Best of Lawrence is a collaboration between Lawrence Journal-World and Sunflower Publishing
SUNFLOWER PUBLISHING
PUBLISHER
Bill Uhler
DIRECTOR Bob Cucciniello
ART DIRECTOR Alex Tatro
EDITORS
Gina DeBacker Jean Teller
COPY EDITOR
Leslie Clugston Andres
MAGAZINE ADVERTISING
Joanne Morgan
785.832.7264 jmorgan@sunflowerpub.com
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Fally Afani
Jason Dailey
CONTRIBUTING WRITER
Fally Afani
LAWRENCE JOURNAL-WORLD
PUBLISHER
Chad Lawhorn
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & ADVERTISING
Allison Tait
ADVERTISING SUPPORT MANAGER Kelly Schellman
ADVERTISING
Jeff Cuttell
785.832.7295 jcuttell@ljworld.com
Tricia Thompson
785.832.7162 tthompson@ljworld.com
Peter Steimle
785.832.7119 psteimle@ljworld.com
dear readers, on the cover
Welcome to the 2025 Best of Lawrence magazine!
As always, our team at Sunflower Publishing is thrilled to bring you another issue highlighting the people, organizations and businesses that make Lawrence one of a kind.
Consider this issue your travel guide to the very best of Lawrence. Pack your bags, grab your map, and work out your itinerary because we are taking the scenic route through our beloved city. In this issue, we explore what makes our top-rated businesses unique, chat with some of our top-five winners about who gets their “stamp of approval,” explore the newest spots in town and more.
For those who are new here, our contest, in partnership with the LawrenceJournal World, is a celebratory reflection of the values and aspirations that our city chooses to honor. The following pages will introduce you to the Best of Lawrence winners and then some. With constant nods of support from other businesses, we hope to boost a spirit of community over competition. We hope you feel the same.
Thank you to everyone who made this issue possible. Without you, this contest and publication would not be possible.
So flip through, make a list and go taste, sip, browse and wander your way through Lawrence!
—Best of Lawrence team
Table of CONTENTS
World Travelers
Best of Lawrence winners talk about what it takes to be on top
Stamp of Approval
Best of Lawrence finalists and winners give a shout-out to other businesses in the community
New in Town
Best of Lawrence welcomes newcomers to the circle of finalists and winners
Travel Tips
Best of Lawrence finalists and winners talk about what makes their business special
Ladybird Diner
1st – Place for Pie
1st – Place to Get a Bloody Mary
2nd – Breakfast Spot
3rd – Dessert
After whipping up a well-received buttermilk chess pie as the featured dessert at 715 Restaurant, Meg Heriford realized there was a “pie-shaped hole in Lawrence.” She started making pies for 715 every weekend until she eventually opened her own diner and pie shop in 2014. “That’s what kind of launched this whole thing,” Heriford says. “It’s the nucleus that everything grew around.”
Ladybird Diner on 721 Massachusetts Street has become a bustling spot in downtown Lawrence. Known for its comfort food, this cozy diner is decked out in vintage décor and welcomes newcomers and regulars alike.
“I think that Ladybird could only work in Lawrence,” Heriford says “I really feel like this is Lawrence’s diner … I don’t feel like it would fit anywhere else.”
Why visit Ladybird Diner?
Best pie in town. Except for their coconut cream pie—their best seller and year-round menu staple—Ladybird rotates its selection of pies based on seasonal availability and mood. “We typically select a menu of pies for the week so that we can have some sense of consistency,” Heriford says. “We like to play around with
different profiles and mix fruits that hit a couple of different notes.” This vision shines through creations like their gooseberrystrawberry, raspberry-rhubarb and blueberrybasil pies. “We also just started making icebox pies, which is a lovely nostalgic dessert with basement/family-reunion/potluck vibes,” Heriford adds. “I thought they would be a nice way to showcase the local fruits coming in this season.”
Excellent customer service. The diner is well-regarded for its thoughtful food preparation and top-notch customer service. “I’m a real stickler for the little things,” Heriford says. “I expect the staff to constantly be looking for ways to have an impact without people even noticing.” Going above and beyond has always been Heriford’s way, especially during the pandemic, when she handed out free sack lunches to anyone in need. “Anything we can do to strengthen a single individual in our community will have a resonant effect,” she adds.
Nostalgic vibes. Walking into Ladybird feels like walking into Grandma’s kitchen. People go to Ladybird for the comfort fare—fried green tomatoes, buttermilkfried chicken sandwichs, bowls of chili, the meatloaf special—as well as for its charming décor. “The thing we sell the most of is our diner breakfast, which is something most people could easily make at home,” Heriford says. “That says to me that experience matters … People come to be enveloped by the experience.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
ASIAN FOOD (NON-CHINESE)
1) Encore Asian Bistro
2) Zen Zero
3) India Palace
4) Lucky Seb’s Dumpling Bar & Grill
5) Little Saigon Café
BAKERY
1) Munchers Bakery
2) WheatFields Bakery & Café
3) 1900 Barker Café and Bakery - Multiple Locations
4) Cleo and Leo on Elm Street
4) Tous les Jours
BARBECUE
1) Biemer’s BBQ
2) Bigg’s BBQ
3) Stanley James Smokehouse
4) Hog Wild Pit Bar-B-Q
5) Lucky Seb’s Dumpling Bar & Grill
BARISTA
1) Brittanie Sinisgalli, Espurresso Cat Cafe
2) Trey Huslig, Uplift Coffee Shop
3) Adam Lott, The Bourgeois Pig
4) Madison Luchsinger, Cleo and Leo on Elm Street
5) Holly Johnston, La Prima Tazza
BREAKFAST SPOT
1) The Roost
2) Ladybird Diner
3) The Big Biscuit
4) First Watch
5) Global Cafe
BURRITO
1) Burrito King
2) El Potro Mexican Cafe
3) JB’s Cali Fusion
4) Lulu’s Latin Food
5) Pancho’s Mexican Food
BUTCHER SHOP/MEAT COUNTER
1) Checkers Foods
2) Yoder Meats
3) Hy-Vee
4) The Merc Co+op
5) Dillons
CAKES, SPECIALITY
1) Munchers Bakery
2) WheatFields Bakery & Café
3) Tous les Jours
4) Cleo and Leo on Elm Street
5) Hy-Vee
CATERING
1) Maceli’s
2) Sandwich Bowl
3) Morningstar’s Pizza
4) Uplift Coffee Shop
5) Lulu’s Latin Food
CHEF
1) Jesi Kelley, Sandwich Bowl
2) Daniel Galina, Maceli’s
3) Greg Renck, Terrebonne Po’ Boys
4) Nathan Desetti, Merchants Pub & Plate
5) Will Soo, Lucky Seb’s Dumpling Bar & Grill
CHICKEN
1) Raising Cane’s
2) Chick-fil-A
3) Popeyes
4) Jefferson’s - Multiple Locations
5) Slim Chickens
CHINESE FOOD
1) Encore Asian Bistro
2) Red Pepper
3) Jade Garden
4) China House
5) Lucky Seb’s Dumpling Bar & Grill
COOKIES, SPECIALITY
1) Eileen’s Colossal Cookies
2) Cleo and Leo on Elm Street
3) WheatFields Bakery & Café
4) CC’s Cookie Co.
5) Munchers Bakery
DELIVERY/TO GO (RESTAURANT)
1) Pizza Shuttle
2) Lulu’s Latin Food
3) The Mad Greek
4) Maceli’s
5) Uplift Coffee Shop
DESSERT
1) Sylas & Maddy’s Homemade Ice Cream
2) Sandwich Bowl
3) Ladybird Diner
4) WheatFields Bakery & Café
5) Tous les Jours
FOOD TRUCK
1) JB’s Tacos
2) Uplift Mobile Coffee Truck
3) The Corndog Company
4) The Mad Greek
5) This N’ That Food Trailer
FRENCH FRIES
1) The Burger Stand at the Casbah
2) Terrebonne Po’ Boys
3) Dempsey’s Burger Pub
3) Runza
5) Five Guys
FRESH PRODUCE
1) Checkers Foods
2) Lawrence Farmers Market
3) The Merc Co+op
4) Sprouts Farmers Market
5) Dillons
Eileen’s Colossal Cookies
1st – Cookies, Specialty
For a specialty cookie, one cannot go wrong with a visit to Eileen’s Colossal Cookies at 4931 West 6th Street.
“Everything here is made by hand in the store, not frozen and reheated,” says store manager Sarah Guy. “All the dough and frosting are made in the store. Decorating is by hand. Start to finish, we do it all, and we produce a lot of cookies in a short amount of time.” Recent graduations had thousands of cookies going out the door every day, she adds.
The key to success for franchise owners Becky and Rodney Johansen is consistency and customer service. “Becky pushes our customer service. She makes sure we’re out in the community so people know our name. She says if we get our cookies in people’s hands, they’ll come back, and we find that to be true,” Guy says. “We have a really solid product. If a cookie was great before, it’ll probably be great this time too.”
Being a repeat Best of Lawrence finalist means “we’re doing a good job, and we try really hard,” she says. “We don’t expect it, but we definitely appreciate it.”
With a staff of 25, Eileen’s produces cookies in 14 different flavors. “We work hard, provide a consistent product and good customer service,” Guy says. “Hopefully people appreciate it.”
Adam Cantu (left) and Sarah Guy
Munchers Bakery
1st – Bakery
1st – Cakes, Specialty
1st – Place to Buy a Doughnut
5th – Cookies, Specialty
5th – Place for Pie
“Is it cake?” At least, that’s what curious customers may ask upon seeing one of Torie Peck’s custom cakes. As the specialty cake decorator at Munchers Bakery, 925 Iowa Street, Peck keeps the bakery’s case fully stocked. Known for doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, cookies and other made-from-scratch pastries—available 24 hours a day—the shop’s most popular cake is carrot cake. However, Peck most enjoys being asked to make realistic cakes.
“I’ve made a cake that looks like a realistic bass, Yoda, a bag of Takis,” Peck says. “One time, I even made a realistic-looking tortoise cake that I put out in the display case … We get a lot of people coming in just to see what cool things I have in that case.”
When asked who in Lawrence is also going above and beyond, a couple businesses came to mind. She enjoys eating at Tortas Jalisco, which is just behind Munchers. They have provided Peck with delicious churros for some of her Cinco de Mayo cupcakes. “They are great people to work with,” she says.
She also enjoys working with the Lawrence Shirt Factory, which is next door to the bakery. “They make all of our employee T-shirts with our logo on them,” Peck says. “They are pretty popular!”
Fork and Tumbler
1st – New Restaurant
2nd – Overall Restaurant
To say that Brad Walters has been around the block in the restaurant business is an understatement. The executive chef and partner at Fork and Tumbler, 616 West Ninth Street, has been in the restaurant business for three decades, so he knows a thing or two about the recipe for success.
At Fork and Tumbler, he offers chefdriven small plates, signature cocktails and a rotating menu. But this inviting space may be his swan song.
