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Letter from the Publisher
Welcome to our Love Local issue!
Local takes on a whole new meaning when you live in a community like ours. I think it is safe to say that most of us, if not all of us, love to call Papillion our home. I know I do!
But here we are, a local community full of love about to embark on another commercialized holiday. And this one just so happens to be all about love! We may be asking ourselves… should we do a Valentine’s date night out or enjoy a cozy night at home?
Should I buy a card and some flowers or just say a kind word?
I usually fall somewhere in between. My main goal is to ensure those I love the most know they are loved. And though I strive to do that daily, sometimes a reminder to add a little special touch isn’t a bad thing.
So why Love Local?
“Love Local” means loving the businesses in our community, but it also means loving those nearest to us. Those under your own roof included. And the best part is we have many opportunities here in Papillion to do both!
So, let’s grab some ice cream or hot chocolate at Graley’s Creamery & Confections and head home for a game night around the fire with the family. Or snag a bottle of wine from Wine Cellar 510 and pair it with some cheese from Northwoods Cheese Haus or a cupcake from SmallCakes and indulge with a movie night in.
However, if you prefer to make something special on your own, we have you covered as well! You can find expert tips right here for making chocolate-dipped strawberries from Papillion’s own Busy Bee Baking Company.
In the end, one thing we do well here in Papillion is loving local! So on top of the love you show those most special to you this Valentine’s Day, I encourage you to show your love to just one local business this month to let them know how much they mean to you and our community.
After all, the best communities are ones that are built on love!
Have a great February!
With love,
KYLER HENDRICKSON, PUBLISHER
February 2025
PUBLISHER
Kyler Hendrickson | kyler.hendrickson@citylifestyle.com
EDITORIAL COORDINATOR
Amy Hendrickson | amy.hendrickson@citylifestyle.com
PUBLISHER ASSISTANT
Amanda Mills | amanda.mills@citylifestyle.com
COPY EDITOR
Kristen Muldoon
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Vince Mancuso, Amy Hendrickson, Kathy Nickerson, Don Seaman
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
A2i Photography, Becky Broderick, Rich Watson, ZRL Media
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
CTO Ajay Krishnan
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF FRANCHISE DEVELOPMENT Erika Smiley
AD DESIGNER Mary Albers
LAYOUT DESIGNER Andi Foster
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Hannah Leimkuhler
Small Town, Big Options
Gretna Auto Outlet has small-town roots with
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
Busy Bee Baking Company shares DIY guide for making chocolate-dipped strawberries
Time to Create
The Rosy Clay Co. provides creative opportunities in downtown Papillion Acapriccio:
city scene
WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1: Ms. Luba of Kalina Art Studio celebrated her studio’s 2nd birthday with her students. 2: Community members rang in the new year at the Papillion Library’s Noon Year’s Eve Party. 3: Holiday spirit was bright this year at Mathnasium. 4: McKean’s Floor to Ceiling celebrated their 62nd year of business! 5: The Papillion Downtown Business Association held their Holiday Party. 6: The party was hopping at the Papillion Library’s Noon Years Eve Celebration! 7: Acapriccio held their annual Holidays in Whoville Performance and raised $41,672 for Dancers Against Cancer.
Want to be seen in the magazine?
AMY HENDRICKSON
AMY HENDRICKSON
KELLY WAREHIME
PAPILLION MATHNASIUM
TARA SIMONS
LACEY PARTLOW JEREMY KINSEY
Dr. Zach Brown Opens New Vision Care Office in Papillion
Walnut Creek Eyecare, now open on 96th and Schram, proudly serves Papillion with personalized, state-of-the-art vision care for the entire family. Our experienced team offers comprehensive eye exams, contact lens fittings, and a curated selection of designer eyewear. We utilize advanced technology, including Optomap retinal imaging, to ensure optimal eye health and precise prescriptions. We accept VSP, EyeMed, and most major medical plans. Call 402.207.2311 to schedule an appointment. Your eyes deserve the best care!
