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1 month ago | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
At least five days a week, hundreds, perhaps even thousands, of vehicles drive east on 23rd Street past the large, white Hershey Salty Snacks facility giving little thought to how it got there. Perhaps the powers that be at Pretzels Inc. several years ago simply saw a piece of land on the eastern edge of Lawrence and decided to plant a, well, plant there to manufacture its tasty varieties of Dot’s Pretzels. Most likely, however, that wasn’t the case. Far from it.
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1 month ago | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
According to someone in the know, economic development is all things that occur in an area that create opportunities and prosperity for all who live there. “That’s whether it’s private entities or large public institutions like (The University of Kansas), which is a major driver here,” says Steve Kelly, vice president of economic development for the Economic Development Corp. of Lawrence and Douglas County (EDC).
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Sep 16, 2024 | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
Throughout Downtown Lawrence’s nearly 170-year evolution, decades-old buildings have been transformed and revamped—many several times over—to house whatever businesses have seen fit to be tenants at the time. The latest in those repurposed buildings promises big changes to downtown’s north end.
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Sep 16, 2024 | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
They’re some of the oldest and most historic structures in Lawrence, downtown or anywhere in the area. But there’s so much more to them than mere brick-and-mortar, fancy European architecture or adorned interiors. What lies within these structures are some of the city’s oldest, most-respected and venerated businesses, companies which have gone a long way toward defining Downtown Lawrence itself.
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Jun 19, 2024 | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
It’s likely many Lawrence residents have no idea what the majority of companies or entities that reside or have resided in KU Innovation Park do. If they did, they might sleep better at night. A handful of businesses involved with the startup incubator for innovation on the University of Kansas’ West Campus perform the type of heavy, and heady, work designed and engineered to make the United States more secure and safe for those who inhabit it—namely, us.
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Jun 6, 2024 | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
11th Annual Lawrence Business Magazine Foundation AwardsA record number of 22 local businesses – creating 247 jobs in 2023 – were honored with Foundation Awards, having met the criteria of being locally owned, being in business at least three years and having grown their work forces by at least 20 percent or 20 employees. More companies were recognized for being outstanding women-owned and minority-owned businesses along with being good stewards of the community.
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Mar 24, 2024 | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
Anthony Harvey Jr. grew up in East Lawrence, in an area where many of his neighbors held a rather negative view of local police. And that’s putting it nicely. “We were not fond of police,” Harvey Jr. says. “We didn’t know about them. There were not many interactions. The sheriff’s department’s gas pumps were located by our house, so that was really the only time I’d see them.
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Mar 24, 2024 | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
There’s something special about small towns. The friendly relationships among neighbors and slower pace make them unique compared to larger cities. Somewhat naturally, these distinctive attributes bleed into the experiences of those working in public safety in rural communities. Police officers getting called to the scene of an incident are more than likely going to know those for whom they are responding. They very possibly could be closely related.
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Dec 15, 2023 | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
Paul Werner is a self-described math geek. Alex Karam earned a master’s degree in mathematics and taught college math. Today, they work as architect and engineer, respectively. Werner is owner of Paul Werner Architects, in downtown Lawrence, which, in collaboration with Gould Evans, had hands in designing and creating everything from Sports Pavilion Lawrence and Rock Chalk Park to renovating popular local spots like Lawrence Beer Co. and Bon Bon!, as well as high-end custom homes.
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Dec 15, 2023 | 
lawrencebusinessmagazine.com | Bob Luder
Clancey Maloney recalls flying her airplane from New Mexico to Missouri several years back when she received a sudden call over the radio from air traffic control. There was a squadron of aircraft flying in her vicinity and at her altitude of 11,000 feet. She was asked to immediately descend to 10,000 feet to remain at a safe distance and continue her flight unimpeded. “It turned out to be the Canadian demonstration team flying home,” Maloney says. “The Snowbirds, they called them.
