The December 4th Weekly Market Report

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

Copal Mexican Cuisine is reopening under new ownership as Benjamin’s Neighborhood Kitchen. The former restaurant at 3623 North 129th Street closed on November 30 before transitioning to an American-style dining concept.

Golden Turtle has soft-opened at 3910 Harney Street in the Blackstone District. The Vietnamese restaurant occupies the former Blackstone Meatball space. An official grand opening will take place on December 15th. The restaurant offers sandwiches, soups, a full bar and an outdoor balcony overlooking the Blackstone District. Golden Turtle has the same ownership as IPHO#1 The Noodle House at 25th & Capehart Road in Bellevue.

Don & Millie’s will close its Midtown location December 27th. The fast-food restaurant has operated at 4430 Farnam Street for many years. The University of Nebraska Medical Center plans to use the Don & Millie’s site for a parking garage that will serve a planned $2.2 billion hospital just to the south. An announcement posted on Don & Millie’s door reads, “We will return in the near future,” indicating the restaurant plans to reopen elsewhere in Midtown. Don & Millie’s has six Omaha-area locations.

The Legendary Red Rooster at 305 South 2nd Street in Ceresco reopened under new ownership on December 2. The new owners also operate Branding Iron Cafe in Wahoo and previously ran Maly’s Landing in Wahoo for 20 years. The restaurant and lounge serves burgers, fried chicken, cocktails and beer.

Jimmy John’s is offering a free wrap to fans who direct‑message their 2025 Spotify Wrapped stats to the brand’s Instagram handle in the new “Wrap Exchange.” The promotion began December 3 and is limited to the first 20,225 participants who claim the offer. The sandwich brand operates multiple locations throughout the Omaha metro.

The Pink Poodle in Crescent, Iowa, has closed permanently after 70 years in business, according to the Council Bluffs Nonpareil. Located at 633 Old Lincoln Highway, the steakhouse was known throughout the Omaha metro area for its prime rib. The restaurant’s owner, John McNeil II, died back in June.

VEG ER for Pets will open its first Nebraska location during the first quarter of next year in a former Old Chicago restaurant space at 13110 Birch Drive. Interior build-out is underway. The business will be a 24-hour emergency veterinary hospital in which clients stay with their pets during procedures. Based in White Plains, N.Y., VEG ER has more than 100 locations in 33 states. The closest existing locations are in Kansas City and Minneapolis.

Freedom Travel, a family-owned travel agency, will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 14 to celebrate its new location at 1501 Mike Fahey Street. The 12-year-old business serves both leisure and corporate travelers.

Evergreen Veterinary Clinic will hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony on January 28 to celebrate the opening of its new location at 2063 Creekside Drive in Papillion. The open-concept clinic allows clients to stay with their pets throughout appointments, including procedures and surgeries.

The retail industry is on an upswing. Retailers moved into 5.5 million more square feet than they vacated in the third quarter, according to the Wall Street Journal. That’s a turnaround from the first half of the year, when demand for store space turned negative because of chain-store bankruptcies, a pullback by shoppers and tariff turmoil. Retail construction, meanwhile, remains near historically low levels, leaving existing supply tight. The national vacancy rate stood at 4.3 percent in the third quarter.

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

Grace Pizza and Shakes Holds Court—with a Verdict of Darned Good Pizza

By Chris Corey

Grace Pizza and Shakes opened in October 2024 in the historic Sarpy County Courthouse, built in 1875. It later became a bank and then an auto repair shop. According to business partner Joe Gomez, legend has it a man tried to burn the courthouse down in its early years—presumably to avoid a court date to face drunk-and-disorderly charges. So it’s ironic that—along with pizza—the building now serves up excellent cocktails.

The restaurant originated with owner Adrian Hembree, who first opened Grazia, an Italian fine-dining restaurant in Pearland, Tex. Later, he and his partners leaned into a more approachable, comfort-driven concept that would evolve into Grace Pizza and Shakes.

When it came time to convert the space into the restaurant, great care was taken to preserve as much of the building’s historic structure as possible: the exposed brick walls, the wood ceiling and the steel bridge truss overhead are all pieces that survived the historic fire. All but two windows are from the original construction, although the owners recognize that will change by necessity over time.

