Papillion, NE June 2024

We’re 2-3 times faster than competitors. Rolling Suds professionals have soft washed for over 200k customers.

Eat local…

· Caniglia’s A Mano

· Papillion Taco Guy

· La Mesa Mexican Restaurant

Grab a drink…

· Papio Pub

· Twisted Vine

· Nebraska Brewing Co.

Get outside…

· Werner Park

· Fishing at Walnut Creek or Prairie Queen.

· Hit the Papillion bike trails.

· Golfing at Tara & Eagle Hills.

A Letter From The Publisher

Fatherhood is a gift. It is a gift for you as a father as well as a gift for your children. As a father you celebrate successes with your children and are there to help them in times of difficulty. Fathers make countless differences in their home, family, and community, but just how much impact you have is entirely up to you.

I developed a love for baseball, and even more specifically, a love for playing the outfield, in large part because of my father. He spent countless hours each summer hitting fly balls to my brothers and me back on the family farm. I’m sure we had our share of scrapes and bruises from trying to make the next highlight reel catch, but this wasn’t a lesson about being tough, it was a lesson about time well spent. It was time we all cherished.

As a father, our gifts of quality time, life-giving words, and positive actions have a long-lasting impact on our children.

As I reflect on fatherhood this month, here are just a few thoughts that come to mind:

• A father’s words can be fueling and inspirational.

• Hugs from a father can be reassuring and comforting.

• A father’s smiles can instill joy and confidence.

• Time with a father can be fun and productive.

• A father’s guidance can be life-changing and foundational.

• A father’s correction can be life-saving and life-giving.

• Adventures with a father can be exciting and memorable.

We designed this issue with fathers in mind. From a daddy-daughter date idea to shining up your car or truck. From a humble business owner leading the company passed on to him from his father to a teacher and coach who was a father figure to so many in our community.

I encourage all of you to let the father or father figure in your life know how much he matters to you. And if you are a father, let us be the first to say - thank you. You are invaluable to those who need you the most, as well as the community around you.

Happy Father’s Day!

June 2024

PUBLISHER

Kyler Hendrickson

kyler.hendrickson@citylifestyle.com

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Amy Hendrickson

amy.hendrickson@citylifestyle.com

COPY EDITOR

Kristen Muldoon

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Vince Mancuso, Deb Reinard, Amy Hendrickson

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Joseph Saaid, Sammie Rodriguez, Amy Hendrickson

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Matthew Perry

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF HR Janeane Thompson

AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall

LAYOUT DESIGNER Jamie Housh

city scene

WHERE NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN

1: Teen Advisory Board members worked together at their monthly meeting. 2: Papillion Area Historical Society organized a May Day Basket Event for the community. 3: Core Bank staff helped sort food pantry donations and restock shelves at NeighborGood Community Pantry. 4: Wine Cellar 510 hosted an 80’s Trivia Night. 5: Papillion Junior Woman’s Club put on a “Spring in Bloom” Brunch and Style Show. 6: Papillion Community Foundation held their first annual Derby Days Event. 7: Papillion La Vista South High School’s Theatre students performed Beauty and the Beast.

Want to be seen in the magazine?

KELLY WAREHIME

ASHLEY BOHL

BRITTNEY RYBA

NICOLE MCANDREW

Wednesday, June 26th | Werner Park | 5:30pm to 8:30pm

Omaha’s Premier Beer Tasting Festival! Proceeds from this event will help Project Harmony continue to provide effective, immediate and sensitive support to children who are victims or suspected victims of abuse and neglect in our communities. A portion of the funds raised also allows the Papillion Area Lions Club to support local projects in the community.

Tickets are $45 in advance and $55 the day of the event. Tickets can be purchased online, at Hy-Vee customer service desks, or from Papillion Lions members.

Hosted by the Papillion Area Lions Club as a benefit for Project Harmony.

Photos provided by Debra Kaplan

business monthly

Luxe Hound is Now Addressing Your Pup's Coat Needs!

Luxe Hound is enhancing its grooming services with our new line of shampoos and conditioners. These products are meant to address the specific needs of a dog’s coat and skin! Upgrades can be added to any grooming service and will help every pup look and feel great this summer! Visit Luxe Hound at 7326 Harrison Street or schedule an appointment online at luxehoundsalon.com.

Scan to read more

Café Diem: Comfort Food with a Warm, Loving Mood

Café Diem is a locally owned and operated restaurant offering breakfast and lunch, all day, seven days a week from 7 AM– 2 PM. They proudly serve fresh food made from scratch, in generous portions. They offer fully-staffed, efficient service; Drive Thru & pickup options; a full-service coffee bar; pet-friendly outside patio seating; gluten-friendly menu; catering options; made-from-scratch soups, and rotating features. Find Café Diem at 9839 S 96th St #109 in Papillion.

