So Much More, A Mall of America® Podcast

Ep. 75: Deck the Mall

Ep. 75: Deck the Mall  [12/18/2024]Clayton Omberg, Mall of America’s Internal Maintenance Manager, joins this episode to take us on a visual tour of Mall of America’s holiday décor.  Dan, Chris and Clayton share stories of what it takes to decorate the largest Mall in America and how they did it in record time this year.  Spoiler alert, 5 nights to decorate 5.2 million square feet!  They share stories of their favorite décor, nerd out on how many trees, bulbs, giant toys and miles of hanging twinkling lights they install and share some of their favorite holiday traditions along the way. 
2:55 How long it takes to decorate Mall of America4:40      Atrium décor description—Enchanted snowflakes, Nutcrackers + large Jack in the Box11:00   Decorating Nordstrom Court + hidden Easter Eggs on the giant bulbs13:42   Rotunda décor including 2-44’ tall tree’s with 1,200 branches16:30  10 miles of twinkling lights hang throughout.  What happens when a bulb burns out?18:55  Holiday décor by the numbers23:26  The science and plan of taking the décor down and the massive storage unit24:11  Clayton, Chris and Dan share favorite holiday treats, traditions, meals and movies
To learn more about Holiday Decor at Mall of America visit https://mallofamerica.com/press-release/28114Guests: Clayton Omberg, Internal Maintenance Manager at Mall of AmericaHosts:  Daniel Jasper, Chris GrapPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

Ep. 74: Elves Unfiltered: Tales from Santa's Helpers.

Trinket and Garland – two of the most important elves from the North Pole – join this episode to shares stories of what it takes to be an elf. They and their fellow elves are a key part of creating holiday magic at The Candy Cane Institute at Mall of America, and for children around the world. Joining them is Mae Keapproth the head elf-wrangler. If you have questions about presents, wrapping, tinsel or the Big Man in Red himself, this episode is for you! Prepare for magic.
3:15 What it takes to wrangle the elves at Mall of America4:20 What is The Candy Cane Institute (CCI) and where do you find it?5:30 A fun description of the science found at CCI8:00 When guests meet with The Jolly Old Elf himself13:00 An explanation of the Wrap-O-Matic machine16:15 Heartwarming stories straight from the elves19:30 A tale of one particularly challenging guest25:40 Two elves and our elf wrangler give life-advice to Santa27:30 A wish for the children of the world
To learn more about The Candy Cane Institute at Mall of America visit https://mallofamerica.com/directory/candy-cane-institute 
Guests: Trinket (the elf); Garland (the elf); Mae Keapproth, Entertainment Manager at Mall of AmericaHosts:  Daniel Jasper
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

Ep. 73: One Santa. Two Santa. Red Santa. Blue Santa.

This episode of So Much More is a special holiday treat. But fair warning to parentsif you’ve got little ones tuning in you might want to hit pause. We visit The Santa Experience right here at Mall of America and lift the curtain on magical secrets about the man in red. From magical wishes to meaningful moments, you will want to sit back and enjoy this conversation with Santa Sam, Santa Herman, and Santa Larry.
1:00 Getting to know Santa Sam4:10 The importance of matching energy7:15         Why we should strive to lead with love8:25 A message from Santa Sam9:10 An introduction to Santa Herman11:00 As Santa Herman says in Spanish, “Feliz Navidad a todos y cada uno.”12:40 How to respond when a child asks for a live reindeer17:15 The one, the only, Santa Larry20:45 Surprising his nephews for Christmas23:30 The magic of meeting with children25:00 Santa’s wish for the children of the world
To learn more about The Santa Experience at Mall of America visit:Website:  www.TheSantaExperienceMN.comInstagram:  @TheSantaExperienceMN   Facebook:  The Santa Experience MN
Guests: Santa Sam, Santa Herman, Santa LarryHosts:  Daniel Jasper
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

