union Omaha Stadium

By Isaiah Ang

The Omaha City Council heard public testimony this week on the anticipated Union Omaha stadium Tax Increment Financing application. Following the public hearing, the council was scheduled to vote on the resolution to approve the application for about $49 million in TIF to help finance the more than $300 million project but voted 5-2 in favor of laying over the vote one more week.

Several council members wanted additional time to review information regarding the environmental condition of the site and the financial stack that was provided the morning of the city council meeting.

Council members voiced concerns about the possible environmental issues, but a full geotechnical drilling cannot be done until the city takes ownership of the property, which is anticipated to occur by the end of the month. Jennifer Taylor, a city attorney, explained that the city has a fairly good idea about the potential environmental concerns based on the city’s experience developing the CHI Health Convention Center and Lot B, which were similarly used by Union Pacific as the soccer stadium site.

Additionally, council members were concerned about the unknown status of the State of Nebraska’s approval of the stadium turnback tax application that provides essential financing to the overall project. The turnback tax allows a portion of new sales tax generated within defined boundaries around the stadium development to help pay for development costs.

David Levy, the Baird Holm attorney representing the development team, confirmed that the project will not happen without the turnback tax. The team has been awaiting state approval and will have a hearing later this month. The development team optimistically expects a response from the state by the end of June, but that is the best-case scenario.

Relatedly, because the city is closing on the purchase before the state gives its final decision on the turnback tax, the council wanted clarification as to whether the purchase would end up being a sunk cost if the state rejects the turnback tax package.

According to Taylor, the property will also be used to locate a combined sewer overflow and the 10th and 11th streets connector, referred to as the “truck route.” Both are important infrastructure improvements for North Downtown and the Millwork Commons District.

Additionally, even if the soccer stadium project falls through, the City is likely the only entity in position to remediate the property for redevelopment.

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The Nebraska Department of Transportation has started two major highway projects in the metro area. The larger project is the widening of a 1.49-mile stretch of Interstate 680 between Frances Street on the south and West Dodge Road on the north. Completion is planned for this November. The project will add an extra lane in both directions and make it possible to expand the I-680 & West Dodge Road interchange starting in 2028.

The second project started this week at Highway 275 & West Dodge Road in the Waterloo area. The intersection will be converted to a roundabout. The intersection will be closed until completion, which is estimated to be late summer. Detours are posted.

Noddle Companies has started vertical construction on Nebraska Medicine’s 3-story, 125,000 sq. ft. Gretna Landing Health Center northwest of 192nd & Highway 370. When it opens in the second half of next year, the health center will include primary and specialty care, orthopedics and sports medicine, imaging technologies, laboratory services, urgent care, a pharmacy and procedural spaces. The building is part of a 31-acre, mixed-use project that will feature office space and professional services, along with retail space, restaurants and residential units.

It’s been a long time coming, but construction has gone vertical at the Crossroads development northwest of 72nd & Dodge Street. The first building going up is a 90,000 sq. ft. indoor entertainment attraction to be called Gamescape by Cinemark. Salt Lake City-based Woodbury Corporation is now leading development of the $850 million mixed-use development. Work has also started on an underground parking garage.

Midwest Laboratories officially began construction earlier this week on an additional campus at the former InfoGroup building near East 1st Street & American Parkway in Papillion. Midwest Labs will occupy 120,000 sq. ft. of the 176,000 sq. ft. building with room for future expansion. The project includes an animal nutrition laboratory and will house 85 employees. The facility is expected to be operational in 2027.

