Weekly Market Report: May 8, 2025

Nicole Buntgen, Contributing Writer

The Stamina Bar, Omaha’s first video game-themed energy bar, will open at 8713 Shamrock Road in Countryside Village. The bar is an extension of The Gamers Oasis—a video game store located just next door—and will serve energy drink-infused smoothies and beverages. A tentative opening date is set for September 1.

Big Grove Brewery is just weeks away from opening its first Nebraska taproom in the recently completed Catalyst building on the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s EDGE District campus. The building was historically a steel mill. Big Grove Brewery has been working to fill 100 full- and part-time jobs this week. Big Grove started in 2013 in Solon, Iowa, and now has locations in Cedar Rapids and Des Moines, Iowa.

Signage has been installed but much of the interior build-out remains to be completed at Tracks Lounge’s future west Omaha location southwest of 180th & Q Street. Famous for its fried chicken, Tracks has been in business for 60 years. The original location is just east of Aksarben Village at 1506 South 60th Street.

Mouth of the South, a local Southern and Cajun-inspired restaurant, is now fully back under the ownership of founder Ryan Ernst. A 2017 fire destroyed its original location at 8505 North 30th Street in Florence, leading to changes in location and ownership structure. Ernst said the business has now “returned to the concept that started it all,” with a renewed focus on community, hospitality and Southern flavors. The restaurant continues to operate at 16909 Lakeside Hills Plaza.

V. Mertz, a fine-dining restaurant in the Old Market Passageway at 1022 Howard Street, is offering a special prix fixe menu in honor of Hamilton’s return to Omaha. “Dinner at Mr. Jefferson’s” will be served during every dinner service from May 7 to 18. The four-course experience includes Jefferson’s Garden Greens, Capon Galentine, Boeuf à la mode, and Profiteroles à la Vanille, with optional wine pairings and featured spirits.

Café Botanica has closed at 2575 South 171st Street. The healthy food business is keeping its One Pacific Place location open at 10319 Pacific Street.

Baker’s plans to build a $40 million Baker’s Marketplace grocery store northwest of 204th & Q Street. At 123,000 sq. ft., this Baker’s Marketplace will be approximately 55,000 sq. ft. larger than traditional Baker’s stores. The property will include a Baker’s fuel center and space for future development. The store will employ more than 300 people. Groundbreaking is scheduled for this summer. Completion would likely be in 2026, but Baker’s will release the official construction timeline later.

Retail Rebel, a discount shopping retailer, will open its first Omaha location May 10 at 8005 Blondo Street. The store features two components—The Bins, a warehouse of hand-picked items sold at flat rates that drop daily, and The Auctions, a virtual platform where shoppers can bid on select items. Bidding is open now through May 9, with May 10, marking both the first pickup day for auction winners and the grand opening of The Bins. Retail Rebel operates stores in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri and soon Georgia.

RAEVA Mane Street Oasis, an eight-chair, booth-rental salon, plans to open in Olde Towne Elkhorn this June. The salon will operate in a recently constructed building at 2625 North Main Street on the second floor above the soon-to-open Coneflower Creamery. The owner is Lindsay Karella, a seasoned hairstylist and Elkhorn native.

The 2025 Omaha Metropolitan Area Tourism Awards recognized Clio as the best restaurant in Douglas County and Boxer Barbeque as number-one in Pottawattamie County. The other two Douglas County finalists were Dynamite Woodfire Grill and Jewell on Capitol. The other Pottawattamie finalists were Henry’s Diner and 712 Eat + Drink.

Westroads Mall will see some big changes, according to final plat documents reviewed by the Omaha Planning Board this week. The 174,000 sq. ft. west anchor building, previously a Younkers department store, will see a 32,000 sq. ft., two-story expansion. According to the plat documents, the former Granite City building will be demolished and will be replaced with additional parking spaces.

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

The Drover Is Where Steaks Sizzle and the Cowboy Way Still Rules the Grill

The Drover is a timeless Omaha culinary landmark, first opening in 1968 as a Cork and Cleaver franchise by Bob Anderson and his business partner at the time. Years later, they dropped the franchise name, rebranded as The Drover, and Anderson purchased his partner’s share. The steakhouse has been in family hands ever since. Today, Anderson’s daughters, Amy Leise and Wendy Anderson co-own the business, intent on keeping the ranch-style decor and atmosphere.

