The June 26 Weekly Market Report

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

Revival House, a new cocktail bar by Omaha-based Flagship Restaurant Group, opens today – June 26 – at 3737 Farnam Street in the Blackstone District. The menu draws from “the lost art of exotic drinking culture with a rebellious twist.” Revival House also operates a location in Des Moines, Iowa.

Meadowlark Lounge, an “upscale neighborhood dive bar,” will soon open in a former VFW building at 3302 Leavenworth Street, just west of Alderman’s Bar. According to the City Clerk’s Office, the lounge will serve specialty cocktails, spirits and curated wine while aiming to maintain a strong local feel.

Holy Grounds Coffeehouse & Gifts plans to open this August in a brand-new building at 194th & Harrison Street. Interior build-out is underway. The actual address is 19405 Polk Street. The gift shop side of the business will sell religious goods.

Taqueria El Rey has opened at 4161 South 84th Street in a former Wendy’s building. The original Taqueria El Rey is at 5201 South 24th Street and serves a wide range of Mexican food including breakfast. The business also operates several food trucks around town.

Little Ceasars will open at Mid-K Plaza on the southeast corner of 60th & Ames Avenue, according to a submitted building permit. The space at 5921 Ames Street, Unit A, will undergo renovation. The store will be the Omaha area’s 15th Little Ceasars location.

Anthony’s Taqueria Mexican Restaurant plans to open soon in an end-cap space at 2100 South 20th Street in Blair. The space was once a Jimmy John’s location before it moved to a nearby building.

A farmer’s co-op has leased a 2,500 sq. ft. space at 5018 Underwood Avenue in Dundee, according to NAI NP Dodge, which brokered the lease. This seasonal concept will showcase fresh, local produce in the summer and transform into a festive Christmas market in the winter. The space is next door to Jaipur Indian Restaurant.

Westlake Ace Hardware will move later this summer from 8425 West Center Road to 3401 South 84th Street. Renovations are under way. The future space is on the north side of Westgate Plaza shopping center and was previously occupied by Tom Kelly’s Bowling Pro Shop and a bakery. Until the new location is ready, the hardware retailer will operate out of its current space.

Omaha Public Library has chosen Zen Coffee Company as its official café partner at the future Central Library set to open next spring at 72nd & Dodge Street. The café will be located on the east side of the library’s first floor near the public commons. A café was one of the most frequently requested amenities in a 2022 community survey about the future Central Library. Zen Coffee has existing locations at 132nd & West Center Road, One Pacific Place and 2504 Farnam Street downtown.

Saro Cider is partnering with Heirloom Fine Foods to host a series of cocktail parties and dinners for Omaha’s gluten-free population. The series, called “Beyond the Grain: Gluten-Free Gatherings,” starts with a casual cocktail party on Friday, August 1 at the Saro Event Lounge at 1012 South 10th Street. Tickets can be purchased at Heirloomff.com. On Saturday, September 13, they will host a sit-down feast at Heirloom’s event space at 325 North 72nd Street, Suite 200.

El Vallarta Mexican Restaurant at 12405 West Center Road is closing July 2. The restaurant’s locations in Blair, Gretna and La Vista will remain open.

Village Inn has permanently closed its restaurant at 3809 Twin Creek Drive in Bellevue’s Twin Creek Plaza. Its other Bellevue location on Fort Crook Road remains open, along with locations in Omaha, Papillion and Fremont.

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

Nebraska Medicine Plans Health Center in Gretna Landing Development

The City of Gretna announced this week that Nebraska Medicine will be a major anchor in the Gretna Landing development northwest of 192nd & Highway 370.

Nebraska Medicine is partnering with Noddle Companies on a 125,000 sq. ft. health center, which will open to patients in the second half of 2027.

Gretna Landing includes a 31-acre, mixed-use project that will include office space and professional services, along with retail spaces, restaurants, fitness and wellness focused retailers and residential units. Noddle Companies envisions Gretna Landing as a destination inspired by Aksarben Village to create a development that meets the needs of the growing community.

