Lawrence Business Magazine 2020 Q4 by Lawrence Business Magazine

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2020 Q4

Publisher:

Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC Ann Frame Hertzog & Steven Hertzog Editor-in-Chief:

Ann Frame Hertzog

LETTER FROM THE PUBLISHERS

Chief Photographer:

Steven Hertzog

As we wind up the year and are looking to the New Year differently than ever before, let’s take a moment to reflect on 2020. As many have noted, 2020 was a year like no other, and we hope it stays unique in history. A year to look back on and study as a different kind of year, not the beginning of a trend. The overriding 2020 theme of the Covid-19 pandemic with the tremendous loss of life across the country and our own community is genuinely horrifying. We are very saddened by the needless loss, and our hearts go out to those whose families have been impacted. On the other side of the sadness is the extraordinary efforts by all of our Essential Workers, which we talked about in our Q3 Impact issue. Twenty-twenty was a time for our community to pull together, help our neighbors, and slow down a bit to reflect on what and who is important to us. Unfortunately, even though a vaccine appears to be on the horizon, there is still a long way to go before we are past this crisis. Until a vaccine becomes widely distributed next year, we will need to continue to be vigilant in the care for our community. We need to wear masks and socially distance to protect ourselves and our family members. We know it will not be easy; we miss our family and our friends. We are all tired and have “pandemic fatigue” – but imagine those that are giving day-to-day care to the sick, risking their health, missing their families and enduring the sadness of seeing the tremendous loss and toll this is taking on individuals and our community. We need to step up, wear masks, and socially distance to protect our healthcare and essential workers. The other theme of the year was social justice for all members of the community without regard for where they were born, the color of their skin, the people they love, or the gender they identify. We believe that social injustice and systemic racism must end. As a community, we need to take care of one another through this pandemic, and we also need to make sure we keep taking care of each other and see each other as essential to our diverse and beautiful community. We also need to protect our local businesses. Shop Local. Shopping locally from small to big items – from shoes to cars, as we cover here in our Multi-Modal issue – helps keep local businesses in business, protects local jobs, and keeps the dollars here in our community. Those dollars generate sales tax, which our City and county programs rely on to serve the community and maintain our infrastructure from parks to roads. If you are giving gifts this holiday season, give them with the knowledge that you Shopped Locally. Happy Holidays, Stay Safe, Shop Local, Shop Lawrence! Sincerely,

Ann Frame Hertzog Editor-in-Chief/Publisher

Steven Hertzog Chief Photographer/Publisher

www.LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com

Featured Writers:

Anne Brockhoff Bob Luder Patricia A. Michaelis, Ph.D. Emily Mulligan Sarah Ngoh Tara Trenary Copy Editor:

Tara Trenary Contributing Writers:

Jessica Brewer

Photos by: Steven Hertzog

INQUIRIES & ADVERTISING INFORMATION CONTACT: info@LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com

LawrenceBusinessMagazine.com Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC 3514 Clinton Parkway, Suite A-113 Lawrence, KS 66047 Lawrence Business Magazine, is published quarterly by Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC and is distributed by direct mail to businesses in the Lawrence & Douglas County Community. It is also distributed at key retail locations throughout the area and mailed to individual subscribers. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reprinted or reproduced without the publisher’s permission. Lawrence Business Magazine, LLC assumes no responsibility for unsolicited materials. Statements and opinions printed in the Lawrence Business Magazine are the those of the author or advertiser and are not necessarily the opinion of Lawrence Business Magazine.

2020 Q4

Contents Features: 9

Lawrence in Perspective:

Cycling into the Future

by Tara Trenary

Raising the Bar by Bob Luder

Take the Bus, Save the Planet

by Sarah Ngoh

Scooter Communters

Take a Hike

Vintage Vehicles

Full Speed Ahead

The Bridges of the Kaw by Patricia Michaelis, Ph.D.

by Emily Mulligan by Anne Brockhoff by Bob Luder by Anne Brockhoff

Departments: 5

Letter From the Publishers

LMH Health

West Campus Opportunities

Local Scene: Taking Care of Local

77 Newsmakers 78

Whose Desk?

Our Mission:

We are dedicated to telling the stories of people and businesses making a positive impact on Lawrence & Douglas County. /lawrencebusinessmagazine

@LawrenceBizMag

TO UPDATE YOUR ADDRESS OR FOR SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION:

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LAWRENCE & DOUGLAS CO [IN PERSPECTIVE ]

The Bridges of the Kaw Through the years, many bridges were built and brought down in one way or another in Lawrence, but their importance to the city’s infrastructure and historical value remain. by Patricia A. Michaelis, Ph.D., Historical Research & Archival Consulting photos Douglas County Historical Society, Watkins Museum of History

The city of Lawrence was founded in 1854 by abolitionists who came to Kansas under the auspices of the New England Emigrant Aid Company (NEEAC). The passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Act called for the slave or free status of the new territories to be decided by popular sovereignty, meaning a vote of residents would determine whether slavery would be allowed. Thus, Lawrence is one of the few cities founded primarily for political reasons. However, the founders also wanted Lawrence to be a prosperous community and locating on a river was a key to success in the 19th century. Samuel Clarke Pomeroy wrote to Amos Lawrence Sept. 22, 1854, telling him there was a consensus to name the new city after him. Lawrence was one of the financial supporters of the NEEAC. Pomeroy also provided the following description of activities in the area:

Our people are stacking Hay and making preparations for winter as fast as they can. Some will succeed and do well, others will fail. The grass upon our prairie is still green and will yield from two to three Tons of Hay per Acre. And of good quality. There are in our party about twenty yoke of oxen—some cows—and horses also. Our Mill is being built upon a little ravine about six rods from the Bank of the Kansas, a good site. Opposite the Mill, upon the Land of the Delawares is the Largest Tract of Wood Land I have seen in the Territory. —At the suggestion of Dr. Doy I have made a bargain with the Indian Chief—approved by the Indian Agent, to take Saw logs of them, cut & delivered upon the bank of the River, opposite the Mill—for 37½ cents each. Logs to be large and from 12 to 16 feet long.

This quote illustrates the importance of locating on the river to power the sawmill but also the value of the timber on the other side of the Kansas River. Since there was no bridge, it is assumed the logs were either carried by barges or floated to the south side of the river. In fact, barges and ferries were used to cross the river until the first bridge over the Kansas River was build. The Territorial Legislature approved a charter for the Lawrence Bridge Company in 1859. Construction began in 1863, and the bridge was completed later that year in December. The Daily Kansas Tribune celebrated the opening of the bridge in an article published Dec. 17, 1863: Lawrence—Its Prospects and Future The completion of the bridge across the Kansas river at this point, and the early completion of the Eastern Division of the Union Pacific Railroad, with the Leavenworth Branch, puts our city on a basis of material prosperity far in advance of any other town in the State. Though Lawrence suffered a terrible blow by Quantrill’s raid—a crime more terrific, inhuman and bloody, than any of the numberless crimes committed by the Southern demons in all the records of the rebellion—yet her surviving citizens have nobly braved the hours of our tribulation, and have shown an energy and a recuperative power truly magical and worthy of all praise. It is important to realize that the railroad depot was located on the north side of the river, so a bridge was necessary to get to Lawrence proper. Also, the bridge was constructed by a private company, the Lawrence Bridge Company. To make a profit, the bridge they built was operated as a toll bridge. The first bridge was a Howe Truss design and consisted of five wooden spans resting on solid stone pieces. It was 690 feet long and cost $47,000 to build. For many years, it was the only bridge across the Kansas River west of Kansas City, so it carried a great deal of traffic. In 1879, the Kansas Supreme Court, after cancelling the charter of the Lawrence Bridge Company, took possession of the bridge on behalf of the state. In the fall of 1872, preliminary plans were made to build a dam to utilize the waterpower of the river. With the completion of the dam, it and the bridge were tied together in a number of natural disasters. In the spring of 1876, a freshet (a river flood from heavy rain or melted snow) took out two spans of the bridge and partially destroyed the dam. In 1903, the Kansas River flooded causing property damage, especially in North Lawrence. The flood also destroyed the Bowersox Mill on the river’s south side. The floodwaters rose to 27 feet. Since it was apparent the mill would be destroyed, estimates were made about when it would happen. This drew hundreds of Lawrence resi-

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dents to view the spectacle. Eventually, the mill cracked and broke up. Flour covered the watching crowd. The entire north span was destroyed when it was struck by a house in the floodwater. A ferry operated for 24 days until the bridge was repaired. In 1913, this first bridge was considered unsafe, and construction on a second bridge began. While the first bridge was a wooden bridge, the second one was a concrete arch bridge that was 1,026 feet long. It was built by Douglas County and opened in January 1917. The floor of the bridge was brick, and it had streetcar tracks running down the center. As the brick surface decayed, the bridge was paved over. The worst flood in Lawrenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history was the flood of 1951, causing damage to the city in excess of $3 million as both the Kansas and Wakarusa rivers flooded their surroundings. The actual flood levels are not accurately known for the Kansas River, as the water crested above all official flood gauges. On July 13, the crest was estimated to be 29.9 feet, more than 11 feet above flood stage. The high and fast- moving waters damaged the northern approach to the Kansas River bridge, and all of North Lawrence was under water. By 1972, the second bridge was deteriorating rapidly because of the daily traffic of 17,000 vehicles a day, along with damage caused by road salt and frequent patching at the south end. In 1973, the City of Lawrence and Douglas County agreed to hold a bond election to raise funds for the replacement of the bridge. The original plan was for a single four land bridge costing $3 million. Before going before the voters, the plan was changed to have a pair of two land bridges at an estimated cost of $5 million. The bond issue was approved in November 1974. Before the new bridge could be built, structural issues caused the Lawrence City Commission to impose an 8-ton load limit for traffic crossing the bridge. Construction began on the Vermont Street bridge in April 1976. The winning bidder was at $4.5 million. Because of delays, the bridge was not completed until April 1978. It was open to two-way traffic until the Massachusetts Street bridge was completed. It was demolished, and some of the material from the old bridge was used as temporary fill as the new bridge was finished. Delays again occurred, and the bridge was opened a year and a half behind schedule in March 1980. These two bridges remain in use today, with the Massachusetts Street bridge carrying northbound traffic, and southbound vehicles using the Vermont Street bridge. This shows how important bridges are to the infrastructure, industry and history of Lawrence. p

WEST CAMPUS OPPORTUNITIES

West Campus provides new opportunities for OrthoKansas and therapy patients by Jessica Brewer, LMH Health

West Campus provides new opportunities for OrthoKansas and therapy patients With the opening of the new LMH Health West Campus, some of our outpatient clinics made the big move to the new facility. One of those moves was for the OrthoKansas team with additional space for LMH Health Therapy & Wellness. Sporting a new 16,000 square foot facility with amazing new equipment and technology, this space is ready for the community to experience all it can offer. One of the newest pieces of equipment LMH Health now offers for its patients and the community is an Isokinetic testing device. This machine provides the most objective measure of joint function following injury or surgery, specifically for the knee, shoulder, and ankle. It is commonly used for strength training and rehabilitation from a sports injury or other joint injury and raises the bar for the recovery LMH Health can offer.

