TRE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 32
THURSDAY, AUGUST 16, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
LAWRENCE
Downtown businesses count on students
VICTORIA PITCHER
editor@kansan.com
With students flooding into Lawrence for the start of a new semester, new shops and restaurants will be competing for your business.
"Back-to-school is almost like a new year for us." Cathy Hamilton, director of Downtown Lawrence Inc said. "Downtown is doing tremendously well right now."
Hamilton said retail sales have been up for downtown Lawrence, and the Lawrence Journal-World said that city hall reported retail sales for the first half of 2012 had increased 4.6 percent.
The mix between the large student population and increasing retail sales means lots of businesses are looking at Lawrence.
Minsky's Pizza, which is a Kansas City based restaurant, opened in mid-May at 934 Massachusetts St. Co-owner, Kenny Kantner said
"We needed to get one in Lawrence," Kantner said. Kantner said Mass St. was a prime location for all-day foot traffic and that it needed a good pizza place.
he had been interested in bringing a Minsky's to Lawrence since he got on board with them.
Minsky's Pizza offers a full service restaurant and delivery. Kantner said once school starts back up, they will begin late-night hours for Thursday through Saturday.
Another new local business in town is Shots, a shot bar on 1008 Massachusetts St. Shots opened in March and CEO Jason Nguyen said he is optimistic about the future.
"This is our first year, and we are going to kill it," Nguyen said. Nguyen wanted to combine a California concept with the Midwest to bring a new kind of bar to downtown. He said he also prefers to hire students.
Quincy Sanders, a Johnson
County Community College student said he goes to Shots often.
"I just like the atmosphere," Sanders said of the bar, which features DJs and a club feel. Sanders also appreciates that the drinks are reasonably priced.
There are more new businesses to come. Hamilton said there are two major women's retailers considering opening Lawrence locations, and places such as Ten Thousand Villages, a store that sells free trade products, and Freebirds World Burrito will be opening soon in downtown Lawrence.
Catlin Noble, Freebirds director of marketing for Midwest development, said they have leased a space on Mass St. and are looking to open towards the end of October or early November.
Edited by Kelsey Cipolla
TRAVIS YOUNG/KANSAN
Minsky's Pizza is a full service restaurant that also delivers. It is a Kansas City based business and opened up mid May.
Police crack down on local drug ring
VIRAJ AMIN
editor@kansan.com
On July 12 a Federal Grand Jury indicted 35 people, including multiple Lawrence residents, alleging they conspired to distribute more than five kilograms of mixture substance containing cocaine and more than 1,000 kilograms of marijuana from January 2005 until June 28, 2012.
Among those indicted include 31-year-old Samuel Villeareal III, who prosecutors have alleged supplied marjiana to Kansas basketball players during the 2010-2011 season. Villeareal was charged on June 11 along with numerous other defendants, on planning to distribute more than 2,000 pounds of marijuana in
Johnson and Douglas counties.
than 2,000 pounds of marijuana in Edited by Megan h
Assistant U.S. Attorney Terra Morehead alleged Villeaural was a supplier to Kansas basketball players based on text messages investigators obtained from his iPhone.
The 2010-2011 roster included Elijah Johnson, Jordan Juenemann, Mario Little, Brad Morningstar, Marcus Morris, Markieff Morris, Tyrel Reed, Travis Releford, Niko Roberts, Thomas Robinson, Josh Selby, Tyshawn Taylor, Conner Teahan, Justin Wesley, Jeff Withey, and Royce Wooldridge.
Villeareal was released on $10,000 bond and his next hearing is scheduled on July 30.
Edited by Megan Hinman