“It’s bittersweet,” Leise recalled. “My dad’s legacy really lives on here. He was a horseman, loved Aksarben, the stockyards and Omaha history. He and his brothers ran Anderson Amoco stations back in the day – now Anderson Convenience and Anderson Market. So it’s not just the restaurant; our ruts run deep in the city.”

Inside is a moody, romantically lit restaurant with solid dark wood beams, brick walls and authentically rustic charm. The decor feels like it’s from the 1960s and preserves its vintage character – an old-school steakhouse with a menu built around whiskey-marinated steaks. That menu has remained largely consistent over several decades.

“It’s our kind of fine dining,” Leise said. “You can come in after a College World Series game in flip-flops, or from a corporate dinner in a suit. Either way, we’re going to treat you the same — and serve you the same whiskey-marinated steak.”

In late 2018, just four years after Leise and Anderson took ownership, a devastating kitchen fire forced The Drover to close its doors. The extensive damage required significant rebuilding and code upgrades. Despite this, Leise and Anderson remained determined to preserve The Drover’s rustic, classic ambiance.

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Housing Model on Display All Summer at The RiverFront

Visitors to The RiverFront will encounter something different this summer: a small house that demonstrates a different way to build and live in Omaha.

“ADU at The RiverFront” will showcase a model Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) based on Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture’s award-winning design from AARP Nebraska’s ADU for U competition.

Construction on the model ADU began this week at Heartland of America Park’s 8th Street Plaza, where it will be displayed through October.

Also known as a backyard cottage, an in-law suite, or a carriage house, an ADU is a small home located on the same property as a larger primary residence. As Omaha faces increasing housing affordability challenges, ADUs are one way that homeowners can create new housing in their own backyard.

The City of Omaha recently reformed its zoning rules to allow ADUs in more neighborhoods, and launched ADU Omaha, a web resource featuring ADU plans and a guide to building ADUs in Omaha. ADU at The RiverFront will shine a spotlight on the benefits of ADUs, and point visitors toward resources that will help them build their own.

The display will also serve as a demonstration of sustainable and efficient construction. The model ADU will be constructed out of Structural Insulated Panels that will be fabricated off-site, and then rapidly assembled in a matter of hours.

ADU at The RiverFront is the result of collaboration between a coalition of partners including Omaha by Design, Blair Freeman, Alley Poyner Macchietto Architecture, AARP Nebraska, Front Porch Investments, Noddle and The RiverFront. The project has also been made possible by generous material donations from suppliers that include Pella Windows, Build Your Fortress, and James Hardie Siding.

Following its display, the model ADU will be moved to a permanent location, where it will be repurposed as an affordable housing unit.

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Isaiah Ang, Contributing Writer

The previously reported plans to redevelop the Dodge Riverside Golf Club hit a snag this week. In April, the City of Council Bluffs released plans to redevelop the golf course into a mixed-use development with up to 3,900 residential units. While the plan was merely conceptual, it was intended to identify the potential redevelopment ahead of a vote to make the property surplus and initiate the process of possibly selling the property to a developer. In a 3-2 vote, the city council rejected the motion to make the golf course surplus property. Future proposals could be considered, but efforts to sell the property have been thwarted.

Clarkson College plans to install a large digital board on its main building at 42nd & Dodge Street. Plans call for a 4-story scrim on the northwest corner of the building. On top of it would be the college’s logo and the vertical digital board, wrapping around the corner of the building. The digital board will display information about healthcare with a goal to attract more students to healthcare careers. The college plans several other renovations, including a new entrance and welcome center.

Darland recently completed an office remodel for DMSi software at 11650 Miracle Hills Drive. This renovation involved the removal of a section of the upper floor, creating an open, two-story area with a ‘floating’ conference room. A custom staircase was constructed to anchor the two spaces. The project included the creation of a work café with various seating options, interactive games and beer taps.

The historic South 24th Street business district continues to gain momentum. According to a TIF application, Marta Sonia Londoño Mejía plans to transform the former ThirftWorld at 5125 South 24th Street into a food production business incubator. The 16,800 sq. ft. building will house the South Omaha Global Market, boasting 16 indoor food vendor spaces, supported by four commercial kitchen spaces. The market will have a central stage for displaying art or providing space for cultural performances. The developer also plans to rent out four outdoor food truck spaces and hold weekend markets in the parking lot north of the building. In addition to renovating the existing building, future phases will include a multi-story addition, up to 5 stories. The initial phase carries a price tag of $9.4 million and will be supported by up to $827,691 in TIF, if approved by the City.

