Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is grow Omaha, the only radio show that talks
about economic development, construction, business expansion, and all of those
things that make Omaha a great place to live or visit.
Grow Omaha on News Radio eleven ten kfab.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Well, good morning and welcome girl Omaha. We're Omaha's only
show dedicated to making this city an even bigger and
better place. I'd like to thank our sponsors this morning,
Cheer Athletic, the nation's number one all star Cheerjim and
d Men's Collision Center. So if you're thinking to yourself,
that's not Trenton Maggott and that is not Jeff Bial's,
you would be correct. A couple of weeks ago, Grow
(00:37):
Omaha celebrated its twenty first anniversary on the air here
in Omaha, and only the second time in twenty one years.
We have two substitute co hosts today. So I'm Brad Williams.
You recognized me. I'm on the show quite a bit,
regular fill in co host and also a frequent contributor
on the different projects gir Omaha does. I'm with E
(00:58):
and a consulting group civil engineering firm here in Omaha.
I work on the planning team. So if you ever
have a project you want to get going and need
someone to bounce some ideas off of, give us a call.
I'm also the owner of Brad Williams Photography. I do
a lot of Omaha Omaha type photos. You know, city scapes,
aerial photos around Omaha, sports, stuff like that, all things
(01:22):
that interest me. Well, my co host today is someone
you've heard on these airwaves before, Bill Barstow. Bill Barstow
is the owner of ACX Cinemas and also Backlop Pizza,
amongst other businesses here around town. Bill, welcome back to
gir Omha. It's great to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I always enjoy listening, so it's always fun to participate
every now and then.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
And you know, every time you're on you always have
some great interesting perspectives on things. So I was really
excited when you took me up on the offer to
come on the show again today.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
We certainly have opinions. They're not always right, but there
we've got. We had a lot of things going on
in Omaha, and you know a lot of themployees and
families and all that kind of stuff, So I we
love talking all things along.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Yeah. Well, you know a lot of years in business
you get a good opinion about how things actually work.
So we have a new restaurant review this week. Chris Corey,
our restaurant reviewer, visited the Legacy Chop House, which is
out in the Legacy Shopping Center one hundred and sixty
eighth in Center. Chris says the Legacy Chop House is
(02:26):
a modern steakhouse concept with inspired cocktails and darn good steak.
So if you want to read Chris's review, head to
GROLMHA dot com and click on reviews, and under reviews
there's once his eats. He also reviews movies, so.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
He had a great article on that.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Then he had a chance to visit a couple of
times and they're doing a great job, and he had
a great article.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
He loves we've been I've got to know him over
the last few years and he can not only review food,
but he's also a pretty good cook too.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
So it's a good combo.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yeah, great combo. So let's get into our em development
News of the Week sponsored by Eagle Mortgage. Ego Mortgage
has been around for thirty years, their licensed mortgage broker
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(03:16):
hundred and fourteenth in Davenport, just south of Dodge or
online at Egle Mortgage Company dot com. So a major
construction project has kicked off in downtown Omaha, the CCHI
Health Center the Convention Center expansion really got underway in
the last couple of weeks. If you go around to
the east side of the CHI Health Center, you'll see
(03:37):
him deconstructing the old staircases that the kind of emergency
exits from the upstairs, the bank or the ballroom floor
and the meeting space. That's kind of interesting to see
because they had to still have ways to get people
out of the building, so they built kind of some
scaffolding and temporary stairs and temporary walkways. So cool to
(04:00):
see that that project has kind of been in the
works for a number of years or you know, been coming.
People have requested more space, more meeting rooms, more breakout rooms,
and so Omaha voters approved a one hundred and forty
six million dollar bond last fall to increase it. The
expansion will add ninety four thousand square feet, twenty five
(04:24):
meeting rooms, access to the third and fourth floors, additional
common space, restrooms, and then hopefully in the end will
lure some more attractive conventions.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Just a crown jewel.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
I mean, if you think back to when you know,
when that wasn't there, and how that brought and how
that whole area is just the jump start of economic
development down there is amazing. Just love bringing people. Whenever
we bring people into town, I love to bring them
through that area just to see how stunning it is.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
The surprising thing to me, can you believe that that
building is twenty one years old already?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
That's because we're all getting really well. We discussed that
a lot, but it is crazy to believe. But some
of the iconic things that have happened there, and you know,
if you're out and about quite a bit you get
to experience a lot of them.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
That's certainly a blast.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Right next door to the Chi the Baby Bob the connection,
the connection to the main Bobcarey pedestrian Bridge is nearly complete.
We had a photo on the Gromahoff website this week.
Upon viewing the bridge looks like it's all done. So
Jeff Beatles reached out to the Mayor's office to ask
how come the bridge is not open if it looks done,
(05:29):
and apparently they are still waiting on one more part,
and once the park gets in and gets installed in,
the bridge can be opened.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
So anybody that's done construction, involved in projects knows how
those things happen.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
So just one little piece can hold up such a
a large project, and that's going to be a great
boost to the area. You know. That basically going to
connect the pedestrian bridge right to the center field exit
of the ballpark, so people in between games, before and
after games will be able to head over to the
riverfront and enjoy that the parks and museum and whatnot.
(06:06):
Next project on the list is the Mutual of Omaha Tower.
Currently it is twenty eight stories tall, which means it's
already two thirds of the way to the top. It
doesn't The exterior finishes are going up on the bottom
floor already, and then the steel structure for the main
office part of the tower should be going up at
(06:27):
the end of March, of the being in April.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Another crazy thing to watch.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
And again, you bring people into Omhan, you drive them
down that corridor on all the construction that's going on
in the cranes and to watch the progress. You guys
do a great job, a great job of showing us
that progress. And I think of Roger Humphrees as somebody
that's the Omah Press Club quite a bit, and Roger
will take pictures from their windows and showing progress and
always enjoy seeing that.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Yeah, anyone that seems to have any interest in city
growth and development seems to always post pictures of it.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, it's hometown pride, right, Yeah. I think we all
want to see growth. We want to see other people
look at us in a different way. And that's going
to be another one of those projects that we all
get to point to.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
A major component of the Omaha street car project will
be starting next week on February third, the Harney Street
Bridge over Interstate four to eighty will be closed for
demolition and reconstruction. This people have asked why we're tearing
down a perfectly good bridge, But these two bridges over
I four eight are nearing the end of their life
(07:27):
life span anyway, so it's a good time to actually
get them replaced and get the street car tracks added.
I know, as a business owner on the streetcar line,
you're kind of looking forward to getting a new mode
of transportation.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
For me, we are We've got Site one Brewing at
twenty fifth and Farnham. And I'm sort of an eternal optimist.
So when somebody will present and it's like, oh my gosh,
look what's coming, you know, the construction project, we just
smile and say it's opportunity, you know, put your head
down when it's not always the way you want it,
but you know what the finished product's going to be.
And I think we're really excited just to be frankly,
(08:02):
one of the stops on the line, and so we're
looking forward to that.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Finally, the Omaha City Council approved a twenty four point
two point four to seven million dollar contribution to the
infrastructure improvements and the Builders District in North Downtown. This
will be used to relocate several sewer lines, street pavement, sidewalks,
curve ramps, all related to a new city owned parking
(08:28):
garage at fifteen to fifteen California Street that will be
built by the developer. Another great that north Downtown, the
Builders District, the whole area north of the ballpark and
now west of the Ballpark has really just taken off.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
We've got all kinds of cool spots that you can
start finding your way into. I was I did not
know that twenty fifth and Farnam is going to be
referred to as Farna Meal.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Yeah, maybe it was previously.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
And again I like to be the dumb guy in
the room, So when I found that, I thought it
was pretty cool. And I think we're looking forward to
all these little spots that pick up and just destination
places for people as they move around a city that's
becoming quite dynamic.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Yeah, the Farning Hill thing, I remember that when it
first came out, but it doesn't seem like, you know,
it either didn't gain traction or just isn't the neighborhood
isn't pushing.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
It, or feels early, right, Yeah, you know, we're just
starting to poke around it, so we're new to the area.
But I think it just feels a little early, but
it also feels like something's happening. Yeah, and certainly when
the streetcar comes through that could that could be impetus
for extending that zone.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
I guess you could say.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Further east or further west, depending on where you're coming from.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
A lot of definitely a lot of opportunity in that
area where we're gonna take a break. When we return,
we're gonna be talking to Tiffany Reagan from the Omaha
Parks Foundation. We'll be back shortly on news radio eleven
ten kfab and welcome back to Girl Omaha, almost the
only show dedicated to the growth and development of your
fine city. We want to thank our sponsors again this
(09:58):
morning for sponsoring this show. Cheer Athletics Omaha or Omaha's
number one the nation's number one all star cheer Jim.