Evan Cleveland, a Bellevue West graduate, is the general manager. After working a few different jobs, he landed in the restaurant industry at Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen in Omaha. He spent three years there, eventually moving into a front-of-house role. Around that time, he reconnected with Gomez—a longtime family friend who coached him years earlier at Team Factory, a youth basketball program near Papillion. Eight months later, Gomez hired Cleveland and had him visit Grace Pizza and Shakes locations in Florida and Texas to get a feel for the concept. He learned the restaurant’s style and philosophy and helped open the Texas location.

Papillion became the next location, and Cleveland was on his way back to Nebraska. “I drove 14 hours straight in the biggest U-Haul you can rent—no stops—loaded with all the restaurant equipment,” he recalled.

The decor complements the building’s natural character and history, blending 19th-century architecture with modern style. Tall arched windows bring in daylight and accentuate the height of the room. A patterned tile backsplash gives the bar a contemporary touch. Pendant lights float overhead, casting a warm glow over dark wood tables that are spaced for comfort but close enough for conversation. It feels modern and lived-in, despite opening just over a year ago as if custom-made for Papillion’s historic downtown.

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Planning Board Considers Two Projects

By Isaiah Ang

The Omaha Planning Board considered two proposals this week for redevelopment projects in the city’s northeast quadrant.

In the North 24th Street Historic District, Mount Moriah Baptist Church, the oldest predominantly African-American Baptist church in Omaha, is developing an 18,470 sq. ft. parcel of land on the northeast corner of 24th & Ohio Street. This parcel is just north of a planned multi-use development project headed by Carmen Tapio, founder of North End Teleservices.

Mount Moriah plans to build a 15,000 sq. ft., 3-story, multi-use building called the Moriah Intergenerational Centre. According to a Tax Increment Financing application, the first floor will have two commercial bays and a multipurpose space that can be used as a basketball court or accommodate banquets with up to 185 seating or conferences with up to 250 seating.

One commercial bay will be a 1,500 sq. ft. restaurant space for a fast-casual concept. The other commercial bay will be reserved a major retail tenant to meet community needs, like a shipping store. The second floor will have five flexible spaces that can be used for classrooms, training rooms and community meeting spaces. The third floor will have five to seven office spaces that can be used for existing businesses or emerging entrepreneurs.

The third floor will also have an open-air event space. The developer is requesting $1.1 million in TIF to help finance the $6.5 million project, which is estimated to be completed by fall 2027.

The other project is located along North Saddle Creek Road. That’s where a local developer plans Saddle Creek Marketplace, which would dramatically change a retail site currently anchored by a Family Fare store at 820 North Saddle Creek Road.

The developer is seeking rezoning of the property to TOD-MX-2 in addition to applying for a $9 million TIF loan to help finance the $103 million project. In addition to Family Fare, the site includes a multitenant commercial building along the east side 46th Street, north of the Family Fare, and a smaller commercial building along Saddle Creek where Gyro Kings is located.

The project will entail up to five phases. The first phase will be the construction of a multi-family apartment building sandwiched between the backside of the Family Fare building and California Street. The building will have two levels of enclosed parking totaling 108 parking spaces. The upper four floors will have 138 apartment units, including studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units.

The second phase will be the renovation of the Family Fare building into an updated multi-tenant, retail building and resurfacing of the tired surface parking lot. The building would be reconfigured to house three tenants in 18,000-to-20,000 sq. ft. retail bays. Potential tenants have already expressed interest.

Phase 3 will include replacing the commercial retail building along 46th Street with a 4-story apartment building with approximately 74 units and 45 covered parking space. The Anytime Laundry building on the north side of the existing commercial strip appears to be untouched by the development plans.

Phases 4 and 5 will be a mix of updating the commercial building along Saddle Creek and building a drive-thru kiosk type building on the north side of the surface parking lot.

The Phase I apartment building could begin by next summer. The overall project is expected to be completed by 2030.

This section is sponsored by NAI NP Dodge, the commercial real estate division of NP Dodge, Omaha’s largest full-service real estate company. Founded in 1855, NP Dodge is the longest running real estate firm in America.

Isaiah Ang, Contributing Writer

The City of Bellevue entered into a sub-licensing agreement to use Mattel branding in the Bellevue Bay Indoor Waterpark Park under development northwest of the U.S. Highways 34 & 75 interchange. Under the agreement, the city will incorporate Mattel branded attractions, programming and merchandise at the $60 million waterpark. Popular Mattel brands include Barbie, Hot Wheels and Thomas & Friends.