“This is my last hurrah; this is my last restaurant,” he says. “This is definitely my last go-around in the restaurant business.” Walters, who goes simply by Walt, began working in the restaurant business in 1995 in Manhattan and has owned several restaurants, including Basil Leaf Café. It takes a special desire to last that long in the restaurant community. “You have to be passionate about it … you have to have a love for it,” Walt says. “I think Lawrence needs us personally. Everything out there fits the same mold—we break that mold. I feel we stick out a bit.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
GLUTEN FREE
1) Sandwich Bowl
2) Fruitful Acai Bowls
2) Zen Zero
4) The Mad Greek
5) Merchants Pub & Plate
GROCERY STORE
1) Checkers Foods
2) Dillons
3) ALDI
4) The Merc Co+op
5) Hy-Vee
HAMBURGER
1) The Burger Stand at the Casbah
2) Burgers By Biggs
3) Sandwich Bowl
4) West Coast Saloon
5) Dempsey’s Burger Pub
ICE CREAM/FROZEN YOGURT
1) Sylas & Maddy’s Homemade Ice Cream
2) Baskin-Robbins
3) Orange Leaf
4) Culver’s
4) Dairy Queen
INTERNATIONAL/REGIONAL FOOD GROCER
1) Checkers Foods
2) Au Marché, the European Market
3) Mediterranean Market & Cafe
4) Brits
5) The Merc Co+op
ITALIAN FOOD
1) The Basil Leaf Café
2) The Mad Greek
3) Genovese Italian Restaurant
4) Morningstar’s Pizza
5) 715 Restaurant
MAC & CHEESE
1) 23rd Street Brewery
2) Merchants Pub & Plate
3) Latchkey Deli
4) Bigg’s BBQ
5) Free State Brewing Company
MEDITERRANEAN FOOD
1) The Mad Greek
2) Aladdin Cafe
3) The Fresh Mediterranean Company
4) Mediterranean Market & Cafe
5) Culinaria
MEXICAN FOOD
1) El Potro Mexican Cafe
2) Lulu’s Latin Food
3) La Estrella Tienda Mexicana
4) El Mezcal Mexican Cuisine
5) Molcajete’s
Rob Coleman (left) and Brad Walters
Gabriela Otero
2nd – Cookies, Specialty
4th – Bakery
4th – Barista (Madison Luchsinger)
4th – Cakes, Specialty
When Gabriela Otero found her career at a standstill, she looked to her roots. Inspired by her Mexican heritage, she took a chance and opened her own coffee shop in Lawrence. Now, Cleo and Leo on Elm Street is a destination in North Lawrence. Located just off the Lawrence Levee Trail, along the Kansas River (300 Elm Street), the space is gorgeous inside and out, with a sprawling mural on the side and natural light flooding the inside.
Otero’s cuisine sets it apart from other coffee shops. “Growing up in America, I didn’t get to learn too much about myself and Mexico. I took a chance digging into that,” Otero says. “I was inspired by the food I grew up with and the drinks I grew up with, and now I have brought them to the Lawrence community.”
North Lawrence is Otero’s neighborhood, so she was thrilled at the opportunity to open something on that side of town. “It’s super fun to feel like you’re part of the neighborhood,” Otero says. “Everyone is so welcoming, and we’re right here on the street where families live, so we get to interact with people on a regular basis. I am lucky to get to do this here in Lawrence.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
MODERN AMERICAN CUISINE
1) Sandwich Bowl
2) 715 Restaurant
3) Merchants Pub & Plate
4) Free State Brewing Company
4) Terrebonne Po’ Boys
NEW RESTAURANT
1) Fork & Tumbler
2) Los Guapos Latin Food
3) Concept 23 Sushi & Seafood Cuisine
4) Gaia Sushi
5) Chick-In Waffle
OUTDOOR DINING
1) Black Stag Brewery & Pub
2) 715 Restaurant
3) Lawrence Beer Co.
4) Morningstar’s Pizza
5) Fields & Ivy Brewery
5) The Mad Greek
OVERALL RESTAURANT
1) Sandwich Bowl
2) Fork & Tumbler
3) 715 Restaurant
4) Morningstar’s Pizza
5) Free State Brewing Company
PIZZA
1) Morningstar’s Pizza
2) Limestone Pizza Kitchen Bar
2) Papa Keno’s Pizzeria
4) Pizza Shuttle
5) Big Mill
PLACE FOR COFFEE
1) Uplift Coffee Shop
2) J&S Coffee
3) Espurresso Cat Cafe
4) La Prima Tazza
5) 1900 Barker Café and Bakery - Multiple Locations
PLACE FOR PIE
1) Ladybird Diner
2) Perkins Restaurant & Bakery
3) WheatFields Bakery & Café
4) Auntie Em’s Deli & Bakery
5) Munchers Bakery
PLACE FOR TEA
1) Bubble Box
2) Uplift Coffee Shop
3) Espurresso Cat Cafe
4) Hi.Teà
5) Brits
PLACE TO BUY A DOUGHNUT
1) Munchers Bakery
2) Taylor’s Donuts
3) Dunkin’
4) Slow Rise
5) Hy-Vee
SALAD
1) Sandwich Bowl
2) Jason’s Deli
3) The Mad Greek
4) WheatFields Bakery & Café
5) 23rd Street Brewery
SANDWICH
1) Sandwich Bowl
2) Yello Sub
3) Latchkey Deli
4) Pickleman’s Gourmet Cafe
5) Terrebonne Po’ Boys
SEAFOOD
1) Mass St. Fish House & Raw Bar
2) Terrebonne Po’ Boys
3) Concept 23 Sushi & Seafood
4) Nagoya Japanese Cuisine
5) Gaia Sushi
STEAK
1) Texas Roadhouse
2) 6 Mile Chophouse & Tavern
3) 715 Restaurant
4) The Clinton Store
5) J. Wilson’s
SUSHI
1) Nagoya Japanese Cuisine
2) Concept 23 Sushi & Seafood
3) Gaia Sushi
4) Moriki Sushi
5) Tokyo Sushi
TACOS
1) Lulu’s Latin Food
2) La Estrella Tienda Mexicana
3) El Potro Mexican Cafe
4) JB’s Tacos
5) Taco John’s
TATER TOTS
1) Sonic Drive-In
1) Taco John’s
3) The Burger Stand at The Casbah
4) Johnny’s Tavern - Multiple Locations
5) Burgers By Biggs
VEGETARIAN OR VEGAN FOOD
1) Aladdin Cafe
1) Zen Zero
3) The Mad Greek
4) Lulu’s Latin Food
5) Culinaria
WINGS
1) R Bar & Patio
2) Jefferson’s - Multiple Locations
3) Morningstar’s Pizza
4) Johnny’s Tavern - Multiple Locations
4) Wingstop
Community
Botanical Dreams of Lawrence
2nd – New Business
2nd – Gardening Store
4th – Local Store Owner (Bryan Chester and Dana Hunter)
5th – Social Media (Business)
When Dana Hunter and Bryan Chester opened Botanical Dreams, 612 North Second Street, they had no doubt they were in the right part of Lawrence. The co-owners knew that keeping their roots in North Lawrence was just what this garden and pond shop needed. “North Lawrence has been very inviting. The neighborhood is amazing,” Chester says. “It’s a big community feel up and down the block.”
Hunter agrees, adding that patrons will sometimes run to the coffee shop next door, enjoy the outdoor music, then wander over to Botanical Dreams. Putting them in this “neighborhood environment” is key.
“Creating something that the community truly needs instills a sense of pride,” Hunter says. “We want to stay in North Lawrence because it gives the community a place to stay that’s unique.”
Chester adds that part of that uniqueness comes from their massive display of fish and reptiles, which he calls their “pets.” “We decided to bring them here and share them with everybody,” he says. “Most of the people who come will come back to check on the animals. It’s just a fun place to be.”
Bryan Chester (left) and Dana Hunter
Lawrence Humane Society
1st – Nonprofit (Land, Preservation, Animals)
2nd – Place to Work (Medium, 25–100 employees)
2nd – Social Media (Organization or Nonprofit)
4th – Pets and Pet Supplies
“We are so grateful,” says Elina Alterman, director of development and communications for Lawrence Humane Society, when asked what it means to be among the top winners for Best of Lawrence. “We have our community’s support, which means the world to us,” she says.
As of June 1, the no-kill shelter at 1805 East 19th Street has relaunched a program that enables community members to interact with the shelter and its residents. “The public can take a shelter dog out for an adventure,” Alterman says. “They can go for a walk, hang out on a dog-friendly patio, or go home and snuggle on the couch. We work with each individual to pick out a dog that’s going to be a good fit.”
The program was originally only for shelter volunteers, she says, but is now open to the entire community. In the three weeks since the program was relaunched, more than 50 dogs have been invited on a day trip, and Alterman says at least three dogs have been adopted.
“We’ve had a fantastic response,” she says.
Alterman says the shelter staff is always looking for innovative ways to get the word out about the animals available for adoption.
“There’s always more we can do, more people to serve, more animals to help,” she says.
Elina Alterman (left), Pico, Ashley Rice-Keen and Sydney Martin
Squishington’s Candy
1st – New Business
There’s one corner of downtown Lawrence that has quickly become a hit: Squishington’s Candy, 646 Massachusetts Street. The new candy shop— the perfect fit for customers seeking a sugar boost—has established a reputation for its friendly and welcoming vibe. Store manager Steven Elliott says he strives to connect with customers across generations.
“We feel like candy is a medium that facilitates this connection, no matter what age you are,” he says. “We geared the shop to welcome kids of all ages. But older folks are also finding candies they connected with in their childhood and sharing those stories with their families’ younger generations.”
The shop’s nostalgic aesthetic seems to fit perfectly in its downtown location. “We felt like Squishington’s really enhanced the downtown offerings,” Elliott says. “I think it’s such a cool experience to be in the heart of Lawrence. We get to work with and interact with tourists, students … all kinds of visitors. Everyone who comes through Lawrence is stopping by Squishington’s on their way out of town.”
One of the most important aspects of running the candy store, Elliott says, is helping people when they’re feeling down, especially in today’s tense political climate. “A lot of change is happening, and not for the better. This candy shop is a little corner of the world where I can bring joy and peace, and spread smiles,” Elliot says. “We don’t have a lot of control over a lot of things right now, but being able to spread that peace through candy and connect with people in that way is really special.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
1) Kristina Ormsby, LMH Health
2) Janet Keim, Brandon Woods at Alvamar
3) Erin Mayer, The Chiropractic Element
3) Fally Afani, KU School of Music
5) Kayla Steffey, Free State Dental
ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT, NONPROFITS/GOV./GROUPS
1) Jane Bowers, JobLinkCottonwood, Inc.