If you have a child interested in getting into competitive
cheer Caomaha dot com is their website, and we're also
sponsored by Demon's Collision Center. I'm joined by Bill Barstow
(10:20):
this morning, and in our first interview segment today we
have Tiffany Reagan Omaha Parks Foundation. Tiffany, welcome to your Omaha.
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
On. Don't you give people a quick overview of what
the Omaha Parks Foundation does because it's you know, Omaha
has the Omaha Parks Department, which kind of takes care
of mains pains to parks. But what's the Omaha Parks
Foundation do.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
The Omaha Parks Foundation is the five oh one C
three like the fundraising partner to the City of Omaha.
We are separate, but we seek out public private cooperation
and partnerships to improve enhance the city above with the
tax dollars would fund. And Omaha is a large city
with two hundred and fifty six parks over eleven thousand
(11:04):
acres and honestly just kind of trying to do the
best with what they have, and we just look for
opportunities to improve everything from the pools to the golf
courses to the trails into opportunities for people to enjoy
the outdoors awesome.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
And then the community centers involved in that too, yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
Yes, oh yeah, trap and ski you've got natural surface trails, camps, yea,
indoor rec centers, pickleball, tennis, even bus benches fall under
the park's jurisdiction.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
What are some recently completed projects you have that you're
kind of proud of and like show off.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
So I've been with the foundation almost four years now
and we have seen a very positive response from the
community wanting to support the parks because they are so vital.
We've been able to partner with some private either foundation
businesses or individuals to help complete the North Omaha Trail
(12:06):
down the northeast quadrant. We recently finished Eagle Plaza at
Memorial Parks par their seventy fifth We're currently almost to
the finish line with Gallagher Park and that was a
one point three million dollar renovation, new playground, new spray ground.
We restore the fountain, even the guts of it because
a lot of that piping.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Was so old.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
And a new plaza, so that was really exciting and
that should be operational the full park by June Holiday
Lights Festival. This last year we were the five oh
one to C three partner to the city and the
riverfront and doing the Holiday Lights Festival, and then also trees.
Our tree canopy is so important and with the storms
we've been able to plan on to hundreds of trees
(12:48):
with maintenance for the next year or so to make
sure that they survive. So that's what we've done the
last couple of years, and we have a good, good
path ahead of us as well.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
I think we all quality of a life when it
comes to developing anything in Omaha, and sometimes maybe I
don't know if everybody really pays attention to how important
all these parks and these public spaces are, and it's
really gratifying to hear the work you guys are doing.
It's pretty amazing. As you're listing all those projects, I'm
kind of wondering how you sleep.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Oh, you know, we are a small but mighty group
and it's really We've got a terrific team. We just
hired our third person and we're just passionate about the work.
We operate very lean because we want to see the
funds go back into the park because, as you said,
the park system is vital. It is a boost to
not only environmental social connectivity, physical and mental health, economic Like,
(13:41):
if you have a good park, chances are the houses
around it are better maintained. The just the resale values
are higher if you've got a good park. So it
really touches every age and every background and so many
things besides health and economy, and also attracting new talent
to Omaha. That's one of the things people are looking
at when they come to get a job is the
(14:01):
park system. And so if we have a strong park system,
it makes our city more attractive.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
Yeah, you said that very very well.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
You know it's interesting too. You I forget what you said.
Two hundred and forty six parks fifty six parts six
parks and Walmart has some real hidden gems too that
I don't think a lot of people know about. And
I know when we when our kids were littler, we
were looking for a city pool that was perfect for
little kids, and you mentioned Gallagher Park and our kids
(14:30):
love Gallagher Park. Then that zero entry splash area, and
then this they've gotten a little bigger. You know, they
can move into the deeper area. There's a lot of
different parks for a lot of different people.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Yeah, absolutely, And there's also neat opportunities. So for instance,
I know your son plays hockey, and a couple of
years ago, the city has a wish list of things
that they'd like to improve for the community's use, but
it's just not in their budget. And so we were
able to partner with Corporal Dagg and pages family and
(15:00):
his foundation to replace the scoreboard at Mode MacLean in
honor of Dagan, and so that like just this, little
things also use these connections and they mean so much,
and his legacy lives on at Moto where he used
to like to play hockey, and it really makes it
rewarding and the whole community benefits also.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
That's great Okay, what do you have going on now?
What kind of new projects are you working on?
Speaker 5 (15:24):
So Benson Community Center is getting a total revamp, which
is wonderful because it's an old, one hundred plus year
old firehouse and it has gotten tired for lack of
a better word. So we've partnered with the Bay and
Rabble Mill out of Lincoln and a nonprofit or excup me,
another philanthropist here in town to renovate the exterior and
(15:45):
interior and bring programming back to that space. And it
is turning out beautifully, So that's exciting and it also
complements Gallagher and that Benson area. We're also involved with
the Memorial Park Concert every year, and so we just
had our kickoff for planning the Memorial Park Our concert
and fireworks for.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Twenty five And you're going to announce the band right now.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
No, I don't even have a date, but as soon
as I do. So that's really fun to be a
part of. That's another huge community event in one of
our most beautiful sacred parks, Memorial Park. We have a
new pickleball complex going in at Churchich Park off A
fiftieth in c. Kon's Playground nineteenth and Pickny we have
(16:24):
we have a very generous supporter that would like to
put a new playground in that one's almost thirty years old,
so that's just getting kicked off. And I know that
one of the designers has also worked on some other
ones with E and A. Even that's where I last
saw you, and then again, trees will be a focus
for us this year and replacing some of what we
lost in storms.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
And when you're still catching up from the Emerald Emerald Ashbard. Yeah,
so I mean, can I.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Ask a real quick question.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
So I live in a world where we have customer
expectations and dealing with all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
You're in a world.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Where there's a lot of opinions and there's a lot
of needs, and it must be very challenging to have
to balance all that, and can you give us a
little insight on how you deal with that? And because
there is a lot that has to be moving and
how do you.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
Deal with that?
Speaker 5 (17:13):
We trust partners because we are not the ones that
know how to do the grading or the main work
the city. We trust. We are very transparent, honest, because
we are truly not the ones doing the work. The
city helps oversee that, and we basically work for the
donors and trying to protect the funds and use them
the way they're supposed to. And so it's a lot
(17:35):
of trust and a lot of transparency and a lot
of patience. It gets trying at times though, Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
So Anda, we do a lot of park projects too,
and I want to say that there's more back and
forth on park projects than on a lot of building projects.
Is there's so many people that are emotionally invested in
these parks that.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
That's probably the key. The emotional investment that people field
is very certain things. We have an organization where we
have lots of void and balancing that and collaborating is
to me one of the fun parts of it.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
So yeah, and there, you know, I think a lot
of people's mindset is, oh, the city would, the city should?
The city will? And really for the amount of staff,
it's like one point six to two people per park
to maintain the entire park. It's just it's not realistic.
So what we would We want to create awareness for
people of saying, if you drop that trash, chances are
(18:24):
Mike d or whatever it needs to pick it up,
you pick it up. Like just parks are important. It's
like the Indian with the tier. Everyone needs to take
care of them.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
We all know, right, I mean there are and we
need to take ownership and just like we would with
our own homes and or whatever.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
Yeah, yeah, because there are just humans behind doing their best,
trying their best.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Well. One final question before we wrap this up, what
how do people get involved with the Ilmah Parks Foundation.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
That's a great question. So, as I just said, even
in your local park of green space, if you would
even help, you know, sweep the sand into the playground
or things that just the small things that takes a
community and being in a ambassador champion for the parks.
There is a volunteer program through the Parks Department called
the VIP Volunteer in Parks and so we're always looking
(19:10):
for assistance. It can be anywhere from five to thirty
people going at parks and need and doing cleanups. We
have a mini grants program, so if you are involved
in one of the parks and rex spaces that you'd
like to see an improvement, we ask that citizen's right
for that. It's empowering the citizens to take action in
their own spaces. We also fund junior scholarships. If people
(19:32):
want to contribute and underwrite kids learning how to swim
or go to day camp.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
We do that.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
And then we also have a tea it up for
Omaha Parks each year and it'll be September nineteenth that
Benson Golf Course and we'd love to have people participate
in that because the money goes right back into the
park system that they enjoy every day.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Awesome, Well, thanks for joining us, Tiffany. We're going to
take our middle of the show break now. When we
come back, we'll talk about the Nodel Company Project of
the week Spotlight. You're listening to girl mah on Kfab
Welcome back to gir Omaha.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
Today.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
We're sponsored by Demon's Collision Center, a great local collision
center run by a couple really nice guys. Demon's currently
has four locations in the Omaha metro area, going to
be announcing a fifth pretty soon. I worked with him
on the fifth. It's going to be a great new
Southwest Omaha location. And also I have not had to
(20:27):
use Demon's nearly as much as Trenton does. Apparently he's
a frequent flyer.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
I always I always get a kick out of whatever
car Trenton is he gonna meet me with when I'm
having lunch or something with him.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
But apparently he has to meet a lot of them
at Deingmon's too. So we're also sponsored by Cheer Athletics,
the nation's number one all star cheer Jim in my
nervousness a little bit ago, I accidentally read the novel
company Spotlight as part of the news segments. So my bad.