“Gretna prides itself on community, we value relationships and working together to make a difference. Because of this, not only do we attract citizens with those values, but businesses and organizations as well,” said Mayor Mike Evans. “Visionary developers, like Noddle Companies and world class organizations, like Nebraska Medicine, not only make a big difference in people’s lives, but by investing in their home state they are making a significant difference to our community.”

Services at the Nebraska Medicine Gretna Landing Health Center will include:

• Primary and Specialty Care
• Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
• Imaging technologies
• Laboratory services
• Urgent Care services
• Pharmacy
• Procedural spaces

“As the leading academic health system in the region, Nebraska Medicine is proud to expand our extraordinary care to a growing number of families across the state,” said Dr. James Linder, Nebraska Medicine CEO. “Nebraska Medicine’s public-private structure enables opportunities like this one to give Sarpy County residents access to primary and selected specialty care they need closer to where they live.”

Jay Noddle, CEO of Noddle Companies, said his team had been searching for the right opportunity in Gretna for several years.

“The Gretna Landing project is very exciting for us, and we’re thrilled to expand our relationship with Nebraska Medicine, so they can deliver the highest quality health care to the community.”

Construction begins late this summer. Noddle Companies plans to announce additional tenants within Gretna Landing in the coming months.

This section is sponsored by RENZE. Click HERE to see our new addition of Taylor Gautsche and Window Optics powered by RENZE, which is now part of our RENZE family of brands. For over 130 years, we have been providing our clients with innovative solutions for interior corporate and retail branding, as well as unique exhibits and graphics for tradeshows and events. With leading-edge equipment and quality craftspeople working out of our 90,000 sq. ft. facility, we like helping brands grow. See our recent work HERE.

Isaiah Ang, Contributing Writer

Crews have started tearing down the former WOWT building at 35th & Farnam Street. The television station previously moved next door into the 15-story Blackstone Plaza building. Plans call for a $45 million, 5-story, multi-family building with 180 apartment units. Floor plans will include studio, one- and two-bedroom units with monthly rents ranging from $1,200 to $2,800 per month. Amenities will include a resort-style pool, grilling areas, fire pits, dog-wash station and a dog park.

The site is located along Omaha’s future streetcar line. GreenSlate is developing the building in collaboration with John Lund, founder of The Lund Company of Omaha. GreenSlate has been responsible for sparking the original redevelopment of the Blackstone District a decade ago. Completion of the new building is scheduled for spring of 2027.

At the RiverFront Market Community Placemaking Workshop yesterday, Heritage Omaha and Project for Public Spaces identified 8th & Farnam Street, just south of the Heartland of America Park Skate Ribbon, as a potential location for the year-round, indoor public market. The site is just east of Brickline apartments.

A building permit has been filed for site grading at New Horizon Academy’s planned location at 20618 R Street in the Coventry development near 204th & Q Street. This will be the school’s second Elkhorn-area site, joining its Fountain Ridge location at 18802 Burke Street, which broke ground in April and marks its first Nebraska location.

Omaha experienced a 53 percent increase in renters aged 65-plus from 2013 to 2023, according to a study by Point2Homes that analyzed the 75 most populous U.S. metro areas. That’s nearly double the national average growth of 29.4 percent. Of all the metros, Omaha saw the nation’s biggest increase in seniors renting single-family homes. Nationwide, the number of renters over 65 grew by 2.4 million, more than any other age group.

The Omaha Streetcar Authority approved some major construction. Foremost, the authority approved an amendment to an existing agreement with Kiewit Construction, which had already been serving as the construction manager-at-risk through the planning and design phases. Final design has been completed and construction is currently underway, including reconstruction of the Harney Street bridge over I-480. The amendment allows mainline construction. The maximum contract price for mainline construction is approximately $210 million. This includes construction of the track, 16 stops and related power components.

Mainline construction notice to proceed will be submitted to Kiewit by January 5, 2026 with substantial completion required 970 days thereafter, or by August 2028. As previously reported, the Harney Street bridge will be completed by the end of the year, while the Farnam Street bridge will be completed by the end of 2026. The vehicle maintenance facility, already under construction near 8th & Capitol Avenue, should be completed by January 6, 2027. Track access to the facility will be completed by August 4, 2026.