2) Dawn Salisbury, West Middle School
2) Lindsay Frentrop, Heartland Community Health Center
4) Teri Chambers, KU Biodiversity Institute & Natural History Museum
5) Amy Hope, Just Food
ART GALLERY
1) Lawrence Arts Center
2) Spencer Museum of Art
3) Cider Gallery
4) Phoenix Art Gallery
5) Van Go
COMMUNITY LANDMARK
1) KU Natural History Museum
2) 23rd Street Bison Statue
3) Memorial Campanile
4) Liberty Hall
5) Lawrence Public Library
COMMUNITY LEADER
1) Nathan Hutchcraft, Fabulux
2) Audra Fussell, Truity Credit Union
3) Jeff Sigler, Sigler Pharmacy
4) Demetrius Kemp, Kindness Is The Key
5) Linda Jorgenson, Lawrence Opera Theatre
COMMUNITY LEADER, RACIAL JUSTICE/ EQUITY ISSUES
1) Demetrius Kemp, Lawrence Public Schools
2) Carole Cadue-Blackwood, Lawrence Public Schools
3) Monique Mercurio, Douglas County Core
4) Verdell Taylor, LMH Health & St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church
5) Clare Nderagakura, Clare’s Community Closet
EVENT VENUE
1) Maceli’s Banquet Hall & Catering
2) Venue 1235
3) Abe & Jake’s Landing
4) Liberty Hall
5) Cider Gallery
HOTEL
1) Eldridge Hotel
2) The Oread Hotel
3) Circle S Ranch & Country Inn
4) DoubleTree by Hilton
5) SpringHill Suites by Marriott
5) TownePlace Suites Marriott
Abe & Jake’s Landing
3rd – Event Space
4th – Venue Coordinator (Kiley Nottingham)
Marketing director
Emily Taylor and director of events and weddings Kiley Nottingham both love working at Abe & Jake’s Landing. “I love overhearing people’s reactions when they first walk into the building,” Taylor says. “The entrance is pretty unassuming. When they hit the main room, it’s pure astonishment.”
“Working on weddings is very rewarding,” Nottingham adds. “There’s something special about guiding couples through the planning process and seeing everything come together beautifully.”
Nottingham, who also works on many events for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, says that Jared Martin, the chamber’s director of events, deserves special recognition for all his outstanding work in the community. “Jared is an amazing individual who consistently goes the extra mile for all of the chamber and Leadership Lawrence events and community activities,” she says. “Working with him is always a pleasure. There’s never a dull moment when we collaborate.”
Taylor thinks that Owens Flower Shop deserves extra praise. “Every time they’re involved in an event at Abe & Jake’s, I know the space is going to look amazing and that the photos will be incredible,” she says.
On top of that, Lawrence Beer Company, Fork & Tumbler and Mass St. Fish House get their stamp of approval as great places to dine, as do the ghosts who haunt Abe & Jake’s “for being friendly and watching over all of us.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
JAYHAWK ATHLETE
1) Devin Neal, football 2) Zeke Mayo, basketball
3) S’Mya Nichols, basketball
4) Elle Evans, basketball
5) AJ Storr, basketball
MASCOT
1) Baby Jay, University of Kansas
2) Chesty the Lion, Lawrence High School
3) Big Jay, University of Kansas
4) Freddy Firebird, Free State High School
5) Warhawk, West Middle School
NEW BUSINESS
1) Squishington’s Candy 2) Botanical Dreams of Lawrence
Northside Social
Jody’s Market
5) Dutch Bros Coffee
NONPROFIT (ADULT/SENIOR SERVICES)
1) Cottonwood Inc.
2) Just Food
3) The Willow Domestic Violence Center
4) Senior Resource Center for Douglas County
5) The Ballard Center
NONPROFIT (CHILDREN/YOUTH SERVICES)
1) JHM Woodworks
2) Boys & Girls Club of Lawrence 3) Ballard Center 4) Lawrence Public Library
5) Lawrence Arts Center
NONPROFIT (FAMILY SERVICES)
1) 100 Good Women 2) Lawrence PRIDE 3) Ballard Center 4) Family Promise of Lawrence 5) Heartland Community Health Center
NONPROFIT (LAND, PRESERVATION, ANIMALS) 1) Lawrence Humane Society 2) Baker Wetlands Discovery Center
3) Prairie Park Nature Center
4) Lawrence Farmers Market
5) Friends of the Kaw
NONPROFIT EVENT
1) Lawrence PRIDE Parade and Block Party
2) Art in the Park, The Lawrence Art Guild
3) Lawrence Old-Fashioned Christmas Parade
4) Clothing Exchange, 100 Good Women
5) Annual St. John Mexican Fiesta, St. John the Evangelist
OUTDOOR MURAL
1) George Floyd mural (Socha/ Wagner fence) by Xavier Martinez
2) East Lawrence Waltz mural (Hobbs Park Stadium) by David Loewenstein and others
3) Prairie Fire mural (Mass Street Music) by Louis Copt
4) Celebration of Cultures mural (Massachusetts Street 800 block breezeway) by David Loewenstein and others
5) Welcome to Lawrence mural (New Hampshire Street parking garage) by Mona Cliff
PLACE OF WORSHIP
1) Corpus Christi Catholic Church
1) Plymouth Congregational Church
3) St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church
4) First United Methodist Church
5) Connect Church
5) Rev City Church
PLACE TO TAKE AN OUT-OF-TOWNER (FREE ATTRACTION)
1) Downtown Lawrence
2) University of Kansas Natural History Museum
3) Allen Fieldhouse
4) Baker Wetlands
5) Clinton Lake
PLACE TO WORK (LARGE, 100+ EMPLOYEES)
1) Cottonwood Inc.
2) University of Kansas
3) Lawrence Public Schools, USD 497
4) Heartland Community Health Center
5) LMH Health
PLACE TO WORK (MEDIUM 25–100 EMPLOYEES)
1) Pennington & Co.
2) Lawrence Humane Society
3) Sigler Pharmacy - Multiple Locations
4) Lawrence Public Library
5) Lawrence Otolaryngology Associates
PLACE TO WORK (UNDER 25 EMPLOYEES)
1) Lawrence Family Vision Clinic
2) 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles
3) Kring’s Interiors
4) Wonder Fair
5) Wakarusa Veterinary Hospital
PRINCIPAL
1) Amanda Green, Sunflower Elementary School
2) Kady Carson, West Middle School
3) Summer Moeckel, Deerfield Elementary School
4) Shannon Biggerstaff, Veritas Christian School
5) Jeff Harkin, St. John Catholic School
RADIO STATION
1) KJHK 90.7 FM
2) KPR (KANU 91.5 FM or K241AR 96.1 FM)
3) 92.9 The BULL (KMXN)
4) 105.9 KISS FM (KKSW)
5) 101.7 FM/1320 AM (KLWN)
SENIOR LIVING COMMUNITY
1) Pioneer Ridge Retirement Community
2) Brandon Woods at Alvamar
3) Arbor Court Retirement Community at Alvamar
4) Lawrence Presbyterian Manor
5) Bridge Haven Memory Care, LLC
SHOP OR OFFICE PET
1) Dave, Wonder Fair
2) Pete, Animal Hospital of Lawrence
3) Syd, Espurresso Cat Cafe
4) Dodge, Kring’s Interiors
5) Larry, Wild Birds Unlimited
SOCIAL MEDIA (ANIMAL)
1) Dave @WonderFair
2) Espurresso Cat Cafe @EspurressoCatCafeLFK
3) Quin @QuinsPlanet
4) Ted @HugsForAmerica
5) Chopper @ChopperTheHeartStopper
SOCIAL MEDIA (BUSINESS)
1) Espurresso Cat Cafe
2) Sandwich Bowl
3) Lawrence Family Vision Clinic
4) 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles
5) Botanical Dreams of Lawrence
SOCIAL MEDIA (CULTURE & ENTERTAINMENT)
1) Live Love Local Lawrence
2) Oh 4 the Love Local Lawrence Police Scanner
3) I Heart Local Music
4) Kansas Public Radio
5) eXplore Lawrence
SOCIAL MEDIA (ORG. OR NONPROFIT)
1) Cottonwood Inc.
2) Lawrence Humane Society
3) Lawrence PRIDE
4) KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum
5) Lawrence Police Department
TEACHER, GRADES 6–8
1) Blair Waite, Liberty Memorial Central Middle School
2) Stephanie Jaramillo, Liberty Memorial Central Middle School
3) Jay Deiser, Billy Mills Middle School
4) Chris Fertig, Corpus Christi Catholic School
5) Maria Scott Pope, Billy Mills Middle School
TEACHER, GRADES 9–12
1) Sophia Coen, Lawrence Free State High School
2) Bryce Jones, Lawrence Free State High School
3) Debby Ziegler, Lawrence Free State High School
4) Susan Carey, Lawrence Free State High School
5) Audrey Trowbridge, Lawrence High School
TEACHER, PRE-K
1) Andria Devlin, Lawrence Arts Center Preschool
2) Kyle Spencer, Lawrence Montessori School
3) Amy Cast, St. John Catholic School
4) Brooke Wright, ECKAN Head Start
5) Mikayla Swart, The Giving Tree Preschool
TEACHER, PRESCHOOL
1) Pamela King-Smith, Googols of Learning
2) Andria Devlin, Lawrence Arts Center Preschool
3) Katie Krall, Children’s Learning Center
4) Lance Greenly, Stepping Stones
5) Ashley Times, Children’s Learning Center
TEACHER, UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
1) Anne Patterson
2) Shuai Sun
3) Mary Klayder
3) Susan Williams
5) Cynthia Melissa Colwell Dunn
TEACHER, GRADES K–5
1) Susan Lomshek, Corpus Christi Catholic School
2) Kaitlyn VanZuiden, Corpus Christi Catholic School
3) Jaclynn Williams, Langston Hughes Elementary School
4) Ingrid Yew, Sunset Hill Elementary School
4) Michelle McLenon, Langston Hughes Elementary School
WORKING OR SERVICE ANIMAL
1) Shakti, founding dog of Loving Paws Animal Therapy Program (in memoriam)
2) Wayne, Lawrence Free State High School
3) Rosie, Lawrence Kansas Police Department
4) Oakley Rossetti, Sunflower Elementary School/Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center
5) Animal Ambassadors of Prairie Park Nature Center
The Just Food staff wants the community to know that there is a space for everyone at the food bank, according to executive director Aundrea Walker and impact director Jessica Cooney. “We strive to build community around our space,” they say. “We want everyone to feel welcome and included.” Being among the top winners in Best of Lawrence “means the world to us.”
The bank at 1000 East 11th Street serves thousands of people in Douglas County. “We are tireless in our mission to fight hunger. Between our onsite food pantry, mobile pantry, home
delivery and satellite pantries, Just Food had more than 70,000 visits in 2024. This would not be possible without our volunteers and food recovery partners, who have helped us rescue more than 600,000 pounds of food from reaching the landfill and assist families with cooking meals to support their longterm health.”
Walker and Cooney say the food bank is going to keep doing what it’s been doing. “There is food to be rescued and people to serve, so we’re going to continue showing up, listening, improving and learning with our community.”
It’s difficult to quantify all that goes on at Just Food without seeing it. “Just Food feeds thousands of people every week,” they add. “We believe that everyone should have access to fresh, nourishing food.”
Jessica Cooney
Shopping
J.Lynn Bridal & Suiting
2nd – Dress Shop or Formal Wear
For 12 years, J.Lynn Bridal & Suiting, 731 Massachusetts Street, has offered Lawrence residents a carefully curated selection of designer bridal gowns and suits. But J.Lynn has always strived to be more than a boutique—owner, buyer and stylist Jena Lynn Dick sees her shop as a “destination store.”