Isokinetic Machine Dan Lorenz, Director of Sports Medicine at LMH Health, said with our brand new, state of the art facility, the technology should match. “We should have data-driven outcomes and evaluation/ testing procedures for our patients,” he said. “With the Isokinetic machine, there is not a better modality to do exactly this in the physical rehabilitation realm.” Lorenz said that it’s a luxury to have this machine on hand. There are only a few Isokinetic machines in the state of Kansas. Having one close at hand at LMH Health will benefit patients.

“We want to provide the best care for our patients and the community,” he said. “This service will be offered to our therapy patients, but anyone can use it. We have a selfpay option for this that is available through MDsave.com.” This machine is perfect for a goal-oriented person who wants to see where their weaknesses are. Lorenz said that patients may want to try this out if they had an injury years ago, and maybe now something doesn’t feel quite right. The Isokinetic machine will pick up the deficits. “This machine allows peoples to know their status,” he said. “Rather than thinking or feeling like they aren’t at their full capacity, this will allow them to know for certain what level they are at and what areas need some further attention. We are also able to do accurate baseline testing. If you have an injury that will need surgery, we can test your ‘good’ limb to make sure after surgery we can do our best to get your injured limb up to your fullest potential again.”

Therapy at West & New Technology The Isokinetic machine is just one of the new and exciting technologies offered at the LMH Health West Campus. Jaye Cole, Physical Therapy/Rehab senior director, said the therapy team loves the new West Campus space. “We can see patients using new equipment like our HydroWorx water therapy, our growing motion analysis lab and have the agility space to work with our sports medicine patients in an environment that feels more real 13

to them,” she said. “We are also now able to work with our Women’s Center and create an environment that is a one-stop-shop for our patients, along with assisting in their pelvic floor rehab and breast center post-op rehab as well.” Cole said that the new equipment at the West Campus can service anyone from the most extreme athletes to those want to work on gaining more mobility. “With the new HydroWorx water therapy, we can make patients weightless, taking all stress off of their joints,” she said. “We can go up to an eight-mile per hour speed with the underwater treadmill to challenge our athletes if they’d like. We are also focusing on our runners with our motion analysis lab. We want to be able to help runners improve their efficiency and see where their deficiencies are to decrease the likeliness of an injury.” The new agility space can also service all athletes in a space where they can kick, throw, and move as they would in a real game. One of the best parts about these advancements is that patients don’t need a physician’s referral to seek treatment. In the State of Kansas, physical therapists are allowed to evaluate and initiate treatment on a patient without a physician’s referral. Cole said that anyone can seek treatment by self-referring to a physical therapist. However, if the patient is not progressing toward documented treatment goals that are objective, measurable or provide functional improvement within 10 visits or 15 business days from the initial treatment visit following the evaluation visit, the physical therapist will obtain a referral from an appropriate licensed health care practitioner. “Before treatment, we make sure our patient knows that a physical therapy diagnosis is not a medical diagnosis by a physician,” she said. “Therefore, we can focus on the reason for the referral, say hip pain, rather than a known medical diagnosis that would come from a physician, like hip bursitis. But for those who have pain and want to seek relief through physical therapy, we are here and ready to serve you at our new West location, main hospital location, or our LMH South location.”

The New and Improved OrthoKansas Dr. Stephan Pro, an orthopedic surgeon with OrthoKansas, said the move for the OrthoKansas team to the West Campus has allowed for a bigger space with an ability to be patient-centered in every way, highlighting that the new therapy space is one to be recognized.

Cutting edge equipment is a high priority at LMH

“In my opinion, the physical therapy space is perhaps the highlight of the entire clinic,” Dr. Pro said. “This enables our orthopedic specialty-trained therapists to perform the highest level of rehabilitation for both surgical and non-surgical care.” Donors contributed more than $5.5 million in support to the West Campus, including a $1 million gift for orthopedics made by Rodger and Sheryl Henry through their company, H & S Holdings. This support allows the newest in technology and equipment. Dr. Pro said the team hopes to continue developing tools and diagnostics to help the West Campus become a single stop for all outpatient needs, including imaging, labs, surgery, and more. “In the future, we hope to expand our offerings to include the possibility of same-day follow-up after imaging as well as digital check-in kiosks for patient appointments,” he said. After three years of the West facility being in the works, Dr. Pro said the team is happy to be settled in and taking care of patients in an increased space. “This new environment allows us the ability to continue to grow as a practice,” he said. “We want to fulfill the needs of our patients and fulfill the future needs of the greater Douglas County community.” p

Cycle Works

CYCLING INTO THE FUTURE

Bikes are key to Lawrence moving forward in its commitment to becoming more of a multimodal society. by Tara Trenary, photos by Steven Hertzog

As a society, we have been dependent on cars for decades. Many things contributed to this dependence, including economic and population growth, rapid suburbanization and the closing of public transit systems. The abundant use of cars in American cities is responsible for air pollution, congestion, noise, less open space, traffic accidents and inadequate mobility for the poor, elderly and handicapped. After World War II, the number of cars and trucks in the United States increased dramatically, as did the number of highways. The rapid increase of motor vehicles and, 16

thus, air pollution, especially in cities, has had serious impacts on public health and the environment. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, motor vehicles collectively cause 75 percent of carbon monoxide pollution in the U.S. So how do we change our ways in a society that has become so reliant on the car? Even though the Clean Air Act of 1970 has helped reduce toxic emissions and improved the overall health of Americans, we still have a long way to go.

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Emmanuel Cohen explains that combining all modes of transport into one platform allows for sustainable transport options without asking people to ditch the car. “Instead of helping other modes of transport compete with the car, city governments and transport providers can help them complement it,” says the head of content and social media at HERE Mobility, a global and open transportation marketplace dedicated to making urban mobility more efficient. Almost 70 percent of all trips in the United States occur via personal car, he continues in his blog post “Multimodal Transportation: The Future of Urban Mobility.” “Across the western world, buses, trains, bicycles and new devices like electric scooters are finding it difficult to compete with the perceived convenience of the car. However, the reliance on private vehicles poses a real threat to the future of cities.”

A Multimodal Society In a college town like Lawrence, one of the big ways to complement the car is via bicycle. “We are so dependent on automobiles, and cars aren’t necessarily the best way to travel within a city: They pollute, they’re expensive and they have to be parked, which takes up a lot of space,” says Kathryn Schartz, secretary and board member of the Lawrence Bicycle Club (LBC), which promotes safe cycling for recreation, sport and fitness in the Lawrence community. “If a community can provide safe alternatives to driving cars that are viewed as convenient and workable by cyclists, pedestrians, scooters, etc., more people will consider alternatives to automobiles.” As a four-year member of the Lawrence Multimodal Transportation Commission (MMTC), which works to advance the health, safety and welfare of all residents of the city of Lawrence through strong multimodal transportation planning, she says these issues are discussed at all of the meetings. “I really believe the city wants to address all of this, but when push comes to shove, the needs of automobiles always seem to prevail.” But being a college town, bikes are already very popular in Lawrence. “Many students lack resources, space, etc., to maintain a vehicle,” explains Rich Cornell, LBC president. “And short jaunts can be well-designed for other transportation methods.” Paul Heimbach, Sunflower Outdoor and Bike Shop manager, agrees, saying bikes, already an integral part of our community, are an efficient way to travel short to long distances without polluting and causing all of the sorts of issues that are dealt with by the use of cars. Sunflower Outdoor and Bike Shop

“My regular customers on the bike side are people who use bikes as a mode of transportation or recreation,” he continues. “We get a lot of riders who use bikes as a means to get around town but also use cycling as a way for exercise and recreation.” Heimbach says the city is doing a good job promoting the use of bikes by setting up bike lanes and designating streets as riding corridors. But he believes it could encourage more bike use by offering incentives to ride. “Perhaps this could be in the form of giving businesses that have their employees ride to work tax rebates or some other means to promote ridership.” Samantha Jones, president of the Lawrence Mountain Bike Club, which is the primary caretaker of the Lawrence River Trails, also believes bikes should be an integral part of the process of moving Lawrence further into a multimodal system. “Bikes are a great mode of transportation,” she explains. “They leave a small ecological footprint, encourage mental and physical health, and when operated correctly, can provide a safe, reliable and affordable means of transportation.”

Enhancing a Healthy Lifestyle Creating and leaving behind a healthy environment to our kids and grandkids is a huge component of the multimodal concept, but establishing an overall healthy lifestyle for community members is important, as well. “Bikes enhance my life by helping me stay fit both physically and mentally,” Heimbach explains. “It is a great cardiovascular workout. I often feel better after a ride because of the endorphins I get from the physical activity and losing myself mentally from turning over the pedals and watching the landscape go by. I also think that riding a bike can make me mentally tougher because of some of the obstacles you have to overcome, such as long miles or strong winds. “I love the feel of the open road and a sense of adventure while on two wheels,” he continues. “My favorite rides take me to places that I may have never been to if it weren’t for me riding to it. I get a great feeling of freedom while riding.” In addition to the traditional bike paths throughout town, Law20

Top to Bottom: Sunflower Outdoor and Bike Shop manager Paul Heimbach Repairing bikes at Sunflower Sunflower goods New Coffee Bar at Sunflower

rence also offers a variety of free, well-maintained trails, including the Lawrence River Trails, a nine-mile loop in North Lawrence maintained by LMBC; the Lawrence Loop, a 22mile trail around the city; Clinton Lake Trails; the Rock Chalk Park Trails; and the Riverfront Park Trails, among others. LBC’s Cornell believes the city should consider connecting its trails, multiuse paths and nonvehicle paths as an important part of this multimodal concept, offering cyclists the opportunity to safely move from one part of the town to another. Schartz agrees, saying that even though the Lawrence Loop is off-road, cyclists have to cross many intersections. “Drivers are simply not used to looking both ways on sidewalks and approach intersections with their eyes on the street. I’ve had many close calls at intersections.”

A Close-Knit Community Henry Mackinnon, mechanic at Cycle Works, a shop that sells bikes, apparel and exercise equipment, but is most popular for its service, helping customers maintain and upgrade their bikes, says cycling has improved many aspects of his life. “It became my ride to work, an excuse to socialize during the pandemic [and] has become an important tool to exercise and just get outside. There is also a very helpful community of riders in town.” This “community” includes clubs for just about every style of riding. These clubs offer information, education and support for its members and community members. “While we have many different sects of biking—mountain, gravel, road and commuter, for example—we still have a fantastic community,” LMBC’s Jones says. “Many members of these individual sects bleed into the other groups so that we are all intertwined together. The community really shows through when one club or another has a specific need, such as a fund-raiser for a specific need or a cause to which we can all support.” Sunflower’s Heimbach agrees. “What is great is that we all pretty much know each other, and those who are new to it … [it’s] easy to make friends with within the community.” Both the Lawrence Bicycle Club and the Lawrence Mountain Bike Club can be found on Facebook.