The authority approved a resolution to accept a cost reimbursement agreement with Omaha Public Power District, which will provide design and bid documents. The authority will reimburse costs. There are three levels of utility work. Level 1 includes utilities that need to be relocated because of the streetcar. Level 2 includes relocating utilities to allow better maintenance of both the streetcar and utilities. Level 3 includes needed utilities work to prepare for additional development in the Urban Core. Currently, the authority approved Level 1 costs totaling almost $19 million, including a 30-percent contingency. Relatedly, a $71 million contract with Hawkins Construction Company and a $3.4 million contract with HGM Associates Inc. were approved for utility construction for utilities located east of I-480.

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.

Most Kum & Go gas stations are converting to Maverik, but not all of them. Omaha-based Mega Saver has completed the acquisition of three Kum & Go locations at 144th & Q Street, 192nd & West Center Road and 168th & Cornhusker Road. Utah-based Maverik purchased Iowa-based Kum & Go for approximately $2 billion in 2023.

The High Desert Corridor Joint Powers Agency selected Omaha-based HDR to provide engineering, design and advisory services for the intercity passenger rail project linking Palmdale and Victorville, Calif. The 54-mile rail corridor will improve connectivity with California’s planned high-speed rail network. With proposed speeds of up to 180 miles per hour, the service will provide a fast connection from a transportation hub in Los Angeles County’s Antelope Valley to the future Brightline West high-speed rail station in San Bernardino County. Eventually, the rail network will connect Southern California to the northern half of the state, Las Vegas and beyond.

FNBO announced a multi-year extension of its longstanding partnership with Stellantis, one of the world’s leading automotive manufacturers and the company behind Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram and FIAT. FNBO and Stellantis have partnered to deliver co-branded credit card products since 2011.

An upscale hair salon is planned for Elkhorn. The salon will be located at a new building at 1620 North Main Street, just west of 204th Street. According to the building permit, the name of the new business will be Skyline Landing Salon and will occupy 3,300 sq. ft.

Spencer Petersen has opened an American Family Insurance office in Blair at 1526 Washington Street, Suite 1, according to Brian Thomas of NAI NP Dodge, who represents the building’s landlord.

Woodbury Corporation, the Salt Lake City-based company that is developing the Crossroads site in Omaha, just opened a Residence Inn by Marriott Hotel in downtown Lincoln. The company owns an existing Courtyard Hotel in Lincoln and a SpringHill Suites in Grand Island. Last week, Woodbury held a groundbreaking for its first phase of the $850 million Crossroads project northwest of 72nd & Dodge Street.

Union Pacific Corporation will release second quarter 2025 financial and operating results on Thursday, July 24, at 6:45 a.m. CDT. The company’s management team will host a conference call and live webcast at 7:45 a.m. CDT.

Creighton University’s Rural Mainstreet Index climbed above the 50.0 growth neutral level in June, marking its highest reading since July 2023. The index surveys bank CEOs in rural areas of a 10-state region dependent on agriculture and/or energy. The region’s overall reading for June rose to 51.9 from May’s 44.0.

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

Civic Nebraska is partnering with The Connecticut Democracy Center to bring the award-winning Kid Governor civic education program to Nebraska. The program gives the state’s fifth-grade students a unique opportunity to run for a real-life, statewide office of their own.

Nonprofits across the Omaha metro are invited to apply for the Omaha Community Foundation’s Field‑of‑Interest Funds, open June 1 through July 15. These competitively awarded grants funnel critical support to programs serving youth, education, the arts, history, sciences and community safety. These grant programs allow smaller nonprofits to access funds tailored to their mission.

The AIM Institute just released its 2024 Impact Report. In it, AIM outlines how it is promoting technology skills for all ages in the Silicon Prairie. In the last year, AIM programming served 6,060 total participants.