“We bring in a lot of clients from all over the country,” Dick says. And with no set rules, Dick adds that they get to be more hands on and change how things operate, “depending on how it’s working with my staff and our clients.”
Why visit J.Lynn Bridal & Suiting?
Competitive pricing. Clients come to J.Lynn from all over for their lower pricing and highquality products. “We constantly hear people say, ‘Wow! Look at that price,’” Dick says. Being
located in Lawrence, the shop is able to keep its prices lower than those in big cities, and many clients fly in for just that reason— whether they are returning to their hometown stomping grounds or visiting friends or family.
Inclusive sizing. J.Lynn offers a variety of designers and price points, but what sets this bridal shop apart is its commitment to inclusive sizing. Unlike many bridal boutiques, J.Lynn doesn’t stock designers who stop at size 14—every gown must carry through size 28, although most carry through size 32. “It used to be harder to carry more sizes, once
upon a time, but that’s no longer the case. It’s a choice made by the boutique,” Dick says. “We believe in representing all body styles and celebrating that.”
Feminine-cut tuxedos. A year ago, J.Lynn decided to lean more into their suiting—they even added “Suiting” to their name. This addition includes both suits and tuxedos, for rent and for purchase. The shop offers a variety of suit colors and fits, and now they also offer suits and tuxedos for men and women. “We tried to find a vendor who could supply us with femininecut suits,” Dick says. “That was hard to do for a long time.”
Jena Lynn Dick
Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop
1st – Bike Shop
2nd – Sporting Goods
Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop, 804 Massachusetts Street, combines an outdoor and clothing shop with a bike shop, bike service center and café. “And it’s all in one historic building,” says service manager Austin Elser. “We even have a yoga studio and a wellness center complete with body work specialists.”
“We’re very proud to be included in the top winners for the Best of Lawrence,” Elser adds. “Sunflower has been a staple of the outdoor and biking community for more than five decades. … Being located in the heart of downtown Lawrence makes us a unique hub of activity.”
Recently, Sunflower added an event space. “The third floor has a rooftop patio with beautiful views of the Kaw River, KU, and the surrounding areas,” Elser says. It’s open for meetings or any type of event.
“Sunflower is proud to be a positive force for outdoor recreation and wellness,” he says. “We contribute to the National Interscholastic Cycling Association’s youth mountain biking, host group bike rides, present informative clinics about outdoor activity, and are actively engaged with a diverse community of people.”
Elser points to one thing that keeps the shop at the top of Best of Lawrence voting: “Enthusiastic, knowledgeable and friendly staffers. Our crew keeps Sunflower as one of the best places to shop, eat, have your bicycle serviced, or just to visit in downtown Lawrence.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
ANTIQUE/VINTAGE STORE
1) 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles
2) Lawrence Antique Mall
3) Arizona Trading Co.
4) Reclaimed by Michele
5) Wild Man Vintage
APPLIANCE SHOP
1) Stoneback Appliance
2) Cottin’s Hardware & Rental
3) Menards
4) Home Depot
5) Best Buy
BIKE SHOP
1) Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop
2) Cycle Works
3) Trek Bicycle Lawrence
4) Target
5) Walmart
BOOKSTORE
1) The Raven Book Store
2) The Dusty Bookshelf
3) Friends of the Lawrence Public Library
4) LMH Gift Shop
5) Game Nut Entertainment
5) The Toy Store
CBD SHOP
1) CBD of Lawrence
2) CBD American Shaman
3) GreenValley Smoke Shop
4) Black Diamond CBD
5) Quiet Trees
DEPARTMENT STORE
1) Weaver’s
2) The Third Planet
3) T.J. Maxx
4) Kohl’s
5) HomeGoods
DRESS SHOP OR FORMAL WEAR
1) Weaver’s
2) J.Lynn Bridal & Suiting
3) Wild Man Vintage
4) Arizona Trading Co.
5) Eccentricity Women’s Clothing
5) Kohl’s
FARM/LAWN EQUIPMENT STORE
1) Cottin’s Hardware & Rental
2) Westlake Ace Hardware
3) Bomgaars
4) Tractor Supply Co.
5) Heinen Outdoor Power Equipment
FLOWER SHOP
1) Owens Flower Shop
2) Jungle House
3) Englewood Florist
4) Pendleton’s Kaw Valley Country Market
5) Hy-Vee Floral
Austin Elser
travel tips
Owens Flower Shop
1st – Flower Shop
Owens Flower Shop, 846 Indiana Street, has been a beloved Lawrence staple for nearly 80 years. Kristin Spacek became the shop’s fourth owner in 2012. She started working at Owens at age 20—after flipping through a phone book, finding a listing for Owens, and deciding that work at a flower shop would be fun. She has since turned this snap decision from her 20s into a career she loves.
“I love how people order flowers for every kind of emotion,” Spacek says. “I love to see people’s faces when they receive a bouquet. It’s probably my favorite part.”
Owens is a full-service retail floral shop that handles anything from standard daily orders such as birthdays and anniversaries, to large-scale events such as weddings and funerals.
“Flowers tell stories,” Spacek says. “They can help people get through tough times.”
Why visit Owens Flower Shop?
Custom arrangements. With six full-time designers on staff, Owens can tackle any floral arrangement request, whether it’s incorporating a treasured possession into a funeral arrangement, coming up with new and interesting ways to weave yellow, red and blue hues into arrangements for University of Kansas events, or using local, organic wildflowers for an earthy wedding bouquet.
Half-price flowers. Visit Owens on Fridays, 12 to 5:30, and Saturdays, 9 to 1, to make your own bouquets at half the cost. “It’s very big with the students,” Spacek says. “We like to help our customers although a lot of people like to make the bouquets themselves. Then we’ll wrap it for them.” The shop also offers miniature $5 bouquets in their front cooler.
Selfie spot. To celebrate the store’s 75th anniversary back in 2021, artist Ruthie Ozonoff designed and painted a vibrant mural of peonies, hollyhocks, tulips, mums and more that wraps around the shop’s west- and south-side walls. It’s the perfect spot for a selfie before heading home with a gorgeous bouquet.
Cole Portela (left), Samantha Robertson, Kristin Spacek, Lindy Harden, Nox Angelone (kneeling) and Tyson Bay
The Third Planet
1st – Smoke Shop
2nd – Department Store
4th – Women’s Clothing Store
Third Planet, 846 Massachusetts Street, has been a downtown staple for more than 30 years and is known for its eclectic mix of merchandise.
“At heart, we’re kind of hippies,” says Robert Knapp, the boutique store’s buyer and co-manager. “We try to curate an experience where you can be in and out if you run errands, but it’s not uncommon for guests to spend a couple of hours in the store—that’s really welcome! Coming here can feel like a trip to a museum. … We always try to keep it fresh and interesting.”
Knapp loves working on “the most interesting alley in Lawrence.” When asked who deserves extra recognition in Lawrence, he explained that he could praise pretty much every business on Mass. At the top of his list, he gave a shout-out to his neighbors Terrebonne Po’ Boys, “a welcome reprieve for us on many days”; Bourgeois Pig, which he describes as Third Planet’s “cool, older sister”; and Jody’s Market, a new downtown grocery and community hub. “We just adore that place,” Knapp says. “It’s a breath of fresh air on Mass. My staff goes there daily.”
There are also quite a few community programs that set Lawrence apart from the rest, Knapp says, including Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center, Willow Domestic Violence Center and Just Food. He also gives “mad love” to Haskell Indian Nations University. “It’s a really special part of Lawrence,” Knapp says. “Too often, it gets overlooked as an institution, but it makes Lawrence unlike any other place in the country.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
FURNITURE STORE
1) Ready for Good
2) Lawrence Habitat for Humanity ReStore
3) Winfield House
4) Lawrence Antique Mall
5) HomeGoods
GARDENING STORE
1) Jungle House
2) Botanical Dreams of Lawrence
3) Clinton Parkway Nursery
4) Pines Garden & Market
5) Earl May Nursery & Garden Center
GIFT SHOP
1) LMH Gift Shop
2) Wonder Fair
3) KU Natural History Museum Gift Shop
4) Striped Cow
5) 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles
HARDWARE STORE
1) Cottin’s Hardware & Rental
2) Westlake Ace Hardware
3) Menards
4) The Home Depot
5) Harbor Freight Tools
JEWELRY STORE
1) Marks Jewelers
2) Goldmakers Fine Jewelry
3) Kizer Cummings Jewelers
4) Striped Cow
5) Empath Craft
KU SOUVENIR SHOP
1) Kansas Sampler
2) Local Love KS
3) KU Memorial Union Bookstore
4) Jock’s Nitch
5) Weaver’s
LOCAL STORE OWNER
1) Will Anderson, Orchards Drug
2) Jesi Kelley, Sandwich Bowl
3) Terry Taylor, 1313 Mockingbird Lane & Collectibles
4) Bryan Chester and Dana Hunter, Botanical Dreams of Lawrence
5) Jeff Sigler, Sigler Pharmacy
5) Mackenzie Francisco and Katie Lomshek, Local Love KS
MEN’S CLOTHING STORE
1) Weaver’s
2) Kohl’s
3) Wild Man Vintage
4) Arizona Trading Co.
4) River Rat Print & Skate
MUSIC STORE
1) Love Garden Sounds
2) Mass Street Music
3) Supersonic Music
4) Guitarma
5) Richards Music Co.
PETS AND PET SUPPLIES
1) Pet World
2) Lucky Dog Pet Grocery & Bakery
3) EarthWise Pet Supply & Grooming
4) Lawrence Humane Society
5) Wakarusa Veterinary Hospital
PLACE TO BUY A NEW CAR
1) Crown Toyota Volkswagen
2) Lawrence Kia
3) Laird Noller Auto Group
4) Bob Sight Auto Group
5) Dale Willey
5) McCarthy Subaru of Lawrence
PLACE TO BUY A USED CAR
1) Crown Toyota Volkswagen
2) Lawrence Kia
3) Bob Sight Auto Group
4) Dale Willey
5) Laird Noller Auto Group
SECOND-HAND/PAWN SHOP
1) 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles
2) Lawrence Antique Mall
3) Arizona Trading Co.
4) The Dusty Bookshelf
5) Reclaimed by Michele
SHOE STORE
1) Brown’s Shoe Fit Co.
2) Footprints
3) Ad Astra Running
4) Fleet Feed
5) Famous Footwear
SMOKE SHOP
1) The Third Planet
2) Green Valley Smoke Shop
3) Emami Cigars, LLC
4) Wild Side Smoke Shop
5) Smoker’s Depot 2
SPORTING GOODS
1) Dick’s Sporting Goods
2) Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop
3) Ad Astra Running
4) Jock’s Nitch
5) River Rat Print & Skate
TOY STORE
1) The Toy Store
2) 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles
3) Game Nut Entertainment
4) KU Natural History Museum Gift Shop
5) Target
1313 Mockingbird Lane
Toys & Collectibles
Terry Taylor, owner of 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles at 1027 Massachusetts Street, hopes people know that everyone is welcome at the store. “We love when people just pop in and say hi.”
“I grew up with an alternative record store/collectibles shop in my hometown. ... I felt a great sense of belonging there,” he says. “That’s what I’m hoping to create with our shop—a place people feel they belong, maybe when they don’t feel they belong anywhere else.”