Ep. 72: Perfect Holiday Gift Ideas

What’s one of the biggest stress points every holiday season? Finding the perfect gift. Well, this episode is for you. Lizzy Newsome, owner of Kappa Toys, and Hayley Matthews-Jones, owner of Minneapolis Craft Market discuss what they offer to holiday shoppers. Kappa Toys is a permanent tenant located on Level 2 South and features unique toys and plenty of play space. Minneapolis Craft Market is a seasonal pop-up at the Mall, located on Level 1, South featuring 40 artisans and opens on Black Friday and continues weekends through the holiday season. This fun conversation covers gift ideas from Nice Ice Baby to Monchhichi and from makers of 3-D printed gifts to hand-made jewelry to custom millinery.1:30 How Minneapolis Craft Market came to the Twin Cities3:55 All about Kappa Toys, a place for toys that everyone loves6:00 Best toy ideas for kids of all ages8:45 All about ‘blind boxes’ and finding the perfect ‘one’9:50 Hot gift items from Minneapolis Craft Market12:45 Walking into Minneapolis Craft Market is made to come to life16:30 Toys selected from around the world – unique and experiential19:00 The importance of celebrating small business22:15 Tips for prospective entrepreneurs
To learn more about Kappa Toys, visit https://kappatoys.com/. To learn more about Minneapolis Craft Market, visit https://www.mplscraftmarket.com/. Guests: Lizzy Newsome, owner Kappa Toys; and Hayley Matthews-Jones, owner of Minneapolis Craft MarketHosts:  Jill Renslow; Dan JasperPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

Ep. 71: Holiday Happenings at Mall of America

It’s the most wonderful time of the year at Mall of America as we prepare for Black Friday and the holiday season.  Hosts, Dan, Jill and Chris share how we get ready!  From decorating and creating a magical atmosphere to shopping tips, prepping to welcome thousands on Black Friday, planning events and best ways to refuel, park and share memories with your friends and family, this fun conversation will have you excited to experience the wonder of the holiday season with us.1:09   Hosts share their favorite thing about the MOA holiday experience2:37  Chris details plans for Santa’s arrival + Black Friday7:40   What guests can expect Black Friday weekend:  KFAN live broadcasting, Bells To Go performances11:40:  Tips and strategies to conquer the shortened shopping season this year14:00   Favorite ‘experiences’ at MOA:  Great Big Game Show, Cocoa Melon, Activate16:40   How to earn rewards by shopping at MOA with the Insiders app20:47   Parking and navigation tips at MOA25:40   Favorite new stores, brands and categories to shop29:44   Rapid Fire holiday questions with the hosts including favorite holiday stocking stuffers + favorite holiday drinksHosts:  Daniel Jasper, Jill Renslow, Chris GrapPresented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

Ep. 68: Glossy Brands Finding Inspiration in Beauty and Fashion

Jill Manoff, Editor-in-Chief of Glossy and Global Editorial Director for Glossy Brands shares everything fashion, beauty, brands, trends + wellness with our hosts. Manoff shares insights into the Glossy Brand, how it continues to grow and evolve, as well as sharing how brands continue to be innovative to meet new consumer expectations. Host Jill Renslow and co-host Sara Johnson engage in the conversation from style to pop culture.
1:00 All about Glossy Brand2:30 The holiday outlook for fashion and beauty – playing it safe6:05 Brands that have entered the physical retail space – think Rent The Runway9:30 How pop culture influences fashion and beauty10:45 Brands that tap into culture and move at the speed of light12:05 Why Glossy resonates so well with its audience13:20 Finding the balance between our expertise and our audience expectations14:45 How Glossy appeals to audiences on different platforms17:00 Trends and leaders in the beauty market22:40 How Jill refreshes during her down time – a sense of normalcy24:45 The need for a mood board and escape the day-to-day grind
You can check out Glossy at https://www.glossy.co/ and the Glossy podcast at https://www.glossy.co/podcasts/. 
Guests:  Jill Manoff, Editor in Chief of Glossy and Global Editorial Director for Glossy Brands; Sara Johnson, Integrated Marketing Director at Mall of America

Ep. 66: Communicating Across Generations with Jen Hellman

From emojis to emails and from phone calls to text messages communicating across generations can be a challenge to put it mildly. And now with four generations in the workplace for the first time, where do you even begin? Well, we have the guest with the answers. Jen Hellman is CEO and President of Goff Public a communications and public relations firm. Jen is a sought-after speaker on the topic of Communicating Across Generations, and during this conversation she explains the different generational expectations and missteps found in workplaces today… and how to correct them.
2:15 Jen explains her origins and early career in communications3:30 How Jen began focusing on communicating across generations5:00 The first time that four or five generations are in the workplace…together6:30 Boomer Generation the generation that began breaking rules, and are work-aholics8:40 Generation X the folks that spanned the analog and computer divide12:00 Millennials the people that are very self-confident; an army of one and authentic14:30 Gen Z the group that is more gender-fluid and value physical and emotional safety18:15 A-ha moments when communicating across generations19:55 Punctuation in text or emails? What does it mean to different generations?23:15 Tips for good communication and making a connection
You can check out Goff Public at: https://goffpublic.com/ 
Guests:  Jen Hellman, CEO & President of Goff Public; Maggie Boedigheimer, Strategic Project Coordinator at Mall of America
Hosts: Jill Renslow; Daniel Jasper
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