Omaha is the fourth best mid-sized metro area in America for working moms in 2025, according to CoworkingCafe. The rankings were developed using 15 metrics such as the share of employed moms, childcare accessibility and affordability, work-from-home and self-employment rates, access to pediatricians, income and more.

Nebraska is #5 on U.S. News & World Report’s 2025 Best States rankings just released this week. The 2025 rankings evaluated all 50 states to capture how they best serve their citizens across a range of categories. Here’s the top 10: 1. Utah; 2. New Hampshire; 3. Idaho; 4. Minnesota; 5. Nebraska; 6. Florida; 7. Vermont; 8. South Dakota; 9. Massachusetts; 10. Washington. Nebraska was ranked #1 in the Infrastructure category.

The Omaha City Council is reviewing an ordinance to enter into a purchase agreement with Millwork Land Company, LLC, to facilitate development of the Millwork Commons parking garage. Under the agreement, the City will purchase a parcel of land from Millwork Land at the northwest corner of 11th Street and Nicholas Street for $600,000. The City already owns the adjacent parcel. The City is already in the design phase of the parking garage and intends to complete the project by Fall 2026.

Additionally, the City owns four lots on the southwest corner of the same intersection. Millwork Land will have the option to purchase those lots, dependent on when the City builds a connector from 11th Street and Izard to 10th Street and Cuming Street. According to the agreement, if Millwork Land exercises its option, it is committed to build a mixed-use building that will include apartments, artist studios and gallery space, or something similar. That project would largely be bounded by Nicholas, Cuming, 12th and 11th streets. The City would cooperate in the potential vacation of Izard Street as part of the mixed-use building project.

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Warren Buffett will still have a formal role at Berkshire Hathaway as he will remain chairman of the board of directors. The legendary investor shocked the investing world Saturday when he said at Berkshire’s annual meeting in Omaha that he planned to retire as CEO at the end of the year and cede the role to Greg Abel. Buffett had said years earlier that Abel was on deck to succeed him, but many observers had thought the acclaimed stock picker would remain CEO until his death, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Hurrdat has announced the acquisition of Lukas Partners, a strategic communications and public relations firm led by Joan Lukas. Both companies are based in Omaha. Hurrdat is “a diversified media, marketing and entertainment company.” The acquisition strengthens Hurrdat’s ability to offer fully integrated marketing and communications solutions.

Right at Home, an Omaha-based, in-home caregiving franchise with more than 750 locations worldwide, is celebrating its 30th anniversary during its annual conference this week at the CHI Health Center. More than 600 Right at Home national and international franchisees, office staff and corporate staff are attending.

The Dino Bus made its debut last weekend. The “traveling museum” is a modified bus with replica dinosaur fossils inside. Dino Bus is part of Stomp Chomp Roar, LLC, which started in 2019 by providing dinosaur-themed entertainment for children’s birthday parties. “Omaha always has temporary dinosaur exhibits come through town, but it’s time we have something more permanent for kids to experience prehistoric life,” said Anthony Pontiero, owner.

Green Plains Inc. today announced financial results for the first quarter of 2025. Net loss attributable to the company was $72.9 million, or ($1.14) per diluted share compared to net loss attributable to the company of $51.4 million or ($0.81) per diluted share, for the same period in 2024. Revenues were $601.5 million for the first quarter of 2025 compared with $597.2 million for the same period last year.

Union Pacific Corporation declared a quarterly dividend of $1.34 per share on the company’s common stock, payable June 30, 2025, to shareholders of record May 30, 2025. Union Pacific has paid dividends on its common stock for 126 consecutive years.

GreenState Credit Union will open a second Omaha branch at the northwest corner of 204th & Harrison Street in the Coventry development, near the recently opened Taco Bell. The Iowa-based credit union is also preparing to open its first Omaha location near 180th & West Maple Road. GreenState operates nearly 30 branches across Iowa, Illinois, and the Chicago area. GreenState was previously known as University of Iowa Community Credit Union.

