Sunday, December 22
Lawrence Business Magazine LLC
Lawrence Business Magazine LLC
2013 Winter - Shop Lawrence

Boomer Perspective: Downtown Lawrence Retail Evolution

By on 283 Comments
BOOMER PERSPECTIVE
| 2013 Winter | story by HANK BOOTH | photos by STEVEN HERTZOG |

untitled

When it comes to retail shopping districts, just about everybody thinks ours here in Lawrence is pretty darn good. A recent Topeka Capital Journal poll said our downtown was the best in NE Kansas. It must have been hard for the Cap Journal Editors to print that one. Even a national publication gave us top marks for our downtown and all that it provides. Now we’re in the process of making it even better with major new projects that will provide apartments and town homes right in the middle of everything.

Calls are coming in regularly at the DLI office from people ready to sign contracts for living quarters, months before they are even ready to show. East Lawrence, Old West Lawrence and other nearby neighborhoods are looking much more attractive to local realtors. Just a few blocks from downtown the Warehouse Arts District is being created out of the ashes of the old East Lawrence industrial district and it will be a sensational boon to the downtown. It started with the rebuilding of an old warehouse, the Poehler Building, into affordable apartments that were all leased during the first day they were displayed. Creative arts studios, built in an old popcorn packaging plant and entrepreneurial offices, cubicles and work stations are in strong demand at the renovated Cider Gallery which is also open for business as a site for parties, receptions and meetings. On the century-old stonewalls of that building, art creations of nationally known artists are on display. Hooked to all of that is the renovation of the Santa Fe Train Depot. Wrap it all up and the package is a downtown business district that is a natural draw for all ages, but Boomers really like the idea of living right in the middle of the action.

It certainly isn’t the Massachusetts Street I grew up with, pedaling the old Schwinn bike from one end to the other, often stopping for a quick refreshing pause at one of the soda fountains at Round Corner Drugs at the north end at 8th and Mass (now Intorno Restaurant and Intorno means round corner, by the way), Raney’s Drugs in the middle, and Rankin’s Drug Store on the south end at 11th and Mass. Just thinking about the changes at those three locations gives a snapshot of the evolving market place that is downtown Lawrence.

When I was a kid, nobody had a better toy department than Malott’s Hardware and I worked for Ruby and Dar Malott putting those toys together when I was a teenager. Guys went to Ober’s (Boy Scout stuff upstairs), Lawrence Surplus for jeans where the owner Hal Keltz seemed to always have a partially smoked cigar stuck in the corner of his mouth, Campbell’s Men’s’ Wear and Whitenight’s. The ladies found their fashions at The Jay Shoppe, Terrells, and of course, Weaver’s. Shoe stores were plentiful, The Royal College Shoppe, owner Bunny Black personally swept the sidewalk out front every morning, Gordon’s Shoe Store, Ober’s, Weaver’s (again), and Arensberg’s (still there).

There are a few other of the old classics still around with Ernst and Son Hardware at the top of the list and the son is still behind the counter.

The old movie theaters where Saturday afternoon matinees cost a quarter now house other entertainment venues. The Jayhawk Theater is now Liberty Hall and back in my college days was the wonderful Red Dog where we saw Ike and Tina Turner, the Kingsmen (remember “Louie, Louie”?) and many other national acts and great local groups like the Fabulous Flippers. The Granada is still the Granada, but the movies have been replaced by bands of all kinds. Across the street was The Varsity and it’s now a clothing store. The balcony of the old Varsity was a great place to take a date as “necking” was ok. If a guy’s date said she only wanted to sit downstairs he knew he was out of luck.

Downtown Lawrence had maintained a state of constant evolution and today is a classic mixture of retail shopping with specialty shops of all kinds, fine eateries with varied menus and late night bar stops for the younger generation. Add in the latest development of new housing and you can live a trip down the elevator and a short walk to anything you might want to sample. The “Boomer’s” are going to love it. The Final Friday’s Art displays have been added to KU and Fine Arts events to bring visitors to town from all over the Midwest. When they get a firsthand look at what’s going on in downtown they’ll want to stay and find a place to live. The future is bright for business throughout the city, but downtown will be a magnet. ■

Share.

