A Look into Lawrence: A review of the best shops to spend your day at while visiting the college town.

A quick 45 minute drive from our Prairie Village bubble, Lawrence is the perfect excursion for a mid-semester pick-me-up. Whether you want to give yourself a weekend shopping day in the cute college town or are looking to escape the mountains of homework for a few hours, Lawrence is your spot.

Here are some of my recommendations for some must-see shops in Lawrence:

Jungle House:

Quite literally in a mini jungle, this quaint plant store was wedged amongst untamed greenery and trees. The majority of Jungle Houses’ plants and pots were outside due to COVID-19 precautions, but I think that made the experience even better. 

All of the plants were very reasonably priced and in great condition, such as a well-kept philodendron that was $20, and a small succulent for $4. They had an incredible variety of succulents, hanging plants, floor plants and even ones that fit in the palm of my hand — the perfect size to fill your nightstand. 

Inside of the store, they displayed their array of pots and hanging planters, but you’d need to notify the workers if you were interested since customers aren’t currently allowed to enter the store. 

The staff was very cheerful and able to answer all my questions I had about potting soil and planters — because how could I resist coming home without a new succulent to add on to my ever-growing collection?

Antique Mall:

I’ve always been a sucker for anything from a previous decade — it’s truly an unhealthy obsession. But you don’t have to be a vintage fiend to be absolutely obsessed with this store. With three floors, the place is packed with all kinds of antique knick knacks. And their playlist full of Etta James and the Beatles made it easy to lose track of time while browsing the shelves. 

They had vintage postcards from Europe, antique Star Wars knick knacks, vintage Jayhawk gear and everything in between. 

But what pleasantly surprised me most was the amount of vinyls they had and how reasonable the prices were for the classics, such as Fleetwood Mac’s “Rumours,” The Doors’ “The Doors” and Neil Diamond’s “Sweet Caroline.” 

They also had plenty of gorgeous vases for any flowers you may have bought at Jungle House. 

The staff wasn’t hovering around as we shopped, but they were always willing to help if I had a question.

I’ll definitely be making a trip back to the Antique Mall to scope out some more hidden gems because I had to limit myself after purchasing two Frank Sinatra vinyls. 

KB & CO. Boutique

I was incredibly impressed by this spacious clothing boutique and how much they had to offer. It was gorgeously decorated with artificial yellow and orange leaves to put you in the mood for a knit cardigan and a candle.

What I loved is that they offered many different trendy styles — I constantly found myself falling in love with a new piece of clothing each time I turned to look at a new rack. 

Their fall line was in, so they had amazing sweaters of all kinds and adorable skirts to pair them with. 

The store had two floors, and along with clothing, they had many accessories, shoes and household items — including dish rags that said “Prada” or “Yves Saint-Laurent.”

While the clothes were on the pricier side, you pay for what you get — being that the clothes were great quality and perfect for an afternoon apple picking excursion.