The Future of Multimodal Though Lawrence is moving toward a multimodal approach, it still has a long road ahead. Nick Kuzmyak, chair of the Multimodal Transportation Commission (MMTC) for 2020, believes we need to prioritize cycling as a utility, as well, “or the stigma around cyclists (that 22

Top to Bottom: Cycle Works owner Gary Mechanic Henry Mackinnon Bikes at Cycle Works

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they’re either Lycra-clad enthusiasts or unpredictable kids) will always remain. People need to view and respect cyclists as equal road users, and we’ll never get there if only the recreational trails get funded,” he explains. “City staff understand that this broad approach is important.” One way to “get there” is through the City’s Bike Boulevard projects. According to the City website, it is working to increase safe and comfortable cycling for those living, working and visiting here. Plans have been finalized for both boulevard projects: one on East 13th Street and one on West 21st Street, which is set to be finished by the end of 2020. They will be the first of their kind in Lawrence and are an important step in expanding the network of safe and comfortable streets for biking in the community. “The Bike Boulevard projects showed a distinct breakdown between what the public wants now and what the future public would actually use,” Kuzmyak says. “Bike Boulevards are not necessarily for experienced cyclists; they are meant to make shared roads safer and more welcoming for new or unconfident riders. People who only drive may see a lack of cycling on these streets and deem the boulevards wasteful projects that won’t help anyone, but this points to a natural fallacy: Most people have difficulty seeing what could be instead of what is. We’ll only know in a few years if the projects achieved their aim.” He believes bike boulevards tap into a large percentage of people in the community who may want to bike but are currently uncomfortable with the infrastructure in Lawrence (especially unprotected bike lanes and sharrows). They are a safe introduction for learning how to ride with traffic, while the feature of slow car traffic actually benefits all users of the street. Case studies in other cities point to increasing ridership on these types of streets. “Lawrence is so close to building a strong and complete community with resources for the betterment of public life,” Cycle Works Mackinnon says. “Our infrastructure plays a key part in the foundation of our community and its wellbeing, and implementing multimodal infrastructure would be a crucial stepping-stone in creating a healthy community.” Schartz agrees, adding that the City should include multimodal transportation in all new development and require it to be put in place before new areas are developed. “I believe Lawrence continues to move in the right direction of incorporating and encouraging multimodal transportation,” LMBC’s Jones says. “In the last few years, we have seen an increased number of trails and bike lanes, as well as some experimental intersections. We all know the City has to work within a budget and prioritize; thus, I’m happy to see that they continue to consider viable options for alternative transportation.” p 24

Top to Bottom: The Lawrence Re-Cyclery in North Lawrence; Biking along the trail north of the dam; Dirt biking along the river.

RAISING THE BAR

The City of Lawrence has plans for a sophisticated network of infrastructure to enhance its multimodal transportation system, which includes bikeways, shared-use paths and safer pedestrian walkways. by Bob Luder, photos by Steven Hertzog

As one of the preeminent college towns in America, Lawrence often prides itself on being a progressive—dare we way hip—place to live and raise a family. It’s not a place that follows the latest movements or fashions. Lawrence sets trends. However, when it comes to promoting and facilitating transportation in all its alternate forms, such as accessible and safe bicycling, walking, Rollerblading and scootering, there appear to be more practical motives at hand, at least according to one of the city’s transportation experts. “Studies have shown that peoples’ quality of life is impacted by their transportation choices,” says Jessica Mortinger,

transportation planning manager for the Lawrence Metropolitan Planning Organization. “And the reality is that transportation networks provide transportation opportunities and increased access. “People everywhere want to walk and bike,” she continues. “In the end, we’re all pedestrians, even if it’s just walking to our cars to go to work every morning.” With that in mind, the City of Lawrence has plans in place and in the works for a sophisticated network of bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure. The multimodal transportation system is roughly broken down into three planning areas: bikeways (this includes the Lawrence Loop, a 17-mile completed section of 8-foot-wide and paved shared-use path that is planned to loop the city), safe routes to school and pedestrian walkways, all interacting and coexisting with one another. Much of Lawrence’s transportation system already has been constructed, however bicycle and pedestrian connections, and features like tunnels and bridges are being built or at least plan on being built in the near future. It’s all in the name of making Lawrence a safe place to move around in other ways than a typical, traditional motorized vehicle. If there’s a hipness factor that comes with that, well, all the more reason to get behind the initiative. “The objective of the Lawrence Bikes Plan,” Mortinger says, “is to focus on design for lower speed and greater comfort. It’s about creating facilities that are comfortable for the greatest number of users.”

Biking the Lawrence trails on a chilly day

BIKEWAYS Planning for bikeways in Lawrence and Douglas County is not a new concept. The first bike plan for Lawrence was prepared in 1974 and called “Pedal Plan for Lawrence.” The first countywide bicycle plan was developed in 2004. In 2016, the City dedicated funding for bicycle and pedestrian projects. Previously, planning to improve nonmotorized transportation conditions was set forth in several various plans among different organizations, such as the Lawrence Pedestrian-Bike Issues Task Force, the Lawrence Loop Alignment Study, annual bicycle and pedestrian counts, and a countywide bikeway system plan. The Lawrence Bikes Plan set out to reconcile all those various entities into one cohesive plan for the future of bikeway infrastructure in Lawrence. The Lawrence Bikes Plan was approved by the City Commission in October 2019. Mortinger explains it set in motion a prioritized plan for multimodal infrastructure, of which bike lanes, shared-use paths and bicycle boulevards were an integral part. “The plan calls for a comfortable network of bikeways,” she says. “Much of the current bikeway network is shared-use path.” The centerpiece of the plan is what is known as the Lawrence Loop, a continuous, 22-mile trail around the city limits. David Cronin, city engineer, Municipal Services & Operations, says the Loop is about 75 percent complete. Two stretches in final design phase, not included in the Loop, include a path through Hobbs Park between Eighth and Delaware streets to 11th Street and Haskell Avenue, and a pathway along 29th Street, connecting Burroughs Creek Trail and Haskell Trail. Still in the planning phase is a shared-use path starting at Peterson Road and Iowa Street, tunneling under McDonald Drive and running east to Michigan Street. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2022. Other recently completed projects include a tunnel project at 19th and Iowa Streets, which allows cyclists and pedestrians safe passage from the University of Kansas’ (KU) West Campus across always-busy Iowa Street to the main campus to the 28

east, bike boulevard on 21st Street between Massachusetts Street and Ousdahl Road, bike lanes on Mass Street between 14th and 11th streets, and shared-use path and bike lanes on Kasold Drive from Bob Billings Parkway to Sixth Street. “We’re bringing up the bar for people to have those opportunities (to use nonmotorized modes of transportation),” Mortinger says. “It’s safer infrastructure.” Changing the culture toward nonmotorized forms of transportation also is an important piece of the plan, she continues. To that end, the City has promoted bicycle month (May) and bike-to-work days, and has sponsored bicycle safety education rides and bicycle and pedestrian safety webinars. It also has implemented into its city codes requirements that any new business construction include parking facilities for bicycles. City and KU buses have increased carrying capacities for commuters wishing to truly use multimodal transportation in moving about the city by installing bike racks on the fronts of all buses. The City’s implementation of bicycle and pedestrian plans appears to be working, at least in the eyes of organizations that recognize municipalities that actively support bicycling. In 2020, the City of Lawrence was designated at the Bronze level by the League of American Bicyclists, renewing the recognition given first in 2004. The PlacesForBikes City Ratings, a data-driven analysis that evaluates the safety, appeal and infrastructure of bicycling in more than 500 communities, ranked Lawrence sixth overall in 2019 and third in safety in 2020.

SAFE ROUTES TO SCHOOL The Lawrence Safe Routes to School (SRTS) initiative began in 2014. It started as a collaborative effort among the City, Lawrence-Douglas County Health Department, Lawrence Public Schools and the Lawrence-Douglas County Metropolitan Planning Organization. The aim of the partnership was to provide the framework for developing a holistic SRTS program, focusing on encouragement, education, enforcement, evaluation and engineering solutions to improve walking and bicycling to school. Mortinger says the City is in the process of finishing a written SRTS plan, round two of planning work that started six years ago. Funding and financial resources for the project have been harder to come by, she says, but the City has been successful at getting federal grant money for other projects such as the 19th and Iowa tunnel project as well as construction of a new sidewalk on the east side of Naismith Drive from 19th to 23rd streets. “There are limited resources, so we’ve had to spend wisely,” Mortinger explains. “But we have a network of evaluated routes (in the plan), all data-driven.” Other aspects of the SRTS plan call for implementing the Neighborhood Traffic Management Program, which 30

Mike Garven and his son Luke love riding to school together

includes reducing speed limits to 25 miles per hour in neighborhoods, improving sidewalks and crossings, and making sure all students in Unified School District 497 get bicycle education. There will be promotions for “Bikeand-Walk-to-School Days” and guides for parents to form “walking school buses,” where walking “drivers” walk through neighborhoods picking up students one by one to walk to school as a group. “We have an obligation to work on cultural changes around walking and biking,” Mortinger says. “A lot has to do with user behavior to ensure streets are safe for everyone.” In 2009, a study showed that nationally, 13 percent of kids wanted to walk to school. Lawrence stands at 18 percent (that compares with 48 percent in 1969 according to the National Safe Routes to School Partnership). “I think we can improve that with safer crossings and routes,” Mortinger says, adding that another study showed kids who engage in physical activity make better grades. “Plans are in the final draft, getting ready for consideration,” she says. “We’re excited about that.” The partnership also is working in Eudora and Baldwin City to create SRTS plans in those cities.

Signs tell you that you are riding the Lawrence Loop

REGIONAL PEDESTRIAN PLAN “We will be updating our pedestrian plan sometime in the next year,” Mortinger says.

going to tailor the program to improve sidewalks that get used the most.”

Ironically, the scourge of 2020—more specifically referred to as the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic—has had an effect on pedestrian traffic on Lawrence’s sidewalks and shared-use pathways that might be unexpected. It seems, Mortinger explains, that people are so fatigued at being locked down in their homes, the desire to get outside and move has been higher than normal.

There are various other initiatives planned as the City moves forward aimed at keeping Lawrence on the cutting edge of multimodal transportation—or to keep the city hip.

With that in mind, the City has been working diligently not only on building new infrastructure but also repairing Lawrence’s existing sidewalks. In fact, the City is in the second year of its Sidewalk Improvement Program. Ultimately, city engineer Cronin says, it’s up to property owners to maintain sidewalks on their properties, but part of the program helps notify property owners that those needs are met.

