The May 7th Weekly Market Report

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

Maharaja Indian Cuisine will open its second location at 8419 South 73rd Plaza in Papillion, replacing the former Miyake Sushi House space. Its original location is in Miracle Hills at 617 North 114th Street.

Crisp & Green plans to open a third metro area location in Papillion at Midlands Place, a retail center southeast of 84th & Highway 370. The quick-serve restaurant is shooting for an August opening in a former boba tea shop. Crisp & Green’s original Omaha store is at 225 North 80th Street. The brand just opened a new store near 168th & West Center Road on April 24th. Crisp & Green has more than 45 locations nationwide.

Indian Creek Golf Course has opened Approach, a restaurant on the upper level of its recently renovated clubhouse near 202nd & West Maple Road. As a public golf course, Indian Creek’s clubhouse is open to everyone. Approach is a chef-driven, casual-fine dining restaurant open year-round, offering lunch, happy-hour and dinner menus.

Signage is up for The Alibi Room at 9001 Arbor Street in the former VIP Lounge building north of 90th & West Center Road. The cocktail lounge has not yet announced an opening date. VIP Lounge relocated to 8505 Frederick Street last summer.

Renovations are underway on a Taco Bell restaurant at 14554 West Center Road in Harvey Oaks Plaza. The 2,354 sq. ft. building sits on a .63-acre lot and was originally built in 1985. The restaurant is temporarily closed during the project, which includes extensive interior and exterior updates.

Monty’s Bar & Bottle Shop opened for business last Friday in the former Wine Beer and Spirits space at 1037 Jones Street. Operated by Charles “Monty” Carter, the neighborhood bar is on the ground level of the Old Market Lofts Building. Wine Beer and Spirits’ original location near Oak View Mall remains open. The retailer has additional stores in Fremont, Lincoln and Grand Island, Neb.

Shoeman’s Grocery has opened next door to Shoeman’s Liquor & More at 3737 Farnam Street in the Blackstone District. The bodega-style, neighborhood-focused grocery store opened May 1st on the ground floor of the 9-story 37 West Farnam Building. The liquor store opened back in November. The owner, Chad Shoeman, also owns the Red Lion Lounge one block to the west.

Benson Grocery has opened at 5420 Northwest Radial Highway in the Benson area. The space, which was previously occupied by Hosiery Plus, is west of Hartland Bar-B-Que. The neighborhood grocery store sells food and convenience items.

The Buckle plans to open a new store on Monday, May 11th at Nebraska Crossing in Gretna. Between May 11 and June 8, the store plans to give away several gift cards as part of its grand-opening giveaway. The Buckle is taking over the former Eddie Bauer space. Based in Kearney, Neb., The Buckle has 444 stores in 42 states.

The Only Facial, a top-rated facial spa, plans to open its second Omaha location Monday, May 11 at 17219 Evans Street. That’s just south of West Maple Road. Local owners Skip and Katy Joyce have an existing location at 1020 South 74th Plaza. Founded in 2017 and based in St. Louis, The Only Facial has locations in 11 states.

After eight years in business, Prairie in Bloom will close its west Omaha location at 2731 South 140th Street.

PaCs Popcorn and Cocktails has permanently closed in the Old Market. The cocktail bar was located at 1118 Howard Street.

Crews have started demolishing the former OJ’s Café building at 9201 North 30th Street near the Mormon Bridge. OJ’s closed in 2023.

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

Anthem Brings Nostalgia, Cocktails & Latin-Asian Flavor to the Old Market

By Chris Corey

Anthem is the latest Flagship Restaurant Group concept to open in Omaha, taking over the former Plank space at 12th & Howard Street in the Old Market. It opened last month and marks one of two recent Flagship shakeups—the other is a second Clio taking over west Omaha’s former Blatt Beer & Table in the Shops of Legacy. Flagship seems to know when a concept has run its course in a particular area and exactly where a new one fits in.

Reba O’Neal is the general manager, making a lateral move from Châm Pang Lanes and Ghost Donkey. She’s been with Flagship since 2021, starting as an assistant general manager at Blue Sushi Sake Grill in Lincoln. She worked there for three years before opening Châm Pang—a natural fit given her established bar background. She’s been bartending since she was 19, the earliest age one can legally tend bar in Nebraska.

Anthem was born in Austin, Tex., on Rainey Street. The name comes from one of the owners, Anthony Hitchcock. It’s a pairing of “Ant,” the first part of his name, and “them,” a nostalgic nod to his friends. “Anthony really wanted a restaurant that reminded him of nostalgia and that feeling you get when you don’t know where the night’s going to go, but you know it’s going to be a great time,” O’Neal said. “This is like Anthony’s love letter.”