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

A fundraiser led by Warren Buffett and shareholders as part of Berkshire Hathaway’s annual meeting has raised $1.3 million for The Stephen Center. Buffett signed 20 copies of the new book 60 Years of Berkshire Hathaway, which were auctioned off to the highest bidders. Buffett then matched the final dollar amount raised in the auction. The money will help The Stephen Center fund a new substance abuse treatment center and a housing facility for women and children.

Last week, multiple Omaha nonprofits were notified that federal grants they had won from the National Endowment for the Arts are set to be terminated at the end of May. According to the email notifying affected nonprofits, “The NEA is updating its grantmaking policy priorities to focus funding on projects that reflect the nation’s rich artistic heritage and creativity as prioritized by the President.” Among those affected by this funding termination are the Omaha Conservatory of Music, Great Plains Theatre Commons, Anastasis Theatre, Omaha Theatre Company, Benson First Friday and WhyArts.

Partnership 4 Kids is facing a $260,000 annual gap after Department of Government Efficiency reductions impacted AmeriCorps-supported programs. Partnership 4 Kids, which says these cuts threaten its ability to continue serving more than 3,000 students in underserved neighborhoods, is the only non-profit in Nebraska that receives assistance from AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism.

Dunham House broke ground on Tuesday at a 40-acre site in north Omaha for its first-of-its-kind, transformational housing initiative meant to serve combat-wounded veterans in need of long-term residential-centered care. Dunham House is being developed in collaboration with Omaha-based nonprofit Wounded Warriors Family Support. When it opens in July 2026, Dunham House will be home to 30 veterans who require supportive care yet seek to maintain independence. The single-story complex will span approximately 27,500 sq. ft.

Lauritzen Gardens’ Spring Plant Sale is returning on May 9 and 10. The sale will be held on the festival garden lawn and feature a selection of pollinator packs and plants curated for gardens of the Great Plains as well as orchids, houseplants and succulents from the garden’s collection. Proceeds from the sale will support the garden’s efforts to practice and promote thoughtful, ecologically minded practices.

Nebraska Wildlife Rehab hosted Bats Over Omaha on Monday at The RiverFront’s Heartland of America Park. The yearly event invited spectators to watch Nebraska Wildlife Rehab staff release hundreds of bats which were injured or displaced this winter and turned in for rehabilitation.

Cole Young, Contributing Writer

Terence Crawford will return to the ring September 12 in Las Vegas for a long-awaited super-fight against undisputed super middleweight boxing champion Canelo Alvarez. The Omaha native is one of three male boxers in history – and the first – to become the undisputed champion at more than one weight class. He will attempt to do it a third time at Allegiant Stadium this fall. Crawford (40-0, 29 KOs) and Alvarez (62-2-2, 38 KOs) are widely regarded as two of the best pound-for-pound boxers in the sport and could cement their legacies among boxing’s all-time greats with a win.

The Omaha Supernovas captured the PVF regular-season title and league’s No.1 seed in the upcoming playoffs with Sunday’s win over the Atlanta Vibe. Omaha snapped Atlanta’s league-record 13-match winning streak. The Supernovas finish the season with the most wins (21) and sweeps (10) in a season in PVF history. They begin their title defense with No. 4 seed Indy Ignite at 7 p.m. tomorrow in the semifinals. All games will be broadcast on CBS Sports Network and KCRO 660 AM in Omaha.

Omaha Women’s Basketball announced Sunday that Jamie Carey will be its next head coach effective immediately. Carey played four years in the WNBA and brings 10 years of Division-I coaching experience to the Mavericks. She most recently was an associate head coach at UTSA, reaching the postseason in 2024 and 2025.

The NCAA Academic Progress Rate data was released on Tuesday. The APR is a metric of academic performance for Division I student-athletes. It awards programs points for each athlete remaining eligible and returning to school or graduating. Nine Creighton and 11 Omaha programs were recognized by the NCAA Tuesday for having perfect multi-year APR scores. For Creighton: men’s cross country, men’s golf, men’s soccer, men’s tennis, men’s track, women’s basketball, women’s cross country, women’s tennis and women’s track. For Omaha: men’s golf, men’s soccer, men’s swimming and diving, men’s tennis, baseball, hockey, women’s golf, women’s soccer, women’s tennis, softball and volleyball.