Named for the fictional residence of television’s The Munsters, 1313 Mockingbird Lane is the place for unique modern and vintage toys and collectibles.
“To me, it’s not about the sales but about the community,” Taylor says. “I take great pride in my work, and it is so important to me that everyone who comes through our crazy doors knows they are welcomed and appreciated in our shop.”
When asked what it will take to stay at the top of its categories in Best of Lawrence, he says, “I think we need to keep doing what we’re doing and never lose sight of our goal to keep Lawrence weird!”
“Considering how many amazing businesses are in Lawrence, I take this as an incredible honor,” he adds. “Every year, I am honestly amazed we still make it to some of the top categories.”
1st – Antique/Vintage Store
1st – Second-Hand/Pawn Shop
1st – Unique Store
2nd – Toy Store
2nd – Place to Work (Under 25 employees)
3rd – Vintage Clothing
3rd – Local Store Owner (Terry Taylor)
4th – Social Media (Business)
4th – Window Display
5th – Gift Shop
Terry Taylor
Waverly Jane Bows
3rd – Unique Store
When Lily Slifer started Waverly Jane Bows, she didn’t realize how quickly it would turn into more than just a side hustle. After choosing to leave her job to stay home with her newborn daughter, the company’s namesake, she sought a way to bridge the financial gap.
“I started making bows and posting them online for friends. I connected with the right ‘girl moms’ who were just as obsessed as me,” she says. “It kind of grew from there, by word of mouth.”
It didn’t take long for Slifer to find her people, and Lawrence made it easy. “People love to shop local. People are into supporting small businesses,” she says.
Earlier this year, Slifer collaborated with 2 Shy Kids, a secondhand children’s store. “Since collaborating with 2 Shy Kids, my business has expanded. … It’s awesome to see two moms growing a business together.”
Slifer’s business continues to thrive because of the support from other mothers in town. “I feel like I’ve started a community of moms that’s beyond just bows,” she says. “Bows are fun, and they’re creative and cute, but it’s been really unique to connect with other moms … to share experiences that we’re going through together. It’s a lot more than just bows. It’s family.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
UNIQUE STORE
1) 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles
2) Wonder Fair
3) Waverly Jane Bows
4) Striped Cow
5) Wild Birds Unlimited
VINTAGE CLOTHING
1) Wild Man Vintage
2) Arizona Trading Co.
3) 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles
4) Lawrence Antique Mall
5) Daisy Lee Vintage
WINDOW DISPLAY
1) Wonder Fair
2) The Toy Store
3) Ruff House Paperie
4) 1313 Mockingbird Lane Toys & Collectibles
5) Goldmakers Jewelry
5) Striped Cow
WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE
1) Weaver’s
2) Arizona Trading Co.
3) Eccentricity Women’s Clothing
4) The Third Planet
5) Kohl’s
Waverly (left) and Lily Slifer
Health & FITNESS
travel tips
Lawrence Arts Center
1st – Art Gallery
1st – Teacher, PreK (Andria Devlin)
1st – Teacher, Preschool (Andria Devlin)
2nd – Dance Studio
5th – Nonprofit (Children/Youth Services)
The Lawrence Arts Center, 940 New Hampshire Street, is like no other art center in the country. It offers a unique combination of studio spaces for dance, drawing, painting, jewelry, ceramics and printmaking, along with art galleries, performance theaters and an arts-based preschool and kindergarten. “Some of us who live in Lawrence take this place for granted,” says Ryann Galloway Tacha, chief development officer. “That it can be so many things to so many people is incredibly unique.”
Why visit Lawrence Arts Center?
Art for everyone. “We have the biggest art auction in town,” Tacha says. Held the second Saturday of every April, their Annual Benefit Art Auction features hundreds of pieces from local, regional and national artists. Proceeds benefit the center’s galleries, which are free and open to the public year-round, six days a week.
Seasonal classes. The center offers a catalog of classes and events for every season, whether you are interested in taking an introductory course to drag, Irish dance lessons, portraiture classes or writing workshops. “Becoming a member allows you to get first dibs on the classes you want,” Tacha says.
A holiday tradition like no other. With more than 125 cast members (from first graders to adults), 30 behind-the-scenes volunteers, and a mandolin quartet, The Nutcracker: A Kansas Ballet has become the center’s signature event. Although it’s easy to find a December production of this classic ballet almost anywhere, the Lawrence Arts Center is the only place where you can experience the reimagining of The Nutcracker set in Kansas during the Civil War. “We sell out every single year,” Tacha says.
Owen Blackwood, Planet Fitness
2nd – Personal Trainer
Owen Blackwood was headed down a different path before he prioritized his health. “I was not taking care of myself. I was up to 440 pounds and had triple organ failure,” Blackwood says. “It was either I make fitness a priority, or I wasn’t going to make it.”
After working on himself, Blackwood became a personal trainer at Planet Fitness in 2023. “After the pandemic, a lot of people had time to work on themselves and reframe their ways of thinking,” Blackwood says. “Accountability is a big deal to me. I like to teach other people how to become accountable and see how they grow on their own … how they water their own plants, so to speak.”
“Planet Fitness is a judgment-free zone and a place where everybody is free to grow in their own space,” he says about his place of work.
There are a few businesses and organizations in Lawrence that Blackwood would like to recognize. He appreciates the work the school board is doing. “My mom is Carole Cadue-Blackwood, and she’s on the school board,” Blackwood says. “She is helping others who might be disenfranchised for one reason or another ... and that is a worthy cause to fight for.”
Just Foods also deserves a lot of praise for the good work they do in the community, as does The Merc Co+op, which provides a lot of opportunities for local farmers.
“And this may not be what every trainer is going to tell you, but I frequent Pizza Shuttle,” he laughs. “I was born here, so I’ve been going there for years.”
ACUPUNCTURE
1) Midwest Muscle & Joint Clinic
2) Body Specific
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
3) Abby Hanson, The Chiropractic Element
4) Advanced Chiropractic Services
5) Tripoint Acupuncture Plus
ADDICTION TREATMENT CENTER 1) Heartland Community Health Center 2) DCCCA - First Step at Lakeview 3) Bert Nash Community Mental Health Center 4) Treatment & Recovery Center 5) Mirror Outpatient
CERTIFIFED PROFESSIONAL MIDWIFE
1) Lara Rivera 2) Pam Pray 3) Lilly Mason 3) Natalie Gepford 5) Sus Jones
CHIROPRACTOR
1) Midwest Muscle & Joint Clinic
2) Advanced Chiropractic Services
3) Risley Chiropractic
4) The Chiropractic Element
5) Restore Chiropractic & Rehab
COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER (PUBLIC) 1) Sports Pavilion (Rock Chalk Park) 2) Lawrence Indoor Aquatic Center 3) East Lawrence Recreation Center 4) Holcom Park Recreation Center 5) Lawrence Community Building
DANCE STUDIO
Dance Gallery
Lawrence Arts Center
Dance Hues Studio
Sunflower State Dance
Dazzlers Christian Dance DAY SPA/WELLNESS CENTER
Salon Di Marco & Day Spa
Body Specific
Salon Lotus
Elevate Arts of Wellness
Sensora Spa
DENTAL PRACTICE
1) Cascade Dental Care
2) Free State Dental
3) Heck Family Dentistry & Lawrence Dental Aesthetics at Kansas Center for Sedation Dentistry
4) Peterson, Krische & Van Horn, DDS
5) Lawrence Dental Center
DIETITIAN/NUTRITIONIST
1) Free State Nutrition
2) Mandy Peers-Greaves
3) Melissa Norris, Body Specific
4) Ashley Combs, BSND
5) Aubrey Kough, LMH Diabetes Education Center
EYEWEAR OR VISION CENTER
1) Lawrence Family Vision Clinic
2) Drs. Dobbins & Letourneau Eye Care
3) The EyeDoctors Optometrists
4) Lawrence Eye Care Associates, P.A.
5) Atteberry Eye Centers
FAMILY MEDICAL PRACTICE
1) Lawrence Family Practice Center
2) Heartland Community Health Center
3) Family Centered Medicine
4) AdventHealth Medical Group
5) LMH Health Primary CareInternal Medicine
GOLF COURSE
(TRADITIONAL OR DISC)
1) Eagle Bend Golf Course
2) The Jayhawk Club
3) Lawrence Country Club
4) Centennial Park
5) The Orchards Executive Golf Course
GYM OR FITNESS CENTER (PRIVATE)
1) Prime Martial Arts
2) Kaw Valley CrossFit
3) Genesis Health ClubsMultiple Locations
4) Schneider Fit
5) Yoga Center of Lawrence
HEARING AID PROVIDER/ AUDIOLOGIST
1) Lawrence Otolaryngology Associates
2) Associated Audiologists
3) Kaw Valley Hearing
4) Schiefelbusch Speech Language Hearing Clinic
5) Beltone Hearing Aid Center
HIKING AND BIKING TRAILS
1) Baker Wetlands
2) Clinton Lake Trails
3) The Lawrence Loop
4) Rock Chalk Park
5) Prairie Park Nature Center Trail
Courtney Chacon, Speech Solutions
1st – Speech-Language Pathologist
Speech-language pathologist Courtney Chacon knows what it takes to turn someone’s life around. “A lot of people don’t know what speech is,” Chacon says. “Sometimes it’s sound, sometimes it’s language. But really, speech is improving the quality of life for people.”
Serving Lawrence since 2024, Chacon says her key to success has been connecting with her clients. “One of the great joys we have in this world is finding connection and communication,” she says. “When there’s difficulty there, it can decrease quality of life.”
Chacon, who works in private practice at Speech Solutions, is constantly marveling at the technological advances in speech therapy, calling it “super rewarding” to see clients’ lives improve with assistive technology and speech-output devices. Locating her work in Lawrence has also played a big part in her success. “I really enjoy being here. There are playgroups around town that I went to with my kid. Now I get to collaborate and work with many of those same play groups,” she says. “Getting to live in Lawrence and interconnect with that community has been really fun.”
MARTIAL ARTS
1) Prime Martial Arts
2) Ground Theory Jiu Jitsu
3) Premier Martial Arts
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
4) Lawrence Tae Kwon Do School
5) Rivers Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
MASSAGE THERAPIST
1) Danielle Steffan, Beauty Brands
2) Chantel White, Cute & Cut
3) Jennifer Baldwin, Renew by Jennifer
4) Nicole Manriquez, Body Specific
5) Presley Hasselman, Salon Di Marco & Day Spa
MASSAGE THERAPY
1) Body Specific
2) Salon Di Marco & Day Spa
3) Elevate Arts of Wellness
4) Cute & Cut
5) Renew by Jennifer
MEDICAL CLINIC
1) Heartland Community Health Center
2) Lawrence Family Practice Center
3) LMH Health Primary CareInternal Medicine
4) AdventHealth Medical Group
5) Lawrence Otolaryngology Associates
MEDICAL DOCTOR
1) Scarlett Aldrich, Plastic Surgery Specialists of Lawrence
2) Luke Mueller, Heartland Community Health Center
3) Loree Cordova, AdventHealth Medical Group
4) Alana Ryan, Family Centered Medicine
5) Stephanie Suber, Family Centered Medicine
MEDICAL SPA
1) Body Specific
2) Modern Skin
3) Sunflower Aesthetics
4) S. Thetics Medspa & Wellbeing
5) Regain Functional Medicine + Aesthetics
MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR, OTHER THAN LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST/PSYCHIATRIST
1) Raven Rajani, LSCSW
1) Sunnie Dreu Shedd, LSCSW, LMAC, Sun Of The Times Therapy
3) Alex Rodenbeek, LSCSW, Heartland Community Health Center
4) Lindsay Wiseman, AdventHealth Medical Group Primary Care at Lawrence
5) Vonda Perry Kaup, Atma Clinic
Courtney Chacon
Orchards Drug
1st – Local Store Owner (William Anderson)
2nd – Pharmacy
Orchards Drug has been around for more than 30 years, but William Anderson became a co-owner about five years ago—on April Fool’s Day in 2020. “I had no idea what we were getting into at the point of the pandemic,” Anderson laughs.
