Weekly Market Report – March 2, 2023

Dirty Dough is coming to the metro area. The Arizona-based chain of gourmet cookie stores plans to open soon in a new strip center near Cabela’s in La Vista’s Southport West area. The same retail building will also have a Jersey Mike’s location opening soon. Dirty Dough currently has 11 locations in three states but has 38 stores under development. The Omaha store will be the first in the surrounding five-state region.

Cibo Vino, an Italian-inspired restaurant, plans to open soon in the former J’s on Jackson space at 1101 Jackson Street in the Old Market. Hiring and interior design preparations are underway, and the restaurant is working on its liquor license. The opening date is yet to be announced.

Chipotle Mexican Grill will open soon in the Stony Brook area southwest of 144th & Stony Brook Boulevard. The new building will have a drive-thru and is under construction just south of a Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh convenience store.

Dave’s Cakes opened five weeks ago at 14236 U Street in Millard. The locally owned bakery offers specialty cakes designed to order as well as ready-to-go cakes and cupcakes.

D’Leon’s Mexican Food restaurant is opening at 16919 Audrey Street (168th & Harrison) in an end-cap space that formerly housed a Chinese restaurant. Opening should occur in mid-to-late March.

Lululemon has opened a 4,500 sq. ft. store in the former Paradise Bakery & Café space at Regency Court. The Vancouver, Canada-based, athletic apparel retailer has an existing Omaha location at Village Pointe. Lululemon has 491 stores worldwide.

H&H Shine Shop has opened in the Steel Ridge development at 15005 Crest Road in Papillion. The high-speed, interior-and-exterior car wash is affiliated with the local H&H car dealerships.

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

Review: At Omaha’s Ota, find the best sushi experience between Chicago and LA

By Sarah Baker Hansen

Today is all about bold pronouncements. I am now prepared to make several, starting here: two-time James Beard semifinalist David Utterback, who has just opened a new, upgraded omakase experience in Benson called Ota, is making the best sushi in the Midwest. Period.

I’ve been writing about Utterback’s restaurant and his omakase since 2018, when I first reviewed Yoshitomo for the Omaha World-Herald.

From day one, Utterback created a dining experience that didn’t previously exist in our city. He served fascinating bites of fish most diners in Omaha had never tasted before. He presented them gorgeously. He made dishes of his own creation that have now become the restaurant’s signature bites. And he shared his massive knowledge, in his super-approachable and friendly way, with each small group he encountered during each omakase dinner. For the uninitiated, “omakase” translates to “I’ll leave it up to you,” and that’s just what diners do: put their fate, and their dinner, in the hands of the sushi chef. The experience lasts for several hours, includes more than a dozen courses and usually only includes a small handful of diners.

It doesn’t hurt that Dave is a wonderful host and conversationalist, and his team are hospitality experts.

Now, with Ota, which is his mother’s family name and translates to “big rice patty,” Utterback has expanded his footprint in Benson. He has taken his omakase to that proverbial next level – a level that would have been unimaginable in Omaha or Nebraska if he hadn’t made it our reality.

Yoshitomo’s door has moved a few steps west from its original spot. Diners now enter into an expanded dining room area that Utterback said he’s still refining.

Behind a small curtain is the new, serene omakase room. There’s no sign for Ota outside. During an interview, Utterback said he intends to keep it that way, as people can’t simply walk in off the street and sit down at this counter.

This new room, minimal and sleek, in hues of chocolate brown and ivory with a counter made of warm, glossy wood, moves his omakase service into a space that matches the kind of food he’s been serving for several years now. It no longer has the charming but rough-around-the-edges, do-it-yourself feel it did before. Now, it’s elegant. Refined.

Utterback said he designed the new space while remembering experiences he’s had at omakase dinners in New York and Japan. He said many diners, both local and tourists, were surprised by the food coming out of the old Yoshitomo omakase room.

He explains it this way: “Imagine you saw the original cast of Hamilton, but you saw it at a local community playhouse, or your kids’ school,” he said, chuckling.