The interior carries Plank’s bones—the layout, booths and general structure are familiar—but Anthem gives it a warmer, brighter, more playful identity. There’s a tropical-modern look: rattan pendant lights, warm wood, patterned tile, greenery, a long polished bar, soft green booths and mural-style art that gives the room a breezy, transportive feel.

Shadow boxes throughout include memories from Plank, Hitchcock and others connected to Flagship. The most touching is one that honors a former Plank bartender, the late Tommy “Thom” Stansberry, who O’Neal said wore pearls and had a bubbly personality. His pearls are now preserved in the restaurant.

The menu is designed around approachability and shareability, offering big flavors with playful, careful restraint. O’Neal said the top sellers are tiger-style sticky ribs, birria tacos and the pu pu platters. Beverage director Shannon Saulsbury created a cocktail menu designed to be approachable and easy to enjoy.

“Chuggable,” O’Neal playfully noted.

During our visit, Jennifer and I sampled cocktails, a couple of appetizers, entrees and a dessert worth going back for seconds. Let’s get into our tour of the menu.

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Construction to Begin Soon on Urban Core Affordable Housing

By Kacie Ferrazzo

A major new investment aimed at addressing Omaha’s housing shortage in the urban core is beginning to move from concept to construction.

Front Porch Investments, a nonprofit focused on expanding affordable housing, is now advancing projects tied to a $40 million urban core housing fund backed in part by a streetcar-related bond purchase from the Lozier Foundation. The effort is designed to help deliver up to 1,900 new affordable housing units.

Executive Director Jody Holston said the organization has spent the past few months building the framework needed to move projects forward.

“We officially launched that fund in January,” Holston said. “In that time, we’ve been focused on moving it into implementation.”

That work has included coordinating with the City of Omaha to establish how projects are reviewed and approved, while also working directly with developers to build a pipeline of potential developments. According to Holston, they’re getting close to dollars actually hitting projects.

“We have already reviewed our first few projects,” she said. “The first one is conditionally approved, and we’ve got a couple more in review right now.”

While no projects have been formally announced yet, Holston said that milestone is getting closer.

“We’ll formally announce the projects as soon as they actually close on their financing and loan, but likely it will be later this year on the first few,” she said.

The fund targets Omaha’s urban core, generally defined as the area from the Missouri River west to 50th Avenue and from Cuming Street south to Woolworth Avenue. Within that area, emphasis is being placed on the future streetcar corridor and areas experiencing significant blight.

Holston said they’re trying to meet the full need of the spectrum and make sure there’s options provided.

“We expect to see a mix of projects, from multifamily rentals to homeownership, mixed-income and mixed-use developments, as well as preservation of existing housing,” she said.

Affordability will also vary. Most projects will target households earning 80 percent of the area median income or below, though some developments may extend into workforce housing levels up to 100 or 120 percent of median income. Importantly, those affordability levels are designed to last.

“We make sure there are structures in place, so those units stay affordable for the next 10 to 20 years,” Holston said.

The funding itself is intended to help bridge financing, which is often one of the biggest challenges in housing development. Front Porch offers flexible, low-interest loans, typically between 2 percent and 4 percent that can be used across the full life cycle of a project.

That flexibility is especially critical in the urban core, where higher land and infrastructure costs can make projects more difficult to complete.

“We’re facing the same challenges everyone is facing in building housing,” Holston said. “Especially in the urban core, a lot of those challenges are more pronounced.”

The need remains significant. Holston noted the Omaha metro is short an estimated 85,000 affordable housing units. She also noted the Greater Omaha Chamber previously released a target of adding 30,000 new residents to the urban core.

The 1,900-unit target tied to this fund remains in place, though Holston said the exact number will depend on how projects layer multiple funding sources.

Beyond this specific initiative, Front Porch has already played a growing role in the region’s housing landscape. Since 2022, the organization has helped fund $44 million in projects, leveraging more than $577 million in total development.

“This $40 million in the urban core fund, we would expect that to leverage a much larger impact in total development cost, so we’re excited to see that,” Holston said.

Front Porch is also working on broader solutions to address systemic housing challenges, including regulatory barriers and rising construction costs. The organization recently partnered with the Urban Land Institute to host a technical assistance panel with the goal to solve problems around affordability in the urban core, with recommendations expected in late May.

As those first developments begin to take shape later this year, they could mark an important step toward closing Omaha’s housing gap. Front Porch is also cosponsoring a development symposium conference in June focused on affordable housing development.