Four Creighton Softball players earned All-Big East honors this season. Sydney Potter and Sydra Seville were named to the first team. Kaelan Schultz and Lily West made the second team. Bluejay shortstop Ashten Pierson was named the Co-Big East Defensive Player of the Year for the second year in a row, becoming the second player in league history to win the award more than once.

Grant Feldman of Creighton men’s golf was named second team All-Big East for the second straight year. He becomes the third player in program history to be honored more than once by the conference, joining former Bluejays Nate Vontz and Charlie Zielinski.

Creighton Baseball staved off a long-winded comeback from Nebraska Tuesday night to win 8-7, securing its sixth straight series win in the rivalry. Creighton got out to a 6-0 lead in the fourth inning, then let four Nebraska runs across before scoring another run. The two runs the Jays scored in the top of the ninth proved to be crucial, with Nebraska scoring three runs in the bottom of the frame to come up just short of the comeback. Coach Ed Servais went 13-3 over his last 16 games against Nebraska and got the last laugh on his ride into the sunset.

Supernovas teammates Brooke Nuneviller and Natalia Valentín-Anderson were named to the PVF’s 2025 All-League teams Tuesday. Nuneviller captured first team honors for the second consecutive year, finishing top five in the league in kills (381), kills per set (3.77) and total points (413). Valentín-Anderson earned second team honors for the first time in her career, leading all PVF setters at 3.11 digs per set.

Brooke Nuneviller padded her rapidly filling trophy case even more Wednesday, being named PVF Outside Hitter of the Year. The former Oregon Duck continued to ascend this season, improving her averages in kills, digs, hitting percentage, assists, blocks and points. She joins Betty De La Cruz, who was the 2024 Server of the Year, as the only other Supernova to win a PVF individual award.

Four Creighton Basketball players earned Division I-AAA Scholar-Athlete Honors this week. Ryan Kalkbrenner, Steven Ashworth, Lauren Jensen and Morgan Maly were recognized for their performances on the court and in the classroom with the annual award. Kalkbrenner was named the men’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year, joining previous winners Anthony Tolliver and Michael Lindeman. Maly was named the women’s Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned the $5,000 post-graduate scholarship.

Creighton softball’s Sydney Potter broke Creighton softball’s single-season RBI record, knocking in her 59th of the season in Wednesday’s Big East Tournament opener. That RBI was Potter’s sixth career Big East Tournament RBI and moved her into a tie with Alyssa Gappa for the most in program history.

Union Omaha has been active this past week, playing Forward Madison to a draw on Saturday and then falling to St. Louis in the U.S. Open Cup Wednesday night. The U.S. Open Cup is an Interleague knockout tournament is comprised of 96 teams, with 64 coming from all three levels of the U.S. soccer league system and 32 amateur teams. The round of 32 featured 16 MLS teams vs. the 16 winners of round three, one of which was Omaha. The Owls are now eliminated. Omaha will host its first home match of the season against expansion club Portland Hearts of Pine at 7 p.m. on Saturday at Werner Park. Saturday is the club’s “Championship Celebration” of last year’s USL League One title.

Omaha softball played its first game of the Summit League tournament today, taking down No. 4 North Dakota 4-2 behind a complete game from star pitcher Maddia Groff. Omaha will play the winner of today’s game between South Dakota and South Dakota State on Friday at 1 p.m. for the opportunity to advance to the Summit League tournament championship.

Creighton softball took down Butler 6-3 Wednesday to advance to the second round of the Big East softball championship. Thursday, they drew No. 1 seed St. John’s and looked for an upset. After falling behind early 3-0, the Bluejays scored five unanswered runs, including three in the top of the sixth, to complete the upset 5-3. Creighton will play the winner of today’s game between UConn and Providence on Friday at 12 p.m.

The Omaha Storm Chasers look to dig themselves out of a hole against the Louisville Bats this evening after falling behind in this week’s away series, 0-2. First pitch tonight is at 5:35 p.m. All games can be streamed on MLB.TV and are broadcast locally on KOIL 1290 AM.

Omaha Baseball will begin a home series against South Dakota State on Friday at 6 p.m. The Mavericks have an opportunity this weekend to climb the Summit League leaderboard and tune up for the season series finale against Creighton next Tuesday. That game will be played at Tal Anderson Field at 6 p.m.