Related Posts

283 Comments

  4. คาสิโนออนไลน์ on

    Have you ever thought about including a little bit more than just your articles? I mean, what you say is fundamental and everything. However imagine if you added some great graphics or video clips to give your posts more, “pop”! Your content is excellent but with pics and videos, this website could certainly be one of the very best in its field. Terrific blog!

  15. แทงบอล on

    Thank you for another magnificent article. Where else could anybody get that type of information in such an ideal way of writing? I’ve a presentation next week, and I am on the look for such info.

  21. Rod Kinsey on

    I was more than happy to discover this page. I need to to thank you for your time due to this fantastic read!! I definitely liked every part of it and i also have you saved as a favorite to check out new stuff in your site.

  47. scam on

    Great blog right here! Also your website quite a bit up fast! What web host are you the usage of? Can I get your associate hyperlink to your host? I desire my site loaded up as fast as yours lol|

  53. Converting VHS to Digital on

    Today, taking into consideration the fast way of living that everyone leads, credit cards have a big demand throughout the economy. Persons throughout every field are using credit card and people who not using the credit card have arranged to apply for one in particular. Thanks for sharing your ideas on credit cards.

  62. prostavive on

    Your style is so unique in comparison to other folks I have read stuff from. I appreciate you for posting when you have the opportunity, Guess I will just book mark this site.

  65. Gay porn on

    After looking over a number of the blog articles on your website, I really appreciate your way of writing a blog. I saved as a favorite it to my bookmark webpage list and will be checking back soon. Please visit my web site as well and tell me what you think.|

  70. scam on

    whoah this blog is great i like reading your posts. Keep up the great work! You understand, a lot of individuals are hunting around for this info, you can aid them greatly. |

  72. Jasa Pembuatan Maket on

    Having read this I believed it was very informative. I appreciate you spending some time and effort to put this short article together. I once again find myself personally spending way too much time both reading and commenting. But so what, it was still worth it!

  80. ก็เรามันเพื่อนบ้านกันไ on

    I have seen that car insurance companies know the automobiles which are susceptible to accidents and various risks. Additionally, these people know what form of cars are inclined to higher risk and the higher risk they’ve the higher the particular premium fee. Understanding the straightforward basics of car insurance will let you choose the right form of insurance policy which will take care of your wants in case you become involved in any accident. Thank you sharing the actual ideas for your blog.

  81. หวยออนไลน์ on

    Good site! I truly love how it is simple on my eyes and the data are well written. I am wondering how I might be notified whenever a new post has been made. I’ve subscribed to your RSS feed which must do the trick! Have a nice day!

  84. หวยออนไลน์ on

    I know this if off topic but I’m looking into starting my own weblog and was wondering what all is required to get setup? I’m assuming having a blog like yours would cost a pretty penny? I’m not very web smart so I’m not 100 sure. Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. Cheers

  100. 日経組み入れいつ on

    When I used to be rising up, my Dad would carry out his guitar and we (my dad and mom and my two sisters and that i) would spend hours singing old tunes like Carry on The Sunny Side and can The Circle Be Unbroken.

  110. โดจิน ใหม่ สองสาวรินและม on

    Thanks for the article. My spouse and i have always observed that a lot of people are desperate to lose weight as they wish to show up slim as well as attractive. Nonetheless, they do not generally realize that there are many benefits for you to losing weight as well. Doctors declare that overweight people are afflicted with a variety of disorders that can be instantly attributed to their particular excess weight. Fortunately that people who definitely are overweight along with suffering from diverse diseases can reduce the severity of the illnesses by simply losing weight. It is easy to see a steady but notable improvement with health as soon as even a moderate amount of fat reduction is obtained.