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Isaiah Ang, Contributing Writer

The State of Nebraska’s Sports Arena Facility Financing Assistance Act Board today approved turnback-tax financing for Union Omaha’s planned 6,500-seat soccer stadium in North Downtown. Union Omaha plans to build the $140 million stadium in partnership with the City of Omaha, which will own it. The site is currently a mostly vacant, former Union Pacific railyard northeast of 11th & Cuming Street. As part of the project, plans call for an adjacent mixed-use development with residential, retail and entertainment buildings.

Building urban housing and redeveloping established parts of the city has become much easier in Nebraska. The Unicameral last month enacted L.B. 1114, formally authorizing Community Improvement Districts as a tool to finance public infrastructure and support development inside the city limits. Bluestem Capital Partners explains how real estate developers can leverage the tool HERE.

An apartment project is being proposed for the southwest corner of 192nd & Q Street. The Omaha Planning Board approved the final plat of the 9.51-acre site. Details are unknown, but according to submitted plat drawings, the project will consist of six, large, multi-family buildings and feature significant landscaping including nearly 250 trees.

The Omaha City Council approved an ordinance to acquire land along North 24th Street. The Omaha Public Works Department will improve the land as part of a major streetscape project. The stretch of North 24th Street extends from Ohio Street to Sahler Street. Improvements include pedestrian nodes that shorten crosswalks, on-street parking, sidewalks, landscaping and signage. The project is currently in final design consideration. Construction is planned to start in spring 2027.

Crews have started installing exterior glass panels on the CHI Health Center’s $200 million convention center expansion. The 90,000 sq. ft., 2-level addition on the east side features floor-to-ceiling glass walls and expands the number of meeting rooms from 16 to 41. Upon completion, CHI’s convention space will total 420,000 sq. ft. The existing convention center space will receive updates to flooring, woodwork and bathrooms.

The redevelopment of the iconic grain silos adjacent to Interstate 80 near 34th & Vinton Street continues to make progress with the Omaha Planning Board’s approval of the developer’s Tax Increment Financing application. The project calls for demolition of most of the silos, maintaining several rows on each end of the project.

The three northernmost rows of silos will be adorned with artwork, while the eight southernmost rows of silos will be maintained to create a sound and visual boundary with I-80. The $56 million project consists of three apartment buildings and a row of townhome-style apartments. Two of the apartment buildings will be located on top of silo foundations, which will also act as a retaining wall. In total, the project will bring 233 market-rate rental units, though some may be reserved for workforce housing with a grant from Front Porch Investments, according to the developer.

Site work and grading have started on The Rye at Harrison, a $20 million apartment and townhome development on the northwest corner of 213th & Harrison Street near the Coventry Wood neighborhood. Developed by Hubbell Realty Company, The Rye at Harrison will be built in phases with a total of 286 units, both market rate rental apartments and townhomes, and more than 550 parking spaces.

Commercial development is stretching into far northwest Omaha as several buildings are going up northeast of 168th & State Street. Heartland Dental is now constructing a 4,124 sq. ft, one-story building at 16759 Willit Street, immediately west of a recently opened McDonald’s restaurant. Based in Effingham, Ill., Heartland Dental supports 1,900 offices in 39 states.

Park Omaha has launched a program to help employees of businesses impacted by streetcar construction. Employees can now access $1 parking sessions in two downtown garages and one surface lot in the Blackstone District. Corridor businesses must sign up through the program and validate their employees before they receive the rate. A similar program to help the general public is coming within a few weeks.

The Omaha Planning Board approved a zoning code amendment to change parking space minimums across all residential housing types. Currently, depending on the type of housing constructed, the zoning code requires different numbers of parking spaces. For example, a single-family home or a townhouse requires two spaces, while a duplex requires 1.5 spaces per unit.

For multi-family developments, efficiency units require one parking space. One-bedroom units require 1.5 spaces, while units with two or more bedrooms require two spaces. Under the proposed amendment, all new residential units will require one parking space. This 1:1 ratio has been used in a large majority of more than 100 Planned Unit Overlay Districts, but required modification to the zoning code to reduce the enforceable parking requirements.

Codifying the 1:1 ratio will simplify the administrative process and provides additional flexibility to developers, allowing many more units to be built, instead of more parking, within any given project.

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Omaha-based HDR and HNTB are the designers for the University of Nebraska’s Memorial Stadium transformation project in Lincoln. The redesigned stadium will feature a connected east-west bowl with a fully continuous main concourse, allowing 360-degree circulation. The renovated stadium will seat 80,000 fans and will be ready before the 2028 Husker football season.