Celebrate Arbor Day, April 25-27, where it all began—Arbor Day Farm! Enjoy a weekend of nature-inspired activities, family fun, and tree-filled traditions. Make it a getaway with an overnight stay at Lied Lodge. Visit arbordayfarm.org for details and reservations.
Three local writers give an introduction to their world and their work
Love Local, Read Local
Supporting local authors is a heartfelt way to celebrate the creativity and passion thriving in our community. Meet three local authors whose work inspires connection, growth, and imagination. Discover their stories, enjoy them, share them with others, and continue to love local!
Vince Mancuso
Mancuso is the communications director of Dream City Church Omaha and one of the writers for Papillion City Lifestyle Magazine. He aims to create content that is as edifying as it is entertaining, meaning he writes fun stories suitable for avid young readers. His sci-fi series, the Jabin Kainos Trilogy, shows us a world where the genetic makeup of legends is found and awakened in our DNA while exploring themes of found family, the use of power, and redemption. His books can be found on Amazon or locally at any Book Nook location.
D.M. Whitaker
Author, homeschool mom, and former reading teacher, Whitaker specializes in creating daily life and social skills books for elementary and middle school students, empowering them to be the best versions of themselves in their homes, classrooms, and communities. Her titles focus on essential social-emotional intelligence skills, helping kids navigate relationships, understand emotions, and engage positively in their communities. In addition, she owns, Water Rocks Publishing, a publishing and branding agency for authors, businesses, and speakers, offering done-for-you services, coaching, and workshops, teaches branding and marketing classes at Metro Community College, and writes for the Omaha Star.
Rachel Lane
Lane is a licensed therapist and mom to two humans, two cats, and one anxious dog. She loves creating characters who are struggling, but not toxic. Her debut novel, Broken Strings, follows a husband and wife through the abduction of their young son. But the novel really explores how they move through trauma. And how, when their son is found three years later, everything they thought they’d learned changes. Her second and third books occur in the same universe, exploring what makes relationships healthy or not. You can check out Lane’s work at RachelLaneWriting.com or the Papillion Book Nook.
Photo Credit: C4 Photography
SE HABLA ESPANOL
Photo credit Iris Images
Flooring Backsplash
Bath/Shower Remodel Decorative Stone
Big Options SMALL TOWN,
Gretna Auto Outlet has small-town roots with big-time options
ARTICLE BY VINCE MANCUSO
PHOTOGRAPHY BY A2I PHOTOGRAPHY
and the
Auto
have grown at a rate that matches that of their owner, Brian Gibbs. Once it began, there was no stopping it.
Gretna
Gretna
Outlet
“I was buying and selling cars when I was 12, 13, 14 years old,” says Gibbs. Growing up in Norfolk, he would travel with his father to Omaha to purchase vehicles, laying the groundwork for his future entrepreneurial journey. “After I graduated, I started a little business” at 18, beginning with a small lube and detail business, and by 19, he had opened his first dealership.
What began as a dozen cars in Norfolk in the late 1980s soon moved to a decade in Omaha, another five-year run in Blair, and eventually opening the Gretna Auto Outlet in 2012.
“Good things are coming for Gretna; it’s not a sleepy little town anymore,” Gibbs says, pointing to the expansion of the Nebraska Crossing Outlet Mall on the southern side of town and further developments soon to come. “Another five, ten, years from now, I cannot imagine what it will be like then.”
“What sets us apart is we’re family-owned. I hand-pick most of the vehicles.” The dealership now carries 250 cars, with unique features like a kids’ area “with a literal arcade” and a coffee bar to allow for an enjoyable, fun experience for the whole family. “Customers don’t feel like it’s a stressful experience. We try not to make it that way; we want it to be a fun experience.”
The business caters primarily to families and workers, focusing on used SUVs and trucks, though Gibbs notes the occasional sports car or Jeep Wrangler to “try and keep it fun.” As for price range, Gibbs says Gretna Auto’s pricing strategy is flexible, typically ranging from $15,000 to $60,000, with a preference for the $20,000 to $35,000 range.