Transfer that experience to Broadway, and it becomes the most incredible experience you have ever had.

“It’s the same content, but the different space completely changes the experience,” he said.

I realize it can sound like hyperbole when I write reviews like this one, but trust me when I say I am not exaggerating. Every bite at the Ota dinner we experienced two weeks ago was divine.

The experience was also thought provoking, unusual in the best possible way, so much so that, several times, the six diners at the omakase bar exclaimed with surprise. We asked questions. We groaned with delight. I mean, just look at those bites of tuna. The seared A5 wagyu! The uni!

Ota takes Yoshitomo and pushes it up a few notches with bites like monkfish liver, which Utterback said isn’t something he’d serve in the restaurant because of its rich finish and unusual taste. It reminded me of foie gras, with a soft, pate-like texture and a depth Utterback cuts through with daikon radish, balancing the heft of liver with a kick of acid.

Yoshitomo’s aging program shines during Omakase, and several of the bites in the first half of the meal are aged between six and 29 days.

A bite of winter yellowtail aged 29 days arrived half-transparent, with delicate, white veins of fat zig zagging across the fish.

Sakura masu is another interesting moment. Here, cherry trout, a fish that spawns during cherry blossom season in Japan, is aged for nine days and then cured in pickled cherry blossom leaves, served with a sliver of green leaf on top.

Two cuts of tuna — one lean, from the fish’s spine, gets soaked in soy and served right before Utterback drops a bit of otoro, tuna belly, which has a melt-in-your-mouth quality and exceptional tenderness. It’s a treat to try the different bites that come from the same fish back to back.

Utterback has upgraded how he receives that fish, and where it comes from. Ota is now among one of a half-dozen restaurants in the United States that using a famed Japanese distributor that hand-picks each fish specifically for the restaurant.

The last few courses of the omakase are a study in decadence. It began with a bite of Osaka-style stick sushi stuffed with barracuda; then a hefty bite of creamy uni, the sweet roe that comes from a sea urchin, served with a scoop of red fish eggs and a crunchy seaweed wrap.

Then arrived that hunk of buttery, fatty A5 wagyu, the Nebraska version of the otoro served earlier in the meal, and the final bite: a sharp-edged rectangle of house made egg tamago, which Utterback lightly flavored with pumpkin spice, a playful finish.

With the upgrade in the space, probably not surprisingly, comes an upgrade in price. The dinner is now $300 a person; Utterback said it’s still less than many of the top-of-the-line experiences in cities like New York and Chicago. The new price also includes four more courses per diner.

“If you want the best of the best,” he said, “this is what it costs.”

The new price means he can source the exact fish he’s looking for, and also allows him to find the work-life balance he needs, doing just one seating a night instead of two. Some days, he’d be on his feet for up to 18 hours a day.

“I don’t mind it, but my body does,” he said.

I asked Utterback how it’s been going since he received his second James Beard semifinalist nod (his first was in 2020, when the awards, the Oscars of the food world, were canceled.)

“Pretty good,” he said. “We know what losing feels like, and we don’t have unrealistic hopes and dreams.”

But he did say he feels like Omaha has a better chance this year, with four chefs nominated, the most it’s ever seen.What would it feel like, I asked, if Omaha has its first finalist this year?

“It would be great. I’ve never had an excuse to wear a real suit. I would just, maybe once in my life, have a real reason to go buy a suit suit suit,” he said.

All that said, he expressed trepidation at the idea of being the city’s first Beard winner.

“Everything changes then,” he said. “But if they want to give me something, I ain’t giving it back,” he said, laughing.

It remains to be seen if Omaha’s time has come — Beard award finalists are announced at the end of March.

No matter what happens, Utterback will be in his new, stunning room giving diners an experience that, in all my travels to cities like Chicago, Kansas City, Oklahoma City, Minneapolis, Madison and others, you simply can’t and won’t find.