Cronin says the city had a bicycle share program operated by a private company, but it proved not to be profitable enough and was pulled off the streets. The City is looking into a shared motorized scooter program and anticipates a pilot program to begin next year. “There’s certainly more to come in the future,” he explains. “It’s more about how to incorporate everything into our overall approach with the (City’s) Multimodal Transportation Commission.” p

“We have filled in a lot of gaps on arterial streets with sidewalk infill,” Cronin says. “We’ve completed a majority of them. “It’s going to take many years to get sidewalks up to code, but we’re making steps,” he continues. “Next year, we’re 31

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Lawrence’s transit system is going places, specifically into the next generation of transit and sustainability. In fact, by fall 2022, Lawrence is going to have a brand-new multimodal transfer facility, newly redesigned bus routes and five new fully electric buses in service. These three projects all contribute to Lawrence Transit’s efforts to become more environmentally sustain- Over a decade ago, Lawrence Transit and the Lawrence community began studying, discussing and able.

NewMultimodalTransfer Facility Project

Since 2006, the City of Lawrence and the University of Kansas (KU) have worked together to coordinate public transit services. This relationship has been fruitful. Not only do KU students ride the buses, but school-aged children, parents, the elderly and many others utilize Lawrence’s transit system. In 2019, the City of Lawrence and the University of Kansas provided 2.98 million rides. One of those riders, Charlesia McKinney, a student working toward her Ph.D. and graduate teaching assistant for the English Department, relies heavily on Lawrence’s bus system to get back and forth from home to campus. “I’ve relied on the bus to get to campus since 2014. It’s about 10 minutes to campus from my apartment, which is so convenient as a student and teacher. I’m glad it’s an option.” Lawrence Transit is supported by the committed work of approximately 120 drivers. While around 46 of these drivers are responsible for KU-funded routes, Aaron Quisenberry, associate director of Transportation Services at KU, notes that all the drivers are cross-trained to drive all routes and can choose to drive either KU or city routes each time they are up for bid. During maximum service, Lawrence Transit has 40 buses in service plus 20 smaller, paratransit vehicles for things like medical transport. Adam Weigel, transit and parking manager for the City of Lawrence, says city buses are financed through a combination of local sales tax, federal funds and grants, which help keep costs down for your everyday rider. The University owns 42 buses, and 24 to 27 of them provide regular service at any given time. Quisenberry explains that KU buses are financed through required student campus fees and campus parking permit dollars, which supplement the difference between the fees and the cost of the buses.

debating a permanent location for the primary bus transfer facility. McKinney was happy to hear about the new bus transfer facility: “I’ve always been proud of Lawrence’s public transit system—I’m delighted to hear they’re expanding the bus system.” According to lawrencetransit.org, “In July 2020, the City and the University of Kansas signed a legal agreement to move forward with further study and development of a multimodal transfer facility on university property located at Bob Billings and Crestline Drive. This location takes into account community feedback from prior studies that sought a relatively central location and one that did not encroach on established neighborhoods.” However, some residents have expressed concern about the new location. Regular bus rider Lochi Sampson, for example, notes the current hub location downtown is more accessible, “especially for homeless people who spend most of their time downtown. Moving it into that area would probably make things more difficult for them.” Others, however, see potential in the hub’s new location. Local resident Stefanie Torres-Maksimowicz says, “It’s great. A lot of upperclassmen live over in that area, so that will help getting them to campus. It being central for locals will help with getting around to the edge of town.” In fact, a new bus route system could work to mitigate some of the issues Sampson worries the homeless might experience with the new hub, since the new homeless shelter is now on the edge of town. Though “preliminary design work may commence as soon as this winter, construction will not begin until late 2021”, Quisenberry notes. “The target opening date for the new bus transfer facility will be August 2022.” For more information about the Multimodal Transfer Facility Project, visit: lawrencetransit.org/transferfacility. 33

Retired school teacher Steve Pierce, now drives a city bus for Lawrence Transit

Route Redesign The new location of the transfer facility will no doubt impact current bus routing. Sampson explains: “If they have no way of consulting the people who rely on the buses the most, then changing the routes is generally a bad idea.” Fortunately, both the City and KU recognize that any change to bus routes will affect riders in any number of ways. Thus, input from the Lawrence community is sought during this process. During the next year, the City will collaborate with the community to determine a new route structure for transit. According to lawrencetransit. org, “Following these route redesign processes, the design process for the facility itself will begin. Each route redesign study and the facility design process will include early and substantial public engagement.” Student input is also essential to the continued success of Lawrence Transit, and students will be asked to provide feedback on route changes. Quisenberry emphasizes, “there will be opportunities for students to give their input on potential future route changes when we have a consultant working on the system/route redesign in spring 2021.” To provide your input on the Lawrence bus route redesign, please fill out the bus route redesign surveys provided on the City of Lawrence website at lawrenceks.org/ listens/surveys. 34

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Waiting for a bus in east Lawrence, Adam Weigel comfortably sits on a new Transit bench

New Electric Buses In addition to the new transfer facility and the bus route redesign, Lawrence is also gaining five new ecofriendly buses. In June 2020, Lawrence Transit announced it was a recipient of a $3.75 million grant aimed at helping communities invest in the next generation of bus technology to enhance their transportation systems.Â The Low- or No-Emission grant program finances the deployment of transit buses and infrastructure for the purchase or lease of zero-emission and low-emission transit buses and supporting facilities. The grant requires a local match of $2.2 million, which the City has already budgeted as part of its commitment to moving toward being almost entirely powered by renewable energy in 2021. Lawrence Transit plans to use these funds to replace five dieselfueled buses that have exceeded their useful life with five zero-emission battery electric buses. The new electric buses will be used on routes serving the city and the university, and should be in service by fall 2022.

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Why Electric Buses? “I love that they’re adding new electric buses because anything that our little town can do to help the environment is a plus,” exclaims resident Torres-Maksimowicz. In fact, electric buses provide several benefits to their communities and the environment. They improve air quality because they eliminate diesel exhaust emissions and particulate pollution. They produce significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than natural gas-powered, diesel or diesel-hybrid buses. (Did you know replacing all the country’s diesel-powered transit buses with electric buses could eliminate more than 2 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions each year?) They can also deliver financial benefits, including reduced maintenance costs. According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, the lower operating costs of electric buses “make them more economical in the long run than internal combustion engine buses. It is about 2.5 times cheaper to power vehicles with electric38

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ity rather than diesel, and electricity prices are generally much more stable than gasoline or diesel prices … In addition, maintenance costs for electric motors are much lower because they have far fewer moving parts than conventional motors and are far more efficient.” They deliver significant societal benefits, as well, including eliminating noxious gases and particulate pollution that is so detrimental to our health, and greenhouse gases that are so harmful to our planet. Worried about riding during the epidemic? Lawrence Transit has received federal funding from the CARES Act to help maintain services during COVID-19. Weigel notes the City is using CARES Act dollars to keep up service levels and to ensure that both bus drivers and riders are as safe as possible. It enforces mask compliance and open windows when the weather allows, cleans the buses throughout the day and engages in deep cleans at night. Buses are now also equipped with a barrier separation to reduce contact between the driver and passengers. Buses are only $1 to ride, and students ride free with a KU ID. p

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Scooter Commuters

by Emily Mulligan, photos by Steven Hertzog

Put-put-put. Bzzzzzz. Pilbt-pilbt.

The hum of scooters and mopeds is almost as much a part of the soundscape of Lawrence as the tolling of the Campanile and the whoosh of the steam whistle. Of course, many KU students cruise to class on scooters, but Lawrence townies enjoy commuting to work and zooming around for errands just as much. Kij Johnson, Chip Davis and Beth Whittaker ride their scooters year-round for work and play. And relatively new on the local scene, the LF Scooter store sells scooters and accessories, and repairs all makes and models of scooters. Before we go any further, though, we need to answer the pressing question: Is it called a moped or a scooter? A moped, short for motor-pedal, is generally defined as a motorized bike equipped with pedals to start the motor. Mopeds are less common in the United States. A scooter, more specifically for our 40

purposes here, a motor scooter (as opposed to the kids’ Razor-style, foot-propelled scooters), is a twowheel vehicle that has a platform for feet and an engine for propulsion, ranging from 50 cubic capacity (cc) to 250cc. To further confuse things, leave it to the state of Kansas to have its own definitions of the words for licensing drivers. In Kansas, a moped is any vehicle with or without pedals that has a motor and travels at a maximum speed of 30 miles per hour (mph). Anyone with a valid driver’s license can operate a moped, no motorcycle test or license required. A scooter in Kansas is anything between a moped and an engine up to 5 horsepower (hp), and scooter drivers must have a valid motorcycle license to operate one. Dylan Medina opened LF Scooter Sales & Service in September 2018. The “LF” stands for what you think

it stands for—the same “LF” in the abbreviation LFK: Lawrence F*cking Kansas. Already the store has built a loyal following, and scooter aficionados appreciate having Medina as a resource for all their scooter needs and wants. LF Scooter services all scooters, from minor repairs to complete rebuilds and restorations of vintage scooters. The store also sells used scooters and brand-new Bintelli and Icebear scooters, which generally retail for between $1,000 and $2,000, Medina says. He became interested in scooters in the early 2000s when he was stationed for the Air Force at the Presidio of Monterey, in California, and he and a friend rented vintage mopeds for a weekend tour of Monterey Bay. Medina has ridden scooters “anywhere I go” in multiple states and even Bangkok, Thailand. He moved to Lawrence 10 years ago, and his brother lives here, so they rode mopeds together and joined a local riding group called Cold Trailers moped club, which still rides together. LF Scooter opened as a repair shop that sold used scooters, Medina says. Because there is no local source for new scooters, he researched lowerpriced brands that he could sell new hoping to attract both locals and students as customers.

Chip Davis rides his ‘Creamsicle’ down a rural road near Stull and poses by the side of the road

“The majority of students want a scooter that is a fairly low price to use for three to four years while they’re here. Also, the majority of the other customers who have a short commute to work or to run local errands want to ride them a few hundred miles per year,” he explains. 41

Kij Johnson rides her Kymco People 150 through an alley east of Mass St

Happy Days There is a reason Kij Johnson has a sticker on her scooter that says: “This machine conquers sadness.” “Every time I get on that scooter, I feel better. It cheers me up. It’s like going out and playing,” she says. Although she also owns a car, Johnson, an associate professor of English at the University of Kansas (KU) and a science fiction author, rides her scooter everywhere she goes in Lawrence. Her Kymco People 150 has 17,000 miles on it. She has mastered carrying a week’s worth of groceries stacked on the foot platform, so cargo space isn’t an issue for her, pretty much no matter what she buys—even a 4-foot-tall stuffed monkey. “I ride pretty much anywhere in town. I take the back streets because it’s more fun anyway—it’s more fun to go 30 [mph] on a scooter than to go 50,” she says. It’s hard to argue with the economic aspects of the scooter. Johnson says she gets about 70 miles to the gallon, and in the 10 years she has owned it, she has spent only $250 on it, apart from gas. Her taxes and insurance run less than $250 per year. When she needs a mood booster, Johnson has some favorite routes through town to tour, especially through older parts of Lawrence and neighborhoods with big trees. “Something about a scooter makes you look in the backs of things,” she says. 42

Johnson likes to go behind stores and through empty parking lots. “I see all kinds of cool things. You’re going 20, and you stop and take a picture with your phone,” she says. Being in the open air and able to see the sky while she rides are part of the appeal, she says. There is no windshield to obscure the view. The downside? “Taking a bug in the face. It hits like somebody’s shooting you with a pea shooter—it hurts!” she says.