Crews are making quick progress as they rebuild the Farnam Street bridge over Interstate 480. Horizontal girders are scheduled to be installed over the freeway this weekend. The installation will require Interstate 480 to be closed from Friday at 9 p.m. to no later than Monday at 6 a.m. The bridge’s concrete deck is expected to be poured in June.

iThinkFit plans to move to the northwest corner of 172nd & Pacific Street. According to a building permit for an 18,000 sq. ft. building, the gym and personal training facility will be located on the vacant lot west of Village Pointe Oral Surgery & Dental Implants. iThinkFit is currently located in a 15,000 sq. ft. space at 2424 South 156th Circle and provides fitness classes and one-on-one coaching sessions for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

Livability.com named Omaha as one of the “Top 100 Best Places to Live” in 2026. The national ranking highlights small-to-mid-sized cities offering a strong combination of affordability, opportunity and quality of life. The ranking is based on a comprehensive, data-driven analysis of nearly 100 data points. Omaha ranked #54. Huntsville, Ala. was number one. Other regional cities included Overland Park, Kan. (#8); Sioux Falls, S.D. (#27); Iowa City, Iowa (#31); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (#33); Lincoln (#53); Columbia, Mo. (#74); Wichita, Kan. (#83); St. Louis (#92); and Des Moines, Iowa (#93).

The Omaha streetcar project reached another milestone this week as the first “rail sticks” were moved from the laydown area to the first installation area near 10th & Capitol Avenue. The first rail will be installed in the actual street beginning in about two weeks, according to Eric Miller, streetcar operations manager for the City of Omaha.

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RENZE, a provider of exhibits and displays, branded environments and event graphics, is constructing a 40,000 sq. ft. addition to its manufacturing facility at 6847 North 16th Street, north of 16th & John J. Pershing Drive. RENZE expects to move in by April 20. The project will provide additional warehouse space along with a well-lit debut space for large exhibits, featuring 16 skylights and a 28-foot ceiling. The total size of the plant will increase to 130,000 sq. ft. RENZE, along with Garage Graphics and Window Optics, is celebrating its 131st year.

Ninja Warehouse is opening a second location in the Galleria retail center on southwest of 144th & West Center Road. According to the building permit, the business is remodeling a 4,000 sq. ft. space at 14477 West Center Road. Ninja Warehouse is currently located in the Brentwood Square shopping center at 8068 South 84th Street in La Vista. It is a liquidator of online overstock products including electronics, home goods, shoes, clothing and toys.

Berkshire Hathaway shareholder badges are being mailed for this year’s annual meeting in Omaha, according to WOWT. The badge features the headline “The legacy continues” and shows Warren Buffett’s image next to Greg Abel, his successor. This year’s annual meeting will be historic as Abel will be in charge for the shareholder Q&A on Saturday, May 2, at CHI Health Center.

The American Train Dispatchers Association and Omaha-based Union Pacific Railroad reached an agreement that guarantees jobs for life for union employees upon completion of Union Pacific’s and Norfolk Southern’s planned merger to create America’s first single-line, coast-to-coast railroad. The ATDA is the latest union to reach this historic agreement with Union Pacific that ensures employees who are employed at the time of the merger will have job security for life, subject to the usual requirements for continued employment.

U-Haul Co. of Nebraska announced that The Storage Loft at 1215 Leavenworth Street signed on as a U-Haul neighborhood dealer, providing trucks, trailers, towing equipment and moving supplies.

Premier Academy plans to close its Elkhorn location at 20111 Roberts Street on April 10 due to a number of challenges, including economic pressures, according to the owner in a statement to parents. The daycare has another location near 144th & West Maple Road that will continue under new ownership.

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Youth Emergency Services has announced the establishment of a permanent housing space at 2566 Farnam Street. The space, which will be called the YES House, will create a centralized location for housing and supportive services, expanding capacity and improving access to care as the demand for youth homelessness services continues to rise in Omaha. At full capacity, the YES House will include 24 apartments with 32 beds, offering young people safe places to land for the short- and medium-term. In addition to housing, the YES House will offer increased access to food, a clothing boutique, onsite mental health and nursing services, and stronger connections to community partners, ensuring youth can find the care, resources and support they need in one place when they need it.

The property already houses YES administrative offices, minimizing transition costs and allowing the organization to begin utilizing the building immediately. YES anticipates housing all staff and core services at the YES House by Fall 2027.

In partnership with Together, the Center for Immigrant and Refugee Advancement is starting a food delivery program to support local immigrant and refugee families facing growing barriers to accessing groceries, including recent SNAP cuts and limited transportation. CIRA is asking for volunteers to pick up pre-packed groceries and deliver them directly to a family’s home.