The truth is this is happening right here in Omaha, in our neighborhood, and I strongly suggest you take a seat at this bar, if you can swing it financially and manage to score an increasingly hard-to-get reservation. (Pro tip: Plan ahead, and book a spot at the omakase more than a month ahead.)

Here’s my final bold pronouncement. Utterback and his team are playing on a national level.

And the truth is, that pronouncement isn’t really bold at all. It’s simply true.

Ota
601 Maple St, inside Yohsimoto
https://www.exploretock.com/YOSHITOMO/
(402) 916-5872

The Latino Economic Development Council and South Omaha Leaders are working on a $94 million revitalization plan designed to boost an area of town that was impacted significantly by the pandemic.

The Adelante II South Omaha initiative, a reimagining of the 24th Street corridor, will transform La Plaza de la Raza into an attractive destination for families, entrepreneurs, performers and tourists.

Douglas County has approved $500,000 in American Rescue Act Funds for the project. The Nebraska Legislature is considering funding from the Nebraska Economic Recovery Act to support Adelante II South Omaha.

“By transforming 24th Street and creating a centralized gathering place in South Omaha, we will enhance the long-term outlook for the district’s 100+ small businesses and its major tourist events,” said Itzel Lopez, president of the Latino Economic Development Council. “The South Omaha community is still reconfiguring as it adjusts to the devastating impact of COVID, which is why investing in this project is so impactful to stimulate growth and provide economic stability for a community that’s important to our city, state and region.”

South Omaha is comprised of an eclectic mix of cultures and ethnic groups – but its core is represented by Latinos, who were hit hard by the pandemic. Douglas County’s population is 13% Latino, yet they have accounted for 20% of COVID cases.

According to a 2022 study conducted by the Office of Latino/Latin American Studies at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, 65% of Latino-owned businesses had to reduce their staff and 75% had to cut their budget in 2020 due to the pandemic.

The unemployment rate for South Omaha is 6.5%, which is higher than the average rate in Douglas County of 4.1% and slightly above the record low of 6.0% from 2015 to 2019. Additionally, South Omaha poverty rates remain double that of Douglas County.

The Latino Economic Development Council continues to work with corporate partners and community leaders to generate additional funding support and finalize project plans. The Council strives to create conditions for economic growth and increased tourism while paying homage to culture and historical preservation.

The transformative vision for Adelante II South Omaha includes a new Latino Cultural and Economic Development Center and a new mixed-income housing complex to be constructed at 25th and O Street as well as a 3-level parking structure with first-floor retail development space to be built at 23rd and N Street.

As part of the redesign for La Plaza de la Raza, there will be a new amphitheater, a gathering space with seating and shaded areas, and upgrades to the streetscape and landscaping.

“We envision a must-see community corridor that’s inviting and lively, where parents and kids can play, where friends can meet for dinner and where Latino heritage is celebrated and preserved,” said Marcos E. Mora, the Cinco De Mayo Omaha Executive Director and the Secretary of the Latino Economic Development Council. “It’s a new landmark and a new centerpiece that will benefit South Omaha is so many ways.”

This section is sponsored by RENZE. For over 128 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 partner with you to help create your vision. See a wide variety of our work HERE!

State Sen. Justin Wayne of Omaha has introduced LB 477 in the Unicameral, which would allocate $100 million toward a second phase of the future Omaha streetcar. The first phase, scheduled to open in 2026, will connect downtown to the Blackstone District and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Wayne’s proposed second route would start at 19th & Farnam and go north for about a mile or so. The line would then turn east toward 16th Street. Once the route reaches Fort Street, north of Carter Lake, the streetcar would head east to Eppley Airport. Wayne said the second phase would use the same Tax Increment Financing system as the first phase and would include provisions for affordable housing to be developed along the line.

Developers are planning to tear down two small office buildings at 144th & Dupont Court and build The Kingsley Apartments in their place. Plans call for 200 apartment units in two 5-story buildings connected by a parking structure.