Two Kiddie Academy Educational Child Care locations broke ground in the metro area last month. Kiddie Academy of Bennington will be located at 15623 Hanover Falls Drive. Kiddie Academy of Papillion is under construction at 2055 Creekside Drive. Based in Maryland, Kidde Academy has 375 locations in 40 states. Each building will be 12,900 sq. ft. Together they will serve 400 children. Kidde has an existing Omaha location at 1111 South 206 Circle.

A CoworkingCafe study has ranked Omaha as the fifth-best large U.S. metro area for working moms in 2026. The analysis reviewed metros using 14 metrics, from employment and income to childcare affordability, commute times and access to healthcare. The only metros with more than 1 million people to place ahead of Omaha were Minneapolis, Denver, St. Louis and Kansas City. Omaha has more than 83,000 working moms.

Regency Landing northeast of Interstate 680 & Pacific Street will be home to another office tenant. According to a building permit for tenant finish at 10730 Pacific Street, EGiS Technologies will occupy a 5,500 sq. ft. office space. EGiS is currently located at 210 Regency Parkway and provides computer and technology services.

Green Plains Inc. announced financial results for the first quarter of 2026. Net income attributable to the company was $32.9 million, or $0.42 per diluted share compared to net loss attributable to the company of $(72.9) million or ($1.14) per diluted share, for the same period in 2025. Revenues were $445.8 million for the first quarter of 2026 compared with $601.5 million for the same period last year. EBITDA was $71.5 million compared to ($41.5) million for the same period in the prior year.

Creighton University’s Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas under the leadership of Dr. Ernie Goss, moved above growth neutral for the third straight month, pointing to improving economic growth in manufacturing and the overall economy. The index increased to 56.0 in April from 55.6 in March. A score of 50.0 represents growth neutral.

Among large cities, Omaha is one of the 10 hottest housing markets in the nation, according to Construction Coverage, a San Diego-based construction research company. Here’s the top 10: 1. San Francisco; 2. San Jose, Calif.; 3. Minneapolis; 4. Virginia Beach, Va.; 5. Milwaukee; 6. Oakland, Calif.; 7. Chicago; 8. Omaha; 9. Baltimore; 10. Seattle. Among the states, Nebraska ranked No. 9. Connecticut was number one, while Texas was 50th.

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Orel Alliance, an Omaha nonprofit organization founded in 2024 in response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, celebrated the opening of its first community center at the Bel Air Plaza near 120th and West Center on May 3. So far, Orel Alliance has provided more than $1.5 million in direct financial support to 2,500 Ukrainian families across the Omaha area. The community center will house the program’s offices as well as community programming.

In April, the Omaha Venture Group – a giving circle facilitated by the Omaha Community Foundation – awarded its largest total grant amount to date, with each recipient receiving $10,000. This year’s grant recipients include:

• Arts & Culture: Creative Reuse Omaha, Inc.
• Health: African Immigrant Family Services
• Neighborhoods, Civic Engagement & Safety: Latino Economic Development Council (LEDC)
• Workforce & Education: CareerLadder
• Youth Sports: JSSA: James Scurlock Sports Academy

Collective for Hope is hosting a Remembrance Day Celebration on May 23 at Miller’s Landing. The free, family-friendly outdoor event is designed to help individuals and families honor loved ones through meaningful, hands-on experiences and community connection. It will feature food trucks, memorial banners, remembrance activities and crafts.

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Cole Young, Contributing Writer

The Omaha Supernovas will enter their third straight postseason in the MLV Championship semifinal tonight. The ‘Novas were slotted as the No. 4 seed after their loss to the Dallas Pulse over the weekend. Omaha finished the regular season 14-14 and will face the top-seeded Indy Ignite in the semifinals tonight at 6 p.m. on Ion. Should Omaha extinguish the Ignite on Thursday, they will advance to the “Match For A Million”, Major League Volleyball’s championship match, on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Kiara Reinhardt was announced as the winner of the 2026 MLV Rising Star Award, capping off a stellar rookie season. The No. 8 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLV Draft out of Creighton, Reinhardt led all rookies with a .327 hitting percentage, a mark that ranked sixth overall in the league. This season, Reinhardt led all rookie middle blockers in points (182), kills (121), digs (53), blocks (40) and aces (21).

Creighton baseball bolstered its resume on Tuesday night, walking off No. 7 Kansas, 9-8, in 13 innings at Charles Schwab Field. Ben North sent his 10th home run of the season over the wall in deep right-center to give Creighton its seventh true walk-off win in 2026. Each team struggled on the mound throughout the game, but relievers Shane Curtin and Anthony Unga shined for the Bluejays, throwing a combined six innings of shutout relief in which they allowed just one hit and combined for nine strikeouts.