The first-ever Aksarben Crit is coming to Aksarben Village Saturday, May 17. For the layperson, a “crit,” or “criterium,” is a bicycle race of a specified number of laps on a closed course over public roads closed to normal traffic. The event will begin near Baxter Arena at 3 p.m. with the Men’s Open. Then, a new race will start for different divisions at the top of each hour before the final event of the night at 8:15 p.m. for the Men’s Professional. Admission is free.

Fun Fact: Sunday’s Stanley Cup Playoffs Game 7 between St. Louis and Winnipeg advanced to double overtime and was the third-longest game 7 in NHL history. The winning goal came on an Adam Lowry redirect of Neal Pionk’s shot on goal. Pionk, an Omaha native, was not credited with the goal, but got the winning assist in one of the most epic comebacks in Stanley Cup Playoffs history.

Upcoming Games

• Omaha Storm Chasers at Louisville Bats | May 6 – May 11 | 5:35 p.m. Tonight
• Creighton Baseball vs. Xavier | May 9 – May 11 | 6:00 p.m. Friday
• Omaha Baseball vs. South Dakota State | May 9 – May 11 | 6:00 p.m. Friday
• Omaha Supernovas vs. Indy Ignite | Friday, May 9 | 7 p.m.
• Creighton Softball – Opponent TBD | Friday, May 10 | 12 p.m.
• Omaha Softball – Opponent TBD | Friday, May 10 | 1 p.m.
• Omaha Beef at Sioux City Bandits | Friday, May 10 | 7:10 p.m.
• Union Omaha vs. Portland | Saturday, May 10 | 7 p.m.
• Creighton Softball – Opponent TBD | Friday, May 10 | 12 p.m.
• Omaha Softball – Opponent TBD | Friday, May 10 | 1 p.m.

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Amplify Arts has announced RE-WORK, their next Generator Series project, which opens Friday, May 9th at Generator Space, located at 1804 Vinton Street. Organized by Alternate Currents cohort member John Paul, the show examines past as prologue with work by artists who borrow, reassemble and remix history.

Run For The Roses Music and Arts Festival takes place this week at Brokedown Palace at 88th & Maple Street, from Thursday, May 8 to Saturday, May 10. The festival features 14+ bands over three days, five cover bands, local vendors, artists and more. Tickets and more information can be found at https://runfortherosesfestival.com/

The Omaha Community Playhouse will hold auditions May 12 and 13 from 6:00-10:00 p.m. for their upcoming play, The River Bride, written by Marisela Treviño Orta and directed by Alex Rodriguez. To sign up for an audition, fill out the form at https://omahaplayhouse.com/get-involved/upcoming-auditions/

Culxr House is hosting Soulful Freestyle Friday on May 10 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. The free event is meant to gather together and embrace freestyle Hip Hop and Poetry.

Garden Party Omaha, a free music festival featuring an all-women lineup of local and regional musicians, has announced that it’s leveling up in its 4th year. Garden Party has grown out of its 100 percent D.I.Y, Benson roots into a larger stage at Sonny’s in Aksarben, thanks to support by Noddle Companies. The event takes place on May 10 from 2:00 to 11:00 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.

Did you know in the first quarter of each year (January through March), more than 150 people a day fly from Omaha to Cancún in Mexico?

Did you know Omaha is now the nation’s 55th largest metro area, bigger than Honolulu, New Orleans and Albuquerque?

Did you know Offutt Air Force Base employs more than 10,000 people?

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Midwest Best Comedy happening on May 9th: Join others at Blackstone Theater for a Friday night of laughs and fun! Stand-up comics from the Midwest and beyond are bound to leave you laughing like you never have before. Bring your friends, partner or colleagues down to the Blackstone District for this hour-long comedy showcase.

SIP Nebraska happening on May 9th & 10th: Sip Nebraska is turning 12, and you’re invited to celebrate with a weekend of tasting and fun at Mahoney State Park! Sample from over 24 Nebraska wineries, breweries, distilleries and cideries – including new seltzers and mead wine this year. Enjoy live music, unlimited sips, and an incredible atmosphere. Grab your friends and come toast Nebraska’s best!

Mother’s Day Brunch Bingo happening on May 11th: Celebrate Mother’s Day with mimosas, bingo and brunch at this fun event! Bring the MVP in your life for a morning filled with laughs, prizes, and friendly competition. Bingo runs from 10 a.m. to 12 noon, with brunch served from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. No registration required – just show up and enjoy!