The Collective is a new co-working space planning to open soon in Regency Landing, an 11-acre redevelopment project northeast of Interstate 680 & Pacific Street. The 9,983 sq. ft. co-working space will feature furnished offices, an on-site fitness center, coffee bar and office amenities.

The Nebraska Department of Economic Development has opened a satellite office in the Automotive Training Center on the Metropolitan Community College campus near 30th & Q Street, according to Nebraska Examiner. The branch office will provide services to South Omaha, which is expected to see a dramatic increase in economic development activity in the next few years.

Concordia Lutheran Schools of Omaha plans to merge its elementary location with its junior-senior high school later this year, according to the Omaha World-Herald. Construction is expected to begin this spring on a $15 million addition to the existing high school at 15656 Fort Street. Completion is scheduled for June of 2024. The elementary school is currently located at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church at 1821 North 90th Street.

The City of Council Bluffs is reconstructing the South Expressway between Interstate 80 and 19th Avenue, according to WOWT. Construction begins Monday, March 6th and is expected to be complete by November.

USA TODAY 10 Best Readers’ Choice Awards has selected Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium as a contender for “Best Zoo” and Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park for “Best Safari Park” in America. Asian Highlands at the Zoo has also been nominated as “Best Zoo Exhibit” in the country. The public has until 11 a.m. Central on Monday, March 6th, to vote online. Each person can vote once per day, per device, and per category every day of the contest.

To vote for “Best Zoo,” select Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium after clicking HERE.

To vote for “Best Zoo Exhibit,” select ASIAN HIGHLANDS at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium after clicking HERE.

To vote for “Best Safari Park,” select Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park in Ashland, Nebraska after clicking HERE.

Grow Omaha Snippets are brought to you by Omaha Car Care with four metro area locations – 131st & Dodge, 58th & Center, 85th & L and 144th & Harrison.

Omaha Car Care “We’ll be along for the ride.”

Schemmer has expanded to Colorado. The Omaha-based, full-service architecture, engineering, and construction field services consultant firm has opened its newest office at the Denver West Business Park in Lakewood, Colo. Schemmer has existing locations in Nebraska, Iowa, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

In July, Lincoln-based Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals will consolidate its pediatric inpatient services at its Omaha campus near Village Pointe, according to KETV. Most of Madonna’s pediatric patients come from out of state. The move will open nine more adult rehab beds at the Lincoln campus. Last year, Madonna had to turn away 100 adult patients for lack of room.

Werner Enterprises declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.13 per common share. This dividend will be paid on May 3, 2023, to stockholders of record at the close of business on April 17, 2023. Werner has paid a quarterly cash dividend to its stockholders every quarter since 1987.

HDR is designing a $90 million consolidated rental car facility for the City of Boise, Idaho. The new facility will allow for a coming expansion of the fast-growing city’s airport terminal. Project design is scheduled to be complete this year with construction beginning in 2024.

After falling below growth neutral for three straight months, the Creighton University Mid-America Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the nine-state region stretching from Minnesota to Arkansas, rebounded to its highest level since July of last year. The index, which ranges between 0 and 100 with 50.0 representing growth neutral, climbed to 56.1 from 47.0 in January.

Mutual of Omaha is now offering a new platform to help employee benefit brokers and customers overcome the challenges they encounter during the benefits enrollment process. Specialized Technology and Engagement Platforms (STEPS) provides a consultative and interactive approach to delivering enrollment, engagement and technology support to help drive better participation results in employer-provided benefit plans and improve the overall customer experience.

Russell Speeder’s opened a full-service car shop at 48th & Saddle Creek Road earlier this year. It is located in the new North Saddle Creek Business Improvement District.

Valmont Industries’ board of directors approved an increase to its quarterly dividend and a reauthorization of the current share repurchase program. The company is authorized to purchase up to $400 million of its outstanding common stock from time to time, by means of open market purchases or through privately-negotiated transactions. The reauthorization has no stated expiration date.