In the 2025 Nebraska legislative session, local nonprofits worked to pass multiple bills. For example, Habitat Omaha partnered with Senator Dan Quick of Grand Island to introduce LB566/AM800. This bill preserves the opportunity for homeowners who purchase a home in an extremely blighted area to continue to receive a $5,000 tax credit well into the future. LB 530, BikeWalk Nebraska’s Vulnerable Road User bill sponsored by Senator Kathleen Kauth, is meant to define and protect Vulnerable Road Users, and will also become law. The Nebraska Trails Foundation worked with Senator Robert Dover to introduce a bill providing property tax credits to landowners who provide trail easements. The language from this bill was eventually incorporated into LB 647, which passed and will become law.

The Douglas County Board of Commissioners announced millions of dollars in awards for several organizations that come from the Visitor Improvement Fund. This fund raises money through a special hotel tax and helps bolster tourist attractions in Omaha. A few of the applicants include:

• Bemis Center – More than $138,000
• Benson Theatre – More than $65,000
• Omaha Performing Arts – $252,000
• Special Olympics Nebraska – $105,000
• Blues Society of Omaha – $17,500
• Cinco de Mayo of Omaha – $210,000

Homeownership is Going to Be Worth It

By Jill ANderson

Several things can feel a bit unpredictable these days. What’s happening with inflation? The economy? The housing market? But in the middle of all that uncertainty, there’s one thing a lot of people still crave – a place to call their own.

Because when everything else feels up in the air, home can be the thing that grounds you. As the experts at 1000WATT put it:

“Homeownership isn’t primarily financial anymore. . . Across all demographics, emotional and lifestyle factors consistently outrank wealth-building as motivators.”

Here’s what owning a home can mean for you, especially right now.

Freedom To Make It Yours
When you’re a homeowner, you don’t need to ask permission to paint a wall, hang a gallery of your favorite art or redo the floors. You have the freedom to create a space that reflects who you are, all the way from the light fixtures to the paint colors.

Pro Tip: Just be mindful about exterior changes if you buy a home in a community that has a homeowner’s association. There may be some approvals you’d need to get for outdoor changes.

More Privacy, More Peace
Owning your home can give you a sense of peace you didn’t even realize you were missing. It’s a comfortable place where you feel secure and can relax, enjoy your privacy and unwind after a long day.

Room To Grow
Whether it’s starting a family, setting up a home office for your new career or finally building that home gym in the garage so you can hit your fitness goals, owning gives you the space to live life on your terms.

A Stronger Sense of Community
When you own, you’re not just passing through, you’re putting down roots. That often leads to stronger ties with your community, more connection to your neighborhood and a deeper feeling of belonging where you live. That’s very different from the temporary nature of renting.

A Feeling of Accomplishment
There’s something powerful about getting the keys and walking into your own front door for the first time. It’s more than pride; it’s personal satisfaction. A quiet and meaningful sense of “I did this.”

Sure, it’s not always easy for first-time homebuyers. The market today requires patience, strategy and sometimes a little creative problem-solving. But it’s still worth it.

As Realtor.com says: “Buying a home is a major commitment, but it’s also incredibly rewarding.”

When you get those keys in your hand, when you realize this place is where your life gets to unfold, it clicks. The stress, the waiting, the planning – all of it led you home. (Courtesy KCM)

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

The 75th anniversary of the College World Series has concluded, and the series was packed with late-inning excitement and historic performances that honored the event in its diamond jubilee. With LSU’s win in the CWS Finals against Coastal Carolina, coach Jay Johnson became the fastest coach to win two national championships at one school after taking the LSU job in 2021.

Johnson also scored redemption against Coastal Carolina, which denied him history when he was the head coach at Arizona and was seeking to become the first coach to lead his team to a national championship in his first season. While LSU was the headliner of the event, this College World Series featured Cinderella runs, walk-off victories and historic performances from more than just the Tigers.

Six conferences and one independent school were represented in this year’s eight-team field, and Murray State became the latest bid stealer to crash The Greatest Show on Dirt. Three teams – Oregon State, Louisville and LSU – scored walk-off victories. Arkansas’ Gage Wood threw the third no-hitter in the College World Series – the first in 65 years, and was inches away from throwing the first perfect game in CWS history. On the biggest stage in college baseball, Coastal Carolina’s Kevin Schnall was ejected in the first inning for arguing balls and strikes and allegedly pushing an umpire, providing for one of the most intriguing moments of this year’s series.