Cruising the Countryside Chip Davis loves his orange Bintelli scooter called Creamsicle, which is easily identifiable by the custom white decal on the side; and he refers to himself as the “town crier of scooters” in Lawrence. Davis goes on long rides on his scooter as often as he can, leaving town to travel around the countryside to Stull and around Clinton Lake. “It’s therapeutic after you’ve had a long, stressful day. Just going for a ride in the evening is perfect. When I go in the backcountry, the thing I love most is the smells,” he says. Davis has physical disabilities and ongoing health issues from an accident in 2007. Being on the scooter is relaxing and “puts me in a better frame of mind,” he says. He has had three different scooters, and he says he took

Beth Whitaker sits on her green Honda Metropolitan scooter in front of Strong Hall

his previous scooter to Medina for repairs and advice. “I like his honesty.” Davis enjoys having an orange scooter, because he knows he stands out in a crowd, much like his magnetic personality. Also, he likes Creamsicle, which he bought from Medina, because he thinks the bright flash of orange makes him more visible to cars. “It’s comfortable; it has a back rest so I can stretch out. It also has a charger for my phone, with a built-in USB port,” he explains. His only regret about Creamsicle is that he doesn’t have a sidecar for his dog, Kc, to come along for rides. “The scooter gives you a sense of freedom. In the pandemic, for the sake of people’s mental health, think about getting a scooter,” he says. Town crier of scooters, indeed.

Practical Magic Beth Whittaker’s scooter, a green Honda Metropolitan, has been a loyal companion for about the past five years, and she says riding it is something she dreamed about since she was a student at KU in the ’80s. She rides it to work as often as she can—she is the director of KU’s Spencer Research Library—and takes it for errands.

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Dylan Medina works in his LF Scooter shop

“The nice thing about it is that it gets like 80 miles per gallon, so I don’t feel like I need to be concerned about the number of errands I’m doing or gas consumption. It’s so much fun that running errands is enjoyable, and parking is never a problem,” she says. Whittaker mostly prefers to stay east of Iowa Street, she says, and she tries to stay off the busiest streets, mapping routes that take her sometimes roundabout ways to her destinations. “The first time I was driving on a road, and I got the ‘motorcycle wave,’ I had no idea what that was. When I realized it was a greeting, I was so excited. I thought, ‘I’ve made it!’ ” she says. The only negative to riding the scooter for Whittaker is that she says it climbs Mount Oread rather slowly when driving to work. “Otherwise, it has been exactly everything I dreamed and hoped for. When I first started riding, I said, ‘Why 44

didn’t I do this years and years ago?’ ” she exclaims. This fall, Whittaker has added a speedier, more powerful Vespa to her garage alongside the Honda. Her children are older now, and the Vespa allows her to transport a passenger. Although she bought the used Vespa elsewhere, Whittaker shopped with Medina at LF Scooter to upgrade her helmet and personal safety gear for the bigger scooter. Sometimes, she still needs to drive one of the family cars if, for instance, she is taking both children somewhere or requires more cargo space. But she is happiest on the scooter. “People smile at me at stoplights and say things like, ‘Great scooter!’ That makes me want to ride it more. I will ride it whenever I can,” she says. p

Miles Schnaer and Randy Habiger on the showroom floor at Crown Toyota of Lawrence

ips h s r e l dea r ey a h c t e s c b n g jo wre n i a L y a f o p ell w pact , m i e l c b i rs. ta m e s o b e n m h o t e c ity m The e ble, as are n u m com nia o e t d e n d u i is prov come from both nearby and outside of the county to shop an, ph

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Covering as much ground, literally, as some of the largest businesses in town, Lawrence car dealerships make their presence known not just with rows of shiny vehicles lining some of our busiest streets. As large employers and some of the largest generators of sales tax revenue, their economic impacts cannot be understated. New and used vehicle sales in Lawrence accounted for more than $2.1 million of sales tax revenue in Douglas County in 2018 and more than $2.5 million in 2019, according to the Kansas Department of Revenue. People 46

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for and purchase vehicles from local dealerships. That is in addition to hundreds of customers per day whose cars are serviced and repaired at those locations. The local auto dealerships, according to Lawrence Chamber of Commerce data, employ about 600 people in sales, service, collision repair and parts, which means they are a significant source of stable, well-paying jobs in what was defined earlier this year as an â&#x20AC;&#x153;essentialâ&#x20AC;? business. Crown Automotive and McCarthy Auto Group are longtime, stalwart auto industry companies that are cognizant of their roles in the local scene.

Karl Kramer, Chief Marketing Officer for McCarthy Auto Group

Crown Automotive, 3400 Iowa St., is a Toyota and Volkswagen dealer providing service, collision repair and parts, as well as selling pre-owned vehicles. Miles Schnaer has owned Crown since 1994, when he purchased the Chevrolet dealership near the same location. Crown employs more than 100 people and sells about 250 new and used cars per month, while servicing about 140 cars per month, Crown general manager Randy Habinger explains. McCarthy Auto Group is a regional Kansas City-area organization, in business since 1969, that owns 11 dealerships and acquired the Lawrence Subaru, 2233 W. 29th Terrace, and Nissan, 2101 W. 29th Terrace, from Briggs Auto Group in July 2019. McCarthy Subaru and Nissan also provide service and pre-owned sales, and employ about 50 people between them, says Karl Kramer, chief marketing officer for McCarthy Auto Group. McCarthy Subaru sells an average of 70 to 80 new and pre-owned cars per month, which makes it one of the top five fastestgrowing Subaru retailers in the Midwest, Kramer says. McCarthy Nissan sells an average of about 50 vehicles per month.

Crownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 80-vehicle showroom, service and collision facilities, and Kingdom Event Space for community events opened in 2004. It was built adjacent to the old 15-car showroom, on the site of the former Payless Cashways store, when Walmart purchased the older building as part of its expansion to become a Walmart Supercenter. The new facility allowed Crown to grow from selling about 70 to 100 cars per month with 30 employees to more than double the sales and more than triple the workforce, Habinger says. Schnaer sold the Chevrolet brand store to Dale Willey in 2009. That same year, he purchased both the Volkswagen and Toyota stores. Both McCarthyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Subaru and Nissan facilities are newer and updated, Kramer says. Briggs Auto Group built the Subaru building in the Lawrence Auto Plaza in 2012 and remodeled it in 2017, when Briggs also purchased a nearby building that it converted to a used car showroom. Briggs Nissan built its facility in the Auto Plaza in 2013 after moving from the former Sears building on Iowa Street. McCarthy Nissan has 12 to 14 service bays, and McCarthy Subaru has 11 service bays, Kramer explains. 47

Crown Toyota in the early morning Crown sales person demonstrates some of the bells and whistles to a client Crown Service area

McCarthy also owns the digital time and temperature sign on Iowa Street, which has been updated to reflect the McCarthy brand. It also shares with Dale Willey the tall, grandfathered directory sign that lists the various dealerships and other businesses along that Four Wheel Drive corridor. A Different Direction Displaying cars in showrooms is the traditional way of demonstrating vehicles to customers; but nowadays, that seems a little quaint. Most of the information customers learn for their car purchase comes from the internet and is prior to arriving at the dealership. Even local stores must develop their own unique web presence, replete with vehicle specs, pricing and even live chat and methods to develop “e-leads,” which can put customers in direct touch with local dealership salespeople. “The internet has changed the industry for good,” Crown’s Habinger says. “Now the consumer comes in educated, and they know what they want. Even people on the internet want to come in and drive, and try the vehicles … .” Habinger says there’s about a 5 percent segment of the 48

buying market that is willing to purchase vehicles fully online, which has increased, likely temporarily, during the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the first things McCarthy Auto Group did when it was transitioning from Briggs was update the website and online presence to reflect McCarthy’s identity, Kramer says. Even with a stellar website and social media presence, the auto dealerships agree that in Lawrence, their reputations in the community are what supersede any kind of marketing effort. “When a customer knows we’re going to be here longterm, that makes a difference. We’ve dug our roots in this community. People come here because they know we stand behind our community and our business,” Habinger says. The Crown dealership, in pre-COVID times and hopefully in the near future, opens its built-in event space to

Crown detailing one of their cars Quilt show in the Kingdom

KEEP YOUR BUSINESS OPEN

Protect Yourself, Your Family,Your Workers & Our Community. local nonprofit organizations for fund-raisers and community activities. Many nonprofits use the space for annual events that benefit their organizations and the community. Kramer says a combination of having solid reputable brands like Subaru and Nissan, and jumping right into philanthropic activities in Lawrence has allowed McCarthy to start off on the right foot in terms of being new to Lawrence. In 2021, McCarthy has a large slate of local organizations it plans to support, and Kramer also hopes to launch a high school scholarship program in Lawrence similar to others that McCarthy has established in other markets. The internet isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the only aspect of car dealerships and vehicle sales that has changed over timeâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;in particular, during the past 10 years or so. The technology inside the vehicle itself is adapting continually for safety, entertainment and comfort. Where the attraction of newer models used to be a new body style or fuel economy, Habinger

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McCarthy Auto Plaza Checking on the computer McCarthy Auto group service area

says that now, it is also about touch screens, Bluetooth and high-tech security features, such as backup cameras and automatic emergency braking systems. The vehicles people are choosing to drive also have changed dramatically through the years. Even as recently as the 1990s, he says, about 70 to 80 percent of the vehicles on the road were passenger cars; now, the road is dominated by SUVs, trucks and minivans, with passenger cars accounting for only about 30 percent of the vehicles. “With the fuel economy of SUVs and trucks, plus the comfort of sitting up higher from the road in those vehicles, it has really changed what the consumer wants,” Habinger adds.