But we're going to make up for it because Bill
(20:58):
Barstow is my co host today and Bill has a
couple of businesses in Exarbon Village, which is probably one
of novels premiere or at least well most well known
developments in Omaha.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
You know, it's really hard to believe that x Sarbon
Village has been around as long as it is. You know,
we're pushing fourteen fifteen years since we opened x Sarbon Cinema,
and we also have backlot tap house there as well
on Zone five, which is not technically the novel piece,
but you know, to watch you know, the original plans
for Xsarvon what that was, and to watch it come
into fruition. And you know, our company has some core
(21:34):
values that we work by and it's very you can
see it in other places and our core values that
we try to live by and we try to do
all our business and everything y is, but we do
these five things. Number One, you got to surround yourself
with good humans, right. Good humans make everything easier, and
things aren't always smooth and sometimes they get bumpy, and
you've got to make sure that you've got good humans
(21:54):
around you. We also like to make sure that we
can do hard stuff. And then we say it a
little bit differently, but also be because we're on the radio.
And then you got to figure it out. There's trust.
You got to have trust in and out and up
and down inside your organization, the people you work with,
and then that moment in time. And I bring all
that up because I think Xarbon Village is a perfect
example where a lot of those things come together.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
You've got a lot of diverse partners all trying to
make Xarbon Village work. And I think the work that
not all companies has done as the master developer, if
I'm saying that correctly, but you know they've done amazing work.
You know Lisa Bachman in some of the work she
does and putting things together you know, sometimes it's a
little unheralded, but they've done amazing work in a Sarbon
(22:36):
village our side on Zone five. John Hughes is somebody
that was committed to you know, committed to us being
there in the early days and all the things. That
takes a lot, a lot of a lot of fun
to be around people who see things in a certain way.
And I think we could all agree that a Sarbon
village is just a diamond.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
It does really take a true leader to make something
like Xarbon Village happen because there's a lot of mixed
use developments proposed, and then once all the players get
involved and things, you know, the money starts coming to
the table. It things kind of can go in a
different direction pretty fast. And Xarbment is not only kind
of held to what they started out to, you know,
(23:16):
what their plan was, but they've also grown. I mean
that the original plan didn't have, you know, a nineteen
story HDR headquarters.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
And I was driving through I was I was driving
south down sixty seventh this past weekend for hockey game,
and I started looking and I had a guest in
the car with me, and I said, you don't realize
but just a few years ago, and maybe fifteen is
not a few anymore. But to think of all the
pieces that weren't there when we opened up at Excarbon Cinema.
I mean it was us and then Noels building across
(23:48):
the way. You know, you didn't have the blue crossbow shield,
you didn't have the you didn't have the hotels. We
didn't have extra arena, we didn't have the park completeing
now the parking garages. So it's a lot of fun too.
You know, this is the shows about development, and to
sit there, I think people who get to work in
the world that you get to work in is really exciting.
You get to watch things bubble up and become something,
(24:09):
and it's the we're the dumb guys that open up
and sell popcorn. But I think to watch all the
things develop around us when it becomes complimentary, is.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Really enjoyable.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
You know, a place like Xarbon really needs programming, and
I know not All does a lot of work programming
making sure that you know, the park is always active
with events. And then over on the north side of HDR,
that Sunnyas area, things like that that really just draw
people in instead of just being another neighborhood shopping center.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
You know, sometime gets overlooked maybe by some I don't know,
but you know X Sarbon Cinema draws well over two
hundred and fifty thousand guests a year. And if you
think about and it's not coming for free events, it's
not coming for whatever these are. People have committed to
coming to a Sarbon Village and spending hard earned money,
and so we're always very proud of what X Sarbon
(24:59):
Cinema pulls into. Certainly the industries that were kind of
associated on the theater side had our challenges through the
pandemic and then some strikes and some other things that
disrupted our supply lines. But as we you know, what
is the next version of what's that going to be
in Xcarbon Village. I think you're fifteen years in now,
so you're going to start seeing some newer people coming
(25:19):
in and out of the village, you know, all kinds
of restaurants and services and things like that. So I
think it's gonna be another exciting time to watch what
X Sarbon Village wants to be next. And certainly this
version has Baxter Arena and the park and all the
you know, the legacy work that Jay Nodels group and
the people and our people and John Hughes and all
(25:40):
these guys and other developers that have all put that together,
including the University partner, which is obviously a huge piece
of that.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Yeah. And I think the University Park just fits so
well down there.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
It really does.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
I mean I like to tell people that, you know,
imagine having a business where you know, literally kitty corner
across the way there is you know, fifteen hundred where
the number is, you know, students living on campus and
learning how to use all the pieces and parts that
are ex sarvant village.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
You know.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Unfortunately, Omaha has had quite a few restaurant closings in
the last several months. As a restaurant owner, what do
you what are some of the challenges you see kind
of facing the restaurant industry these days.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
This is gonna be a long one, but I think
we should focus on the positive, and that is there's
an awful lot of new concepts opening everywhere, really exciting concepts.
We've seen a ton of them from some restaurant groups
opening up down in the Old Market. I take the
other side of it. I think there's just a time
where things are being right sized in all kinds of ways.
And we're not experts by any stretch of the imagination,
(26:44):
other than you know, we do have informed opinions. We
operate theaters and restaurants and multiple states and different developments
and different areas, and we get to see a lot
of different things. And when I talked about our core
values of being around good humans and trust and things
like that, I think anybody that's going to go into business,
especially in the restaurant business, it's you've got to be
around all the pieces you've got to be You got
(27:07):
to have convictions about what you're doing right and making
sure you're with the right people in the right area
that are surrounded by great parks and other things where
people want to be. But then you also have the
business side of this thing, and that is in the
restaurant industry, there is there is a high and it's
a math problem, right, And if if labor costs X
and my supplies cost X, and I'm committed to using
(27:29):
the best supplies and the best ingredients, you've got to
have movement in there. And you know your your rent,
your cost of occupancy is also very very important. So
I think what we're seeing right now as some expenses
have skyrocketed. We find that in certain parts of the
country where we do business, Omaha is not particularly competitive
(27:50):
for wages for employees. It's it's wages are lower in
other parts of the country they are here, and when
you have that really low unemployment rate, that's not always
a good thing. And so you've got to find ways
to make that all work. And there's only so many
things you can do on your supplies. So unfortunately, sometimes
your your cost of minds to your landlord is somebody
(28:10):
you better be in partnership with because of an area
changes and develops and things happen. You have to have
an open dialogue with them about that. I think you
know from another partner that we all have as our
banking partners and and that kind of thing. And you know,
there's there's not a lot of banks that are really
willing to loan in the restaurant business right now, in
(28:30):
the theater business for sure, So you have to you
have to have a really good relationship with everybody around you.
We've been fortunate enough to have great banking partners over
the years in Omah. I think back to Core Bank
being somebody who took a chance on us many many
years ago. Lots of different banking partners that you can
work with. You just gotta again. I'll take it right
back to get to surround us of good humans. But
(28:51):
I think we're seeing a resurgence in the restaurant business.
I don't see it the other way. I really don't.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
So you're thinking more of a right sizing or we
use it.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
We're a lot. You have to write size. Every deal
you're in the world has changed dramatically. We see changes
in things like late night guest movement. It's not quite
what it once was. So then you, you know, restaurant
guys might say, well that I'm going to move into
try and pick up a lunch or a brunch. Well,
now you know you and I could probably name I
don't know how many different restaurant concepts have opened in
(29:21):
the last five years that are just restaurants or.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
You know, breakfast and brunch.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
So you know, it's I love the challenge of the
pieces and we surround ourselves again. I want to be
the dumbest guy in the room at all time. So
my son Michael is is kind of running our company
right now. But we have Dan Watts from Culinary Tyler
Schaeffer as a somalier. We've got marketing help with Andrey Olsen.