MICAH House celebrated its 40th anniversary this week. The emergency shelter is located at 1415 Avenue J in Council Bluffs.

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He ushered the Bluejays from the Missouri Valley Conference into the storied Big East and led Creighton to its first Big East regular-season title (2019-20), three Sweet 16 appearances (2021, 2023, 2024) and the program’s first Elite Eight since 1941 (2024). In 13 years, Greg McDermott compiled 147 Big East wins, which put him sixth all-time in league history, only behind Jim Boeheim, Jim Calhoun, Jay Wright, John Thompson and Rick Pitino. After a Hall of Fame-worthy career, he officially passes the job to Alan Huss.

The Omaha Supernovas announced Tuesday that the team has parted ways with head coach Luka Slabe and promoted Thomas Robson to interim head coach for the remainder of the 2026 season. Blake Rawlins will remain on staff as assistant coach alongside Robson. Following the season, Robson will resume his role as assistant coach after signing an extension with the franchise through the 2028 season.

Omaha (11-11) sits in third place in MLV standings with six matches remaining in the regular season. The league’s top four teams will play in the MLV Championship, beginning with semifinal matches on Thursday, May 7.

LOVB Nebraska failed to secure the league’s fourth and final playoff spot for the upcoming LOVB Playoffs, following a loss to Austin and a Salt Lake win on Saturday. Salt Lake defeated LOVB Madison, clinching the final spot in the LOVB Playoffs due to the league’s three-way tiebreaker.

Saturday’s loss to LOVB Austin marked the final game of Jordan Larson’s storied career. Larson, completing her 17th professional season, is retiring still at the top of her game. This season, she led all outside hitters in kills and finished top five at the position in points, aces, blocks and digs. On Saturday night, she left everything she had on the court, finishing the night with a 19-kill, 20-dig double-double.

Creighton baseball began Big East play at UConn this weekend and departed Storrs, Conn. with a 1-2 record to begin league play. After taking Friday’s series-opening game 3-1, the Bluejays were outscored 22-11 in Saturday and Sunday’s losses.

Creighton will look to improve its conference standings when it hosts a home series against Seton Hall this weekend, before heading to Lincoln to avenge its March 31 home loss to the Cornhuskers on Tuesday evening.

Union Omaha defeated AV Alta FC on Saturday behind a fast start from its offense. Kempes Waldemar Tekiela got the Owls going with the first goal of the match in the eighth minute, before Pato Botello-Faz added a goal in the 20th minute to stretch the early lead to 2-0. Union Omaha’s Adrian Billhardt added another goal in the 82nd to put the Owls up 3-0 before AV Alta scored its only goal in the third minute of added time. Omaha secured the 3-1 win to improve to 3-1 on the regular season. Union Omaha will host Forward Madison FC on Saturday at Morrison Stadium at 4 p.m.

League One Volleyball (LOVB) announced its 2026 LOVB Icons on Wednesday. The program honors athletes who demonstrate exceptional performance and leadership throughout the 2026 LOVB Pro regular season while inspiring the next generation of volleyball players. Selected through a public voting process, 14 athletes were named to the First Team and Second Team through a weighted voting system that included fans (50%), players (25%) and coaches (25%), continuing to give fans, athletes and coaches a voice in recognizing the league’s top performers.

LOVB Nebraska outside hitter Jordan Larson was a unanimous selection to the LOVB Icons First Team, moving up from her Second Team spot last season. Nebraska rookie middle blocker Ana Carolina da Silva earned Second Team honors, and is one of three first-year players around the league to become a LOVB Icon.

Both Omaha baseball and softball had their Easter weekend series interrupted by inclement weather. Omaha baseball’s slate against South Dakota State was canceled, while Omaha softball’s trip to North Dakota was postponed. Baseball will return to play at home this weekend, hosting Oral Roberts for a series beginning Friday at 6 p.m. Softball will travel to St. Paul, Minn. to face St. Thomas in a series beginning Friday at 3 p.m.