Ep. 65: Frank Gold, Roller Coaster Enthusiast

Can you imagine riding more than 500 roller coasters? 503 to be exact. And let’s be clear – that’s not riding a few roller coasters a whole bunch of times. That’s riding 503 different roller coasters around the world. My stomach is churning as I write this! 
Our guest, Frank Gold, is a veteran of operating rides for more than 25 years at Mall of America and retired just recently. He’s also an active member of American Coaster Enthusiasts and might just know more about roller coasters than just about anyone. He shares stories of his time at the Mall, his favorite roller coaster adventures, and where his love of coasters began. Join Chris Grap and Brian Spielman, both Mall of America team members, as they go down roller coaster memory lane with Frank Gold.
1:30 Little Franky falls in love with coasters at Queen Anne Kiddieland4:30 Coasters he is looking forward to riding7:00 Ranking favorite coasters9:45 Favorite amusement parks12:10 Why Frank started working at Mall of America17:00 International parks Frank hopes to visit18:25 Frank dishes on a celebrity encounter with Donny Osmond21:20 Nominated for Diamond Service Award in a stretch limo23:50 Frank’s top must-see spots in Nickelodeon Universe for sports fans
Guests:  Frank Gold, 25-year veteran ride operator at Mall of America; Brian Spielman VP of Attractions at Mall of America/Nickelodeon Universe
Hosts: Chris Grap
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

Ep. 64: Onionhead's Revenge + Halloween Haunts

This episode covers all things spooky, haunting, and truly terrifying for Halloween at Mall of America. Special guest Ryan Miziker, Senior Creative Director for American Monsters, shares behind the scenes stories and details on Onionhead’s Revenge – the scarifying Halloween Haunt at the Mall. Here for its second year, Onionhead’s Revenge features new rooms, new scares + of course, Vern’s Bayou Bar. Sierra Goerge and Meri Ryan of the Mall’s Experiential Team share fun details on Nickelodeon’s Booniverse, Fright Lights, Crayola Experience’s Screamin’ Green Hauntoween, SEA LIFE underwater pumpkin carving + more October family-friendly activities.
2:05 How music moves people in attractions5:00 Immersive moments designed to delight6:40 Nickelodeon Booniverse highlights7:18 Massive pumpkin details9:50 Bringing back The Fog Chute10:40 Crayola and SEA LIFE Halloween events11:40 New additions to Onion Head’s Revenge15:40 Setting the stage for Onion Head’s Revenge24:10 Favorite Halloween Costumes26:10 Favorite and least favorite Halloween Candies28:47 Favorite scary movie
For information and to purchase tickets for Onionhead’s Revenge visit: https://www.americanmonsters.com/. For more on Mall of America’s Halloween activities visit: https://mallofamerica.com/entertainment/events/all. 
Guests:  Ryan Miziker, Senior Creative Director for American Monsters/Onionhead’s Revenge
Hosts: Chris Grap with Sierra Goerg and Meri Ryan on the MOA Experiential Team
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.

Episode 63: KFAN’s The Power Trip Chris Hawkey + Cory Cove

The Power Trip morning radio show on KFAN at 100.3 has been entertaining fans for 22 years with their hilarious banter about sports, current events, music + just about anything they can think to talk about. Two of the hosts, Chris Hawkey, who started the show, and Cory Cove, who started as an intern and worked his way into a regular gig, share stories about their journeys to radio and what keeps them there.
1:45: Chris Hawkey’s journey to radio and why he chose his path2:48: Cory shares how he happened upon radio and decided to make it a career4:20: What is KFAN’s secret sauce to the success of a 20+ year show5:23: Why failure is a big part of the success of The Power Trip7:00: Why having so many guests + ‘experts’ is a key to their popularity and success of the show9:00: What is the ‘Charch Challenge’ Chris Hawkey does every year and the time he took the challenge to MOA12:56 The importance of ‘community’ and KFAN’s need to give back and supportcommunity15:05: The importance of sharing mental health issues and how each of them has struggled with mental health issues and the importance of being open and talking about them on the show.17:28: Why they don’t talk to each other before the show
For more information visit: www.kfan.iheart.com. On Instagram: @kfan1003 or listen at FM 100.3
Guests:  Chris Hawkey, Cory Cove; hosts of KFAN’s The Power Trip morning radio show
Hosts: Jill Renslow, Chris Grap
Presented by Bloomington Minnesota Travel and Tourism the official destination marketing organization for the city of Bloomington, Minn.