Anderson worked at Orchards when he was a student at the University of Kansas, before moving to Houston for several years. He returned to Lawrence when given the opportunity to take over the pharmacy. Unwittingly thrown into the deep end at the height of the pandemic, Anderson worked hard to meet the community’s needs, offering COVID-19 tests and vaccines to anyone who needed them. “The community has always been our guiding principle,” he says.
As far as who in Lawrence gets his stamp of approval, four communityfocused businesses immediately come to mind: Ladybird Diner, Wonder Fair, Jungle House and Ballard Center. “When I go to these businesses, I feel totally at ease. I feel welcome,” Anderson says. “For example, when I go to Ladybird, they put our drink orders in before we even get to our table. … It’s little things like that. It comes down to who makes time to build those kinds of relationships and who focuses on the community.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
NURSE PRACTITIONER/ PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT
1) Adrian Cade, Empowering Psychiatry
2) Samantha Rush
3) Lisa Russell, Heartland Community Health Center
4) Brianne Cook, AdventHealth Medical Group Primary Care
5) Gretchen Wells, Lawrence Pediatrics
OCCUPATIONAL THERAPIST
1) Hillary Brunin, Sound Speech Therapy
2) Jess Reed, LMH Health
3) Aña Williams, Infant Toddler Services of Douglas County
4) Lindsey Murphy, Sound Speech Therapy
5) Amira Saylor-Williams, Sound Speech Therapy
OPTOMETRIST/OPHTHALMOLOGIST
1) Kenny Trummel, Lawrence Family Vision Clinic
2) Kevin Trummel, Lawrence Family Vision Clinic
3) Sharon Green, Lawrence Family Vision Clinic
4) Jacob Letourneau, Drs. Dobbins & Letourneau Eye Care
5) Erin Hamilton, The EyeDoctors Optometrists
ORTHODONTIC PRACTICE
1) Ranjbar Orthodontics
2) Oread Orthodontics
3) McColm Orthodontics
4) Oral Surgery Kansas, LC
5) Free State Dental
PEDIATRIC CARE PRACTICE
1) Panda Pediatrics - Heartland Community Health Center
2) Lawrence Pediatrics
2) Speech Solutions
4) Sound Speech Therapy
5) Lawrence Family Practice Center
PERSONAL TRAINER
1) Eric Wells, WellsWeights Strength and Fitness
2) Owen Blackwood, Planet Fitness
3) Zach Schneider, Schneider Fit
4) Drake Juenemann, Genesis Health Clubs North
5) Tyler Naylor, Evolution Athletics
PHARMACY
1) Sigler Pharmacy
2) Orchards Drug
3) Dillons PharmacyMultiple Locations
4) River City Pharmacy
5) Jayhawk Pharmacy
PHYSICAL THERAPIST
1) Jessica Lemus, Bird Physical Therapy
2) Garrett Greaves, OrthoKansas
3) Brady Caffee, Athletico Physical Therapy
4) Tyrel Reed, OrthoKansas
5) Alexander Smith, OrthoKansas
PLACE FOR HEALTH & NUTRITION GOODS
1) The Merc Co+op
2) Sprouts Farmers Market
3) Body Specific
4) Checkers Foods
5) Atma Clinic
5) Natural Grocers
PLACE FOR YOGA CLASSES
1) Bluestem Yoga
2) Yoga Center of Lawrence
3) Lava Yoga
4) Yellow Brick Yoga
5) OmTree Shala at Sunflower Wellness Studio
PSYCHIATRIST, LICENSED
1) Nick Evangelidis, Panda Pediatrics
2) Matthew Carey
3) Nana Dadson, Bert Nash
4) Eeman Akhtar
4) Elias Chediak
PSYCHOLOGIST, LICENSED
1) Meaghan McEachern, Heartland Community Health Center
2) Christy Blanchard
3) Wes Crenshaw, Family Psychological Services
4) Kirsten Watkins
5) Sarah Kurien
SPEECH-LANGUAGE PATHOLOGIST
1) Courtney Chacon, Speech Solutions
2) Jennifer Cannady, Kansas Voice Center
3) Erin Schmitz, Sound Speech Therapy
4) Lisa Graves, Speech Solutions
5) Kimberly Williams, Sound Speech Therapy
SPORTS MEDICINE
1) Midwest Muscle & Joint Clinic
2) OrthoKansas
3) Athletico Physical Therapy
4) Advanced Chiropractic Services
5) Restore Chiropractic & Rehab
SURGEON
1) Scarlett Aldrich, Plastic Surgery Specialists of Lawrence
2) Lee Reussner, Lawrence Otolaryngology Associates
3) Lynley Holman, Lawrence OB-GYN Specialists
4) Adam Goodyear, OrthoKansas
5) Stephan Prô, OrthoKansas
Midwest Muscle & Joint Clinic
1st – Acupuncture 1st – Chiropractor
1st – Sports Medicine
Patients are at the heart of what doctors Kelsey and Drake Kayser do at Midwest Muscle & Joint Clinic, 3320 Peterson Road, Suite 100.
“To know that our patients took the time to vote and share their support is deeply humbling,” Kelsey says. The Best of Lawrence list “is an incredible honor and reaffirms that we are making a positive impact on the health and lives of people in our community.”
She says their goal is simple: to ensure each person who walks through their doors receives the care they need, however that may look for them. “We take a personalized, comprehensive approach that builds trust and delivers results,” Kelsey adds.
When asked what she would like people to know about the clinic, she says, “We’re a husband and wife team who love what we do. When you visit our office, you’re not just supporting a local, small business; you are supporting a young family and helping us pursue our dream of serving others. We’re incredibly honored to be trusted with the care of so many in our community.”
With their commitment to their patients, Kelsey stresses that the Midwest Muscle & Joint Clinic will “continue to prioritize patients’ needs, build relationships with them, and help them reach their goals.”
Kelsey (left) and Drake Kayser
Services
Holman Needle & Ink
1st – T-Shirt or Screen Printing
While consistency in their products is a goal for the folks at Holman Needle & Ink, they are also customer-oriented.
“We appreciate everyone’s continued support,” says co-owner Richard Holman. “We always remember that. We never forget our clients are the reason for our work.”
The reviews are in—Holman Needle & Ink at 807 East 23rd Street, Suite J, is the top choice for screen printing and embroidery.
4th – Sewing/Alterations/Embroidery
From small orders such as two embroidered handkerchiefs to large orders such as 800 screen-printed shirts, customers consistently praise this local small business. Holman says it’s wonderful to see people trust and recommend the shop.
“We make things simple and easy, as far as the process,” Holman says. “The product is produced in-house, and we have full control over screen printing and embroidery. We put out the best product possible.”
Along with co-owner Sidney Budinas and graphic designer Ana Mostacero, Holman says, “Our first intent is to be involved in the community and put out a good product, and that puts us in a position to be a frontrunner in the Best of Lawrence voting.”
One thing to remember about Holman Needle & Ink is that they don’t do tattoos. “People sometimes think that’s what we do, but we don’t.”
Richard Holman (left), Sidney Budinas and Ana Mostacero
Emma Swendson, Best Friend Tattoo Co. travel tips
3rd – Tattoo Artist
Emma Swendson has always been passionate about tattoo art. After earning an art degree from the University of Kansas, she honed her craft through a prestigious apprenticeship before fully realizing her dream: opening her own shop. Swendson and her business partners—her best friend, Gypsy Cofer, and Gypsy’s husband, Johnny Cofer—opened Best Friend Tattoo Co. in 2023.
Best Friend Tattoo, 845 New Hampshire Street, is a welcoming, inclusive space that operates like a co-op. “I never wanted to manage anybody, but I did want to own my own shop one day,” Swendson says. “Here, nobody is really in charge of anybody. You’re in charge of yourself.”
For Swendson, the best part about co-owning Best Friend Tattoo is getting to know her clients and forming genuine connections with them. “I always thought that working in a studio as a fine artist would be lonely because you would be there by yourself working on your paintings,” Swendson says. At her downtown shop, she gets to collaborate with clients and artists every day.
Why visit Emma Swendson?
Walk-ins welcome. Best Friend Tattoo is one of the few remaining shops that allow walk-in clients. After the pandemic, many tattoo parlors moved to a boutique business model, which requires appointments. But Swendson thinks this approach can be exclusionary. “I like to be open to the public so they can come see the shop and get to know our artists.” The store also displays flash, or pre-drawn tattoo designs that customers can choose from for a more efficient and affordable experience.
Feminine, floral designs. Many clients seek out Swendson for her beautiful botanical designs. “I have a very specific femme style,” she says. Her Instagram page is filled with some of these nature-inspired designs. “I’ve been working on a large back piece for this one client who lets me do anything … it features a moth with a bunch of skulls and different flowers on it that make it look very much like a scientific drawing. That’s one of my favorites.”
Emma Swendson
Molly Morgan, Volume Lash & Hair Studio
1st – Hair Stylist
Molly Morgan has worked at Volume Lash & Hair Studio since it opened seven years ago, specializing in eyelash extensions, lash lifts and tints, as well as hair color transformations. “I get to work with an amazing group of girls there,” Morgan says. “It’s truly the best thing ever.”
Morgan was born and raised in Lawrence and is very vocal about supporting local businesses—especially woman-owned businesses—and is blessed to be surrounded by so many entrepreneur friends and clients. She wants to shout out Gabriela Otero, who recently opened Cleo and Leo on Elm Street. “I’ve known her and her family since elementary school, and she’s truly created an inclusive female-owned bakery in North Lawrence,” Morgan says. “I strongly support her values and everything that she stands for in this community.”
Morgan also admires the work that Marsha Hutton does at Lunar Graphix. “She has some heavy-duty printers at her shop and can make all sorts of printing projects,” Morgan says, who has relied on Hutton for work-related banners, signs and T-shirts. “She’s so patient with us and is just a great person to work with.”
Finally, there are a few places in Lawrence that Morgan loves to visit. Angeles Panaderia, a Mexican bakery on the east side of town off 19th and Haskell, “has the best nachos and birria in town” and is “super friendly every time I go in there.”