Creighton will return to action on Friday at 6 p.m. when it opens its final home series of the season against Georgetown. Next Tuesday, May 12, Creighton will host Nebraska for the third and final game of the season-long in-state rivalry series. That game will begin at 6 p.m. and be televised on Nebraska Public Media and broadcast on 1620 The Zone.

Omaha softball placed 10 student-athletes on the 2026 All-Summit League Teams, it was announced Tuesday. Marra Cramer became the first outfielder to earn the Summit League Defensive Player of the Year award, Maddia Groff earned her second straight Summit League Pitcher of the Year award, and head coach Mike Heard was named the conference’s Coach of the Year.

Six Mavericks were named to the Summit League First Team: Maddia Groff, Alexis Wiggins, Taylor Sedlacek, Bailey Sample, Marra Cramer and Sammy Schmidt. Katherine Johnson was the lone Maverick named Second Team All-Summit League. Rylinn Groff, Alyson Edwards and Ava Rongisch rounded out the team’s awards, earning Honorable Mention All-Summit honors.

The Mavericks secured the program’s first outright regular-season championship this season and will begin the 2026 Summit League Championship on Thursday at 11 a.m. against fourth-seeded South Dakota in a rematch of last year’s tournament final.

Creighton softball enters the Big East Softball Championships as the No. 3 seed, and will face second-seeded UConn on Thursday at 3 p.m. Should Creighton lose, they will turn around and face the loser of (1) Providence vs. (4) Butler on Thursday night at 6 p.m. With a win, they would advance to the semifinals on Friday at 1 p.m. to face the winner of Thursday’s game between Providence and Butler. Every game of the Big East Softball Championships can be streamed with a subscription to ESPN+.

Union Omaha defeated Greenville Triumph SC at Morrison Stadium on Saturday, 2-0, behind goals from Kempes Waldemar Tekiela (53’) and Diego Gutierrez (90+2’). Younes Boudadi and Diego Gutierrez were each named to the USL League One Team of the Week for their performances against Greenville. Boudadi created four chances for the Owls’ offense, while Gutierrez scored the insurance goal on his last of four shots. The Owls will return to action this Saturday, May 9, at home against the Portland Hearts of Pine at 7 p.m.

The Omaha Storm Chasers are facing the Indianapolis Indians in a road series this week that is tied at one game apiece. Omaha will return home to host the Toledo Mud Hens Tuesday, May 12, for ‘Nothing But Baseball Night’, which the club has described as “No promotions, no ad reads, no videos, no nothing. Just baseball.” First pitch will be at 6:35 p.m.

Upcoming Events

• Omaha softball vs. South Dakota | Thursday, May 7 | 11 a.m.
• Creighton softball vs. UConn | Thursday, May 7 | 3 p.m.
• Omaha Supernovas vs. Indy Ignite | Thursday, May 7 | 6 p.m.
• Omaha Storm Chasers at Indianapolis | May 5 – 10 | 5:35 p.m. Friday
• Creighton baseball vs. Georgetown | May 8 – 10 | 6 p.m. Friday
• Omaha baseball at Oral Roberts | May 8 – 10 | 6 p.m. Friday
• Union Omaha vs. Portland | Saturday, May 9 | 7 p.m.
• Creighton baseball vs. Nebraska | Tuesday, May 12 | 6 p.m.

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The Cottonwood Hotel in the Blackstone District

By Patrick Wyman

At one time, Omaha was home to the most elegant hotel between Chicago and San Francisco. Located in the West Farnam District, the Blackstone Hotel lent its name to the increasingly affluent neighborhood along the streetcar route. The area became known as the Blackstone District, earning a reputation as Omaha’s Gold Coast.

The hotel was built for Bankers Realty Company, which hired Francis W. Fitzpatrick as its architect. As an assistant to Henry Ives Cobb, he helped design the Chicago Federal Building and later designed the St. Regis Apartments in Omaha. The eight-story Blackstone was built in the Second Renaissance Revival style with a steel frame covered in brick and a terracotta cornice.

Located at 302 South 36th Street, the hotel opened in 1916 as a residential hotel that rented rooms by the year while providing hotel-like services. Unlike similar hotels that were all located downtown, the Blackstone was built in west Omaha to serve the city’s wealthy residents. Its apartments ranged from one to six rooms, none with kitchens, and the streetcar provided easy access to Happy Hollow, Country Club and Field Club for the “club man.”

The investment company didn’t get the returns it had hoped for, due in part to the number of houses and apartment complexes being built at the same time. By the time the company was looking to sell, its service and furnishings had declined to the point where they used torn bed sheets as tablecloths. That gave Charles Schimmel, the son of a successful Vienna caterer, an opportunity to turn it into one of the best hotels in the country.