The Omaha Storm Chasers clinched last week’s home series against the Buffalo Bisons, 4-2. Omaha is on the road this week against the Iowa Cubs, and the series is currently tied 1-1. Omaha dominated Tuesday’s opener, 8-1, before Iowa repaid the favor, overpowering the Storm Chasers in a midday game on Wednesday, 12-4. This week’s series will play through Sunday, and the Chasers will return home next Tuesday to host a series against the Indianapolis Indians. Every Storm Chasers game can be streamed live with an MLB.TV subscription.

Upcoming Events

• Omaha Storm Chasers at Iowa | April 7 – 12 | 7:08 p.m. Friday
• Omaha Supernovas vs. Grand Rapids Rise | Friday, April 10 | 8 p.m.
• Omaha softball at St. Thomas | April 10 – 12 | 3 p.m. Friday
• Creighton baseball vs. Seton Hall | April 10 – 12 | 6 p.m. Friday
• Omaha baseball vs. Oral Roberts | April 10 – 12 | 6 p.m. Friday
• Creighton softball vs. Georgetown | April 10 – 12 | 6 p.m. Friday
• Union Omaha vs. Forward Madison FC | Saturday, April 11 | 4 p.m.
• Omaha Supernovas vs. Dallas Pulse | Sunday, April 12 | 4 p.m.
• Creighton baseball at #19 Nebraska | Tuesday, April 14 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha baseball at Kansas State | Tuesday, April 14 | Time TBA

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How Gene Leahy Mall Transformed Downtown Omaha

By Patrick Wyman

By the early 1970s, downtown Omaha was suffering as businesses abandoned the urban core for the suburbs, or left the city altogether. That led Mayor Gene Leahy to launch an ambitious plan to “return to the river.” The goal was to turn a gritty and neglected area filled with deteriorating buildings that photographer John Vachon once famously called “one of the ‘hobo’ centers of the West” into a park that would serve as the catalyst to bring the area back to life.

Working alongside city planner Alden Aust, they revealed preliminary plans to convert the six-block area between Farnam and Douglas streets and from 8th to 14th streets into a park modeled after San Antonio’s River Walk. While some questioned the social, economic and environmental impact of converting the historically industrial area into a park, the plan continued moving forward under Leahy’s successor, Mayor Ed Zorinsky.

Largely funded by a combination of federal and city funds, the sunken, linear park was designed by Lawrence Halprin and Associates. Sitting below street level, it was intended to provide a break from its urban surroundings, a place where people could relax, picnic, read a book, and get away from it all. The initial design had four primary features: a lagoon with waterfalls and fountains, an elevated pedestrian walkway, a series of shops, cafes and exhibition spaces, and green space with grass, trees, bushes and rocks.

In total, the city acquired and razed 50 buildings including the 19-story Woodmen of the World Tower, Omaha Theater, the Solo Building, which was originally home to the United States National Bank, as well as those owned by the mayor’s father, Hymie Zorinsky. The elder Zorinsky sued the city. which acquired the property through eminent domain. After reaching a settlement with the city, he relocated his business.

Starting in 1975, the park was built in phases with the westernmost end across from the new W. Dale Clark Library opening first in 1977. It consisted of brick and concrete surfaces, green space and water features including waterfalls that would later feed a lagoon.

Two historic buildings were saved with plans to convert them into a mix of uses including an indoor skating rink, restaurants, shops, offices and possibly a children’s museum. The first was the Nash Block at 9th & Farnam Street. Originally a part of Jobbers Canyon, the building was the longtime home to McKesson and Robbins. The second was the Burlington Headquarters at 10th & Farnam Street that was used by the Burlington and Missouri Railroad for decades. While the planned uses for these buildings never came to fruition, both contributed to the park as the Greenhouse Apartments and Burlington Place office complex, respectively.

The finished park, which lacked the retail and dining features that would have made it most similar to the River Walk, was largely complete by 1982. Starting at 14th Street on the west, it contained concrete and grass terraces that stepped down towards the four-block long lagoon. On either side of the lagoon were lawns that sloped down from street level. Within the lagoon was an island connected on both sides by pedestrian bridges.