Fans from all around the country must have heard about the excitement – the CWS Finals were the most-watched two-game series on ESPN platforms ever, drawing 2.5 million average viewers. Game Two of the Finals was the sixth most-watched CWS game on record with 2.8 million viewers.

The 2025 College World Series was historic in more ways than one, and it was a fitting reward for Omaha in its 75th anniversary hosting annual classic. This year’s teams, players and performances will be remembered for years to come and are just setting the bar for the next generation of stars to play in Omaha.

The NBA Draft began last night, and while Ryan Kalkbrenner was floating into the late first round in multiple mock drafts, he was not selected. Kalkbrenner still has a shot at hearing his name called in Round Two, which begins tonight at 7 p.m.

The Omaha Storm Chasers snapped a seven-game losing streak last night against Indianapolis, defeating the Indians 7-5 in 10 innings. The Storm Chasers were swept in their home series last week against the Durham Bulls after sweeping the Toledo Mud Hens the week prior. Tomorrow, Omaha is back in action beginning at 6:05 p.m. All Storm Chasers games can be streamed with a subscription to MLB.TV

Union Omaha dropped a match 4-3 to the Richmond Kickers at Werner Park last night. The Owls will be back in action against San Antonio FC on Saturday at 8 p.m. for a group stage match in the USL Cup. All Union Omaha games can be streamed on ESPN+.

Upcoming Events
• Omaha Storm Chasers at Indianapolis | June 24 – June 29 | 6:05 p.m. Tonight
• NBA Draft Round 2 | Tonight, June 26 | 7 p.m.
• Union Omaha vs. San Antonio FC | Saturday, June 28 | 8 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!

The City of Omaha and the Omaha Parks Foundation will hold the annual Memorial Park Concert this Friday, June 27. This year’s free event features very special guest Mike Campbell and the Dirty Knobs and headliner Ringo Starr and His All Starr Band, as well as the classic annual fireworks show to cap off the night.

Humanities Nebraska just announced the details for the upcoming 30th Annual Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities: “Indigenous Storytelling Through Film and Television.” The free event will take place on October 21 at the Holland Performing Arts Center and will feature “Dark Winds” star/executive producer Zahn McClarnon in conversation with film producer Bird Runningwater. Co-chaired by Carol Wang and Beth Whited, this year’s Governor’s Lecture in the Humanities is the 30th consecutive year that Humanities Nebraska has brought an outstanding national speaker to Nebraska to give a free public talk.

Private and semi-private lesson spots at Omaha Conservatory of Music fill quickly. By joining the waitlist, you’ll get early access when waitlist enrollment opens on July 1. Gain exclusive access a week before open enrollment starts. The conservatory offers personalized lessons with experienced teachers in piano, strings, voice, guitar and more. Join the waitlist: https://omahaconservatoryofmusic.opus1.io/lead

The Omaha Community Playhouse will host its annual Awards Night Monday, June 30. The event recognizes outstanding performances during its 2024/25 season as well as the extraordinary contributions of actors, crew members, staff and front-of-house volunteers. Speakers include Susan Baer Collins, co-artistic director; Alex Rodriguez, co-artistic director; and various presenters from the community. The event takes place at the Omaha Community Playhouse at 69th & Cass Street with pre-show cocktails starting at 6:00 p.m. and the ceremony at 7:00 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

Film Streams’ Ruth Sokolof Theater is back in business starting on Friday, June 27, after briefly closing its doors during the College World Series. Make up for lost time and be sure to catch the two new releases, the return of Weekend Essentials, and the 30th anniversary screening of Heat on June 28 at 6:00 p.m.

Spaw Collective is a local, woman-owned dog grooming salon opening in 2025. We prioritize safety and comfort, offering traditional grooming services along with fun, safe coloring options. Our shop features a curated retail area with products from local artisans, supporting the community. Committed to quality and care, we aim to create a positive environment where pets feel loved and owners trust us with their furry babies. Spaw Collective is located at 5094 South 108th Street.