In November, Mattel announced that the brand would develop several Mattel Wonder Indoor Waterparks. The first is in Orlando, Fla., in collaboration with Martin Aquatics. Martin Aquatics’s portfolio includes Orlando’s Volcano Bay and The Ritz-Carlton Naples. Mattle is also working on bringing small-scale amusement parks incorporating branded attractions and rides. The brand is currently working on locations in Glendale, Ariz., and Bonner Springs, Kan.

Bellevue officials broke ground on the project this past March. It will anchor the Bellevue Goodlife District. The 100,000 sq. ft. building will have a retractable roof. When it opens in 2027, it will be the fourth largest water park in the United States.

Village Pointe Shopping Center is under new ownership. Federal Realty Investment Group has purchased the Village Pointe Shopping Center for $153.3 million. The sale includes the main shopping strip, including the theater, and the big box retail buildings to the east. The 453,000 sq. ft. shopping center is 96 percent leased. Scheels owns their own building. Maryland-based Federal Realty is a leader in property management and redevelopment of retail-based real estate assets.

Construction has gone vertical on the Black Elk building at 138th & Highway 370 in Papillion adjacent to Amazon’s regional distribution center. The 25,000 sq. ft. flex building will have two dock doors, 4 drive doors and 24-foot ceilings, according to Todd Schneidewind and Bryan Hartmann of NAI NP Dodge, who have the building listed for lease. Ground breaking took place in August, and the building started going vertical last week. It should be fully enclosed by the end of this month and ready for tenant build-out in January. The building can be divided into two bays or leased in its entirety by one occupant.

A small apartment complex on the southwest corner of 61st & Arbor Street will be demolished to make way for an apartment building as part of the Southside Terrace redevelopment project. While that project is primarily located in South Omaha around 30th & R Street, this complex is considered to be replacement housing. The project site consists of 1.5 acres with two multi-family buildings. Those will be razed for a 55-unit apartment building, a 55-stall, surface parking lot, and a community playground. Apartments will consist of 23 one-bedroom units, 20 two-bedroom units and 12 three-bedroom units.

Tadros Development is planning an infill development northwest of 120th & Military Avenue. The 8.5-acre site will be subdivided into four lots. Three lots along Military Avenue will accommodate an 18,000 sq. ft. commercial building, a gas station/c-store, and a 26,000 sq. ft. mixed-use building. A lot tucked away from Military Avenue along 122nd Street will be developed for residential use. The developer plans to build four 4-plexes and one duplex building.

The Omaha Inland Port Authority hosted its first public stakeholder meeting this week, unveiling plans for $120 million in strategic investments designed to create economic opportunities in northeast Omaha. Highlights from the meeting included:

• Four strategic projects: Airport Business Park, Innovation District, Creative Housing Campus, and Cultural Center
• Zero homes displaced
• $1.5 million Housing Rehabilitation Program for residents in the OIPA boundary
• Direct investment in local entrepreneurs (launching Q2 2026)

The port authority is a public agency established by the Unicameral in 2020. It is one of five inland port authorities in Nebraska and more than 300 nationwide that create economic opportunities by aligning land, logistics, workforce development, entrepreneurship and housing initiatives.

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Associated Bank of Green Bay, Wis., will acquire Omaha-based American National Bank in an all-stock deal valued at $604 million. American National shareholders will receive 36.25 shares of Associated Bank stock for every one share of American National they own. The deal is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026. American National currently has $5.3 billion in assets and 33 branches in Nebraska, Iowa and Minnesota. After the merger, Associated Bank will have $50 billion in assets and 217 branches in five states.

NEI Global Relocation was named #1 for overall satisfaction in the 2024 and 2025 Trippel Relocation Managers’ Survey. The Omaha-based company had more #1 rankings than any other relocation company across categories like performance, quality, integrity and willingness to recommend. Trippel surveys are based on feedback from corporate HR and mobility leaders as well as relocating employees. Part of the NP Dodge family of companies, NEI has been in business nearly 40 years, supporting clients in more than 150 countries.

Werner Enterprises, Inc. was ranked number 41 overall on Military Times’ 2025 Best for Vets: Employers list. It was Werner’s highest ranking in the past three years. The Omaha-based transportation company was ranked high in several categories: No. 1 company in Nebraska; No. 2 transportation company nationwide; No. 29 in the large enterprises category.