Cars in the Time of COVID For all the obvious reasons, business has not been as usual at the car dealerships in town this year. The businesses had to balance both customer safety and employee safety as they addressed social distancing within the facilities and additional cleaning and sanitizing procedures in common areas. 50

When the shutdowns began in March, vehicle repair was considered an essential business by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. In May, Kramer says vehicle sales came to be part of the essential businesses, as well. Habinger says Crown was open by appointment only, and the service department went to half of its staff in order to keep to social distancing guidelines. The garage doors were left open throughout the workday. The sales staff was at one-quarter of its usual staffing. Both Crown and McCarthy continued to have web traffic as people researched cars, but they had to take some time to accommodate in-person shopping, test drives and negotiations. During the shutdowns, Habinger explains, people choosing to purchase their cars fully online and have them delivered—a completely no-contact sales process—increased from about 2 to 3 percent of overall sales to about 5 percent.

Karl Kramer visits with sales people Mechanics at McCarthy work on a car

Subaru and Nissan manufacturers temporarily stopped producing vehicles in March and April, Kramer says. McCarthy managed its used vehicle inventory through the summer until more inventory began arriving in August. They were “definitely feeling the crunch” of having fewer new vehicles on hand in the early summer, he adds. Between pent-up demand for vehicles and generous manufacturer incentives, Habinger says, the year in sales at Crown likely will end up being average. Even better, by changing the staff to a rotating three- or four-day workweek during the shutdowns, Crown did not have to furlough any employees or cut pay. “What we started 25 years ago is customer service. The way we built the organization is to take care of the customer. When the downturn happens, we adjust,” he says. p

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Take a

HIKE

(a jog, run, or walk) by Anne Brockhoff, photos by Steven Hertzog

Ellen Young front-left in the Ad Astra shirt and The Running for the Hill gang start a run on The Billy Mills Trail at Haskell University

Lawrenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s supply of outdoor trails not only help improve the health of community members who frequent them but are also a boon to its economy. 52

J. Jenkins, owner of Ad Astra tells customers the stories behind the historic photos of legendary local track stars that line his walls

Such resources are a boon for residents, in no small part because they also positively impact the area’s economy. Outdoor recreational activities, including hiking, accounted for 1.8 percent of Kansas’s gross domestic product in 2019, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Economic Analysis.

Kansas isn’t what you’d call a go-to hiking state. When it is included on best-of lists, the lucky trail is usually described along the lines of, “You won’t believe you’re in Kansas!” Apparently, those “best-of” writers haven’t been to Lawrence. It’s a great place for ambulatory pursuits, enthusiasts say, whether you’re walking for fitness or after a more rugged hike. The area’s paths and trails wind through historic neighborhoods and past art installations, skirt shorelines and wetlands, cut through oak and hickory forests, as well as patches of native prairie. Whatever they lack in drama they more than make up for in diversity. “We’re not Colorado, we’re not Washington state or any of those other places. We don’t have the things they do,” says Kate Dinneen, chair of the nonprofit Friends of Lawrence Area Trails (FLAT). “We do have these amazing trails and outdoor possibilities.”

Parks and trails boost the value of nearby residential properties, help attract jobs, draw outside visitors and reduce medical costs by spurring increased physical activity among residents, according to a 2015 study of the Johnson County Parks and Recreation District. Studies conducted by other cities and counties, as well as organizations such as the American Hiking Society, yield similar results. It’s no stretch to think that local trails have a similar impact on the Lawrence economy. “It’s one more amenity that brings people in,” Dinneen says. “People like to do things that are athletic.”

Heather Hasler outside of Gribbles Left: Customers trying on running shoes at Garry Gribbles.

Trail Usage Surges Trails and paths have proven to be even more crucial in recent months, as area residents headed outside during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, the nation’s largest trails organization. Trail usage was 79 percent higher between March and May of this year compared to 2019, and three-quarters of people surveyed said trails contributed significantly to the wellbeing of a community, the organization explains. That’s proven true in Lawrence, as well. Regular trail users have noted heavier traffic throughout recent months, Dinneen says, and those observations are backed by FLAT’s survey of Lawrence Loop multiuse trail users on what she calls an unseasonably and uncomfortably hot day in May. “We had the same numbers as they had (from a survey taken) on a nicer day the previous year in the fall,” Dinneen says. “It’s not enough to come up with a scientific deduction, but anecdotally, it represents a lot more usage.” 54

J. Jenkins, who, together with Grant Catloth, owns Ad Astra Running, saw something similar on the trails and paths he frequents. “We saw a big upsurge out on the paths in March, April and May,” he says. “The paths were swarming with people.”

Simply Get Outside Walking and hiking are, at their most basic level, easy. Simply put on shoes and walk outside. Lawrence has more than 486 miles of sidewalks, and plenty of walkers take to them regularly for exercise. “We see probably as many walkers in the store as runners,” Jenkins says. “There are an awful lot of people walking for their primary exercise.” Many of those want special gear, just like runners do. Shoes, socks, lightweight and breathable clothing, reflective jackets, headlamps, water bottles, belts to stow phones or keys—Lawrence’s running and shoe stores supply it all. Like other retailers, such stores shut down in March, when they reopened, they were met with pentup demand from walkers both experienced and new. “As soon as we were able to reopen, we were overwhelmed by people shopping,” says Heather Hasler, assistant manager at Gary Gribble’s Running Sports. “So many people were out walking, and they realized they needed different shoes or accessories.” Lawrence has what Hasler describes as a huge walking community. Certainly, there was enough interest for the store to host what it called Walking Wednesdays, a congenial group that gathered weekly for a shared workout. The official group was put on pause out of safety concerns when the pandemic began, but that hasn’t kept people from walking.

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A Trail for Everyone

Part of the appeal, Hasler says, is the variety of paths available throughout the community. Ellen Young, who founded the women’s running and walking group Running for the Hill of It about a decade ago, agrees. “Lawrence has great trails now and lots of good walking areas,” she says. Young began walking in the 1990s, when she says she was extremely overweight. She shed the weight and eventually began running and even worked at both Gary Gribble’s and Ad Astra for a time. Her group draws women of all speeds—walkers, trail runners, women who run long distances or train using a hybrid run-walk-run meth-

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Ryan Schwisow points out the merits of a Merrell hiking shoe Right: Brown’s shoes on Mass St

mile South Lawrence Trafficway Trail, which follows Kansas Highway 10 along Lawrence’s southern and western edges. There are still gaps, though, particularly at the north end of the Burroughs Creek Trail and west of the Sandra Shaw Trail. Completing them means grappling with issues like acquiring land in the county or, in more urban areas, public safety and crossing private property. “How do you get from the Santa Fe Depot through downtown?” FLAT’s Dinneen asks. “There are some big issues that have to be resolved.” FLAT’s initial goal was the Lawrence Loop, but its mission has since expanded to develop, promote and maintain trail systems throughout Douglas County and northeast Kansas. To do that, it works with organizations including the Lawrence Mountain Bike Club, horseback riding groups, the Audubon Society and others.

Integrating People, Place od pioneered by Olympian Jeff Galloway. There’s room for everyone, and no one is ever left behind, she says. “I’m not concerned with how fast we go,” Young says. “It’s about getting out and moving.” Running for the Hill of It meets Monday nights at Ad Astra and usually passes through nearby residential neighborhoods. When asked which are her favorite routes, Young lists a dozen or more, including Pickney, North Lawrence, Prairie Meadows and other neighborhoods; the Sandra Shaw Trail, near downtown; and trails at Rock Chalk Park, Prairie Park Nature Preserve, Baker Wetlands, Clinton Park and elsewhere. There are also plenty of stretches she likes along the Lawrence Loop, which aspires to be a 22-mile continuous network of trails and paths around Lawrence. It was conceived more than two decades ago, and more than 17 miles have so far been completed. Much of its distance incorporates distinct paths, such as the Burcham Park Trail in East Lawrence; the Burroughs Creek Trail and Linear Park, from 11th to 23rd streets (which also connects to Haskell Indian Nations University and the Haskell RailTrail, the first operational rail-trail in Kansas); and the 1256

It’s about more than walking and hiking paths and trails, though. FLAT strives to integrate people into those places in sometimes unexpected ways. The organization in April encouraged users to look for creatures that live (or that people wish lived) along one of Lawrence’s trails and then create a picture or sculpture, write a poem and share it all on FLAT’s Instagram page. “There were these sloths made out of paper mâché and hung on a tree on the Burroughs Creek Trail. It was hilarious, and it stayed up until the weather took it,” Dinneen says. In September, FLAT, the Lawrence Public Library and Watkins Museum of History hosted “Prize the Lawrence Loop,” an event encouraging people to walk, bike, run or roll the Lawrence Loop, then submit a photograph for a chance at prizes. When the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners invited Van Go apprentice artists to paint a mural on the 31st Street underpass near Broken Arrow Park, FLAT cheered them on. The mural, which pays homage to the area’s historically indigenous people and wildlife, was completed in October.

Women of Running for the Hill (l-r) Leilani Jauregui, Kristina Selters, Angie Hagan, Ellen Young, Jackie Wilson, Renee Rose, Stephanie Aldridge and Arron Estes

Dinneen hopes to see even more activities that enable people to enjoy art, music, theater and more along the area’s trails. “It’s the perfect way to collaborate with other organizations and create more community,” Dinneen explains. “That’s what Lawrence is about.”

Striking Out From the Loop Paths included in the Lawrence Loop are all paved and generally 10 feet wide, making them accessible to walkers, bikers, hikers and those with disabilities. It also con-

nects to destinations such as the 14-acre Lawrence Rotary Arboretum, near Kansas Highway 10 and Wakarusa Drive, which features a pergola, gardens, ponds, waterfall and outdoor stage. “That’s a beautiful place to walk, and there are a ton of people who go there,” Ad Astra’s Jenkins says. Lawrence residents also prize some of the area’s more natural destinations, including trails near the Kansas River and Clinton Reservoir. They’re rugged enough to satisfy enthusiasts yet still well within reach of those new to the activity, says Ryan Schwisow, owner and manager of Brown’s Shoe Fit Co., at 829 Massachusetts St.

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“Hiking, in general, has really picked up,” Schwisow says. “Everyone who was staying at home and working from home has been getting out and hitting the Levee, hitting the trails.” The Lawrence Levee Trail offers an unpaved but still accessible hike along the flood-control levee on the north shore of the Kansas River. Taken out-and-back, it adds up to 10 miles; hikers and mountain bikers can also split off onto the more adventurous Lawrence River Trails. Clinton Lake’s North Shore Trails offer more than 20 miles of hiking through forests along the lake’s shore; hikers share another 35 miles of trails with horseback riders on the lake’s south shore. There aren’t any hills at the Baker University Wetlands Research and Natural Area, but there are 11 miles of trails through the restored ecosystem, which is rich with waterfowl. The five-mile trail system at the University of Kansas Field Station, located 15 minutes east of downtown, includes five interconnected loops showcasing both woodlands and native prairie. Everyone hiking and walking those trails seems to want new shoes to do it in, but meeting that demand has proved challenging, retailers agree. Footwear retailers such as those in other sectors scaled back on inventory early in the pandemic. The rest of the supply chain similarly contracted. Then hiking and walking surged in popularity, causing shortages of some popular styles. In response, Brown’s has embraced new software that allows all the parent company’s franchise owners in 12 Midwest states to share inventory and better serve customers, Schwisow explains. Customers increasingly appreciate being able to shop locally, and they understand the impact their purchases make, he continues. He, in turn, makes supporting Lawrence businesses a priority of his own. “We keep our money local,” Schwisow says. “The money spent here goes directly to our schools and our economy.” Ad Astra’s Jenkins says trails and paths are more than just amenities for residents. They’re assets well worth prioritizing, because they draw people to Lawrence, help keep them healthy and contribute to the economy. “People are more aware now than ever the importance of maintaining good health and being active,” he continues. “People are going to gravitate toward a town that has made that a priority. “I feel fortunate to live in a community that is actively taking steps to help people live healthier lives,” Jenkins says. p

s s e l e f o m Ti eauty B by Bob Luder, photos by Steven Hertzog

Lawrence’s antique car and motorcycle enthusiasts enjoy bringing history back to life through their passion.