As Gibbs says, “Being in business for basically 38 years, we’ve been through a lot. I’m not saying we’re perfect, but we try to buy what fits for folks.”
Open seven days a week with indoor and outdoor viewing areas, Gibbs encourages potential customers to visit the auto outlet at 12190 S 216th Plaza and experience the small-town difference.
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
Jodi Jefferson is the owner of Busy Bee Baking Company, a veteran-owned and operated bakery specializing in custom-order cakes and desserts. Make your own chocolate-dipped strawberries this Valentine’s Day with her guidance. You can also visit her Facebook page to see her full menu and place an order.
Chocolate-Dipped Strawberries
INGREDIENTS
• Strawberries
• Chocolate (milk, semi-sweet, or dark chocolate)
• Shortening
• Topping ingredients (finely chopped nuts, sprinkles, crushed candy, etc.)
DIRECTIONS
1. Rinse the strawberries under cold water and dry them thoroughly. Set the washed and dried berries to the side while you prep the baking sheet and chocolate.
2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Prepare topping ingredients and place in bowls.
3. Add two tablespoons of shortening for every 12 ounces of chocolate. Melt the chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-40 second intervals, stirring until smooth.
4. Dip the strawberries one at a time. Pick strawberry up by the stem and dip it into the chocolate, bottom first. Gently rotate the strawberry as you pull it out of the chocolate, dragging the back side off the edge of the bowl to remove any excess chocolate.
5. Optional: Dip the strawberry into prepared toppings.
6. Place the strawberry onto the baking sheet and repeat. Drizzle extra chocolate over strawberries. Strawberries are best enjoyed once the chocolate has set.
TIME TO CREATE
ARTICLE BY VINCE MANCUSO
PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED BY ROSY
CO. THE ROSY CLAY CO. PROVIDES CREATIVE OPPORTUNITIES IN DOWNTOWN PAPILLION
CLAY
Opening in the heart of downtown Papillion, the Rosy Clay Co. has offered the community an artistic outlet for the whole family since opening its studio in September.
“We offer a little bit of everything pottery,” says Ana Klein, owner of the Rosy Clay Co. This includes pottery wheel classes, workshops, kids’ birthday parties and walk-in paint-your-ownpottery sessions, all of which have found a lot of popularity.
“The drop-in classes are very popular. These give you some time on the wheel where we teach you how to throw,” says Klein. To throw, she explains, is the term for forming clay items on the wheel. For those wanting a more in-depth experience, there is the four-week class. “It takes you from a ball of clay to your final pieces—a bowl, a plate, a mug, there’s lots of things you can create.”
Wanting to cater to everyone, Rosy Clay Co. offers a variety of one-time workshops for all ages. Klein recently offered a kids’ workshop, during which attendees made items based on the popular cartoon, Bluey. Meanwhile, an adult workshop was offered to create travel mugs or charcuterie boards.
Those with experience, or who have taken the four-week class, can also become studio members. They can create using the wheel during regular office hours.
“We try to cater to everybody,” Klein says, even across ages. Creatives as young as three through twelve can attend workshops geared for their age. Ages 8+ can join a drop-in class with a parent, while those thirteen and older can learn on their own wheel. With the parent-and-me wheel classes, which are offered once a month, the parent and child will share a wheel for an hour. The Rosy Clay Co. will even trim and glaze creations afterward to help ensure families will not only have a memory, but a beautiful keepsake as well.
Klein explains that this approach to including everyone, and the studio’s location stems from a desire to do art with the family.
“From a ball of clay to your final piece—there’s lots of things you can create.”
—ANA KLEIN
“I had been in pottery for a few years, and I was going to a location about 30 minutes out and 30 minutes back. We have three kiddos, 8, 6, and 4, so the commute and time away was tough for me.” Wanting more time with her children and to expose them to art, the downtown Papillion location was created. Now, not only does the Klein family benefit, but the whole Papillion community as well.