Sound Bathing happening on May 15th: Experience deep relaxation at an evening of sound bathing led by Ellie and Matthew Shrader. This meditative session uses healing sound waves from instruments like gongs, singing bowls, chimes and even the human voice. Attendees will lie comfortably as sound vibrations are woven together to support healing, rest and clarity. Open to all, this class invites participants to unwind and restore both mind and body.

Millwork Moves: Yoga in the Dock recurring weekly on Tuesdays: Happening on select Tuesdays, Millwork Commons is hosting Yoga in the Dock with Lotus House of Yoga! This event is free and taught by a certified yoga instructor. Simply bring a mat, a water bottle, and show up to enjoy flowing movement with the community.

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Mutual of Omaha has appointed Tim Andrews as vice president of business systems development. Before joining Mutual, Andrews was a senior director of software engineering at Optum (UnitedHealth Group). He served in multiple roles within finance and technology before joining Optum. Andrews began his career as a management consultant with Accenture.

Walentine O’Toole, LLP has added Matthew Quandt and Steve Lydick to the firm’s litigation practice group. Both attorneys focus on civil litigation – defense.

Lamson Dugan & Murray LLP has welcomed attorney Phillip Sanberg to the firm. He specializes in business law, mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, real estate and commercial contracts.

Cobalt Credit Union has appointed David Nelson as manager of wealth management. He has more than 10 years of experience overseeing client portfolios, executing banking and investment transaction and building client relationships.

TACKArchitects has promoted Ryan Hendrickson and Nichole Schultes to the position of studio leads.

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.

On Saturday, the Oracle of Omaha announced that he was stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. It was an event everybody knew was going to happen, but no one dared say it out loud. We didn’t know when it would happen or how it would happen, but we knew the appointed hour was getting closer.

When the details of this year’s Berkshire annual meeting were revealed, I could smell change in the air. There would be no Charlie to banter with. The traditional format was a morning Q&A, a lunch break followed by an afternoon Q&A. This year, the afternoon Q&A was cancelled.

The real peek behind the curtain came when CNBC announced that they would carry the Q&A session LIVE! Back in the day, attendance at the Wood Stock of Capitalism was reserved for special people only. You had to be a Berkshire share holder to attend. Strap hangers need not apply.

At the Berkshire meetings of the early 1990s, Buffett began pontificating that Berkshire had attained such a mass that a $100 million stock purchase was not large enough to move the company needle, making the purchasing of whole companies his only option. This transformed Buffett from an investor to a business manager. A critical distinction the financial media failed to understand or choose to ignore.

In the late 1990’s, Buffett took action on his prognostications and began gobbling up whole companies search as Geico, General Re, and eventually, the BNSF Railroad. By the year 2000, Berkshire’s operating companies constituted two-thirds of its total net worth and were the major drivers of its growth and revenue.

Buffett quickly pointed out that a major portion of the cost of acquiring an operating company was its management. When you pay good money for something, you don’t throw it away. Thus, all the Berkshire companies operate as stand-alone entities, receiving little, if any, input from the parent company.

In the same time frame, Buffett turned the day-to-day management of Berkshire’s investment portfolio over to the two T’s – Ted Weschler and Todd Combs. This made Berkshire kindred to a freight train barreling down the track at warp speed. All the pieces were in place, and Buffett’s job is sit tight and enjoy the ride. And occasionally cash a pay check.

To the citizens of Omaha, all this makes Buffett’s retirement a non-event. The Berkshire headquarters will remain in Omaha, continuing Omaha’s connection to the Buffett/Berkshire mystique. When Warren passes to the big board room in the sky, son Howard will become the non-executive Chairman of the Board, charged with maintaining the Berkshire culture. And all the Omaha buildings and charities built with Berkshire money will continue as part of the Buffett legacy.

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The Grow Omaha radio show broadcasts live every Saturday morning at 9:00, but now you can watch videos of each episode instead of just listening.

Grow Omaha’s brand-new website features video footage shot inside the radio studio during each week’s show!

Videos include News of the Week, Lightning Round, guest interviews, and “Grow Omaha Uncut,” a behind-the-scenes look at what happens during commercial breaks.

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