Unlike many of her peers in the Lawrence All British Car Club, Susan McKenzie didn’t foster a love of antique cars during her youth. For her, it occurred later in life, when she married James McKenzie and, in essence, also married into his love of antique cars. James had enjoyed owning many different British cars during the years and was a founding member of the Lawrence All British Car Club after he attended a British car gathering in Nashville. When they married, Susan decided to share in the experience and always was along for the ride. That shared experience was tragically broken five years ago when James died following a battle with cancer. With her partner in life—and appreciating antique cars—no longer with her, it would have been easy for McKenzie to drop the hobby and go in a new direction. Instead, she says, her interest and participation in the Lawrence All 60

British Car Club only intensified. Not only did she find it the perfect way to honor her late husband’s memory, there were practical forces at play. “When he died, I had to learn how to drive the car,” McKenzie says of the 1963 Morris Mini Minor James purchased and restored just a couple years before his death. In fact, James first drove the Mini just 17 days before he died. “Since then, I’ve just really gotten into it,” she says. “He always wanted me to learn to drive it, but I was hesitant because I didn’t want to wreck his car learning to drive it. Now, I only have myself to answer to; but the learning is over, so it’s just fun.” Learning to drive the Mini was no simple task. Never mind that McKenzie had never before driven a stick shift (a car with a manual transmission). But being a British car, the Mini has its steering wheel on the right side, turning the

e g a t n i s V e l c i h e V Antique car show in Lawrence

whole concept of orientation and road perspective on its head. “It was a real rust bucket when (James) got it,” she says. “He totally restored it. Now, it’s up to me to keep it in good shape.” McKenzie is one of dozens of antique car enthusiasts that can be found driving their pet machines around Lawrence and throughout the Douglas County countryside. The Lawrence All British Car Club alone has at any given time between 30 and 40 members. There also is a local branch of the Antique Automobile Club of America—one of three region branches in Kansas—and, up until a few years ago, there was a Lawrence Corvette Club. And it’s not only automobiles that draw interest from antique lovers. Lawrence Vintage Cycle, in North Lawrence, works almost solely on old Harley-Davidson motorcycles. It’s not hard to spot McKenzie when she’s driving the Mini around town. In addition to it being bright red, the car has the Union Jack, the symbol on the British flag, on its roof, and stuck on a back window, there’s an image of Queen Elizabeth II, as though she’s sitting in the back seat waving to a crowd of onlookers.

“In a typical year, I’ve driven it to a lot of events,” she says. “I’ve gone to events in Tulsa, Kansas City and the Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival every year. I’ve put a lot of money into keeping it up and driving it from place to place.”

Like-Minded Car Lovers

McKenzie serves as vice president of the Lawrence All British Car Club and has been a member for about 15 years. The club itself has been around for more than 30 years, according to its Facebook page. Bill Fisher, who’s written and edited the organization’s newsletter the last several years, says the club currently has 36 members, hailing from Lawrence, Topeka and Kansas City. It welcomes (for a $20 annual membership fee) owners of all makes, models and years of British cars, regardless of condition, and has some members who don’t own a British car at all. “In Kansas City in the 1950s and ’60s, after the war, we had a lot of British car shops because of Forbes Field,” Fisher says. “That’s the way it all started, a lot of soldiers experiencing little British cars and shipping them back 61

home.” Because of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, 2020 has been a quite year for antique car clubs throughout the U.S. In a typical year, Fisher explains, the Lawrence All British Car Club would attend and represent itself at car shows in Kansas City and the surrounding areas. There are regularly scheduled swap meets in Lawrence and Topeka. “Because of COVID, there have been shipping problems from England for parts to work on cars,” he says. “There have been network disruptions, mostly on the supply side.” One event that did take place in 2020 was the Lake Garnett Grand Prix Revival, held in early October. Classic car enthusiasts from around the area and local states gathered and toured the track around Lake Garnett. “The Lake Garnett Grand Prix was a blast,” McKenzie says of the event, which, in its original formation, ran from 1959 to 1972. Cars toured Lake Garnett entered in one of four categories: 60 mph and under, 80 and under, 100 and under and vintage race cars. “The 100 and under … that gets pretty hairy out there,” Fisher says, adding that the British Car Club hosts an annual meeting at Johnny’s Tavern in North Lawrence and, during non-COVID times, also meets on the first Tuesday of every month at Conroy’s Pub on West Sixth Street. “You don’t need a car to be a member,” he says. “You just need enthusiasm and a willingness to learn.” The same can be said of the Antique Automobile Club of America. For a $45 annual fee, club members receive opportunities to exhibit their cars and/ or compete in style competitions. The organization, founded in 1935, also maintains a vast research library and staff to help members learn and answer questions about all things antique cars. Unfortunately, Lawrence no longer has a local Corvette club. Former member Doug Flessing says the Lawrence Corvette Club was founded when one owner of a vintage Corvette put an ad in the Journal-World asking for like-minded folks to contact him. It was viable for eight to 10 years before losing steam about four years ago. At its peak, he says the club had at least 30 couples and more than 70 members. 62

“Most people just moved on and got other hobbies,” says Flessing, who owned a ’58 Corvette C1. “As we all got older, it got more difficult to get down into the cars.” The Lawrence Corvette Club was sponsored by Crown Chevrolet and met monthly at its facility. Often, those meetings were preceded by meeting for a meal at a local restaurant. Between meetings, the club would organize events for members to drive around Lawrence and the county. “We always drove in the St. Patrick’s Day parade. The most we ever had was 17 cars,” Flessing says. “At the KU Homecoming Parade, we would carry the king and queen.”

Love for Two-Wheeled Antiques

While it might not be a club, per se, there is plenty of enthusiasm and expertise for lovers of antiques of the two-wheeled variety coming out of Lawrence Vintage Cycle, on Third Street in North Lawrence. That’s where owner Lucas Freeman runs his business buying, fixing and flipping vintage motorcycles, especially old Harley-Davidsons. “I’ve done a little work on imports like Triumph, Norton and the Japanese bikes—Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki,” Freeman says. “But my expertise is in Harleys.” That expertise comes from 24 years working in Harley repair, 17 as a master mechanic. Freeman keeps his business close to the vest. All of his work is done through appointment only, and he says he has his entire list of around 100 long-term customers saved in his phone. “Lawrence being a small town … everyone is pretty loyal,” he says. “I’m happy working for myself.” A childhood friend’s father’s preoccupation with vintage motorcycle restoration formed the birthplace of Freeman’s obsession, he explains. Now, he prefers keeping that hobby/business at a manageable level. He says he recently sold a ’68 Harley Sportster to a Japanese customer and has a ’58 Harley on sale now. “It’s one of those things that, if you don’t love it, you’re going to hate it,” he says, laughing.

Bill Fisher with his rebuilt Triumph The Britsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bits newsletter

Bringing History Back to Life

There’s one day Susan McKenzie was driving her Mini that she’ll never forget. She was heading over to the Kansas City Automotive Museum in Olathe one morning, hitting what she thought was about 70 mph on K-10, when her entire right-front wheel flew off. While her immediate reaction was to hit the brakes and pull off to the right side of the highway, she quickly realized that she had little braking available, and if she jerked the car too quickly to one side, she could lose control. So she simply allowed the car to coast until it reached a speed slow enough to safely steer it to the shoulder. “The worst part is that I never found the wheel,” she says. “I walked back and looked and even asked the county to look for it when they were mowing, but it was never found.” Not to worry. McKenzie says she’s had to fix the car’s speedometer and other instruments, and she purchased and replaced the lost wheel. So she can continue driving her beloved Mini around town alongside all the other like-minded antique car lovers who dot the landscape with their beautiful, vintage machines. “You’d be amazed how many old British cars are driving around Lawrence,” says Fisher, who appropriately holds a degree in art sculpture. “It’s a great novelty, and there’s just great camaraderie among fellow car owners. If you break down on the road, you always have someone to call who will be more than glad to come help you out.” In fact, Fisher says in some ways, he feels as though he’s part of a large, moving museum. “It’s bringing history back to life,” he says. “The designers of these cars did amazing work. We’re bringing that amazing work back to life. How cool is that?” p Susan McKenzie stands beside her Mini

Various antique vehicles at an Antique show in Lawrence

Full Speed Ahead The importance of auto care-including maintenance and repair-is clear as business remains relatively stable in spite of the COVID-19 pandemic. by Anne Brockhoff, photos by Steven Hertzog

Consumers these days order everything from dinner and a movie to clothing and computers online. One thing they can’t do virtually? Auto care. It’s a hands-on industry that, after shuttering like most of the country in March and April, roared back with pent-up demand that’s mostly being met in Lawrence by neighborhood shops. That’s not unusual, given that independent auto repair, service and body shops represent 80 percent of the U.S. repair capacity, says Tony Molla, vice president of industry relations for the Automotive Service Association (ASA), a national automotive repair trade group. “The small independent repair shops vastly outnumber dealers,” he explains. “They really are the infrastructure that keeps everything moving.” They also contribute greatly to local economies. Douglas County is home to dozens of independent auto and body repair, oil and lube, auto glass and tire businesses. Together with area manufacturers, distributors and parts stores, they generated 505 jobs, $24.1 million in wages and $56.3 million in economic activity in 2019, according to the Auto Care Association, which represents the independent auto-care industry.