Lucky Dog Outfitters, located downtown, is a favorite destination for Morgan and her rednosed pit bull, Tank. “It’s where we get all of our dog food and all of our treats,” Morgan says. “They are always so friendly and even help me out to my car. … I hope they can stay around forever.”
Southern Accent Catering has catered many lunches for the salon. “The owners are like my second family,” Morgan says.
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
ACCOUNTANT/TAX CONSULTANT
1) Sarah Williamson, Sarah Williamson, CPA, LLC 2) Jerrad Humerickhouse, Humes Tax Service
COMPUTER REPAIR OR SERVICE 1) Doctor Dave Computer Repair 2) J Marshall Solutions 3) Stockham Tech Revival
UNI Computers 5) Best Buy
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY 1) Construction Specialties 2) Waving Wheat Construction 3) Nineteenth Century Restorations, LLC
George Homes, LLC
HemCo Construction
Mid American Credit Union
Scotch Fabric Care Services
Lawrence Laundromat
Hillcrest Laundromat
31st Street Coin Laundry
Good Energy Solutions
Hemel Electric, LLC
Danielsan Electric
Superior Electric Co. Inc.
Nineteenth Century Restorations
3rd – Construction Company
– Home Contractor
If you’re ever cruising Old West Lawrence and admiring a recently restored home, chances are Dan Riedemann had something to do with it. His company, Nineteenth Century Restorations, has been busier than ever restoring homes to their full glory. It’s a craft he’s been obsessed with for as long as he can remember.
“Historic preservation has been my passion since I was a kid,” Riedemann says. “It goes back to my upbringing in Omaha, Nebraska, and Des Moines, Iowa. We lived in two big Tudor homes. I loved the woodwork and the old rooms.”
Nineteenth Century Restorations is a family
– Painting Service
– Flooring
business. Riedemann brought his children and son-in-law into the craft, and he sees Lawrence as the perfect place to work together. “We picked Lawrence because downtown Lawrence reminded me of where I grew up … in an old historic neighborhood in west Des Moines.”
But preserving the past for future generations is what keeps him going. “We can never forget our past. I think we should treasure history— good and bad,” he says. “Today, there are very few people who do what I do. … We put craftsmanship in our homes the way that my grandfather taught me.”
Evan Schoenen (left), Dan Riedemann, Henry Riedemann and Nyle Branch Anderson
AND THE WINNERS ARE
EVENT PLANNER
1) Mackenzie Francisco, Along Came Abby
2) Hannah Friend, Venue 1235
3) Shelby Bettles, Maceli’s Banquet Hall & Catering
4) Kianti Vann, KiantEvents
5) Libby Queen, University of Kansas
FINANCIAL PLANNING AND/OR INVESTMENTS
1) Truity Credit Union
2) O’Connor Advisory Group
3) Feldmeyer Financial
4) Solomon & Associates
5) Creative Planning
FLOORING
1) Kring’s Interiors
2) Paradise Carpet One Floor & Home
3) Homefix Lawrence, LLC
4) Nineteenth Century Restorations, LLC
5) Five Star Flooring
GREEN ENERGY PROVIDER
1) Good Energy Solutions
2) Kansas Solar Systems, Inc
3) Cromwell Solar
4) Bowersock Mills & Power Co
5) Ra Power Solar
HAIR SALON
1) Wildflower Hair Company
2) Volume Lash & Hair Studio
3) Paisley & Stripe West
3) Salon Lotus
5) Salon Di Marco & Day Spa
HAIR STYLIST
1) Molly Morgan, Volume Lash & Hair Studio
2) Jodi Ray, Wildflower Hair Company
2) Noel Gilbert, Beauty Brands
4) Harleigh Moore, Wildflower Hair Company
5) Disty Kongkindavong, Salon Lotus
HANDYMAN
1) Homefix Lawrence, LLC
2) Billings Handyman Services, LLC
3) Greg Springer Handyman, LLC
4) J. Scott Construction
5) Hatfield Home Improvement
HOME CONTRACTOR
1) Construction Specialties
2) KB Painting
3) Nineteenth Century Restorations, LLC
4) George Homes, LLC
5) Inside Out Remodeling, LLC
HOME INSPECTOR
1) LaRue Inspection Service
2) Brent Boyle
3) McKinney Home Inspection
4) Ad Astra Home Inspections
5) Cromwell Environmental
HVAC SERVICE
1) Absolute Air
2) Advantage Heating and Air Conditioning, Inc.
3) Cloud Heating & Air Conditioning
4) Dunco Heating & Cooling
5) Scott Temperature Equipment
INSURANCE AGENCY
1) Kurt Goeser Agency, State Farm
2) The Sparke Agency, Farm Bureau Financial Services
3) Kristi R. Keefer Insurance Agency, Inc.
4) Farm Bureau Financial Services, Patricia Reed Agency
5) CEK Insurance
INSURANCE AGENT
1) Kurt Goeser, State Farm
2) Ryan Sparke, Farm Bureau Financial Services
3) Kristi R. Keefer, Farmers Insurance
4) Pat Reed & Paul Reed, Farm Bureau Financial Services
5) David Workman, Hedges Insurance
INTERIOR DESIGNER
1) Sarah Kellogg of Construction Specialties
2) Arch and Gable
3) KB Painting
4) Kring’s Interiors
5) Arlo Home Interiors
LANDSCAPING SERVICE
1) Johnson Grading Company
2) Turf Masters, Inc.
3) Lawrence Landscape
4) Vinland Valley Nursery
5) All City Lawn & Landscape
LAW FIRM
1) Stevens & Brand, LLP
2) Fagan & Emert, LLC
3) Barber Emerson, LC
4) Girard & Centonzio Veterans Disability Lawyers
5) Riling, Burkhead & Nitcher, CHTD
LAWYER
1) Brennan Fagan, Fagan & Emert, LLC
2) Matthew Hoy, Stevens & Brand, LLP
3) Calvin J. Karlin, Barber Emerson, LC
4) Brad Finkeldei, Stevens and Brand, LLP
5) Amy Girard, Girard and Centonzio
MORTGAGE BROKER/LOAN ORIGINATOR
1) Danielle Hugunin, Bell Bank
2) Lexie Haskin, Flint Hills Mortgage
3) Brian McFall, Landmark National Bank
4) Hakan Wildcat, Guardian Mortgage
5) Amy Newell, Truity Credit Union
MOVING COMPANY
1) Professional Moving & Storage
2) College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving
3) PDS Professional Delivery Services
4) Starving Artists Moving
NAIL SALON
1) Salon Lotus
2) Wildflower Hair CompanyTiana and Teo
3) XLoveLe Nails
4) Salon Di Marco & Day Spa
5) BB Salon & Spa
PAINTING SERVICE
1) KB Painting
2) Construction Specialties
3) Nineteenth Century Restorations, LLC
4) Absolute Painting
5) Renaissance Painting
PEST CONTROL
1) Haley Pest Control
2) Midwest Exterminators
3) Schendel Pest Control
4) Laser One Pest Management
5) Bracciano Pest Control
PET CARE/GROOMING
1) Wakarusa Veterinary Hospital
2) EarthWise Pet Supply & Grooming
3) Poo Squad Lawrence
4) Pawsh Stop
4) Woof’s Play & Stay
Amanda Storm, Amanda’s Travels
2nd – Travel Agent
With her personal travel experience and attention to detail, Amanda Storm (amandastravels.com) is the quintessential travel agent.
“My guests trust me not just to plan vacations but to protect their time, energy and investment,” Storm says. “I often say, ‘I won’t plan a vacation that would leave me hiding in the aisles at [the grocery store],’ and I mean that.”
Being among the top winners is confirmation that her work makes a real difference, she says. She focuses on the details so her guests can focus on creating memories. “To remain at the top, it takes more than just passion; it requires genuine curiosity and a commitment to lifelong learning,” Storm says. “That mindset drives me to explore the world firsthand, set aside preconceived notions, and truly understand the nuances of each destination.”
Since opening her own travel agency 12 years ago, her travels have taken her to 27 countries and counting. “Staying curious, continuing to explore, and truly listening to what my guests want is what will help me continue to earn a spot in the Best of Lawrence,” she says.
“The photos Lawrencians have shared with me … have made me smile from ear to ear. It’s these moments of connection, laughter and adventure that remind me why I love what I do.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
PHOTOGRAPHER
1) Kristol Kumar Photography
2) Jenny Jolley, Jenny Jolley Photography
3) Bigfoot Pet Photography
4) Fally Afani, On the Town
Photography
5) Min/Max Photography by Matt Pool
5) Rudeen Handcrafted Ceramics & Photography
PLUMBER
1) Durino Plumbing
2) Action Plumbing
3) Blue Duck Plumbing
4) Jim Bost Plumbing
5) Peace of Mind Plumbing
PRINTING SERVICE
1) Minuteman Press
2) Copy Co
3) River Rat Print & Skate
4) Pro Print
5) FASTSIGNS
PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY
1) Cherry Hill Properties
2) Midwest Property Management
3) Lawrence Property Management, LLC
4) Location Properties, LC
5) E-State Management, LLC
REAL ESTATE AGENCY
1) The Northrop Team, Compass Realty Group
2) American Dream Realty
3) McGrew Real Estate
4) Stephens Real Estate, Inc.
5) Keller Williams Integrity
REALTOR
1) Holly Garber, American Dream Realty
2) Larry Northrop, The Northrop Team, Compass Realty Group
3) Nicholas Lerner, McGrew Real Estate
4) Bailey Stuart, McGrew Real Estate
5) Victoria Perdue, Complete Home Advisors, Platinum Realty
ROOFING COMPANY
1) Alpha Roofing, LLC
2) Gutter Princess, LLC
3) K S R Roofing
4) Free State Roofing
5) Andy’s Roofing
SEWING/ALTERATIONS/EMBROIDERY
1) Sew Forth Alterations and Tuxedos
2) Kathy’s Alterations
3) Two Freckled Frogs
4) Holman Needle & Ink
5) Properwear
Amanda Storm
GRATEFUL
STAFFING AGENCY
1) JobLink Cottonwood, Inc.
2) Express Employment Professionals
3) Adecco Staffing
4) Manpower
5) LOUD Productions
TANNING
1) Ultimate Tan
2) Sunny Daze Sunless
3) Sun Tan City
4) Sensora Spa
5) Body Boutique
5) Crunch Fitness - Lawrence
TATTOO ARTIST
1) Jake Rieb, Black Chapel Tattoo
2) Erin Bratzler, Black Chapel Tattoo
3) Emma Swendson, Best Friend Tattoo Co.
4) Holly Hackney, Standard Electric Tattooing
5) Cara Anna, Hermit Tattoo and Gallery
TRAVEL AGENT
1) Taylor Hanna-Peterson, Key to the World Travel
2) Amanda Storm, Amanda’s Travels
3) Dorothy Pogge, Lawrence Travel Company
4) Katie Trumble, AAA
5) Carmen Hocking, Island Dreams Travel
TREE SERVICE
1) Lawrence Arborists
2) Kansas Tree Care
3) Prairie Enterprises, Inc.