Tangeman Training Systems: Helping Athletes Achieve Peak Performance

Tangeman Training Systems (TTS) is a private athletic training facility serving athletes (ages 11-18) who are seeking athletic performance improvements. With a decade of experience, education, application, and success, they’ve helped hundreds of athletes reach their highest potential by improving power, speed, strength, and mobility. TTS takes an individualized approach to athletic development focusing on lower body power (vertical jump), explosiveness, and speed to enhance performance and decrease risk of injury. Learn more at tangemantrainingsystems.com/

Photography by Luxe Hound

Photography by Café Diem

Photography by TTS Training and Performance

SMALLCAKES: BIG MEMORIES

ARTICLE BY DEB GRAYSON REINARD PHOTOGRAPHY BY SAMMIE RODRIGUEZ

A LOCAL BAKERY SERVES UP BIG FLAVORS AND LASTING MEMORIES

Don’t go into SmallCakes expecting to find your run-of-the-mill cupcakes. Instead, expect to be greeted with the aromas of grandma’s kitchen, the vibrant colors of a rainbow, and the excitement of choices all wrapped up in a confectionary delight that will soon become your new guilty pleasure.

Nestled in the Tara Plaza shopping district is the sweet shop owned and operated by Laura Ashenfelter and her husband, Devon. The two met in college and since then have dreamed of owning their own bakery. That dream became a reality in February 2023.

Matt Elsasser and his daughter, Avery, have made SmallCakes a part of a special tradition for the father-daughter team.

When Avery was two years old her father invited her to Papillion’s annual FatherDaughter dance, where he gifted her with a rose and a cupcake from SmallCakes. Avery is now 10 years old and their dance tradition has carried on every year, and it always begins with a cupcake from SmallCakes.

With their creativity, education in baking and restaurant hospitality and management, as well as long history of baking with Laura’s family, Laura and Devon have created hundreds of flavors and designs for SmallCakes. She said the shop’s signature flavors are butter beer, butterscotch and cream soda cake.

“My personal favorite is strawberry cheesecake. And it’s extra special when we turn it into a milkshake,” Laura said. “We can turn anyone’s flavor into a milkshake. Just use your creativity.”

However, many customers love to savor the sweetness of caramel and pecan in the fall. Or maybe they stop at Easter for a dozen beautifully decorated pastel delights. Perhaps they come for cocoa bombs or cake pops or even stunning cupcake bouquets.

“Before the dance this year I wanted to try the limited-edition Orange Dreamsicle,” Avery said, “but I decided to go with the raspberry instead. It was so good. The lemon drop is great too.”

Not normally much of a sweets guy, Matt said he couldn’t resist a cookies & cream cupcake.

“Their cupcakes really are great,” he said.

As a small business owner, Matt said he thinks supporting local businesses is important. “And we’ll keep going back to SmallCakes for many years,” he said.

Avery said she is certain she wants their special tradition to continue.

“I want to go to SmallCakes and the FatherDaughter dance even after I’m married,” she said.

A Legacy of Craftsmanship

For Howland Boyer, owner of Cabinet Factory Outlet Plus at 7125 Q Street, the key to long-term success is teamwork, expertise, and appreciation for a product.

“We have very talented designers,” shares Boyer. “My job is mostly to support them to do the best they can.”

This is done through things such as the business’s display wall, which is designed for customers to see colors and styles as much as to understand the value of what’s being purchased.

“My designers love to talk colors and design and beauty—and I say, ‘Hey, you need to talk about the rating,’” Boyer says playfully. This combination of form and function allows customers to get the best value.

This approach is one of the many lessons he learned after his father's passing in 1985, when he took over the family business at age 24. “I still had a lot to learn, and I’m sure I made a lot of mistakes.”

This inheritance would also make Howland the fourth generation of men in the Boyer family to pursue a career in the builder supply industry. His choice of cabinetry, however, began in high school.

ARTICLE BY VINCE MANCUSO

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSEPH SAAID

While participating in the Distributive Education Clubs of America, commonly known as DECA, one of his father’s employees encouraged him to look into cabinetry.

"It sparked a lifelong interest in kitchens and how the design works,” says Boyer.

Boyer delved into the nuances of cabinet construction, woods, hinges, and the evolution of design trends.

"Wood is always good, but some darken, and some are softer—they would damage easily for cabinets," he explains. "I went with cabinet construction to learn what makes a sturdy cabinet and what will make it last longer.”

His interest extended to the hinges and methods developed by post-World War II European engineers and

metalworkers that made frameless, full-access cabinets possible. Such styles are now available in his store.

“We have some constructions that home centers typically don’t deal with,” Boyer says, adding that Cabinet Factory Outlet Plus also keeps select varieties of middle-grade cabinets in stock.