Away from the lagoon near the edges of the park were other features including an amphitheater, twin slides and the historic arches recovered from the Solo Building. The arches, rebuilt at 11th & Farnam Street, faced south towards The Old Market. They were intended to serve as a visual connection between the new park and the historic produce market-turned-entertainment district.

The park was quite popular when it opened as it provided many downtown office workers with a tranquil place to step outside and enjoy lunch. Its surroundings provided stunning postcard views of the park in the foreground and the city’s skyline in the background. It also attracted millions of dollars in new investment along its edges.

In 1992 the park was renamed Gene Leahy Mall in honor of its earliest champion. Over time, however, the flaws in the design became apparent. Despite its size, much of the park was unusable due to the slopes that created a bowl that proved difficult to keep clean. The lagoon also deteriorated as its shoreline eroded, and with no natural inflow, silt built up until parts of it were less than a foot deep. Not only that but the park generally felt unsafe in the evenings as there were multiple blind corners along the walking paths.

To remediate these issues and to encourage additional investment downtown that would continue to draw new business as well as residential development, fresh designs were announced in 2019. The park was closed for a three-year overhaul that brought it up to street level, replaced the lagoon with a linear pond and reduced the size while making the remaining space much more usable.

When it reopened in 2022, the revamped Gene Leahy Mall added a number of features including climbing structures, a concert pavilion, a splash area with waterfalls, a great lawn, a dog park, a sculpture garden, a pond and a remote-controlled boat cove, as well as native plants and grasses. Among those features that remained are the arches and the iconic twin slides. Like its predecessor, the park is lit up during the holidays and features a multimedia show on the screen beneath the 10th Street bridge and western facade of Burlington Place.

Today, Gene Leahy Mall stands as the anchor of The Riverfront, a 72-acre downtown park system that also includes Heartland of America and Lewis and Clark Landing, largely fulfilling the vision Leahy set in motion more than 50 years ago.

Since reopening, Gene Leahy Mall has earned widespread recognition, including the Envision Platinum Award for Sustainability, the first Nebraska project to receive the honor. In 2025 the downtown parks welcomed more than two million visitors, with more expected once the downtown streetcar provides direct access near 10th & Farnam Street.

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• Live performances and demonstrations by Omaha Performing Arts artists
• Connect and meet with instructors and leaders of upcoming programs
• Bounce houses, food and other activities
• A chance to try hands-on instruments with no experience needed
• Sample real class offerings, and receive 50 percent off when registering on April 11

There will also be a Hip Hop Lab Block Party & Street Market at 7 p.m. at the Tenaska Center FNBO Garden.

The Rose Theater will feature the world premiere of The Great Race April 17 through May 3. This whimsical puppet play adapted from Chinese Mythology tells the story of three young neighbors getting into an argument, then being transported into the take of the Great Race, where a thrilling competition that determined the order of the zodiac takes place. Directed by Sesame Street’s Alan Muraoka and featuring stunning puppetry designed by What If Puppets, The Great Race was originally developed in The Rose’s Sharing Our Stories program to uplift underrepresented voices in Omaha. Regular admission is $20, and members get in for free. Visit the website for more information.

The Omaha Community Playhouse will present Dial “M” for Murder opening April 17 and running through May 10 on the Hawkes Mainstage Theater. When a suave husband discovers his wife’s affair and plots the perfect crime to murder her, things quickly spiral into a web of deceit, betrayal and unexpected twists. This adaptation by Jeffery Hatcher reimagines Frederick Knott’s original story through a modern lens, while keeping the suspense, betrayal and passion. There will also be a pre-show discussion on the 2nd Level of the Lobby area on April 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. for a deep dive into the creative process and inspiration behind Dial ‘M’ for Murder. For tickets and more information, visit here.

The Spring Gallery Walk is taking place across Fremont’s downtown district on Saturday, April 25th from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The entire district will be open for guests to stroll and explore businesses, artists and products. There will be 21 participating businesses, some of which will host happy hour specials or free refreshments, and more than 30 artists selling their work. There will be performances by musicians and live painting artists as well as a scavenger hunt happening at the Fremont Area Art Association. Visit here for more information.