Scooter’s Coffee was named one of the Best Brands to Work For in QSR Magazine’s 2025 rankings. QSR put the spotlight on 18 companies, large and small, for their dedication to providing employees with benefits, recognition programs, career pathways and community efforts to drive employee engagement and retention. Omaha-based Scooter’s has 890 locations nationwide and six distribution centers.

Promedcare has leased 1,987 sq. ft. of storefront space at 226 North 114th Street for its first Omaha location and fifth in Nebraska, according to Hilke Meyer of NAI NP Dodge, who represented the tenant in lease negotiations. The Nebraska-based company provides in-home and respite care services. Existing locations are in Fremont, Columbus, Norfolk and Blair.

For the third time in the past five months, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, moved slightly below growth neutral. The index, which ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 representing growth neutral, sank to 49.5 from 50.5 in October.

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Lauritzen Gardens is hosting a free admission day this Friday, December 5. Visitors will be able to explore the Merry & Bright holiday show, the Marjorie K. Daugherty Conservatory and the winter gardens.

Completely KIDS is hosting a Holiday Gift Drive until December 8. The nonprofit organization provides programming and services for 2,900 children, the majority of whom live in poverty. Donors can sign up to sponsor one or more children and receive a wish list from them, in order to provide personal and meaningful gifts.

The Arthritis Foundation Nebraska Chapter is hosting the Jingle Bell Run at Papillion Landing on Saturday. Similar runs are being held by the Arthritis Foundation throughout the country this winter. Funds raised will support arthritis treatment and cure research.

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The WBC claimed that Crawford has failed to pay mandatory fees to the sanctioning body despite multiple communications sent to him and his team. Hamzah Sheeraz (22-1, 18 KOs) will fight Christian Mbilli (29-0-1, 24 KOs) for the vacant title.

Creighton Volleyball was revealed as the No. 3 seed in the Kentucky Region of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday evening, marking Creighton’s 14th straight appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Bluejays will host the first two rounds for the fifth consecutive season, facing Northern Colorado 30 minutes after a match between Utah and No. 6 seed Northern Iowa. The winner of each match will play in the second round on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

The Omaha Supernovas have launched single-match ticket sales for the 2026 season, which begins with the season opener Thursday, January 8 at the CHI Health Center against the San Diego Mojo. Fans can also design their own experience with a customizable Half-Season Ticket package where they can choose different seats for each match, with tickets starting at just $11 per match. Season tickets are also available for as low as $125. All ticketing options can be found on the Supernovas’ website.

Creighton women’s soccer senior Ariana Mondiri was named to the United Soccer Coaches’ All-East Region Third Team on Tuesday. Mondiri led the Bluejays with a team high eight goals this season. She becomes the 11th Bluejay in program history to earn all-region honors.

Omaha basketball is competing in the third annual Big Sky-Summit League Challenge this week. The challenge matches teams from the Big Sky and Summit League conferences, with each program playing two games in the event. Points are then awarded for each head-to-head victory. The Summit League has won the first two iterations of the event.

Both the men and women kicked off the challenge on Wednesday. The Maverick men fell to Northern Colorado 75-70, falling short of their 14th straight win at Baxter Arena. The women were trounced by Idaho State, 74-43 for their fifth straight loss. Both teams finish the Big Sky-Summit Challenge on Saturday, with the women hosting Northern Colorado at Baxter Arena at 1 p.m. and the men traveling to Portland State for a 4 p.m. tilt.

Creighton men’s basketball defeated Nicholls State on Tuesday, 96-76, to improve to 5-3 on the season. On Sunday, the Bluejays head to Lincoln for a date with in-state rival and undefeated Nebraska. Last season, the Cornhuskers escaped Omaha with a 74-63 win. The last time Nebraska won two straight games in this rivalry was 1995-1997. The two teams did not play in 1996. The game will tip off on Sunday at 4 p.m. on FS1.

Creighton women’s basketball split its games in its Thanksgiving week multiple-team event, falling to UNLV 76-67 in its opener on Wednesday before defeating Northern Arizona on Friday, 86-62. The Bluejays play their first conference game tonight at St. John’s at 6 p.m. The game can be streamed on ESPN+ with a subscription.