Photo Credit: ZRL Media
1-2 Week Upgrade
wood restoration cabinetry painting redooring/refacing custom cabinetry
local, female, first responder owned
ACAPRICCIO: It’s
All in the NAME
In 1998, Jennifer Kinsey opened the dance studio she had dreamed of since childhood. She wanted an interesting name for the company, something she wouldn’t get tired of saying when she answered the telephone. She also wanted a name that would be listed in the first pages of the telephone book.
She flipped through the family dictionary for something that would resonate and last. She discovered the musical term a capriccio. She loved the idea of using a musical word.
It was an appropriate term for the philosophy of the dance company. “The name means the performer gets to choose the style and expression of the piece,” Kinsey says. She applies this philosophy to every ballet, tap, jazz, hip-hop, and tumbling class.
Kinsey’s plan to be in the front of the phone book didn’t happen. When Acapriccio Dance Company (ADC) opened, Kinsey managed it from her cell phone. She didn’t have a landline for the first five years, and the company didn’t have a listing.
a capriccio, (ah kuh-pree-chee-oh): at whatever tempo or with whatever expression the performer wishes
ARTICLE BY KATHY NICKERSON PHOTOGRAPHY BY BECKY BRODERICK
Word of mouth spread fast, though. When the studio moved into its current location, they advertised an open house. A mom in the community wanted information, but she couldn’t remember the name from the ad.
She called directory assistance and told the operator she was looking for a new dance studio with a name that sounded like Acapulco. The operator knew who she meant.
“A lot of people don’t know what the name means,” Kinsey says. “They don’t know how to pronounce it or spell it, but there is so much name recognition. Once, at a dance show in New York, we ran across a rhinestone company from Minnesota, and they recognized our Nebraska studio from the name on my husband’s lanyard.”
Kinsey’s husband has a strong presence in the studio. They met shortly before Acapriccio’s first recital, and he jumped in to help. In his day job, Captain Kinsey is a thirty-year veteran of the La Vista Police Department and a huge supporter of the community. He still helps out around the studio along with the couple’s four sons.
“We love being a part of this community,” Kinsey said. “We’ve been in the area for all twenty-eight seasons. We have dancers from Omaha, Springfield, Bellevue, Plattsmouth, and other places. But Papillion - La Vista is our home.”
Classes offered by Acapriccio :
• Ballet
• Tap
• Jazz
• Tumbling
• Hip-Hop
• Summer Programs
Demi classes
Ages one to five
Club classes
Ages six and up
Competition Teams Various ages
Acapriccio’s method has obviously worked. Several instructors are former students who started with Kinsey as children. They understand the studio philosophy because they have lived it.
Kinsey describes what it feels like to see a performer begin to move with freedom and self-expression. “It’s almost like they step into a grace,” she says.
It turns out a capriccio is more than just a name.
Photo Credit: Rich Watson
ARTICLE BY DON SEAMAN
Creating a Better Snowman
There’s probably no more quintessential symbol of winter than a snowman. We’ve all seen Frosty and are probably pretty familiar with Olaf. But if you want to install one into your own yard, you’ll have to put a little elbow grease into creating one without the help of world-class animators. Here are some tips to help give your yard a well-dressed frozen sentry sure to turn your neighbors’ heads.
Tip 1:
NOT ALL SNOW IS SNOWMAN SNOW.
It takes more than a flurry to build a snowman. Heavy, slushy snow won’t work, and if it’s too powdery dry it won’t pack together. If you can pack a good snowball, you can build a snowman.
Bonus tip: Dry snow can be modified to workable snowman snow with a quick spritz of water from a spray bottle, or a light mist from that garden hose you really should have already put away for the winter.
Tip 2:
ROLL TOWARDS YOUR GOAL — THE LONG WAY.