The Waiting Room will feature Struggle Jennings, country-rap star, performing his Last Name album tour April 28 at 7 p.m. The American rapper from Nashville is the grandson of Waylon Jennings, and an RIAA Certified Gold-selling artist known for blending country and rap in his music.

By sharing his story with honesty and passion, he has developed a large and loyal fanbase who relate not only to his music but also to his journey. Since being released from prison in 2016, where he served a five-year, drug-related sentence, Struggle has performed for sold-out crowds across the country and released multiple projects. Visit here for tickets and more information.

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Did you know The Greenhouse apartments building, overlooking Gene Leahy Mall at 900 Farnam Street, was previously known as the McKesson-Robbins Warehouse and was designed by famed Omaha architect Thomas Kimball?

Did you know the Boys Town choir recorded an album with the Everly Brothers in 1962?

Did you know that Westroads Mall was the 8th biggest shopping mall in the nation when it opened in 1967?

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Lunch & Learn: Marketing Resources for Omaha Businesses — Happening April 14, 2026
Connect with fellow professionals and discover valuable marketing tools designed to help Omaha businesses grow. This Lunch & Learn session offers practical insights, local resources and actionable strategies you can start using right away. Perfect for entrepreneurs, marketers and small business owners looking to level up.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream — Happening April 11–12 & April 18–19, 2026
Step into a whimsical world of romance, mischief and magic with this enchanting ballet adaptation of Shakespeare’s classic. Featuring dazzling choreography and storytelling, the production brings beloved characters and fairy-tale chaos to life. A perfect night out for theater and arts lovers alike.

The Great Midtown Treasure Hunt — Happening April 18, 2026
Explore Midtown in a whole new way with this interactive, self-guided treasure hunt through local businesses and landmarks! Solve clues, crack riddles and compete for a grand prize while discovering hidden gems around the neighborhood. It’s a fun, family-friendly adventure for all ages.

Mural Scavenger Hunt — Happening April 18, 2026
Discover Omaha’s vibrant art scene through a city-wide mural scavenger hunt curated by a local artist. Participants will explore neighborhoods, track down stunning works and wrap up with a guided discussion by muralist Hylan Miller sharing background on the artists, styles and stories behind the work behind the art at the Cottonwood Hotel.

Spring Parade of Homes — Happening April 11–12 & April 18–19, 2026
Tour dozens of beautifully designed homes across the Omaha metro during this free, self-guided showcase. Featuring the latest in architecture, layouts and interior trends, it’s a great opportunity to gather inspiration or explore the market. Whether you’re house hunting or just browsing, there’s something for everyone.

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 Alisha Dickman, Annie Van Hoosen and Jaime Martin.

Kutak Rock welcomed Colin Finnegan as of counsel in the firm’s labor, employment and litigation groups in the Omaha office. Finnegan represents and counsels employers on matters including union organizing campaigns, unfair labor practice charges, arbitrations and collective bargaining negotiations. He earned a J.D. from the University of Kansas School of Law.

Farmers National Company has added Jina Paul as director marketing communications. She will guide strategy and brand for the nearly century-old, employee-owned company. Paul was previously vice president communications & development at Clarkson College.

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.

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

The U.S. labor-force participation rate fell to 61.9 percent in March, it’s lowest level since 1977 (except for the pandemic). According to the Wall Street Journal, the decline is because of the aging population and the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Americans lost $7.2 billion to crypto investment scams in 2025, according to a new report from the FBI, making it the top source of financial losses from fraud reported to the agency last year. Gizmodo reports that many people don’t call the FBI after getting scammed, which means the real total is likely far larger.

Men are 22 percent more likely to use AI daily or constantly at their jobs (33% of men vs. 27% of women), according to Lean In. Men are also 7 percent more likely than women to have ever used AI at work (78% of men vs. 73% of women).

The upper middle class is growing and now constitutes the largest income group in the United States or about 31 percent of households. According to CBSNEWS, the upper middle class includes households earning between $153,864 and $461,592 per year for a family of four.