We got events of the press or we try to
put together a team that can do all these things
(29:48):
better than one person could.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
That's great. And then one thing that we talked about
when we're preparing for the show is just having flexibility
and not this is the way we've always done it.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
You better, you better, you better figure out a way
I tell a story. And if you think about an
old school restaurant that might have had five or six hosts,
you know, running the front desk, and you've got a
couple of food runners. Well, in the world of wages
that we're looking at right now, that if I've got
four or five hosts, at total cost of that guest
might be or that employee might be fifteen twenty bucks
(30:20):
an hour.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
Do the math.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
You've got to figure out a way to be efficient
there and embracing all the things we do. We've got
a concept backlot taphouse, which is kind of a fast casual,
but it's it's a little more. We run a very
low wage model there, which allows us to do things
with food and beer and other things to make us better.
So you just got to find the right mix that
(30:43):
works for you. And there's a million different models. There
are people doing far better than us and have figured
out their things. But I think, you know, I think
we all need to give a break and the idea
that such and such as closing it must be you know,
causation and correlation. It's not always what you think it is.
It's I don't know, a restaurant guy that is working
their butt off to find the answer, and sometimes you
(31:03):
can't find the answer. So you know, some open, some close.
I think we're just watching a new equilibrium developing.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
All right. On that note, we are going to pause
for our final break of the show. When we come back,
it'll be time for the Perkins Christer Lightning Round. You
listen to Groham Maha with Bill Barstow and Brad Williams
on News Talk eleven and KFAB. Welcome back to Gromha.
We are now time for the Perkins Kritzer Construction Lightning Round.
(31:36):
Perkins Critcher Construction is a full service general contractor here
in the Omaha metro area that can do just about anything.
Been doing photos for them for the last year or so,
and the projects that they've done have all turned out
absolutely beautiful. They have over thirty years experience in the
construction industry and have done everything from multimillion dollar new
(32:01):
developments to small tenant finishes. If you need a general contractor,
check out pcconstruction dot com. Well, Bill, should we jump
into the lightning ground? I'm ready, let's go, ready, all right?
First up is the Smoking Barrel Barbecue, currently located at
one thirty five oh eight Discovery Drive, is going to
(32:22):
be relocating to a new location, which they haven't officially announced,
but if you read through the comments on their post,
it sounds like it's going to be near one hundred
and twentieth in. I been the Smoking Barrel a couple
times in the There's nothing wrong with the old location,
but the visibility of a new location at one hundred
and twentyeth in I in that shopping center should probably
(32:44):
do it.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
I haven't had the I haven't had the pleasure of joining,
but now I think I want to.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Yeah, if you're a barbecue fan, it should be on
your list of.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
Put in your list of five.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Right.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yeah. CoP's Pizza, which just recently we announced they had
closed a couple locations is now. Yesterday they had a
soft opening for a new location of Cops Pizza at
two on two oh nine Nebraska Crossing Drive.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
You know, nice family business that really does well and
serve their community and do what they do what they
do well and be fun to watch and see what's
happening out there.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
We now have an opening date for the new Barnes
and Noble and the Shadow lake Town Center, which will
be books. But yeah, March. So we were talking to
me in the in the restaurant about right sizing. This
is kind of along that line. You know, the book
business kind of I won't say died off, but it
kind of has reached an equilibrium more.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Now we're actually seeing news the time for everything right.
Everything changes. I saw some announcements in Chicago with some
success that they're having rolling out these and so I
do think the parallels are there. I mean everything everything
moves in cycles. We all know that, if you're old enough,
you just you watch things move in cycles. And you know,
we're in the beer business now and we're watching kind
of things change there. So got to find the white
(34:01):
right equilibrium and it's going to find its way.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Not to take the lightning around completely off the rails.
But in the beer business, it is you know, I've
been in the craft beer for a number of years now.
I love visiting local breweries. Have been to I think
one hundred and thirty nine different breweries.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Now, that's impressive.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
And you want to talk about things that have completely
changed in the last fifteen years, ten years, it's it.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Was an explosion up and now they're finding the equilibrium
right now. We happen to be in that business a
little bit through a partnership and and you know, we
think we see opportunity and I think it's gonna you know,
it's not going to be completely about just beer. I
think we have this amazing Detroit style pizza that we're very,
very proud of. We think we're some of the best
in the country that make that. And and to be
(34:47):
able to add that to our beer concept at Site
one is something we're excited about.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
A good pizza goes well with beer, I've put that.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
We would agree, Yeah, all pizza is good.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Some better box lunch Nationals, especially te Retailer will hold
a grand opening event at its first to the market
store at West Roads Mall this weekend February first and second,
the California based retailler donates one meal to local food
bank for every ten dollars spent on pop culture products.
In Omaha, Box Lunch will partner with a food bank
(35:20):
for the Heartland.
Speaker 4 (35:22):
Great partnership there. That's interesting.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
And then we do have a few closings to report.
The Meo has permanently closed. The Meo replaced Laslo Meo
down on thirtieth Street. I had been Lesomeo closed in
twenty twenty two. And then the new family that opened
this restaurant, so that the plans for the restaurant just
never developed the way they intended.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
It's tough world, you know.
Speaker 3 (35:47):
You got to find you got to get that right
mix of guests at the right pricing, at the right everything.
And it's as a lot of work for a lot
of people to make that kind of stuff work.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
Family Fair is closing two of its metro location, one
on North thirtieth in Florence. That one is a former
no Frills that is in the former Shop Co couple
reuses of that building, and the other one is in Glenwood, Iowa.
The Glenwood, Iowa one is in the main town center,
but there's a second grocery store in Glenwood called Russ's Market,
(36:20):
which just completely redid a store.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
And you know, we have a Glenwood connection that was
actually way back when when Colle and I first started
in this. The theater in Glenwood was our second, our
second theater we purchased way back when.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Awesome.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
Yeah, and then.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Final closing was the house of our plans to close
January thirty first at Countryside Village. The business has been
a venue for corporate meetings, weddings and receptions. But as
we've talked about yesterday, the Countryside Village just seems to listen.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Man, what and what Andy did there years ago? The family,
they did some amazing stuff. And you and I were
enjoying an afternoon cocktail, and we're big believers in Countryside Village.
I think you and I noted when we were in
a place we were at and we looked around and
there's twenty five people in there in midday afternoon on
a Friday, enjoying a beverage. And we have you know,
(37:15):
we have an interest on the other side there with
inkwell and so no I you know, Countryside Village, what's
happening there? Is pretty impressive. Well, that's going to do
it for this week's Gromaha. Bill, I really appreciate you
being on with me. It's been a great show, always
fun to talk to you. You have so much knowledge
and insight, and I just really appreciate everything you do.
(37:37):
It's not always I don't know if it's always knowledge
and insight, but there's certainly opinions sprinkled in there.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
You do have one, so well. Thanks to everyone for
tuning in this week's Girmha. Go out there and enjoy
your weekend and have a good day.
This is grow Omaha, the only radio show that talks
about economic development, construction, business expansion, and all of those
things that make Omaha a great place to live or visit.
Grow Omaha on News Radio eleven ten kfab.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Well, good morning and welcome girl Omaha. We're Omaha's only
show dedicated to making this city an even bigger and
better place. I'd like to thank our sponsors this morning,
Cheer Athletic, the nation's number one all star Cheerjim and
d Men's Collision Center. So if you're thinking to yourself,
that's not Trenton Maggott and that is not Jeff Bial's,
you would be correct. A couple of weeks ago, Grow
(00:37):
Omaha celebrated its twenty first anniversary on the air here
in Omaha, and only the second time in twenty one years.
We have two substitute co hosts today. So I'm Brad Williams.
You recognized me. I'm on the show quite a bit,
regular fill in co host and also a frequent contributor
on the different projects gir Omaha does. I'm with E
(00:58):
and a consulting group civil engineering firm here in Omaha.
I work on the planning team. So if you ever
have a project you want to get going and need
someone to bounce some ideas off of, give us a call.
I'm also the owner of Brad Williams Photography. I do
a lot of Omaha Omaha type photos. You know, city scapes,
aerial photos around Omaha, sports, stuff like that, all things
(01:22):
that interest me. Well, my co host today is someone
you've heard on these airwaves before, Bill Barstow. Bill Barstow
is the owner of ACX Cinemas and also Backlop Pizza,
amongst other businesses here around town. Bill, welcome back to
gir Omha. It's great to be here.