Valmont will increase to its quarterly cash dividend to $0.60 per share, or a rate of $2.40 per share on an annualized basis. This represents an increase of 9% from the prior quarterly cash dividend of $0.55 per share. The dividend will be payable on April 14, 2023 to shareholders of record on March 31, 2023. The Company previously increased the dividend by 10% in February 2022.

This section is sponsored by FranNet of The Heartland, the local, trusted franchise experts. They are “in the business of helping you get into business!”

Compiled by Grow Omaha co-founJeff Bealsder and sales trainer 

Leadership & Management

Most leaders are good at the,“What are we going to do” aspect of decision making, according to Dr. Kim Hoogeveen of MindSet, LLC, a Bellevue-based leadership training and consulting firm. Fewer leaders are good at leading the “How are we going to implement” part of the process. Even fewer spend enough time on “Who would be the best to lead this process” part of the discussion. Outstanding leaders always check all three boxes.

Managers’ risk for burnout is about 18% higher than for individual employees, according to The Hustle. Burnout is defined as “an occupational syndrome characterized by a high degree of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization (i.e., cynicism), and a low sense of personal accomplishment at work.”

Business travel is coming back, according to Steve Glenn of Lincoln-based Executive Travel: “In 2022 the leisure traveler led the travel rebound and kept flights and hotels full. Many airlines are seeing that the return of the business traveler is getting stronger every month both domestically and also to Europe. China, despite being open, is still very sluggish. I think later this summer we will see the business traveler back to 2019 levels or better.”

Sales

Top-performing sales pros are process-centered, says sales author Mark Hunter. That means they have a specific way in which they do everything. They create a sales process and stick with it. They develop an efficient and effective way to write up contracts and stick with it. Being process-centered keeps sales pros from questioning themselves on the details.

73 percent of executives prefer to work with sales professionals referred by someone they know, according to Spotio.

One of the worst things that can be said of your company is “They are too big to care,” according to sales author Lee Salz. No company, no matter its size, is too big to care, because companies are entities with no feelings. The perception of caring (or not) comes from the people within the company and how they treat clients.

Wisdom

“How you sell matters. What your process is matters. But how your customers feel when they engage with you matters more.” – Tiffani Bova

Grow Omaha University is sponsored by MyStaff Inc, a locally owned staffing firm whose purpose is helping Nebraska companies recruit for corporate office positions.

My Staff Inc – Our team helps you find yours!

Creatives & Coffee on March 4th: Creating can be isolating, but it doesn’t have to be. Creatives & Coffees is a community built to express and connect with other like-minded individuals. Whether you’re working on art, poetry, music, coding, business, or anything that pulls on the creativity within – you are welcome to join.

Chili Crawl on March 4th: It’s time to turn up the heat; it’s getting chili over here! Sample a variety of tasty chili recipes at your favorite Midtown Crossing restaurants! Visit as many restaurants as possible, in any order you’d like, and cast your vote for the best chili in midtown.

Yoga in the Greenhouse on March 5th: Mulhall’s brings wellness into their space with yoga in the green house! This is the last yoga in the greenhouse for the winter season, so make sure to enjoy the nature feel while you can! After class, stick around for drinks and treats from local vendors.

Modus Coworking Free Coworking Day on March 9th: Modus coworking is hosting a free coworking day on the second Thursday of each month from 8am-5pm! Stay after to network at their complimentary happy hour starting at 4pm. Enjoy the high speed wifi and office amenities during the day and end your evening with complimentary wine and snacks.

Happy Hour at The Jewell from March 8th to 10th: The Jewell is Omaha’s premier intimate live music venue, hosting a wide range of local, regional and national artists performing a diverse array of styles. They feature specialty cocktails, a curated wine list, and a variety of craft beers. Make sure to come out for their happy hours from 4:30pm – 6:30pm Wednesday through Friday!

This Upcoming Events section is sponsored by Eagle Mortgage Company, is a locally owned and full-service mortgage company in Omaha.

Eagle Mortgage can help you realize your dream of owning a home.