Having recently undergone a kitchen remodel in his own home, Boyer remarks how it is a joy to him to work alongside talented people, continue a family legacy, and provide excellent service and products for his customers.

“It’s a wonderful honor to meet nice people and help them improve their homes and properties,” he says.

CONVENIENCE MEETS EXCELLENCE

ARTICLE BY VINCE MANCUSO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JOSEPH SAAID

For Brett Stephens, owner and founder of Invictus Mobile Auto Care, cars are more than just vehicles—they're a passion. With over 25 years of experience in the automotive industry, Stephens now takes his expertise on the road, offering a comprehensive range of mobile auto services to customers throughout the Omaha metro.

Invictus offers key automotive services: detailing; auto glass repair; replacement and recalibration; oil changes; minor mechanical work; mobile ceramic coatings and correction. All services are entirely mobile.

“Whether you’re at work, home, play—we come directly to you,” Stephens says. “We’re all busy today; we all have stuff going on. The one thing I hear consistently is ‘Oh, I gotta do this, but I have to drop off the car.’”

Beyond removing the hassle of driving in, Stephens explains that Invictus, Latin for unconquered, invests in the highest-quality equipment and products to provide top-notch service that cannot be beaten.

“We bring the professional results of an in-shop service directly to your doorstep.”

Currently, Invictus offers three packages for detailing, but Stephens says that, unlike other mobile services, even the most basic package includes a thorough interior cleaning.

“We’re spraying down your panels. We’re taking a detail brush. We’re getting into the cupholders.”

Stephens explains that the Bronze package is perfect for those who take regular care of their cars but could use a slightly deeper cleaning. The next level, Silver, is ideal for professionals and businesses that regularly provide rides for clients. It offers medium stain removal and conditioning of leather, vinyl, and plastic surfaces to make sure they look newer and stay hydrated for longer.

“We’re making sure your car looks new as opposed to shiny,” he says. “But if you want your car to look at the top level at all times, that’ll be the Gold package.”

The Gold package provides the most thorough cleaning and conditioning, including a steam-cleaned interior and a ceramic sealant for paint and rims.

This package also includes a one-year protection plan for your car’s appearance inside and out.

“In that one package, we dedicate about six hours of work to making sure that vehicle looks better than the day you bought it.”

The desire to provide the best look for customers’ cars on all levels comes from Stephens’ long history in the field and the development of his staff.

“My very first job in the car business was when I was 15, and I started in the detail department. I had a bit of a knack for it,” Stephens recounts. “I also really, really liked it.”

Now, with two-and-a-half decades of experience spanning nearly every automotive role, Stephens said Invictus is also creating a supportive environment for his staff's personal growth.

"They're young kids, but they're hungry for a challenge. We're not just making them a better employee, but a better citizen," he explains, providing access to leadership development and financial literacy training.

That said, Stephens believes this translates well for his customers, knowing his employees will deliver the best service as a matter of integrity and drive to do well.

invictusmobileautocare.com

STEPHENS RECOMMENDS THE FOLLOWING CHECKLIST TO MAINTAIN YOUR CAR:

• Weekly vacuuming, including in and around car seats.

• Discarding trash and small debris.

• Regularly wiping the interior with a clean rag and all-purpose cleaner.

• Applying upholstery cleaner to any stains.

“Beyond that, you can always call us,” he says.

Foundational Coach Leaves Lasting Impact

ARTICLE BY VINCE MANCUSO

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY HENDRICKSON

Coach Jim Thomas’ legacy was celebrated with a tournament in his honor on the Monarchs’ new turf field

“I’ll find myself saying, ‘Coach Thomas used to do this,’” says McCabe. “If I’m a tenth of the coach he was, then I’m going to be successful.”

When it came time to christen a new high school baseball field, Coach Nate McCabe honored a foundational figure in Papillion-La Vista High School’s baseball history with the Jim Thomas Invite.

“People like him need to be recognized now more than ever,” says McCabe. “It was time for the man to be honored. Positive role models need to be put out in front of the community.”

The tournament originated from the new turf field the Monarchs call home and the desire to let seniors get as many games on the new field as possible. The result was a second spring tournament beyond the traditional Monarch Invite.

“Then it rolled around to what are we going to call it,” says McCabe, “And I said, ‘We’ll call it the Jim Thomas Invite.’”

Jim Thomas had previously coached for the Monarchs for 39 years, including coaching over McCabe as a student player and when McCabe served as an assistant coach.

“I’ll find myself saying, ‘Coach Thomas used to do this,’” says McCabe. “If I’m a tenth of the coach he was, then I’m going to be successful.’”

This desire to honor his and many other players' former coach was so strong that McCabe joked about not giving Thomas much of a choice.