LEADERSHIP & MANAGEMENT

One of the big social problems facing us today is depersonalization, which can lead to wide range of problems personally and professionally. What’s causing the wave of depersonalization? According an Aeon article by Allison Pugh, screen time is part of the blame. The average global internet user spends 6 hours and 40 minutes every day. But there could be other reasons: the widespread reduction of individuals to data. Organizations often force clients, students, patients, workers into “standardized interactions”

Artificial Intelligence – Only 36 percent of small business owners are using AI, according to Axios. Of those businesses that do use AI, only 32 percent are spending more than $50 per month on it.

A recent study showed that men are rewarded for being passionate about their jobs. That is not the case for women. According to the Wall Street Journal, perceptions that a woman is passionate about her job can actually hurt her career prospects. The study researchers hypothesized that the act of expressing emotion about their jobs could hurt women because it feeds into gender stereotypes.

SALES

Best-selling sales author Jeb Blount says some sales pros obsess too much about outcomes. Most sales reps focus on winning and losing individual deals. The downside of this is that every deal, every month, every quarter becomes a life-and-death situation. Blount recommends you shift from this emotion-driven approach to a more predictable, sustainable one.

Process goals put you in control by focusing on what you can actually do. Take a look at a few of Blount’s suggestions:

Instead of “I need to close three deals this month,” a process goal is “I will make 50 prospecting calls every day.”

Instead of “I have to win the Johnson account,” it’s “I will have four meaningful touch points with stakeholders at Johnson this week.”

Instead of “I need to hit 120% of quota,” it’s “I will follow my proven sales methodology on every single opportunity.”

WISDOM

“There is a saying that if you get something for free, you should know that you’re the product.” – Unknown

Did you know Omaha’s cost of doing business is 14 percent lower than the national average?

Did you know the redevelopment of The Crossroads at 72nd & Dodge Street will represent an investment of $850 million?

Did you know CoworkingCafe named Omaha as the #3 best mid-sized metro area in America where STEM professionals thrive in 2025. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Science pros in Omaha earn an average annual salary of $111,734, the 2nd highest among mid-sized metros and well above the national average of $97,000 per year.

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.

All American 4 & 8 Mile happening on June 28th: Join others for the annual All American 4 & 8 mile! A patriotic-themed event that’s perfect for the whole family. The fun includes great swag, free photos, free icecream at the finish line and more fun. Make sure to register as soon as possible to join the fun!

Leashes at Lauritzen happening June 30th: Dogs love going on an adventure – make your next night out with your four-legged friend an evening garden stroll during Leashes at Lauritzen. These events are enjoyable nights for dogs to walk the trails, meet other dogs, take photos among the flowers/foliage and meet other dog lovers. Water will be available at stations throughout the garden.

Puzzlepalooza happening on July 2nd: Grab your puzzle-enthusiast friends and join us for our first-ever Puzzlepalooza! Teams of four will compete to finish a 300-piece puzzle, one large, single-topping pizza and eight beers. This is a 21+ event. Second place will receive a $50 gift card and a 4-pack. First place will receive a $100 gift card, four Scriptown pint glasses and all the bragging rights!

Independence Days Celebration happening July 3rd – 5th: Celebrate Independence Day in style with three days of exciting events at The Granary! Kick things off on July 3rd with a fun-filled afternoon and evening, featuring an amateur pie-baking contest, live music, food from local fundraisers and a spectacular fireworks show. On July 4th, enjoy a parade, foam party and Live Music by ‘Used Cars’ for all ages. We’re wrapping up the weekend on July 5th with an all-ages concert by The Damones. It’s a weekend packed with food, music and celebration that you won’t want to miss!

Late Nights at the Zoo (21+ Event) recurring weekly on Thursdays through August: This summer, the Omaha Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium is opening its doors for adults only on Thursday nights! No kids, all fun! Sips, bites and wild sights select Thursday nights all summer long. 21+ only.

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!