Upcoming Games

• Creighton Volleyball vs. Northern Colorado | Thursday, Dec. 4 | 30 Min After 4:30 Match
• Creighton women’s basketball at St. John’s | Thursday, Dec. 4 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha Lancers vs. Waterloo | Friday, Dec. 5 | 7:05 p.m.
• Omaha women’s basketball vs. Northern Colorado | Saturday, Dec. 6 | 1 p.m.
• Omaha men’s basketball at Portland State | Saturday, Dec. 6 | 4 p.m.
• Omaha Lancers vs. Des Moines | Saturday, Dec. 6 | 6:05 p.m.
• Creighton women’s basketball vs. Tulsa | Sunday, Dec. 7 | 1 p.m.
• Creighton men’s basketball at Nebraska | Sunday, Dec. 7 | 4 p.m.
• Omaha men’s basketball vs. Doane | Tuesday, Dec. 9 | 7 p.m.
• Omaha women’s basketball at Nebraska | Tuesday, Dec. 9 | 7 p.m.
• Omaha Lancers vs. Tri-City Storm | Wednesday, Dec. 10 | 7:05 p.m.

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The Baum Iron Building Marks 145 Years in the Old Market

By Patrick Wyman

The three-story-tall, hand-painted Baum Iron sign facing 13th Street in the Old Market has been a local fixture for more than a century. Constructed in 1880, the building it adorns has housed only three businesses in its 145 years.

Located at 1221 Harney Street, the brick structure was built for the wholesale grocery firm Steele, Johnson and Company. Its most prominent features include an Italianate-style cast-iron storefront—manufactured in St. Louis and assembled on-site—and Egyptian-inspired colonnettes. Composed of four piers and nine bays, the building features rectangular windows accented with varied stone treatments.

Steele, Johnson and Company, founded in 1868, conducted business throughout the surrounding states as well as in Montana, Utah and Idaho. The company vacated the building in 1890, after which the Lee, Glass, Andreesen Hardware Company moved in. The wholesale hardware, cutlery and tinware firm added the fourth floor in the 1890s before outgrowing the building and relocating east to Jobbers Canyon at 9th & Harney Street in 1905.

Born in Pennsylvania in 1827, Daniel Baum worked as a farmer and railroad bridge contractor before settling in Lincoln, where he started the business that would become Baum Iron in 1857. Located at 1026 O Street, Baum Hardware sold tools, belting, guns, cutlery and wagon and carriage supplies to settlers heading west.

By the time he moved the business to Omaha in 1888, his sons James and David were heavily involved in its operations. The Baum family acquired Edney and Gibbon, an iron, steel and heavy hardware business at 1217 Leavenworth Street. As the company expanded, it relocated twice—first to 1210 Harney Street, followed by a move across the street to 1221 Harney Street in 1905.

Under David’s leadership, the company continued to grow and merged with Omaha Iron Store in 1916. It became the largest wholesaler of iron products in the Midwest, serving Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Colorado, Wyoming, Utah and Idaho. When David passed away in 1938, he had served as president for 50 years and headed several other family businesses, including Baum Realty Company, Baum Holding Company, Sioux City Iron Company and Wax Paper Products Company.

Baum Iron remained a family-owned business after his son-in-law, Sloan Allen, took over. Sloan, who was married to David’s daughter Margaret Greer Baum, was eventually joined by their son David at the company he led for decades. The eccentric father-and-son duo were known for walking the two miles each day from their home at 3722 Dewey Avenue in the Gold Coast neighborhood to the company headquarters—always dressed in full business attire.

The company evolved with the times, and by the 1960s its product line included ball bearings, hydraulics and power transmissions. Margaret passed away in 1970, followed by Sloan in 1987. After succeeding his father as president, David was honored in 1993 by the historic preservation group Landmarks, Inc., for the company’s century-long stewardship of the building.

David ultimately declined the honor, wishing to avoid attention as he quietly funneled his father’s fortune into offshore accounts and shell companies before fleeing to Switzerland in 1990. By the early 2000s, the company—renamed Baum Hydraulics—was no longer in the hands of the family. By then it had become a wholesaler of bearings, hydraulic components, chains, sprockets and machinery parts across the United States and Canada.

More than 145 years after its construction, the Baum Iron Building has witnessed the surrounding neighborhood evolve from a wholesale district to a produce market and eventually into today’s entertainment district. With nearly every historic building around it renovated and repurposed, Baum Hydraulics has no plans to leave the home it has occupied for 120 years. And the iconic advertisement—unchanged since 1962—will likely continue greeting Old Market visitors well into the future.