Union Pacific plans to name a successor later this year to assume the position of Chief Executive Officer, replacing Lance Fritz, according to CNBC. The announcement comes after U.S. hedge fund Soroban Capital Partners called for Fritz to be replaced. Fritz, 60, has been with the railroad for 22 years, the past eight as CEO. The hedge fund owns a $1.6 billion stake in the Omaha-based railroad, less than 1% of all shares.

Lutz recently added Chad Brummels and Paige Johnson to its Omaha office. Brummels joins the firm as a senior accountant in the tax department. He brings more than 10 years of accounting experience. Johnson is a recruiting coordinator. Graduating from the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a concentration in human resource management, supply chain management, and marketing & management.

The Business Ethics Alliance has promoted Shannon Underwood to operations manager. She has been with the organization since July 2021.

Omaha accounting firm Hancock & Dana has promoted nine professionals: Dan Torczon, managing partner; Connor Mullen, partner; Jesse Brickner, partner; Beth Tyler, partner; Brian Gough, partner; Stephanie Lindburg, manager; Eric Oman, manager; Conner Hardy, senior associate; and Austin Voigtman, senior associate.

Centris Federal Credit Union has promoted Jason Scheopner to vice president, strategy and planning as Michelle Vybiral to assistant vice president, strategic risk management. Scheopner has been with Centris since 2021 and has 19 years of financial services experience. Vybiral has been with Centris since 2005 and was most recently a strategic risk manager.

The “People in the News” section is sponsored by Baird Holm LLP. Baird Holm’s dedicated team of real estate lawyers has extensive experience in all aspects of real estate law, including purchases, sales, zoning and land use, leasing, and dispute resolution. Click HERE for more information.

There’s a country western song about a guy who’s married to a gal named Kate, but he’s messing around with a gal named Edith (if you’ve never heard this song, you need to get an AM radio and a life). The powerful life lesson from this song is the closing line: “You can’t have your Kate and Edith too!”

What does this have to do with the stock market? A whole bunch! The buzz word that we’re beginning to hear from the talking heads on CNBC – and this is the 900-pound gorilla that’s gonna be around for a while – is that the U.S. and Chinese economies are in the process of decoupling.

A while back, China was focused on growing their economy. The United States does a huge amount of business with China, but it was mostly one-way. For three decades or more, the U.S. has had a negative trade balance, and a whole bunch of the “negative” is because of China.

China operates with a political advantage. The Chinese government provides financial and regulation subsidies to their industries allowing them to operate at lower cost than their American counterparts. China continues to do nefarious things with copyrights and technology that further tilts the glass in their favor.

Being an economic superpower has allowed Xi Jinping’s government to keep China’s growing middle-class population under control. But, somewhere along the line, the focus of the Chinese government has moved towards dominating the world not only economically, but politically and militarily, putting a whole new spin on both their internal and external relationships.

Then along came Covid and supply chain problems, the war in Ukraine and a bunch other stuff. And in the words of the Oracle of Omaha, “The tide went out and we saw who was swimming naked.” A plethora of American companies began questioning their reliance on China for both raw materials and commercial goods. The response has been to either shift production to other parts of the world or bring it back to the United States.

Why should you care?

First of all, the issue of the trade imbalance – A more neutral trade balance sheet could provide a trailing wind to the U.S. GDP.

Not exactly sure what impact moving production out of China would have on the profitability of U.S. – primarily tech – companies? It could possibly lead to lower profits due to higher labor cost. You also need to factor in a reduction of transportation costs.

Now back to the relevance of country western songs to international trade, the stock market and your 401(k) – and I’m paraphrasing here – Mr. Xi, you can’t have your cake and eat it too.

Nebraska Warehouse Company has leased 54,000 sq. ft. at 9995 I Street in Omaha. John Meyer and Trenton Magid of NAI NP Dodge represented the tenant in this industrial lease.

Nebraska Warehouse Company provides custom, local storage and transportatin for business clients. Existing locations are at 10064 South 134th Street at 9090 F Street.

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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