Speaker 3 (01:39):
I always enjoy listening, so it's always fun to participate
every now and then.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
And you know, every time you're on you always have
some great interesting perspectives on things. So I was really
excited when you took me up on the offer to
come on the show again today.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
We certainly have opinions. They're not always right, but there
we've got. We had a lot of things going on
in Omaha, and you know a lot of themployees and
families and all that kind of stuff, So I we
love talking all things along.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
Yeah. Well, you know a lot of years in business
you get a good opinion about how things actually work.
So we have a new restaurant review this week. Chris Corey,
our restaurant reviewer, visited the Legacy Chop House, which is
out in the Legacy Shopping Center one hundred and sixty
eighth in Center. Chris says the Legacy Chop House is
(02:26):
a modern steakhouse concept with inspired cocktails and darn good steak.
So if you want to read Chris's review, head to
GROLMHA dot com and click on reviews, and under reviews
there's once his eats. He also reviews movies, so.
Speaker 4 (02:41):
He had a great article on that.
Speaker 3 (02:42):
Then he had a chance to visit a couple of
times and they're doing a great job, and he had
a great article.
Speaker 2 (02:46):
He loves we've been I've got to know him over
the last few years and he can not only review food,
but he's also a pretty good cook too.
Speaker 4 (02:54):
So it's a good combo.
Speaker 2 (02:56):
Yeah, great combo. So let's get into our em development
News of the Week sponsored by Eagle Mortgage. Ego Mortgage
has been around for thirty years, their licensed mortgage broker
serving Nebraska and Iowa. The free consultations pre approval conventional
v FHA and they're located on the corner of one
(03:16):
hundred and fourteenth in Davenport, just south of Dodge or
online at Egle Mortgage Company dot com. So a major
construction project has kicked off in downtown Omaha, the CCHI
Health Center the Convention Center expansion really got underway in
the last couple of weeks. If you go around to
the east side of the CHI Health Center, you'll see
(03:37):
him deconstructing the old staircases that the kind of emergency
exits from the upstairs, the bank or the ballroom floor
and the meeting space. That's kind of interesting to see
because they had to still have ways to get people
out of the building, so they built kind of some
scaffolding and temporary stairs and temporary walkways. So cool to
(04:00):
see that that project has kind of been in the
works for a number of years or you know, been coming.
People have requested more space, more meeting rooms, more breakout rooms,
and so Omaha voters approved a one hundred and forty
six million dollar bond last fall to increase it. The
expansion will add ninety four thousand square feet, twenty five
(04:24):
meeting rooms, access to the third and fourth floors, additional
common space, restrooms, and then hopefully in the end will
lure some more attractive conventions.
Speaker 4 (04:34):
Just a crown jewel.
Speaker 3 (04:35):
I mean, if you think back to when you know,
when that wasn't there, and how that brought and how
that whole area is just the jump start of economic
development down there is amazing. Just love bringing people. Whenever
we bring people into town, I love to bring them
through that area just to see how stunning it is.
Speaker 2 (04:50):
The surprising thing to me, can you believe that that
building is twenty one years old already?
Speaker 3 (04:55):
That's because we're all getting really well. We discussed that
a lot, but it is crazy to believe. But some
of the iconic things that have happened there, and you know,
if you're out and about quite a bit you get
to experience a lot of them.
Speaker 4 (05:05):
That's certainly a blast.
Speaker 2 (05:07):
Right next door to the Chi the Baby Bob the connection,
the connection to the main Bobcarey pedestrian Bridge is nearly complete.
We had a photo on the Gromahoff website this week.
Upon viewing the bridge looks like it's all done. So
Jeff Beatles reached out to the Mayor's office to ask
how come the bridge is not open if it looks done,
(05:29):
and apparently they are still waiting on one more part,
and once the park gets in and gets installed in,
the bridge can be opened.
Speaker 3 (05:35):
So anybody that's done construction, involved in projects knows how
those things happen.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
So just one little piece can hold up such a
a large project, and that's going to be a great
boost to the area. You know. That basically going to
connect the pedestrian bridge right to the center field exit
of the ballpark, so people in between games, before and
after games will be able to head over to the
riverfront and enjoy that the parks and museum and whatnot.
(06:06):
Next project on the list is the Mutual of Omaha Tower.
Currently it is twenty eight stories tall, which means it's
already two thirds of the way to the top. It
doesn't The exterior finishes are going up on the bottom
floor already, and then the steel structure for the main
office part of the tower should be going up at
(06:27):
the end of March, of the being in April.
Speaker 4 (06:29):
Another crazy thing to watch.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
And again, you bring people into Omhan, you drive them
down that corridor on all the construction that's going on
in the cranes and to watch the progress. You guys
do a great job, a great job of showing us
that progress. And I think of Roger Humphrees as somebody
that's the Omah Press Club quite a bit, and Roger
will take pictures from their windows and showing progress and
always enjoy seeing that.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
Yeah, anyone that seems to have any interest in city
growth and development seems to always post pictures of it.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
Well, it's hometown pride, right, Yeah. I think we all
want to see growth. We want to see other people
look at us in a different way. And that's going
to be another one of those projects that we all
get to point to.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
A major component of the Omaha street car project will
be starting next week on February third, the Harney Street
Bridge over Interstate four to eighty will be closed for
demolition and reconstruction. This people have asked why we're tearing
down a perfectly good bridge, But these two bridges over
I four eight are nearing the end of their life
(07:27):
life span anyway, so it's a good time to actually
get them replaced and get the street car tracks added.
I know, as a business owner on the streetcar line,
you're kind of looking forward to getting a new mode
of transportation.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
For me, we are We've got Site one Brewing at
twenty fifth and Farnham. And I'm sort of an eternal optimist.
So when somebody will present and it's like, oh my gosh,
look what's coming, you know, the construction project, we just
smile and say it's opportunity, you know, put your head
down when it's not always the way you want it,
but you know what the finished product's going to be.
And I think we're really excited just to be frankly,
(08:02):
one of the stops on the line, and so we're
looking forward to that.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
Finally, the Omaha City Council approved a twenty four point
two point four to seven million dollar contribution to the
infrastructure improvements and the Builders District in North Downtown. This
will be used to relocate several sewer lines, street pavement, sidewalks,
curve ramps, all related to a new city owned parking
(08:28):
garage at fifteen to fifteen California Street that will be
built by the developer. Another great that north Downtown, the
Builders District, the whole area north of the ballpark and
now west of the Ballpark has really just taken off.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
We've got all kinds of cool spots that you can
start finding your way into. I was I did not
know that twenty fifth and Farnam is going to be
referred to as Farna Meal.
Speaker 4 (08:52):
Yeah, maybe it was previously.
Speaker 3 (08:53):
And again I like to be the dumb guy in
the room, So when I found that, I thought it
was pretty cool. And I think we're looking forward to
all these little spots that pick up and just destination
places for people as they move around a city that's
becoming quite dynamic.
Speaker 2 (09:06):
Yeah, the Farning Hill thing, I remember that when it
first came out, but it doesn't seem like, you know,
it either didn't gain traction or just isn't the neighborhood
isn't pushing.
Speaker 3 (09:16):
It, or feels early, right, Yeah, you know, we're just
starting to poke around it, so we're new to the area.
But I think it just feels a little early, but
it also feels like something's happening. Yeah, and certainly when
the streetcar comes through that could that could be impetus
for extending that zone.
Speaker 4 (09:31):
I guess you could say.
Speaker 3 (09:32):
Further east or further west, depending on where you're coming from.
Speaker 2 (09:35):
A lot of definitely a lot of opportunity in that
area where we're gonna take a break. When we return,
we're gonna be talking to Tiffany Reagan from the Omaha
Parks Foundation. We'll be back shortly on news radio eleven
ten kfab and welcome back to Girl Omaha, almost the
only show dedicated to the growth and development of your
fine city. We want to thank our sponsors again this
(09:58):
morning for sponsoring this show. Cheer Athletics Omaha or Omaha's
number one the nation's number one all star cheer Jim.
If you have a child interested in getting into competitive
cheer Caomaha dot com is their website, and we're also
sponsored by Demon's Collision Center. I'm joined by Bill Barstow
(10:20):
this morning, and in our first interview segment today we
have Tiffany Reagan Omaha Parks Foundation. Tiffany, welcome to your Omaha.
Speaker 5 (10:28):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (10:30):
On. Don't you give people a quick overview of what
the Omaha Parks Foundation does because it's you know, Omaha
has the Omaha Parks Department, which kind of takes care
of mains pains to parks. But what's the Omaha Parks
Foundation do.