"We got the chance to applaud him for the work he's done over the years."

Thomas was recognized at home plate before the tournament and sat in the dugout for four innings. McCabe said the 76-year-old “had not skipped a beat” in coaching. The former coach also had the opportunity to speak to the Monarch players directly.

"I felt like a teenager again, listening to him talk," McCabe says. "Everything he said still applies today."

As for his own part, Thomas says he feels very honored, but said the honor should be shared with the many people who helped and supported him along the way.

“I’ve had a very understanding wife and family to let me go out and play with my balls and bats," says Thomas. "I thank them for putting up with 40 years of that kind of stuff.”

Crediting players, assistant coaches, volunteers, athletic directors, and his family members, Thomas said it was a group effort to allow him and his teams to succeed on and off the field.

"I had a bunch of people who just really came to my aid and helped with kids. That's my whole deal: helping kids!" Thomas says, adding that coaching baseball was as much about preparing players as it was preparing students for the rest of their lives.

“I can’t put into words how lucky I’ve been,” says Thomas. “It’s been an unbelievably fun ride.”

The honors continued when the Monarchs won the tournament in the final game against Bellevue West.

"Coach McCabe did a great job being prepared to play a really good Bellevue West team," says Thomas, adding it was quite an accomplishment.

"That was another nugget I got to use for the kids," says McCabe. "This is the Jim Thomas Invite—we want to keep this plaque!"

And his team delivered, McCabe says, offering another way to honor a man who did so much to build up the Monarchs’ baseball team.

"He made a difference in my life," says McCabe. "Obviously, this win meant a lot."

events

SATURDAYS

Movie nights at SumTur Amphitheater

SumTur Amphitheater

Bring a chair or blanket and join for the free starlight movies in June. Movies will begin at dusk, with a preshow at 7:30 PM. The movie on June 8th will be Teengage Mutant Ninja Tutles Mutant Mayhem and on June 15th will be Elemental. For more information visit SumTur.org

JUNE 12TH - 16TH

Papillion Days

Papillion City Park

It's time for the 77th Annual Papillion Days Celebration! Join in the fun at the carnival, watch the parade, and check out the market in the park. To purchase carnival wristbands or to view a full schedule of events, visit papillionfoundation.org

JUNE 23RD

Papillion Youth Talent Show

SumTur Amphitheater | 6:00 PM

Let your talent shine! The Omaha Mobile Stage Youth Talent Show Series is an outdoor amateur talent competition for ages 3 through graduating high school seniors. The show is free and open to the public to watch. For those wanting to participate, you can register at OmahaMobileStage.org

JUNE 23RD

Swiftea Party

The Fireside Banquet Hall | 1:00 PM

Calling all Taylor Swift Fans! Fun is sure to be had at an afternoon tea party boasting a Taylor Swift theme. There will be two kinds of tea, finger sandwiches and assorted sweet & savory desserts served. Make reservations online at Jewelsmountaintea.com

JUNE 26TH

Hops for Harmony

Werner Park | 5:30 PM

The Papillion Area Lions Club will be hosting its annual premier beer tasting event, Hops for Harmony, with proceeds benefitting Project Harmony. Participants can sample over 100 different kinds of beer and enjoy tasty food. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit papiolions.com/hops-for-harmony/

JUNE 26TH

Downtown Papillion Poker Run

Downtown Papillion | 3:00 PM

Join for a Poker Run to support Downtown Papillion businesses! Collect your poker cards at various stops along the way and enjoy a drink or snack provided at each business. For more information visit sarpychamber.org/events

Tequila Mockingbird

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMY HENDRICKSON

Joey Jones, owner of Heights Draft Room, shares a cocktail recipe fit for the season

While the name Heights Draft Room makes one think of beer, there is also an extensive list of cocktails, liquor, cider, wine, and more at their La Vista City Centre location. Local owner, Joey Jones shares, “We do seasonal cocktails about every three months and are always doing rifts on things that are approachable and attainable for anyone.”

For the Tequila Mockingbird, Jones explains, “We wanted something more spring-forth so that’s why you’ve got the Peach Combier in there, which is a peach liquor. You’ve got fresh lemon juice, and the lavender simple syrup adds an element of freshness to the cocktail without weighing it down.”

ingredients:

• 2 oz. Lunazul Blanco Tequila

• 1 oz. lemon juice

• ¾ oz Peach Combier

• ½ oz lavender syrup

• No garnish

directions:

Step 1. Fill a coupe glass with ice and water and set aside to chill

Step 2. Fill a cocktail shaker 1/2 full of ice and add ingredients

Step 3. Shake hard for 10 seconds, pour out ice water from coupe glass, and double strain cocktail mix into coupe glass