4) Forest Keepers Tree Care
4) San Marco + French Tree Service, LLC
T-SHIRT OR SCREEN PRINTING
1) Holman Needle & Ink
2) Acme
3) River Rat Print & Skate
4) Fully Promoted
5) Lawrence Shirt Factory
UTILITY COMPANY
1) Evergy
2) City of Lawrence
3) Midco
4) Honey Creek Disposal Service
5) Black Hills Energy
VENUE COORDINATOR 1) Chase Westheffer, Venue 1235 2) Shelby Bettles, Maceli’s 3) Dean Edington, Liberty Hall
4) Kiley Nottingham, Abe & Jake’s Landing
5) Mike Logan, The Granada, The Bottleneck
VETERINARY SERVICES
1) Wakarusa Veterinary Hospital
2) Animal Hospital of Lawrence
3) Lawrence Veterinary Hospital
4) Clinton Parkway Animal Hospital
5) Lewis Veterinary Clinic
WAXING/HAIR REMOVAL
1) Salon Di Marco & Day Spa
2) Bitter Sweet Wax
3) Salon Lotus
4) Body Specific
5) Beauty Brands
Entertainment & NIGHTLIFE
travel tips
Espurresso Cat Café
1st – Interactive Entertainment Venue
1st – Social Media (Business)
1st – Barista (Brittanie Sinisgalli)
2nd – Social Media (Animal)
Espurresso Cat Café, 1014 Massachusetts Street, welcomes coffee and cat lovers alike. Co-owners Brittanie Sinisgalli and Mary Costello opened the café in 2023, combining their knowledge of coffee, marketing and felines. In partnership with the Lawrence Humane Society, Espurresso has become an interim home for cats at the shelter—as well as a great place to grab a latte.
The café has helped find forever homes for many cats—344 since writing this article—but their focus has always been on freeing up space at the shelter. “Initially, we thought we might feature more kittens, but kittens get adopted quickly,” Costello says. “Now we like to focus on the cats who may take a longer time to find a home … the seniors, the adult-bonded pairs, the ones with disabilities, the ones who aren’t thriving in a kennel, and so on.”
3rd – Shop or Office Pet (Syd)
3rd – Place for Coffee
3rd – Place for Tea
Why visit Espurresso Cat Café?
Quality coffee. Espurresso was the first cat café and adoption space in Kansas to acquire its food establishment license through the Kansas Department of Agriculture. This license allows them to serve coffee, tea and baked goods in an area kept separate from the cat “purrlor.” “We wanted to be a place for downtown regulars,” Costello says. “We wanted quality coffee and quality food.” The duo did not want their coffee to be an afterthought. The menu features standard coffee orders as well as specialty drinks and non-coffee beverages. (Try their lavender lemonade!)
Say hi to Syd. Costello and Sinisgalli didn’t plan to have a resident cat, but after meeting Syd a few months after opening, the duo was smitten. In addition to her cuddly demeanor, Syd has been an asset to the café,
helping new felines acclimate to the space. “Syd will stick her nose right in and take the new kitties under wing,” Costello says. “She loves to play, she loves to advertise, and she’s photogenic.” Mental health break. The café offers adoption services on site, although adoption is not expected. Many visitors go to Espurresso to boost their mood, including musicians on tour who play at nearby venues, such as the Granada. “Many of them haven’t seen their own cat in months,” Costello explains. With separate ventilation systems for the “purrlor” and dining space, even guests with allergies can safely sip while enjoying the cats.
Fally Afani
2nd – Artist – Photographer/Digital Media
3rd – Administrative Assistant (KU School of Music)
4th – Photographer (On the Town Photography)
Fally Afani has dedicated her entire adult life to working with musicians: She is the communications manager at the KU School of Music, as well as a photographer who focuses on the local music scene in Lawrence. (Her website, iheartlocalmusic.com, gives an indepth look into local music events and bands.)
“When you age, you start to realize the value of a community,” Afani says. “You start to think locally over globally. That’s why a lot of my photography work revolves around highlighting our community and community events.”
Lawrence is a music town, Afani says, and there is a long list of people who make her work with I Heart Local Music possible: Jacki Becker with Up to Eleven Productions, Mike Logan with The Granada, Chris Maddox at The Bottleneck, Emily Taylor at Lucia, and Dean Edington at Liberty Hall
“These are the people who make it easy to do what I do,” Afani says, noting that working with similar companies on a global scale after the pandemic became difficult due to increased restrictions. “In Lawrence, I have all these people in my corner.”
Separately, she fondly remembers eating at Aladdin Cafe when she first moved to Lawrence. “They were very welcoming, and the family that runs that restaurant are from one of the same countries as my family,” Afani says. “That’s one place I always return whenever I’m homesick.”
4) Dante Colombo, John Brown’s Underground 5) Corrie McLean, Northside Social
BEER SELECTION (RESTAURANT/BAR)
1) Black Stag Brewery & Pub
2) Free State Brewing Company
3) Lawrence Beer Company
4) Merchants Pub & Plate 5) 23rd Street Brewery
BREWERY
1) Free State Brewing Company 2) Lawrence Beer Company
3) Black Stag Brewery & Pub 4) 23rd Street Brewery 5) Fields & Ivy Brewery
DJ
1) DJ Chance Romance 2) DJ Proof 3) Scott Simpson
4) GRVNDPA 5) DJ Carma
DRAG KING/QUEEN
1) Chay D. Boots
2) Deja Brooks
3) Lambyyy Boots
4) Novacayne
5) Carma Lea
HAPPY HOUR
1) Black Stag Brewery & Pub
2) LOCAL
3) Mass St. Fish House & Raw Bar
4) 715 Restaurant
5) 23rd Street Brewery
INTERACTIVE ENTERTAINMENT
VENUE
1) Espurresso Cat Cafe
2) Royal Crest Lanes
3) Breakout Lawrence
4) Up & Away Indoor Play
5) Blade & Timber Axe Throwing
LIVE MUSIC VENUE
1) The Bottleneck
2) Liberty Hall
3) Replay Lounge
4) The Granada
5) Lucia Beer Garden + Grill
LOCAL BAND
1) The Dead Bettys
2) Sized Up
3) Son Venezuela
4) Flash Floods
5) Betsy O & the Hollaback Boys
PLACE TO GET A BLOODY MARY
1) Ladybird Diner
2) The Roost
3) Louise’s West
4) Louise’s Bar Downtown
5) Merchants Pub & Plate
5) The Bourgeois Pig
PLACE TO GET A MARGARITA
1) El Potro Mexican Cafe
2) Molcajete’s
3) LOCAL
4) Lulu’s Latin Food
5) El Mezcal Mexican Cuisine
PLACE TO GET A MIXED DRINK/COCKTAIL
1) John Brown’s Underground
2) The Bourgeois Pig
3) LOCAL
4) Northside Social
5) 715 Restaurant
Lambyyy Boots
Lambyyy Boots
3rd – Drag King/Queen
“Crazy” is the word Lambyyy Boots uses when asked about being among the top vote-getters for Best of Lawrence.
“As a younger queen only doing this for two years, being [nominated] with some queens and kings who have been doing this for so many years—who have paved the way for young drag performers such as myself—really shows all my hard work and time I’ve spent to showcase art and my self-expression,” she says. “It makes me feel really good about my job.”
Lambyyy’s goal is to connect with the public and create a safe space for everyone at her shows, while also allowing people to showcase
their talents and express themselves freely.
“I will definitely retain my dedication and hard work to the art of drag … keep [spotlighting] the queer community and speaking for voices who are unable to,” she says when asked about staying at the top. “I started this journey to express my own inner self and, now, I feel my job is to bring out that expression in other queer folk.”
She wants to ensure that everyone in the queer community and their allies are seen and heard.
“Nothing makes me happier than standing up on stage and seeing a room full of queer people living their lives as they’re meant to be lived,” she adds. “I love LFK!”
Northside Social
3rd – New Business
4th – Place to Get a Mixed Drink/Cocktail
5th – Bartender (Corrie McLean)
When Corrie McLean started Northside Social, 444 Locust Street, she knew she would need a good support system for her new business to thrive. “My team and my friends have been great support systems,” McLean says. “Without them, I don’t think I would have been able to make it through the year.”
Now, Northside Social is one of the must-stop hot spots in North Lawrence. The cozy bar and live music venue is no stranger to packed crowds as it offers some of the best local music in the city. “The community, the customers and the friendships that I’ve gathered over the years have been really nice,” McLean says. “Especially being in the music and bar scene, it’s nice to have that community there.”
But what’s really kept McLean going is her desire to create a safe space. “That’s my biggest thing,” she adds. “I want people to be able to go into a bar for a cocktail and music where they are comfortable. Creating safe spaces for everyone is especially important in the bar scene.”
AND THE WINNERS ARE ...
PRIVATE MUSIC INSTRUCTOR
1) Michael Hamm
2) Eric Sakamura, Lawrence Piano Studio
3) Dylan Bassett
4) Matthew Mulnix
5) Susan Hires
SOLO MUSICIAN
1) Perry Lockwood
2) Michael Hamm
3) Jordan Tucker
4) Taylor VOE
5) Megan Luttrell
STORE TO BUY BEER
1) Cork & Barrel Wine and Spirits
2) On The Rocks
3) Micro Liquor
4) Alvin’s Wine & Spirits
5) Roy’s Wine & Spirits
STORE TO BUY LIQUOR
1) Cork & Barrel Wine and Spirits
2) On the Rocks
3) Alvin’s Wine & Spirits
4) Roy’s Wine & Spirits
5) Micro Liquor
STORE TO BUY WINE
1) Cork & Barrel Wine And Spirits
2) On The Rocks
3) City Wine Market
4) Alvin’s Wine & Spirits
5) Roy’s Wine & Spirits
WINE LIST (RESTAURANT/BAR)
1) Wine Dive + Kitchen
2) 715 Restaurant
3) J. Wilson’s
4) 6 Mile Chop House & Tavern
5) On The Rocks
Corrie McLean
Free State Brewing Co.
1st – Brewery
2nd – Beer Selection (Restaurant/Bar)
4th – Modern American Cuisine
5th – Mac & Cheese
Since 1989, when Free State Brewing Co., 636 Massachusetts Street, became Kansas’ first legal brewery in more than a century, owner Chuck Magerl and his staff have been producing quality beer and food.
“We’re proud to welcome visitors and locals alike, providing a go-to destination in the downtown area,” Magerl says. “Massachusetts Street has a legacy in our area as one of the great, classic main streets.”
He says it’s a balancing act between innovation and consistency. “When people discover a meal or a beer they really enjoy, they want to know it will be available when they decide to return,” he says.
5th – Overall Restaurant
“For those of us who enjoy going out several times a week, the urge for exploration and discovery is real.”
“It’s fun for us [at Free State] to find the opportunity to make it all work together,” he adds.
Working in restaurants or cafés is challenging work, and Magerl is aware of the value these businesses can bring to a community.
“There’s a streak of irreverent soul in the work we do every day,” he says. “Our approach is not ‘Hey, look at me,’ but rather ‘Good to see you.’”
“We’re not for everyone. … Lawrence can be a quirky place, and we’re pleased to have such an enduring place in the array.”
Chuck Magerl
Presented by the Lawrence Journal-World and Sunflower Publishing