  113. 同性戀色情片 on

    Hi, i read your blog occasionally and i own a similar one and i was just wondering if you get a lot of spam remarks? If so how do you reduce it, any plugin or anything you can suggest? I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any support is very much appreciated.|

  116. 性愛影片 on

    Hi, i think that i saw you visited my web site so i came to “return the favor”.I’m trying to find things to improve my web site!I suppose its ok to use some of your ideas!!|

  127. 5starsstocks.com on

    The very next time I read a blog, Hopefully it does not disappoint me as much as this one. After all, I know it was my choice to read through, however I genuinely thought you’d have something useful to say. All I hear is a bunch of whining about something that you could fix if you weren’t too busy seeking attention.

  129. lesbian video on

    Its like you read my mind! You seem to grasp so much about this, such as you wrote the ebook in it or something. I think that you can do with some to force the message home a bit, but instead of that, this is wonderful blog. An excellent read. I’ll definitely be back.|

  130. ufabet on

    Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. And he just bought me lunch because I found it for him smile Therefore let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch!

  137. ufabet on

    whoah this blog is great i like studying your posts. Stay up the great work! You know, a lot of people are searching round for this info, you can aid them greatly.

  138. เว็บตรง 100 on

    Hmm it seems like your website ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to the whole thing. Do you have any helpful hints for inexperienced blog writers? I’d genuinely appreciate it.

  144. เว็บตรง 100 on

    Thanks for your article. I would love to opinion that the very first thing you will need to complete is verify if you really need credit score improvement. To do that you will need to get your hands on a duplicate of your credit score. That should really not be difficult, since the government necessitates that you are allowed to get one free copy of your real credit report on a yearly basis. You just have to check with the right people. You can either look at website for that Federal Trade Commission or perhaps contact one of the main credit agencies instantly.

  154. b2b cheras on

    Spot on with this write-up, I truly think this web site needs much more attention. I’ll probably be returning to read through more, thanks for the advice.

  162. テラル株式会社 株価 on

    I thought figuring out you could possibly leap across a chasm because you had the Soar augmentation at Tech Stage 3, opening up new paths through maps that were inaccessible to gamers without that augmentation, could be ok to keep players involved.

  167. セックスビデオ on

    Hey there! This is my 1st comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and say I truly enjoy reading through your articles. Can you recommend any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same topics? Thanks a lot!|

  170. ポルノビデオ on

    Greetings! I’ve been reading your web site for a while now and finally got the courage to go ahead and give you a shout out from Dallas Texas! Just wanted to say keep up the fantastic work!|

  174. ゲイポルノ on

    I was very pleased to find this page. I want to to thank you for ones time due to this fantastic read!! I definitely appreciated every part of it and i also have you book-marked to look at new information in your blog.|

  176. ゲイポルノ on

    It is the best time to make a few plans for the future and it is time to be happy. I’ve read this put up and if I may I wish to recommend you some fascinating issues or advice. Maybe you can write subsequent articles regarding this article. I want to learn more issues approximately it!|

  179. snaptik on

    Aw, this was an exceptionally nice post. Taking a few minutes and actual effort to make a good article… but what can I say… I hesitate a whole lot and never seem to get nearly anything done.

  186. gay porn on

    Hi there! Do you know if they make any plugins to protect against hackers? I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?|

  194. random trc20 address on

    I truly love your blog.. Excellent colors & theme. Did you create this site yourself? Please reply back as I’m wanting to create my own personal blog and want to find out where you got this from or just what the theme is called. Appreciate it.

  202. ufabet on

    Thanks for your post on the vacation industry. I’d personally also like to add that if you’re a senior contemplating traveling, it is absolutely imperative that you buy traveling insurance for seniors. When traveling, golden-agers are at biggest risk of getting a medical emergency. Obtaining the right insurance policies package for one’s age group can safeguard your health and provide peace of mind.

  205. iwin on

    Great blog you have got here.. It’s difficult to find good quality writing like yours nowadays. I truly appreciate individuals like you! Take care!!