SALES

Many sales professionals team up with others in their company. Sometimes those teams are created by the company or dictated by the boss. But if you have a choice, team up with people who are talented, hard-working and ambitious. Seek teammates who will challenge you. If you have multiple people on your team, make sure each person has different strengths and abilities.

Leadership guru Jim Rohn famously said, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” You could also say it like this: “You become the sum of your five best friends.” Spending time with exceptional people makes you more exceptional.

There’s an old saying in leadership-and-management circles: “To be successful, surround yourself with people who are smarter than you are.”

It’s good advice. Not only does it raise your level of performance, but teaming up with the smartest people helps you get “business acumen” – the intel which leads to effective prospecting and closing language

In this highly competitive marketplace, in which prospects consider many of our products and services to be commodities, you must have business acumen. That’s a collection of up-to-date, cutting-edge knowledge you can use to challenge prospects and prove you can provide value to them.

We’re finding that this “challenge” approach – based on your distinctly unique credentials – is becoming the best way to win new business especially if you have to take the prospect away from one of your competitors. Those sales pros who have the best business acumen often hang out with people other sales reps would find “intimidating.”

WISDOM

“Our moral responsibility is not to stop the future, but to shape it, to channel our destiny in humane directions, and to ease the trauma of transition.” – Alvin Toffler

Building Omaha is a partnership between the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW) & the National Electrical Contractors Association (NECA). Together, we provide the highest level of trained electricians for residential, low-voltage, or commercial construction projects. Visit buildingomaha.org to learn more. Earn while you learn and apply for our Apprenticeship Program by clicking HERE!

Back in the day, when a significant news event occurred, newspaper boys would stand on street corners shouting at the top of their lungs, “EXTRA, EXTRA, Read all about it.” But that was back in the day, and this is now. Now when there is a breaking news event, we have a little electronic box that keeps us informed on all matters relevant and trivial.

In August of 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Department of Labor to investigate how to include private equity and cryptocurrency on the investment menu of the nation’s 75,432 401k plans.

That announcement in and of itself did not meet the qualifications for an EXTRA, EXTRA proclamation. But there were and remain are a number of significant obstacles to his directive.

The first biggie is how do 401k plan participants get access to these non-exchange-traded alternative investments? Almost immediately we began to hear jubilant outcries from Wall Street marketing departments about the creation of derivatives that would not directly involve owning these alternative investments, but would rather be an ETF that mimicked their movement.

The second significant obstacle was the Supreme Court 2015 decision titled, Tibble vs Edison, in which a group of employees sued their employer because their 401k menu did not include reasonably priced mutual funds. The court ruled that employers must provide their 401k employees with reasonable priced mutual funds or compensate them for their losses. What followed was a decade of lawsuits the lined the coffers of the plaintiffs’ lawyers and resulted in a rush to include low cost index funds in every Tom, Dick and Harry’s 401k menu.

This week, Trump’s quest to included alternate investments in all the nations 401k plans reached EXTRA, EXTRA status when the WSJ carried an op ed piece written by the Secretary of Labor. She declared that her department was moving ahead with regulations that would allow the inclusion of alternative investments 401k mutual fund menus and they were carving out regulations to protect employers from the excessive fees’ constraints dictated by the Supreme Court’s Tibble vs Edison proclamation.

As I read the WSJ article, I envision a gaggle of Wall Street munchkins salivating over the prospect of getting their grimy paws on the $14.2 trillion residing in the nation’s 401k plans. It will take time for this entire senecio to play out and what the end game will look like is yet to be determined. But what we can say with clarity is that this will increase the employer’s role as gatekeeper and reduce the role of the government as regulator as policemen.

At the end of the day, it is the employee’s money, and they need to remember Shakespeare’s admonition that “All that glitters is not gold.”

Grow Omaha’s Wall Street section is now available for sponsorship. Nearly 25,000 people subscribe to this newsletter, and as a group, they are influential, affluent and highly educated. That makes this section particularly popular! For advertising information, contact Karla Steele, Sales Coordinator, at karla@growomaha.com

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.

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