Speaker 5 (10:43):
The Omaha Parks Foundation is the five oh one C
three like the fundraising partner to the City of Omaha.
We are separate, but we seek out public private cooperation
and partnerships to improve enhance the city above with the
tax dollars would fund. And Omaha is a large city
with two hundred and fifty six parks over eleven thousand
(11:04):
acres and honestly just kind of trying to do the
best with what they have, and we just look for
opportunities to improve everything from the pools to the golf
courses to the trails into opportunities for people to enjoy
the outdoors awesome.
Speaker 2 (11:21):
And then the community centers involved in that too, yeah.
Speaker 5 (11:24):
Yes, oh yeah, trap and ski you've got natural surface trails, camps, yea,
indoor rec centers, pickleball, tennis, even bus benches fall under
the park's jurisdiction.
Speaker 2 (11:38):
What are some recently completed projects you have that you're
kind of proud of and like show off.
Speaker 5 (11:44):
So I've been with the foundation almost four years now
and we have seen a very positive response from the
community wanting to support the parks because they are so vital.
We've been able to partner with some private either foundation
businesses or individuals to help complete the North Omaha Trail
(12:06):
down the northeast quadrant. We recently finished Eagle Plaza at
Memorial Parks par their seventy fifth We're currently almost to
the finish line with Gallagher Park and that was a
one point three million dollar renovation, new playground, new spray ground.
We restore the fountain, even the guts of it because
a lot of that piping.
Speaker 2 (12:24):
Was so old.
Speaker 5 (12:25):
And a new plaza, so that was really exciting and
that should be operational the full park by June Holiday
Lights Festival. This last year we were the five oh
one to C three partner to the city and the
riverfront and doing the Holiday Lights Festival, and then also trees.
Our tree canopy is so important and with the storms
we've been able to plan on to hundreds of trees
(12:48):
with maintenance for the next year or so to make
sure that they survive. So that's what we've done the
last couple of years, and we have a good, good
path ahead of us as well.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
I think we all quality of a life when it
comes to developing anything in Omaha, and sometimes maybe I
don't know if everybody really pays attention to how important
all these parks and these public spaces are, and it's
really gratifying to hear the work you guys are doing.
It's pretty amazing. As you're listing all those projects, I'm
kind of wondering how you sleep.
Speaker 5 (13:18):
Oh, you know, we are a small but mighty group
and it's really We've got a terrific team. We just
hired our third person and we're just passionate about the work.
We operate very lean because we want to see the
funds go back into the park because, as you said,
the park system is vital. It is a boost to
not only environmental social connectivity, physical and mental health, economic Like,
(13:41):
if you have a good park, chances are the houses
around it are better maintained. The just the resale values
are higher if you've got a good park. So it
really touches every age and every background and so many
things besides health and economy, and also attracting new talent
to Omaha. That's one of the things people are looking
at when they come to get a job is the
(14:01):
park system. And so if we have a strong park system,
it makes our city more attractive.
Speaker 4 (14:06):
Yeah, you said that very very well.
Speaker 2 (14:08):
You know it's interesting too. You I forget what you said.
Two hundred and forty six parks fifty six parts six
parks and Walmart has some real hidden gems too that
I don't think a lot of people know about. And
I know when we when our kids were littler, we
were looking for a city pool that was perfect for
little kids, and you mentioned Gallagher Park and our kids
(14:30):
love Gallagher Park. Then that zero entry splash area, and
then this they've gotten a little bigger. You know, they
can move into the deeper area. There's a lot of
different parks for a lot of different people.
Speaker 5 (14:40):
Yeah, absolutely, And there's also neat opportunities. So for instance,
I know your son plays hockey, and a couple of
years ago, the city has a wish list of things
that they'd like to improve for the community's use, but
it's just not in their budget. And so we were
able to partner with Corporal Dagg and pages family and
(15:00):
his foundation to replace the scoreboard at Mode MacLean in
honor of Dagan, and so that like just this, little
things also use these connections and they mean so much,
and his legacy lives on at Moto where he used
to like to play hockey, and it really makes it
rewarding and the whole community benefits also.
Speaker 2 (15:17):
That's great Okay, what do you have going on now?
What kind of new projects are you working on?
Speaker 5 (15:24):
So Benson Community Center is getting a total revamp, which
is wonderful because it's an old, one hundred plus year
old firehouse and it has gotten tired for lack of
a better word. So we've partnered with the Bay and
Rabble Mill out of Lincoln and a nonprofit or excup me,
another philanthropist here in town to renovate the exterior and
(15:45):
interior and bring programming back to that space. And it
is turning out beautifully, So that's exciting and it also
complements Gallagher and that Benson area. We're also involved with
the Memorial Park Concert every year, and so we just
had our kickoff for planning the Memorial Park Our concert
and fireworks for.
Speaker 2 (16:01):
Twenty five And you're going to announce the band right now.
Speaker 5 (16:04):
No, I don't even have a date, but as soon
as I do. So that's really fun to be a
part of. That's another huge community event in one of
our most beautiful sacred parks, Memorial Park. We have a
new pickleball complex going in at Churchich Park off A
fiftieth in c. Kon's Playground nineteenth and Pickny we have
(16:24):
we have a very generous supporter that would like to
put a new playground in that one's almost thirty years old,
so that's just getting kicked off. And I know that
one of the designers has also worked on some other
ones with E and A. Even that's where I last
saw you, and then again, trees will be a focus
for us this year and replacing some of what we
lost in storms.
Speaker 2 (16:42):
And when you're still catching up from the Emerald Emerald Ashbard. Yeah,
so I mean, can I.
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Ask a real quick question.
Speaker 3 (16:51):
So I live in a world where we have customer
expectations and dealing with all that kind of stuff.
Speaker 4 (16:57):
You're in a world.
Speaker 3 (16:57):
Where there's a lot of opinions and there's a lot
of needs, and it must be very challenging to have
to balance all that, and can you give us a
little insight on how you deal with that? And because
there is a lot that has to be moving and
how do you.
Speaker 4 (17:12):
Deal with that?
Speaker 5 (17:13):
We trust partners because we are not the ones that
know how to do the grading or the main work
the city. We trust. We are very transparent, honest, because
we are truly not the ones doing the work. The
city helps oversee that, and we basically work for the
donors and trying to protect the funds and use them
the way they're supposed to. And so it's a lot
(17:35):
of trust and a lot of transparency and a lot
of patience. It gets trying at times though, Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
So Anda, we do a lot of park projects too,
and I want to say that there's more back and
forth on park projects than on a lot of building projects.
Is there's so many people that are emotionally invested in
these parks that.
Speaker 3 (17:54):
That's probably the key. The emotional investment that people field
is very certain things. We have an organization where we
have lots of void and balancing that and collaborating is
to me one of the fun parts of it.
Speaker 5 (18:04):
So yeah, and there, you know, I think a lot
of people's mindset is, oh, the city would, the city should?
The city will? And really for the amount of staff,
it's like one point six to two people per park
to maintain the entire park. It's just it's not realistic.
So what we would We want to create awareness for
people of saying, if you drop that trash, chances are
(18:24):
Mike d or whatever it needs to pick it up,
you pick it up. Like just parks are important. It's
like the Indian with the tier. Everyone needs to take
care of them.
Speaker 3 (18:32):
We all know, right, I mean there are and we
need to take ownership and just like we would with
our own homes and or whatever.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
Yeah, yeah, because there are just humans behind doing their best,
trying their best.
Speaker 2 (18:41):
Well. One final question before we wrap this up, what
how do people get involved with the Ilmah Parks Foundation.
Speaker 5 (18:48):
That's a great question. So, as I just said, even
in your local park of green space, if you would
even help, you know, sweep the sand into the playground
or things that just the small things that takes a
community and being in a ambassador champion for the parks.
There is a volunteer program through the Parks Department called
the VIP Volunteer in Parks and so we're always looking
(19:10):
for assistance. It can be anywhere from five to thirty
people going at parks and need and doing cleanups. We
have a mini grants program, so if you are involved
in one of the parks and rex spaces that you'd
like to see an improvement, we ask that citizen's right
for that. It's empowering the citizens to take action in
their own spaces. We also fund junior scholarships. If people
(19:32):
want to contribute and underwrite kids learning how to swim
or go to day camp.
Speaker 3 (19:36):
We do that.
Speaker 5 (19:37):
And then we also have a tea it up for
Omaha Parks each year and it'll be September nineteenth that
Benson Golf Course and we'd love to have people participate
in that because the money goes right back into the
park system that they enjoy every day.