Born in Austria in 1873, Charles immigrated to the U.S. at 16 and settled in Chicago, where he built the Custer Hotel in Galesburg, Illinois, in 1915. He moved to Omaha in 1920 and bought the Blackstone. Over time, the Schimmel chain expanded to include the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln; Hotel-Kings-Way in St. Louis; Lassen Hotel and Schimmel Inn in Wichita, Kan.; Town House Hotel in Kansas City; Lincoln-Douglas Hotel in Quincy, Ill.; and Indian Hills Inn in Omaha.

Charles and Mary Schimmel turned the Blackstone into a symbol of elegance during the Roaring Twenties, regarded as a premier stop along the Lincoln Highway. The first floor featured a grand marble staircase and palm room, which contributed to its grandeur alongside a dining room, lounge and soda fountain.

The basement offered conveniences such as a barber shop, shoeshine parlor and hair salon, in addition to a billiards room and servants’ quarters. The upper floors contained suites with four glass sunrooms on each floor. The grand ballroom with its three rooftop gardens sat at the top.

The Blackstone also featured award-winning restaurants including The Orleans Room, which received Holiday Magazine’s “Award for Excellence” 16 straight years. Both the Plush Horse Coffee Room and Golden Spur were more casual options. Among its claims to fame, the Reuben sandwich and Butter Brickle ice cream are both said to have been invented at the hotel.

The Cottonwood Room, meanwhile, provided guests the opportunity to sip a cocktail beneath a cottonwood tree while taking in views of the river valley via a 54-foot, backlit photographic mural.

The Schimmels had six children and envisioned each son running his own hotel someday, training them accordingly. After Charles passed away in 1938, sons Edward and Bernard continued to operate the Blackstone alongside their mother, Mary, who passed away in 1946. The other two sons, Abram Quincy and Walter, managed the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln and the Lassen Hotel in Wichita, respectively.

The hotel published its own magazine, The Blackstonian, and kept a small fleet of limousines for the many prominent guests who passed through its doors. Among them were President John F. Kennedy and First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, who spent their fifth wedding anniversary there in 1958. Richard Nixon announced his presidential candidacy from the rooftop ballroom in 1967. Other notable guests included Presidents Dwight Eisenhower and Ronald Reagan as well as First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt.

After a 48-year run, the Schimmel family sold the hotel to Radisson Corporation in 1968. The second generation of Schimmel hoteliers all passed away in the years that followed, with A.Q. in 1970, Edward in 1975, Bernard in 1977, and Walter in 1990.

Radisson attempted to renovate the hotel but never matched its former glory. Occupancy dropped to 55 percent by the time the company closed it in 1976. The building was declared an Omaha Landmark in 1983, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1985 and converted to an office complex called Blackstone Center.

Kiewit Corporation purchased the building in 2007 and sold it to Clarity Development Company and Green Slate Development in 2017. Together they undertook the painstaking process of restoring it as a luxury hotel at a cost of $75 million. By the time it reopened in 2020, it had to change its name, as a hotel in Chicago had trademarked the Blackstone name.

Today it operates as the Kimpton Cottonwood Hotel, featuring 205 guest rooms, 31 suites, two restaurants, a coffee shop and a lounge. The restaurants are the reimagined Orleans Room, which offers a casual dining experience, and the upscale Committee Chophouse, which takes its name from “The Committee,” a weekly poker group where the Reuben sandwich was born.

A new wing added suites and gathering spaces, along with a resort-style pool and a carriage house that doubles as a poolside bar in summer and a holiday pop-up bar when the pool is closed.

While many original features were retained, including the mosaic tile floor, marble staircase and terracotta columns, other elements had to be recreated using old photographs, including the ballroom and the Cottonwood Room lounge, which once again features its namesake tree and panoramic river valley screen.

The Blackstone Hotel and the neighborhood it named have both had remarkable second acts.

Since 1917, Bankers Trust has been a leading financial institution for commercial and consumer banking services. Headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa, with $7.5 billion in assets, Bankers Trust is the state’s largest privately held community bank. Bankers Trust has operated a loan production office in Omaha since 2008 and opened its first full-service branch in 2025. Visit Bankers Trust at the corner of 192nd and Dodge to see how we can make a difference for all your personal and commercial banking needs.

Junkstock is celebrating 15 years with a theme that continues on May 8 through 10 at Sycamore Farms. Featuring 22 bands and more than 250 vendors and businesses, Junkstock invites guests to experience both creativity and connection. What began as a passion for junking has grown into one of the Midwest’s most beloved festivals, with the celebratory theme that is personal and immersive: The Secret Garden. This theme honors Lisa Stork, Junkstock co-founder Sara Alexander’s mother-in-law, who passed away last November. Her influence helped spark what eventually became Junkstock, and her legacy can be felt throughout the festival. Tickets can be purchased at the gate on all days.