UNOTheater will present Andrew Lloyd Webber’s and Tim Rice’s musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR once more at the Weber Fine Arts Building, Black Box Theater December 4th through the 7th with times of 7:30 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays, and 2 p.m. matinees on Sunday. UNO students get in free with their MAVcards. General admission is $20 – there is additionally a $10 price for the preview performance on the first Thursday only.

The Rose Theater will feature The Pigeon Gets a Big-Time Holiday Extravaganza! from December 5th through the 21st. Based on the books and characters by Mo Willems, this show full of catchy tunes, silly stories and audience antics. Tickets are $30 for the main floor and $25 for the balcony. There will also be a special hot chocolate voucher handed out to the first 50 kids at every performance, redeemable for after the show, served by Travelin’ Tom’s Coffee Truck.

Steelhouse Omaha will present Joyful Noise: A Gospel Christmas performed by the Grammy Award-nominated Salem Church Choir, local favorites and other guest artists on December 6th at 7:30 p.m., and December 7th at 4 p.m. Guests may arrive an hour before the show for preshow family fun activities, such as cookie decorating and making letters for the North Pole. Santa will also be there Saturday, December 6th.

Omaha Performing Arts will present The Notebook at the Orpheum Theater December 9th through the 14th, daily at 7:30 p.m. Based on the best-selling novel that inspired an iconic film, The Notebook tells the story of Allie and Noah, from different worlds, who share a lifetime of love despite the forces that threaten to pull them apart. The show is a deeply moving portrait of the enduring power of love, and features music by singer-songwriter Ingrid Michaelson and a book by TV’s Bekah Brunstetter.

Did you know Omaha Public Power District expects electrical demand to increase by more than 100 megawatts each year for the remainder of this decade?

Did you know Spencer Tracy’s 1939 Oscar for Best Actor for the movie Boys Town resides in Boys Town’s Hall of History. Spencer gave it to the organization himself.

Did you know that northwest Omaha is getting another lake and recreation area? The 106-acre Marlin Petermann Recreation Area is under construction northwest of 180th & West Maple Road and west of Elkhorn North High School. The rec area will include a 20-acre lake and a 2-mile bike trail.

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Farnam Winter Pop-Up happening December 5th – 7th: Discover a handpicked medley of 15 locally owned shops at Omaha’s newest urban holiday destination! Shop handmade goods, artisan foods, boutique finds, curated gifts and more. On Sunday, December 6, you can also enjoy The Holiday Cocktail Crawl at Midtown Crossing establishments.

Winter Open House happening December 6th: Step inside the warmth of creativity this winter at Hot Shops Art Center! Explore a mix of paintings, photography, glass, metal, ceramics and jewelry — all crafted by the artists who call Hot Shops home. Meet the makers, watch live demonstrations and discover one-of-a-kind pieces that make perfect gifts (for yourself or someone special).

Kids Night Out happening December 6th: Get ready for a wild night filled with fun and discovery! Designed for children ages 5 to 12, Kids Night Out invites young explorers to connect with wildlife in exciting new ways after hours at the Zoo. Led by trained educators, each themed evening includes hands-on activities, up-close animal encounters, behind-the-scenes tours, a movie, pizza, snacks and much more.

Bright Nights happening on select dates through January 4th: Celebrate the holiday season at Bright Nights where twinkling lights and dazzling decor transform the garden into a winter wonderland. Make memories with the family as you cozy up by the firepits, roast some s’mores, play festive games in the Family Chill Zone, capture the moment in front of the 20′ tall poinsettia tree, enjoy the whistle of model garden trains and marvel at the shimmering displays showcase nature in a whole new light.

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NP Dodge Real Estate has welcomed four new agents: Brittany Young; Doug Johnsen; Kris Earlywine; and Gopi Jayabalan.

Farmers National Company has promoted Colton Lacina to senior vice president real estate. He brings more than a decade of experience to this role, including the past five years with Farmers National.

Lutz, an Omaha-based business solutions firm has added several employees to its Omaha office: Colby Camelin, client service associate in the firm’s financial division; Rachel Goodrich, client service associate in the financial division; Olivia Lawless, financial analyst in the M&A division; Blake Maly, financial advisor in the financial division; and Molly Mendick, client resource assistant.