Speaker 2 (19:50):
Awesome, Well, thanks for joining us, Tiffany. We're going to
take our middle of the show break now. When we
come back, we'll talk about the Nodel Company Project of
the week Spotlight. You're listening to girl mah on Kfab
Welcome back to gir Omaha.
Speaker 4 (20:04):
Today.
Speaker 2 (20:04):
We're sponsored by Demon's Collision Center, a great local collision
center run by a couple really nice guys. Demon's currently
has four locations in the Omaha metro area, going to
be announcing a fifth pretty soon. I worked with him
on the fifth. It's going to be a great new
Southwest Omaha location. And also I have not had to
(20:27):
use Demon's nearly as much as Trenton does. Apparently he's
a frequent flyer.
Speaker 3 (20:32):
I always I always get a kick out of whatever
car Trenton is he gonna meet me with when I'm
having lunch or something with him.
Speaker 2 (20:37):
But apparently he has to meet a lot of them
at Deingmon's too. So we're also sponsored by Cheer Athletics,
the nation's number one all star cheer Jim in my
nervousness a little bit ago, I accidentally read the novel
company Spotlight as part of the news segments. So my bad.
But we're going to make up for it because Bill
(20:58):
Barstow is my co host today and Bill has a
couple of businesses in Exarbon Village, which is probably one
of novels premiere or at least well most well known
developments in Omaha.
Speaker 3 (21:10):
You know, it's really hard to believe that x Sarbon
Village has been around as long as it is. You know,
we're pushing fourteen fifteen years since we opened x Sarbon Cinema,
and we also have backlot tap house there as well
on Zone five, which is not technically the novel piece,
but you know, to watch you know, the original plans
for Xsarvon what that was, and to watch it come
into fruition. And you know, our company has some core
(21:34):
values that we work by and it's very you can
see it in other places and our core values that
we try to live by and we try to do
all our business and everything y is, but we do
these five things. Number One, you got to surround yourself
with good humans, right. Good humans make everything easier, and
things aren't always smooth and sometimes they get bumpy, and
you've got to make sure that you've got good humans
(21:54):
around you. We also like to make sure that we
can do hard stuff. And then we say it a
little bit differently, but also be because we're on the radio.
And then you got to figure it out. There's trust.
You got to have trust in and out and up
and down inside your organization, the people you work with,
and then that moment in time. And I bring all
that up because I think Xarbon Village is a perfect
example where a lot of those things come together.
Speaker 4 (22:14):
Right.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
You've got a lot of diverse partners all trying to
make Xarbon Village work. And I think the work that
not all companies has done as the master developer, if
I'm saying that correctly, but you know they've done amazing work.
You know Lisa Bachman in some of the work she
does and putting things together you know, sometimes it's a
little unheralded, but they've done amazing work in a Sarbon
(22:36):
village our side on Zone five. John Hughes is somebody
that was committed to you know, committed to us being
there in the early days and all the things. That
takes a lot, a lot of a lot of fun
to be around people who see things in a certain way.
And I think we could all agree that a Sarbon
village is just a diamond.
Speaker 2 (22:55):
It does really take a true leader to make something
like Xarbon Village happen because there's a lot of mixed
use developments proposed, and then once all the players get
involved and things, you know, the money starts coming to
the table. It things kind of can go in a
different direction pretty fast. And Xarbment is not only kind
of held to what they started out to, you know,
(23:16):
what their plan was, but they've also grown. I mean
that the original plan didn't have, you know, a nineteen
story HDR headquarters.
Speaker 3 (23:26):
And I was driving through I was I was driving
south down sixty seventh this past weekend for hockey game,
and I started looking and I had a guest in
the car with me, and I said, you don't realize
but just a few years ago, and maybe fifteen is
not a few anymore. But to think of all the
pieces that weren't there when we opened up at Excarbon Cinema.
I mean it was us and then Noels building across
(23:48):
the way. You know, you didn't have the blue crossbow shield,
you didn't have the you didn't have the hotels. We
didn't have extra arena, we didn't have the park completeing
now the parking garages. So it's a lot of fun too.
You know, this is the shows about development, and to
sit there, I think people who get to work in
the world that you get to work in is really exciting.
You get to watch things bubble up and become something,
(24:09):
and it's the we're the dumb guys that open up
and sell popcorn. But I think to watch all the
things develop around us when it becomes complimentary, is.
Speaker 4 (24:18):
Really enjoyable.
Speaker 2 (24:19):
You know, a place like Xarbon really needs programming, and
I know not All does a lot of work programming
making sure that you know, the park is always active
with events. And then over on the north side of HDR,
that Sunnyas area, things like that that really just draw
people in instead of just being another neighborhood shopping center.
Speaker 3 (24:38):
You know, sometime gets overlooked maybe by some I don't know,
but you know X Sarbon Cinema draws well over two
hundred and fifty thousand guests a year. And if you
think about and it's not coming for free events, it's
not coming for whatever these are. People have committed to
coming to a Sarbon Village and spending hard earned money,
and so we're always very proud of what X Sarbon
(24:59):
Cinema pulls into. Certainly the industries that were kind of
associated on the theater side had our challenges through the
pandemic and then some strikes and some other things that
disrupted our supply lines. But as we you know, what
is the next version of what's that going to be
in Xcarbon Village. I think you're fifteen years in now,
so you're going to start seeing some newer people coming
(25:19):
in and out of the village, you know, all kinds
of restaurants and services and things like that. So I
think it's gonna be another exciting time to watch what
X Sarbon Village wants to be next. And certainly this
version has Baxter Arena and the park and all the
you know, the legacy work that Jay Nodels group and
the people and our people and John Hughes and all
(25:40):
these guys and other developers that have all put that together,
including the University partner, which is obviously a huge piece
of that.
Speaker 2 (25:46):
Yeah. And I think the University Park just fits so
well down there.
Speaker 4 (25:50):
It really does.
Speaker 3 (25:51):
I mean I like to tell people that, you know,
imagine having a business where you know, literally kitty corner
across the way there is you know, fifteen hundred where
the number is, you know, students living on campus and
learning how to use all the pieces and parts that
are ex sarvant village.
Speaker 4 (26:06):
You know.
Speaker 2 (26:07):
Unfortunately, Omaha has had quite a few restaurant closings in
the last several months. As a restaurant owner, what do
you what are some of the challenges you see kind
of facing the restaurant industry these days.
Speaker 3 (26:22):
This is gonna be a long one, but I think
we should focus on the positive, and that is there's
an awful lot of new concepts opening everywhere, really exciting concepts.
We've seen a ton of them from some restaurant groups
opening up down in the Old Market. I take the
other side of it. I think there's just a time
where things are being right sized in all kinds of ways.
And we're not experts by any stretch of the imagination,
(26:44):
other than you know, we do have informed opinions. We
operate theaters and restaurants and multiple states and different developments
and different areas, and we get to see a lot
of different things. And when I talked about our core
values of being around good humans and trust and things
like that, I think anybody that's going to go into business,
especially in the restaurant business, it's you've got to be
around all the pieces you've got to be You got
(27:07):
to have convictions about what you're doing right and making
sure you're with the right people in the right area
that are surrounded by great parks and other things where
people want to be. But then you also have the
business side of this thing, and that is in the
restaurant industry, there is there is a high and it's
a math problem, right, And if if labor costs X
and my supplies cost X, and I'm committed to using
(27:29):
the best supplies and the best ingredients, you've got to
have movement in there. And you know your your rent,
your cost of occupancy is also very very important. So
I think what we're seeing right now as some expenses
have skyrocketed. We find that in certain parts of the
country where we do business, Omaha is not particularly competitive
(27:50):
for wages for employees. It's it's wages are lower in
other parts of the country they are here, and when
you have that really low unemployment rate, that's not always
a good thing. And so you've got to find ways
to make that all work. And there's only so many
things you can do on your supplies. So unfortunately, sometimes
your your cost of minds to your landlord is somebody
(28:10):
you better be in partnership with because of an area
changes and develops and things happen. You have to have
an open dialogue with them about that. I think you
know from another partner that we all have as our
banking partners and and that kind of thing. And you know,
there's there's not a lot of banks that are really
willing to loan in the restaurant business right now, in
(28:30):
the theater business for sure, So you have to you
have to have a really good relationship with everybody around you.
We've been fortunate enough to have great banking partners over
the years in Omah. I think back to Core Bank
being somebody who took a chance on us many many
years ago. Lots of different banking partners that you can
work with. You just gotta again. I'll take it right
back to get to surround us of good humans. But
(28:51):
I think we're seeing a resurgence in the restaurant business.
I don't see it the other way. I really don't.
Speaker 2 (28:55):
So you're thinking more of a right sizing or we
use it.