The Greater Omaha Chamber announced the 2025 inductees into the Omaha Business Hall of Fame: Roger A. Dixon, president and CEO of the Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority; Todd & Mary Heistand, owners of NuStyle Development Corporation; Chris Murphy, executive chairman of First Westroads Bank; and the Simon Family of Omaha Steaks, including the late Bruce Simon, former President & CEO and Todd Simon, chairman & Chief Steak Evangelist. The honorees will be formally inducted Wednesday, August 20, at the Holland Performing Arts Center.

Visiting Nurse Association/Easterseals Nebraska has added two board members: Ralph Kellogg, executive vice president of people & training at Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, and Hilke Meyer, associate at NAI NP Dodge. VNA also welcomed Mariel Harding as senior vice president of health services, who will oversee VNA’s School Health, Shelter Nursing, Parenting Support, Home Health Aide, and Flu and Immunization services.

Celluloid Junkie has named Colleen Barstow, executive vice president & co-founder of Main Street Theatres in Omaha, to its 2025 list of Top Women in Global Cinema. Barstow also serves as chair of Cinema United’s Independent Theatre Owners Coalition. Main Street Theatres runs ACX Cinemas and Backlot Pizza + Kitchen across five states.

Fraser Stryker has added David. G. Anderson to its Business & Corporate team. With more than 25 years of combined law firm and in-house experience, Anderson provides legal counsel to clients of all sizes on M&A, real estate, corporate governance, joint ventures, franchise law and commercial contract negotiations.

JE Dunn Construction has hired Marissa Gigantelli as client solutions manager. She graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln with a master’s degree in architectural engineering with an emphasis on lighting/electrical. She serves on the CREW Omaha board, the Aksarben Floor Committee and the Urban Land Institute’s Membership Committee.

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.

The other day, I jumped into my 10-year-old Chevy (Base price $17,650) and headed to the gym for some pickleball. I stopped at a stoplight, heard a rumbling noise, looked out the window, and there sat a 2025 Lamborghini (Base price $384,795).

The light turned green, and the 2025 Lamborghini (Base price $384,795) shot off like a bolt of lightning. About five minutes later, I pulled into the gym parking lot just in time to see the Lamborghini (Base price $384,795) being parked in a far corner of the lot so nobody could park next to it.

The reason I tell you this story is because it is an ingenious segway into this episode’s financial lesson: “Investing is not rocket science.” What prompted this was the recent article in the Wall Street Journal about a hedge-fund recruiting war for hot-shot stock pickers.

Hedge funds are considered to be the crème de la crème of the investment community. They have staffs, consisting of dozens of math PhD’s, massive banks of computers, and operate on the hazy fringe of the fed regulators. In order to become a hedge fund client, you need a net worth greater than most third-world nations, and write a seven-figure check, just to get on the elevator.

The WSJ article documented the gory details of the aforementioned recruiting war. It seems that a bunch of big-time hedge fund CEOs thought that Kevin Liu was the next investment Patrick Mahomes and started chasing after him with check books in hand.

When the dust settled, Steve Cohen of the Point 72 fund took home the prize with an offer of more than $100 million over four years. But these massive fee packages aren’t coming out of the firm’s pockets. The compensation costs for these alleged gurus are passed down to the clients. To quote the Wall Street Journal article: “These deals will drive down returns and could conceivably drive business away.”

Currently, there are 4,123 hedge funds domiciled in the United States. Their combined assets under management exceed $4 trillion dollars. That may sound like big bucks, but it pales in comparison to the $26 trillion dollars deposited in our collective 401(k) and IRA plans.

Back to the “Investing-is-not-rocket-science” thing. According to the American Hedge Fund Association, last year the average return, after all expenses, of all 4,123 U.S. hedge funds was 11.7 percent. Those that focused solely on U.S. stocks were 14.3 percent. Compare that to a simple S&P 500 index fund that charges .01 percent and had a total return of 26.5 percent for the same period!

Moral of the story – You can spend half a million bucks to look like a rock star on your way to play pickleball, or you can drive a Chevy and get there at the same time.

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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