Garden Party Omaha returns to Sonny’s in Aksarben Village on Saturday, May 9 from 2 to 11 p.m. The bar will be transformed into a vibrant, all-day celebration of music, community and inclusion that focuses on uplifting songwriters from Nebraska and the region. Garden Party Omaha has evolved from a ticketed DIY backyard event into a community-centered festival experience.

This year’s lineup showcases a mix of indie rock, roots rock and other talent, headlined by Laney Jones and the Spirits. Other performers include Omaha-based Ex Lover, Katy Guillen & The Drive, LuLa, Nicki Walters and more. For more information, visit www.gardenpartyomaha.com

Omaha Performing Arts will present The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes on Friday, May 15 at the Holland Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. Originally scheduled for December 2025, this event will present a special screening of the classic film, The Princess Bride, with a behind-the-scenes look at the film, secrets and stories afterwards with actor Cary Elwes, who played the iconic role of Westley.

Elwes has been in a multitude of films over the years, recently Mission Impossible: Dead Reckoning and Operation Fortune: Ruse de Gurerre. Now he’s sharing personal and behind-the-scenes stories of this iconic film across the nation. Visit here for tickets.

The Great Plains Theatre Commons announced playwright Dillon Chitto as the recipient of the 2026-27 Four Directions Playwright Residency, a collaborative program supporting Native and Indigenous playwrights through multi-site creative residencies and community engagement. The year-long residency includes stops in Omaha, Minnesota, Oklahoma and Kansas City,

culminating in a public reading at Kansas City Repertory Theatre in summer 2027.

GPTC artistic director Kevin Lawler said the program continues the organization’s long-term support of Native playwrights and storytelling. The playwright is selected by Native playwright, Mary Kathryn Nagle, and alumni of the Four Directions program. This is the fourth year of the residency program.

Dates of the 2026-27 residency are currently scheduled for:

• Great Plains Theatre Commons – May 23 – 31, 2026
• Tofte Lake – June 14-24, 2026
• Tulsa Artist Fellowship – September 2026
• Kansas City Repertory Theatre – June, 2027

Would your business like to reach thousands of readers, who are interested in Omaha’s Arts & Culture scene? Then sponsor this section! To find out how, contact Grow Omaha’s sales coordinator, Karla Steele at karla@growomaha.com.

Did you know the City of Omaha approved 22 Tax Increment Financing development projects last year, providing $52 million in TIF loans to support $424 million in urban development? The projects will create 1,600 residential units and 75,000 sq. ft. of commercial space in urban Omaha.

Did you know that Omaha-based Scooter’s Coffee now has 912 locations in 32 states and generated $859 million in total sales last year?

Did you know that 80 percent of Creighton University undergrads complete at least one internship or research project during their time on campus?

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.

The Dinner Detective True Crime Murder Mystery Dinner Show — May 9
Solve a true-crime-inspired comedy mystery while enjoying a plated dinner at DoubleTree Hotel Omaha Southwest. With actors hidden in the audience, the show keeps guests guessing all night and may even turn them into prime suspects.

Mother’s Day Brunch — May 9–10
Celebrate Mother’s Day at Lauritzen Gardens with a buffet-style brunch surrounded by spring blooms and scenic garden views. After brunch, families can explore the garden’s 100 acres of seasonal displays and exhibits.

Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet and Bingo — May 10
Celebrate Mom with a brunch buffet at Smash Park La Vista, featuring breakfast favorites, lunch classics and interactive bingo starting at 10 a.m. The event includes hourly blackout bingo rounds with prizes, adding a fun twist to a Mother’s Day meal.

BLUEBARN Theatre Presents: A Chorus Line — Opens May 14
BLUEBARN Theatre brings the Tony- and Pulitzer-winning musical A Chorus Line to Omaha for a month-long run. This iconic production follows dancers through one audition, one line and one shot at making it.

Little Bohemia Spring Market — May 16
Spend the day exploring Little Bohemia with artists, makers, vintage vendors, food trucks, pop-ups and shopping throughout the neighborhood. This free, family-friendly and dog-friendly market is a great way to support local small businesses and enjoy one of Omaha’s most creative districts.

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!

Visiting Nurse Association (VNA)/Easterseals Nebraska has added two new board members: Kelly Vaughn, chief nursing officer at Nebraska Medicine, and John Hemmer, audit partner at Forvis Mazars, LLP. VNA also welcomed Bridget Elzey 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.