Decide where to position your snowman and make that your finish line. Start with a
well-packed snowball and get rolling, but don’t just go in one direction. Roll the ball to start accumulating snow, then roll back, then roll in a different direction. Pack and begin to shape your snowball as you go. Reinforce as necessary. Look to use a 3-2-1 ratio for the sections.
Tip 3:
EVEN SNOWMEN CRAVE STABILITY.
Once you get your base section in place, shore up the bottom with snow. Then at the top, create a bowl-shaped indentation to allow the next section to sit securely. Ensure each section is well-packed with added snow around the “joint” between the sections.
Tip
4:
SNOW IS HEAVY. ENLIST A BUDDY.
A willing helper can help lift that heavy next stage into place. You can even roll it onto a tarp and lift from either side to get it up there. A third set of hands can help move it into place. Otherwise, use plywood as a ramp to roll it up yourself (braced well against the bottom with plenty of support underneath, so as to not damage the base). You might need an extra bowl of Wheaties to roll it up there alone.
Tip 5:
PILOT HOLES ARE YOUR FRIEND.
Simply jamming details into your snowman can mess with its integrity. Use a sharp stick to gently create some pilot holes for your features before you set them into place.
Tip 6:
GIVE HIM SOME PERSONALITY.
There’s always that classic snowman uniform of a scarf, hat, a carrot nose and coal (sure, we all have that lying around these days — river rocks might be easier to get your hands on). Or you could be a bit more creative, maybe with an old oversized Hawaiian shirt, a jazzy vest, or go all-out and channel your inner Martha Stewart, breaking out your Dremel to make something custom for your wintery lawn guest. You might need to use your imagination — not many of us have corncob pipes or top hats anymore, either.
Pro tip: if you’re dressing your snowman, put any body clothing you might use on before adding the arms.
Just remember. If you mess it up, it’s ok because he’ll be back again some day.
events
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
FEBRUARY 12TH
Papillion La Vista Community Schools Walk-In Hiring Event
PLCS Central Office | 10:00 AM
Papillion La Vista Community Schools invites you to join their team of difference makers! All are invited to stop by the PLCS Central Office anytime from 10 AM - 4 PM to discuss employment opportunities with their friendly HR team. No appointment required! Now hiring for classified staff positions, including paraprofessionals, custodians, food service, van riders, and drivers.
FEBRUARY 21ST
Family Battle Zone
Papillion Landing | 6:00 PM
It's Battle Time! Bring your own unmodified and non-battery powered nerf gun to test your skills while playing games such as dodgeball or nerf gun wars. Afterwards, enjoy a provided meal. Open to parents and kids ages 8 and up. Registration is required one week in advance.
FEBRUARY 27TH
Bags and Swags
Papillion Landing | 5:30 PM
Come for the fun, stay for the impact! This is a fundraiser featuring a silent auction with designer purses, delicious heavy hors d’oeuvres, and decadent desserts. All proceeds go towards supporting the services provided by housing foundation for Sarpy County. TICKETS AVAILABLE NOW! WWW.FUNDRAISER.BID/BNS
TEXT NOW FOR YOUR CHANCE TO CHEER ON YOUR FAVORITE TEAM IN PERSON AND WIN 2 TICKETS TO THE IOWA HAWKEYS VS NEBRASKA HUSKERS GAME! DOUBLE YOUR CHANCES TO WIN BY SCHEDULING A HVAC, PLUMBING, OR ELECTRICAL SERVICE IN FEBRUARY!
ENTERING IS EASY! Text “WIN” to 402-204-4668 to secure your entry. Hurry—entries close February 27th, and the lucky winner will be announced on February 28th!
SCORE BIG AND CHEER FOR YOUR TEAM ON MARCH 9TH AT PINNACLE BANK ARENA!
GAME DAY: SUNDAY, MARCH 9TH | TIP-OFF: 11:30 AM LOCATION: PINNACLE BANK ARENA
Thank you for being a John Henry’s Customer