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

You have a better chance of being admitted to Harvard than finding a job these days, according to Business Insider. Data from hiring-software firm Greenhouse shows that the average job opening last quarter received 242 applications. That means you have a 0.4 percent chance of getting a job you apply for. The acceptance rate at Harvard is 3.6 percent. The current no-hiring-no-firing environment has been dubbed, “The Great Freeze.” Workers are “job hugging,” because they fear joining the beleaguered job seekers fighting for scraps.

Forbes unveiled its 15th annual 30 Under 30 List for the Class of 2026, recognizing 600 leaders from North America, in 20 different industries who are leading transformative change within business, culture and entrepreneurship. Altogether, 2026 class has raised $3.8 billion in funding and has amassed more than 200 million followers on social media. The average age is 27. The youngest honoree is only 17.

After three days of online voting by more than 30,000 participants, Oxford University Press announced that “rage bait” is the 2025 world of the year, beating out “aura farming” and “biohack.” Defined as “online content deliberately designed to elicit anger or outrage by being frustrating, provocative or offensive,” rage bait is “typically posted in order to increase traffic to or engagement with a particular web page or social media account.”

SALES

How much pre-call research should you do before making cold prospecting calls? Not very much, according to sales author Jeb Blount. Keep in mind that research is not prospecting. Every minute you spend looking at a cold prospect’s LinkedIn profile is a minute you’re not having conversations and moving deals forward. The answer is just a couple minutes per prospect! Remember, you’re not looking to make a sale on that initial cold call. You’re looking to make a connection. Once you schedule a meeting with a cold prospect, then you want to spend some time researching.

Sales Stat – Ninety-four percent of B2B buyers will research online before finalizing a purchase, according to Spotio.

One of the biggest negotiating mistakes a sales pro can make it not taking time to think. Important decisions are often made without proper thought, often in the heat of the moment or in haste to get a deal done, says sales expert Kelley Robertson. Taking time to think about implications can save you money or add profit to the final deal.

WISDOM

“Like a hangover, neither triumphs nor disasters last forever.” – Helen Mirren

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I bought my first car the summer I graduated from high school. It was a 1945 Ford, and I paid cash for it: $75. It ran ok, but it had a stopping issue, and the front seat looked like a slice of Swiss cheese. I went to Pep Boys and bought a universal seat cover for $9.98. The problem was, the seat in my 1945 Ford wasn’t a universal seat.

401(k) participants have something in common with 1945 Ford owners. Wall Street offers them a universal solution, but investing is not a one-size-fits-all proposition. Wall Street’s universal product for 401(k) participants is called a target date fund.

Target date funds contain a mix of stock and bonds. The ratio of stock to bonds varies with the owner’s age. For young whippersnappers, the majority of the fund is in stocks and a small portion in bonds. Once the fund owner gets big numbers on their odometer, the formula switches to a majority of supposedly safe bonds and a smaller portion in stocks.

Based upon this line of thinking, one would assume that the majority of target date funds shareholders would be older workers, because young workers would seek the higher returns of an aggressive total stock portfolio. That’s is the way it’s supposed to work.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 39 percent of all 401(k) participants own target dated funds. But the conundrum is that the participation levels are opposite of what was originally intended. Forty-eight percent of those under 30, who need them the least, own target date funds. Twenty five percent of those over 60, who need them the most, own target date funds.

A plausible explanation for this contradiction lies in the fact that many states have mandated target date funds as the default option. Back in the day, if a 401(k) participant didn’t choose a mutual fund, their dollars investment stayed in cash. Then, about 30 years ago, states started mandating that the default option was money market funds.

Problem is, money markets don’t pay anything to the broker. One of the reasons target date funds have become the default option is that they have the highest maintenance fee and the highest payout to the broker. Don’t get me wrong and erroneously think I’m saying that brokers are evil, wicked, mean and nasty, but they are incentivized by the system to choose target dated funds.

But there’s a new sheriff in town. Recently, Wall Street developed a mutual fund derivative called a collective investment trust (CIT). It’s a cross between an actively managed mutual fund and an ETF. Currently, it’s only available in retirement plans. The management fee on a CIT is approximately one-third that of the traditional, actively managed target date funds. Given the limited space I have available to me in this very insightful, weekly commentary, I don’t have time to delve further into all of the issues involving CITs, so stay tuned for the next instalment on this interesting investment vehicle.

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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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