La Vista Mayor Doug Kindig has appointed Peyton Mastera as city administrator. He will start in June. Mastera has been serving as city administrator of Dilworth, Minn., for the past 12 years.

Lutz has announced the redemption of shares held by Mark Duren, a longtime leader at the firm. This transition, a routine part of Lutz’s governance, creates opportunities for the next generation of leaders to step into ownership. Duren will continue to serve the firm in a consulting capacity. He joined Lutz in 1992 and become managing shareholder in 2015.

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 late UK prime minister Margaret Thatcher once said, “People think that at the top there isn’t much room. They tend to think of it as an Everest. My message is that there is tons of room at the top.”

Although reaching the top isn’t easy, there is a clear path to it. As you contemplate how you can make progress toward your own “Everest” – even in difficult times – there are several encouraging things to consider.

First, you have total control of the process. You have the freedom and the right to succeed. You don’t have to ask permission, and you don’t have to wait for someone else to do it for you.

To reach the metaphorical Mt. Everest, you need to take to initiative and be proactive. Successful people are always on the move and don’t behave passively. Be the ultimate self-starter.

Perhaps even more important, avoid victimhood and blaming at all costs. It’s never somebody else’s fault. The highest-performing people accept blame when appropriate, and they also graciously accept credit when it’s due.

Successful people are gritty, which means “bravery, courage and determination despite difficulty.”

Achievement guru Angela Lee Duckworth says, “Grit is sticking with your future day in, day out and not just for the week, not just for the month, but for years.” Be resilient no matter what happens in the world.

This “Tons of Room at the Top” message is a liberating one. Success is always within your grasp. You can manufacture it out of seemingly nothing. To reach your Everest, you need to adopt certain behaviors and beliefs and make them part of your daily life. You have control of your life, work and business. Success starts with you and ends with you.

SALES

There are a number of techniques you can try to win business and acquire more clients, but there’s one technique that’s not recommended: discounting your price. That’s the easy way out, and it’s a short-term way of thinking. Some people think they’ll win over a prospective client by giving them a drastic discount. It might work, but know this – once you give a discount, the client might always expect that price. Plus, if you discount too much, you may end up losing money.

A willingness to discount may make your ability and effectiveness as a professional appear to be of diminished value. If you want a good client for a long period of time, you need to earn them the old-fashioned way by providing value as opposed to the easy-but-temporary way – discounting.

One of the easiest ways to respond to a discount request is to say this: “Our price is consistent with the value we bring to clients like you, and it’s competitive in the marketplace, so I don’t discount it.”

WISDOM

“Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good breaks from bad shots – but you have to play the ball where it lies.” – Bobby Jones

During a 1963 debate on the federal budget, the Senior Senator from Illinois, Everett Dirksen proclaimed, “a billion here, a billion there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money.”

Dirksen didn’t use exact numbers, and that was not his intent. He used hyperbole to point out that the proposed level of federal spending would have significant impact on the lives of the American public.

The same thing can be said about the current state of our nation’s 401k program: “It is starting to add up to real money.”

As it was in Dirkson’s case, the numbers I am about to present are not precise, but because of the massive dollar amount involved, lack of specificity does not diminish the significant role our 401k plan plays in the lives those living out their golden years.

The 401k program became the law of the land in 1978. It allows workers to place a portion of their paycheck into a tax-sheltered account that will become their primary income source once they retire. Business owners are responsible for initiating and maintaining a 401k plan for their company. Some do; some don’t.

The growth of an individual 401k account has two distinct components. First, there is the additional dollars being added from the participants’ payroll deductions. Next is the growth of the investments selected by the account owner. The program requires the account owner to decide how the assets of the account are invested, but their choices are limited to a small number of mutual funds provided by their plan administrator.

The public’s initial response to the 401k program was underwhelming. By the end of its first decade in operation, only enrolled 3 million workers had been enrolled, and the collective value of the programs’ assets was a paltry $4.8 billion dollars.

Fast forward to today’s situation. When we entered the twenty-fist century, the total value of the 401k program was $1.7 trillion. During the years from 2000 to 2026, the S&P 500 index grew four and a half times. Seventy-six percent of all 401k accounts contain equity mutual funds, and as we entered 2026, the total value of the 401k assets exceeded $14 trillion.

It’s impossible to calculate what percent of this impressive growth in 401k assets can be attributed to payroll deductions and how much to investment gain. But let’s return to Senator Dirksen’s hypothesis and assume that the gain from the investment portion is a meager 25 percent of the total. That translates to $3.5 trillion added to workers’ retirement accounts due to prudent investing. This is indisputable evidence that a 401k account is a gift that keeps on giving.

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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