Speaker 3 (28:59):
We're a lot. You have to write size. Every deal
you're in the world has changed dramatically. We see changes
in things like late night guest movement. It's not quite
what it once was. So then you, you know, restaurant
guys might say, well that I'm going to move into
try and pick up a lunch or a brunch. Well,
now you know you and I could probably name I
don't know how many different restaurant concepts have opened in
(29:21):
the last five years that are just restaurants or.
Speaker 4 (29:24):
You know, breakfast and brunch.
Speaker 3 (29:25):
So you know, it's I love the challenge of the
pieces and we surround ourselves again. I want to be
the dumbest guy in the room at all time. So
my son Michael is is kind of running our company
right now. But we have Dan Watts from Culinary Tyler
Schaeffer as a somalier. We've got marketing help with Andrey Olsen.
We got events of the press or we try to
put together a team that can do all these things
(29:48):
better than one person could.
Speaker 2 (29:49):
That's great. And then one thing that we talked about
when we're preparing for the show is just having flexibility
and not this is the way we've always done it.
Speaker 3 (29:58):
You better, you better, you better figure out a way
I tell a story. And if you think about an
old school restaurant that might have had five or six hosts,
you know, running the front desk, and you've got a
couple of food runners. Well, in the world of wages
that we're looking at right now, that if I've got
four or five hosts, at total cost of that guest
might be or that employee might be fifteen twenty bucks
(30:20):
an hour.
Speaker 4 (30:21):
Do the math.
Speaker 3 (30:22):
You've got to figure out a way to be efficient
there and embracing all the things we do. We've got
a concept backlot taphouse, which is kind of a fast casual,
but it's it's a little more. We run a very
low wage model there, which allows us to do things
with food and beer and other things to make us better.
So you just got to find the right mix that
(30:43):
works for you. And there's a million different models. There
are people doing far better than us and have figured
out their things. But I think, you know, I think
we all need to give a break and the idea
that such and such as closing it must be you know,
causation and correlation. It's not always what you think it is.
It's I don't know, a restaurant guy that is working
their butt off to find the answer, and sometimes you
(31:03):
can't find the answer. So you know, some open, some close.
I think we're just watching a new equilibrium developing.
Speaker 2 (31:12):
All right. On that note, we are going to pause
for our final break of the show. When we come back,
it'll be time for the Perkins Christer Lightning Round. You
listen to Groham Maha with Bill Barstow and Brad Williams
on News Talk eleven and KFAB. Welcome back to Gromha.
We are now time for the Perkins Kritzer Construction Lightning Round.
(31:36):
Perkins Critcher Construction is a full service general contractor here
in the Omaha metro area that can do just about anything.
Been doing photos for them for the last year or so,
and the projects that they've done have all turned out
absolutely beautiful. They have over thirty years experience in the
construction industry and have done everything from multimillion dollar new
(32:01):
developments to small tenant finishes. If you need a general contractor,
check out pcconstruction dot com. Well, Bill, should we jump
into the lightning ground? I'm ready, let's go, ready, all right?
First up is the Smoking Barrel Barbecue, currently located at
one thirty five oh eight Discovery Drive, is going to
(32:22):
be relocating to a new location, which they haven't officially announced,
but if you read through the comments on their post,
it sounds like it's going to be near one hundred
and twentieth in. I been the Smoking Barrel a couple
times in the There's nothing wrong with the old location,
but the visibility of a new location at one hundred
and twentyeth in I in that shopping center should probably
(32:44):
do it.
Speaker 3 (32:44):
I haven't had the I haven't had the pleasure of joining,
but now I think I want to.
Speaker 2 (32:48):
Yeah, if you're a barbecue fan, it should be on
your list of.
Speaker 4 (32:52):
Put in your list of five.
Speaker 3 (32:53):
Right.
Speaker 2 (32:53):
Yeah. CoP's Pizza, which just recently we announced they had
closed a couple locations is now. Yesterday they had a
soft opening for a new location of Cops Pizza at
two on two oh nine Nebraska Crossing Drive.
Speaker 3 (33:09):
You know, nice family business that really does well and
serve their community and do what they do what they
do well and be fun to watch and see what's
happening out there.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
We now have an opening date for the new Barnes
and Noble and the Shadow lake Town Center, which will
be books. But yeah, March. So we were talking to
me in the in the restaurant about right sizing. This
is kind of along that line. You know, the book
business kind of I won't say died off, but it
kind of has reached an equilibrium more.
Speaker 3 (33:39):
Now we're actually seeing news the time for everything right.
Everything changes. I saw some announcements in Chicago with some
success that they're having rolling out these and so I
do think the parallels are there. I mean everything everything
moves in cycles. We all know that, if you're old enough,
you just you watch things move in cycles. And you know,
we're in the beer business now and we're watching kind
of things change there. So got to find the white
(34:01):
right equilibrium and it's going to find its way.
Speaker 2 (34:03):
Not to take the lightning around completely off the rails.
But in the beer business, it is you know, I've
been in the craft beer for a number of years now.
I love visiting local breweries. Have been to I think
one hundred and thirty nine different breweries.
Speaker 4 (34:16):
Now, that's impressive.
Speaker 2 (34:17):
And you want to talk about things that have completely
changed in the last fifteen years, ten years, it's it.
Speaker 3 (34:25):
Was an explosion up and now they're finding the equilibrium
right now. We happen to be in that business a
little bit through a partnership and and you know, we
think we see opportunity and I think it's gonna you know,
it's not going to be completely about just beer. I
think we have this amazing Detroit style pizza that we're very,
very proud of. We think we're some of the best
in the country that make that. And and to be
(34:47):
able to add that to our beer concept at Site
one is something we're excited about.
Speaker 2 (34:51):
A good pizza goes well with beer, I've put that.
Speaker 3 (34:54):
We would agree, Yeah, all pizza is good.
Speaker 2 (34:58):
Some better box lunch Nationals, especially te Retailer will hold
a grand opening event at its first to the market
store at West Roads Mall this weekend February first and second,
the California based retailler donates one meal to local food
bank for every ten dollars spent on pop culture products.
In Omaha, Box Lunch will partner with a food bank
(35:20):
for the Heartland.
Speaker 4 (35:22):
Great partnership there. That's interesting.
Speaker 2 (35:24):
And then we do have a few closings to report.
The Meo has permanently closed. The Meo replaced Laslo Meo
down on thirtieth Street. I had been Lesomeo closed in
twenty twenty two. And then the new family that opened
this restaurant, so that the plans for the restaurant just
never developed the way they intended.
Speaker 4 (35:46):
It's tough world, you know.
Speaker 3 (35:47):
You got to find you got to get that right
mix of guests at the right pricing, at the right everything.
And it's as a lot of work for a lot
of people to make that kind of stuff work.
Speaker 2 (35:57):
Family Fair is closing two of its metro location, one
on North thirtieth in Florence. That one is a former
no Frills that is in the former Shop Co couple
reuses of that building, and the other one is in Glenwood, Iowa.
The Glenwood, Iowa one is in the main town center,
but there's a second grocery store in Glenwood called Russ's Market,
(36:20):
which just completely redid a store.
Speaker 3 (36:23):
And you know, we have a Glenwood connection that was
actually way back when when Colle and I first started
in this. The theater in Glenwood was our second, our
second theater we purchased way back when.
Speaker 2 (36:33):
Awesome.
Speaker 4 (36:34):
Yeah, and then.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
Final closing was the house of our plans to close
January thirty first at Countryside Village. The business has been
a venue for corporate meetings, weddings and receptions. But as
we've talked about yesterday, the Countryside Village just seems to listen.
Speaker 3 (36:55):
Man, what and what Andy did there years ago? The family,
they did some amazing stuff. And you and I were
enjoying an afternoon cocktail, and we're big believers in Countryside Village.
I think you and I noted when we were in
a place we were at and we looked around and
there's twenty five people in there in midday afternoon on
a Friday, enjoying a beverage. And we have you know,
(37:15):
we have an interest on the other side there with
inkwell and so no I you know, Countryside Village, what's
happening there? Is pretty impressive. Well, that's going to do
it for this week's Gromaha. Bill, I really appreciate you
being on with me. It's been a great show, always
fun to talk to you. You have so much knowledge
and insight, and I just really appreciate everything you do.
(37:37):
It's not always I don't know if it's always knowledge
and insight, but there's certainly opinions sprinkled in there.
Speaker 2 (37:42):
You do have one, so well. Thanks to everyone for
tuning in this week's Girmha. Go out there and enjoy
your weekend and have a good day.
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