Plush toys, Dilly Bars fly from shelves and freezers at Berkshire shopping event in Omaha

While they had just made the seven-hour car trip from Denver with their two sons, 6-year-old Theodore and 4-year-old Henry that day, the family was in high spirits.

As they enjoyed Dairy Queen Dilly Bars, the Zimmermans reflected on the fun and spoils accumulated in just their first few hours in Omaha.

Spoils included Squishmallows plush toys for the kids, while the adults got shirts and the late Berkshire vice chairman’s Charlie Munger’s book “Poor Charlie’s Almanack.”

“We’ve had the full experience,” Tim said.

The Zimmermans were just four of thousands of shareholders who passed through the doors of the shopping event Friday. With the crowd noticeably larger than two years ago, it appeared the annual shareholders meeting is back in full force compared to before the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I feel like the energy is even higher today than in 2019. It’s just a wonderful thing to behold,” said Maria Hokanson, an executive vice president of marketing at Dairy Queen.

Hokanson spoke as a never-ending line of people purchased Dilly Bars in a variety of flavors including peanuts and fudge, chocolate, cherry and even a non-dairy Dilly Bar which California friends Sucy Thibo and Liz Muench agreed was “really good.”

All proceeds from the Dairy Queen ice cream treats — which were being sold for $1 each — will be donated to Children’s Nebraska, Hokanson said.

At the Squishmallows booth, shareholders waited in line for a chance to jump in the plush toy pit. Similar long lines were present at the See’s Candies and Fruit of the Loom retail areas, which offered discounts on candy and underwear.

At Justin Boots, every sales associate was busy helping shareholders try on and purchase cowboy boots, including the signature smooth ostrich boots that offer many different types of toe rows including square and rubber.

“Cowboy boots are a really unique thing,” said John Heron, president of Born Shoes, which sells Justin Boots. “It’s a real personal purchase. People take a lot of time to go through different styles.”

Robby Elias and Roxanne Daggett stopped in Omaha on their way back to Minnesota from Naples, Florida. They had taken advantage of deals offered by many Berkshire-owned businesses including Nebraska Furniture Mart, Pampered Chef and Fruit of the Loom.

As happy as they were to snag the deals, Elias and Daggett were also happy standing in line and meeting shareholders from all over the world.

“You have to give credit to Berkshire and Warren Buffett — bringing in all the people that are so excited about Berkshire,” Daggett said.

The excitement around hearing and seeing Buffett speak never gets old for William Casto, who has made the trip from Brazil to Omaha for the shareholders meeting three years in a row. Traveling this year with his significant other Julia Severo, Casto hangs on every word Buffett says.

As he and Severo ate their Dilly Bars, Casto said he’ll miss seeing Munger sitting alongside Buffett at the podium on Saturday. This year’s shareholders meeting marks the first meeting since Munger’s death in November. I feel this bit could be higher in the story.

“I’m going to hold (back) tears,” Casto said. “It’s quite emotional. It’s like a couple that had been together for so long.”

At the Squishmallows booth, it was apparent just how tightly shareholders want to hold on to Buffett and Munger. Before the first hour of the shopping event had passed, the 16-inch version of the Buffett and Munger plush toys sold out, said Sara Rosales, senior vice president for Squishmallow brand producer Jazwares. The 10-inch plush version of the dynamic duo was also flying off the shelves.

“Last year, we were selling about 1,000 Warren and Charlie Squishmallows per hour. The goal was to beat that this year,” Rosales said. “I think we’re well on our way.”