  206. ufabet on

    Thanks for your short article. I would like to say that a health insurance broker also works well with the benefit of the particular coordinators of any group insurance plan. The health insurance broker is given a listing of benefits looked for by a person or a group coordinator. Such a broker really does is hunt for individuals or maybe coordinators which often best match those desires. Then he reveals his tips and if both parties agree, the particular broker formulates an agreement between the two parties.

  215. Video laten maken on

    An outstanding share! I’ve just forwarded this onto a co-worker who had been conducting a little homework on this. And he actually bought me lunch simply because I stumbled upon it for him… lol. So let me reword this…. Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending time to talk about this issue here on your internet site.

  220. 파라존 코리아 카지노 on

    I blog frequently and I genuinely thank you for your content. The article has truly peaked my interest. I will take a note of your site and keep checking for new information about once per week. I opted in for your RSS feed as well.

  223. 競馬 阪神ジュベナイル 予想 on

    Simply as in over-the-board play, the titles Grandmaster, International Master and FIDE Grasp are awarded by FIDE via the Permanent Fee of the FIDE for Chess Compositions (PCCC) for particularly distinguished drawback and examine composers and solvers (unlike over-the-board chess, nonetheless, there have not been any girls-only equivalents to those titles in downside chess).

  228. 結婚 借金 on

    Mrs. Hamby is survived by her husband of fifty three years, Charlie C. Hamby of McDade; son, Gene Lunsford of San Marcos; daughter, Benita Ann Miller of Snellville, Ga.; sisters, Lillie Gammage of Palestine and Bernice Love of Sherman; 9 grandchildren, 19 nice-grandchildren and 6 nice-nice-grandchildren.

  229. 考える 時 ポーズ on

    Trendy inside design trends and professional tips assist to make the best choices for your house renovation or home staging, creating beautiful, comfortable, contemporary and trendy dwelling interiors, and saving money on materials and redesign changes.

  238. www-creditcard.com on

    A fascinating discussion is definitely worth comment. I do think that you ought to write more about this subject matter, it may not be a taboo matter but generally folks don’t talk about these topics. To the next! Best wishes!

  242. Ufabet on

    I have to thank you for the efforts you’ve put in penning this blog. I am hoping to check out the same high-grade blog posts from you later on as well. In fact, your creative writing abilities has motivated me to get my own, personal site now 😉

  250. cookies on

    Thanks for sharing your ideas. I’d personally also like to express that video games have been ever before evolving. Modern tools and innovations have assisted create authentic and interactive games. These kinds of entertainment video games were not that sensible when the actual concept was being attempted. Just like other styles of technology, video games way too have had to evolve via many many years. This is testimony on the fast continuing development of video games.

  252. chocolate chip cookie on

    Thanks for the tips on credit repair on this excellent blog. Things i would tell people would be to give up the particular mentality they can buy at this moment and pay back later. Being a society we tend to do that for many issues. This includes family vacations, furniture, along with items we want. However, you must separate the wants out of the needs. While you’re working to fix your credit score actually you need some sacrifices. For example you’ll be able to shop online to save money or you can check out second hand suppliers instead of costly department stores for clothing.

  255. how to save an avocado half on

    Hey there! I could have sworn I’ve been to this website before but after browsing through some of the post I realized it’s new to me. Anyhow, I’m definitely happy I found it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back often!

  259. แทงบอล on

    Hi, I do believe this is an excellent blog. I stumbledupon it 😉 I may come back once again since I book marked it. Money and freedom is the greatest way to change, may you be rich and continue to guide other people.

  262. how do i save half of an avocado on

    Amazing blog! Do you have any tips and hints for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you suggest starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m completely overwhelmed .. Any suggestions? Bless you!

  268. 女性 三大疾病 保険 on

    Perception on high quality gold jewelleries, Synthetic, imitation, style & Gold Plated Jewellery Designs, Antique Golds Jewellery Designs, Fashionable and Newest Jewellery Designs, Conventional jewellery designs, Enamel golds jewellery designs, Bridal golds jewelleries designs, south indian golds plated jewellery designs and rajasthani jewelleries golds designs for ladies and males.

Leave A Reply

Contact to Listing Owner

Captcha Code