More importantly, such businesses get vehicles—whether they’re the family car, part of a fleet or operated by law enforcement or emergency services—back on the road quickly, says Tom Harris, who, together with his brother, Russ Harris, owns Harris Auto Repair, on 23rd Street. “We’re a transportation-based economy over and above cities in other areas,” Tom says. “We help people get to work.” Harris’s father, Bryan Harris, had long been in the business before opening their shop in 2000. He initially focused on suspension repair, alignment and brakes. When Tom and Russ joined him, they expanded to include routine service, major engine repair and custom exhaust system work. They fix all makes and models of cars, which means they also need a range of diagnostic equipment and training— something that’s become increasingly complex over the years. “When we started out, a car maybe had two computers in it,” Tom says. “Now they have up to 20 computers in them for everything—the door module, headlights. It’s pretty crazy.” Harris Auto Repair moved to its current location in 2004, which includes 5,600 square feet and six service bays. Bryan owns the building, including the portion leased to Drop Zone Extreme Sports. He retired in 2019; the brothers bought the business and are equal partners. They have two technicians; their mother, Robin Harris, also works with them. “It really helps when you have a good mentor for all those years,” Tom says of his father. “That puts you ahead of things.”

A Relationship Business

To stay ahead, most shops rely on word-of-mouth recommendations rather than advertising. To earn those, they have to develop both relationships and trust with customers—something with which small businesses have an advantage. “With independent repair shops, the owner is right there either doing the work or at the counter watching it,” says Mike Grammer, of Don’s Auto Center Inc., at 11th Street and Haskell Ave. Mike’s father, Don Grammer, opened the shop in 1974 and focused on Volkswagen repair. Mike joined the business in 1980 as it was expanding into other domestic and import models; the center now services a 50-50 mix. The Grammers added a machine shop in 1986, which gave

Left: Don’s Auto Center entry Mechanics working at Don’s Bottom: Mike Grammer and his wife Carol

them full control over repairs like rebuilding engine cylinders. It also helped attract business from mechanics throughout the region who work on farm equipment and machinery. In 1988, the Grammers built their current 4,800-square-foot, eightbay shop. Mike bought out his father’s half of the business when Don retired 15 years ago; they both still own the building. “Dad was as good as anyone I’ve ever known in the car business,” says Mike, who still meets his father for breakfast every Friday morning. “I couldn’t have learned from anybody better.” He is also appreciative of a loyal customer base—he says some families have now been customers three generations. He’s equally focused on building loyalty among employees by offering healthcare and retirement plans, and a supportive environment. Of Mike’s three employees, the newest has been with him for 18 years, the longest for 35. “I feel if they’re going to send good work out the door, the guys have to be happy,” says Mike, whose wife, Carol, also works at the shop. “We try to keep a family atmosphere and take care of them.”

A Contributing Factor

Businesses like the Grammer’s might be small, but economic activity sparked by the auto-care industry generates output and jobs in hundreds of other industries, according to economic research firm John Dunham & Associates, which conducted the Auto Care Association study. Richie Backus and Marcos Markoulatos, who own Slimmer’s Automotive Service, explain that local shops buy tires, parts and other supplies from independent suppliers, franchises of bigger chains and dealers, as well as support other area businesses. “All the money that comes in, we put back into Lawrence,” Markoulatos says. “We shop locally. To me, that’s what makes the world go round on a local level. We do as little Amazon as we can get away with.” They tapped Pride of Gumbo for new building, door and window signage; head to Cottin’s Hardware & Rental for any hardware needs; use the Roark Group for accounting; buy tires from D & D Tire Service, which does both retail and wholesale sales at its shop at 10th and Vermont streets; and refers customers to businesses like Downtown Muffler & Brake for services they themselves don’t provide. “And there’s Lawrence Beer Company,” laughs Markoulatos, who is a former BMW technician and certified mini master technician. “We go there a lot for lunch.” Before buying Slimmer’s in 2019, Markoulatos was working in Kansas City, and Backus was driving to Topeka, where he oversaw motorcycle, vintage tractor and other magazines for a publishing company. Both were tired of commuting, and they soon decided to approach Pat and Linda Slimmer about taking over the business. It 68

Pearson’s Collision Repair, outside and in the shop.

wasn’t a long shot—Backus had worked for the Slimmers in the 1990s, first as its general manager and later as what he calls a “weekend warrior.” Markoulatos had long been friends with the couple. “Pat had joked for years with me, telling me, ‘Whenever you’re ready to buy a shop, let me know,’ ” he says. “We thought, ‘Well, let’s see what that actually looks like.’ ” The Slimmers retired and sold the shop to the business partners, who then moved it to a newly renovated 6,400-square-foot location at 9th and Delaware streets last September. They have seven technicians, including longtime service manager Joe Patrick, who both owners credit with maintaining a sense of intense loyalty among their clients. They encourage continuing education among their employees (including paying education bonuses), provide health care and try to be flexible in other ways. And when it comes to how they treat customers? There’s just this rule: “You have to be straight with people,” Markoulatos says. “That’s No. 1.”

The Details Matter

Communication and professionalism are important, agrees Mike Pearson, owner of Pearson Collision Repair. Pearson says all some people know when they come to him after an accident damages the body or frame of their car is that they want it fixed. He’s passionate about doing it right, down to details like matching the exact paint codes for every part. The result? Repeat customers and referrals. “We have families that we’ve fixed eight or 10 cars for over the years, between the parents and their children,” Pearson says. In total, Pearson’s shop has repaired almost 23,000 vehicles since they started keeping count in 1987. By then, Pearson had been in the business for years. He rebuilt his first car when he was just 18, a 1961 AustinHealey that cost $100 because it was missing the top, back seats and transmission cover. He drove it home, fixed it and subsequently turned his parents’ Johnson County garage into something of a body shop. Pearson continued doing body work, and then he and his wife, Debbie, opened their first shop in North Lawrence in 1981. He bought his current location, which sits on a 1-acre lot at 6th and Connecticut streets, a decade later. Pearson has three employees in the shop; Debbie and her sister, Christina Messineo, help keep things running in the office. His might be a small business, but it adds jobs and taxes to the local economy. Consumers also benefit: Convenient access to such services saves them 69

Richie Backus and Marcos Markoulatos, owners of Slimmer’s Automotive Slimmer mechanics working on cars in their service garage

both time and expense because they don’t have to drive out of town for repairs, he explains. When the pandemic unfolded earlier this year, Pearson didn’t know what to expect. Business was off about 20 percent in the early months before rebounding more recently. That’s to be expected given collision repair revenue nationwide is down between 25 and 30 percent, the ASA’s Molla says. “People were driving less,” he explains. “When you drive less, you have fewer accidents.” Mechanical repair shops have fared slightly better, but most owners remain cautious in their outlook. “It’s still a big concern,” Don’s Auto Center’s Mike Grammer says of the current climate. “There are a lot of people out of work downtown, small mom-and-pop retailers, bars, restaurants. I’ve got customers coming in who haven’t worked since March, and they’re struggling.”

An Uncertain Future

The long-term impact is yet to be seen. On the one hand, the average age of the nation’s 290 million vehicles is 11.9 years. That’s likely to rise as consumers hold onto aging vehicles during economic uncertainty, according to the Auto Care Association. That could drive demand for local repair and collision services. But more people may continue working from home, even after the pandemic eases, reducing total miles driven and the need for maintenance and repairs. The only thing shop owners like Mike Grammer say they can do is continue focusing on their customers. “We’ve always tried to treat customers like we’d want to be treated if we had our car somewhere,” he says. “That’s the motto my dad taught me when I started working here.” p 71

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VAN GO DINNER ON THE CURVE & AUCTION and MURAL

NEWS [MAKERS ] & PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Good Energy Solutions is giving away another solar electric energy system to an additional non-profit organization in the Douglas County Community in 2021. 2020 has been a challenging year for many in our community, and Good Energy wants to show their appreciation of your support of their local small business. They want to give back and especially thank those organizations that have given so much to others throughout the year by giving the gift that keeps on giving. By installing a solar energy system Good Energy can lower a non-profit organization’s electric bill so they can use more of their money to help others, and give less to the utility company. Since 2017 Good Energy Solutions has given away 2 solar energy projects, one to VanGo, Inc and another to Sunrise Project. After the announcement of the gift to Sunrise Project, an anonymous community member donated a solar energy system to Just Food. Good Energy is so grateful that the donor could help Just Food lower their energy costs with the gift of solar. Just Food is helping so many during this unprecedented time of the pandemic. If your non-profit is interested in earning a solar energy system, please fill out the application at the link below by December 31, 2020. (Entries from 2017 and 2019 are still eligible, however, they are asking that you resubmit to ensure they have your correct address) Considerations of property, building structure, and shading are all important factors that help determine the optimal beneficiary of the solar giveaway. Follow us on Facebook @GoodEnergySolutions and look for the Good Energy Solutions announcement of the selected organization in January of 2021. Good Energy Solutions will install a solar energy system on the organization’s property in the year 2021. The application is online here: https://www.goodenergysolutions.com/good-energy-solutions-solar-giveaway/

SERC Physical Therapy Welcomes New Clinic Director Mike Mendiola SERC Physical Therapy is pleased to announce the promotion of Mike Mendiola, PT as Lawrence’s Clinic Director. Mike has practiced for 19 years and joined SERC in 2015 most recently working at the Lansing clinic. He attended the University of Kansas for undergrad and completed PT school at the University of Illinois at Chicago. Mike has certifications in Dry Needling and ASTYM, and completed his orthopedic residency with Evidence in Motion. He also has a background in theater and dance, specializing in Performing Arts Physical Therapy. SERC Physical Therapy opened its Lawrence location in 2016 and has been in the Missouri/Kansas/Arkansas markets for over 20 years. SERC, part of the Upstream Rehabilitation family of clinical care, offers access to care within 24 to 48 hours and works with all insurance types.

Sunflower Bank Donates $3,058 to Schools and Students in Lawrence Sunflower Bank recently gave a total of $117,835 to schools and students through donations from its ABC Program, including $3,058 given locally in Lawrence. Since Sunflower Bank originated the program in 2001, it has contributed over $1.4 million to support kindergarten through 12th grade education in Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico and Texas. The most recent donations were generated from September 2019 through August 2020. “We are thrilled with the outcome of this year’s ABC Program that provides educational resources that are needed now more than ever. Our communities have embraced the year-round nature of the program, resulting in our donation of $117,835 back to our schools,” said Mollie Carter, Sunflower Bank Chairman. “This year’s enhancements to the ABC Program are just one example of the innovative solutions we bring to our Sunflower Bank and First National 1870 customers every day.” 76

NEWS [MAKERS ] & PEOPLE ON THE MOVE Commerce Bank names Robert Gillespie Lawrence Market President Commerce Bank announced today that Robert Gillespie currently business banking relationship manager has been promoted to president of the Lawrence market effective December 1, 2020, assuming the role currently held by Mark Heider, who will be retiring December 31, 2020 , a 40-year veteran of the banking industry and having served Commerce Bank in the role as market president since 2003. “I want to express my appreciation for the opportunity to work with so many talented colleagues,” said Heider. “My job has allowed me the opportunity to interact with many of the terrific business leaders and people in our community and I thank them for allowing me the opportunity to support their projects, needs and priorities.” With Heider’s retirement on December 31, 2020, Gillespie will be responsible for the overall administration of Commerce Bank’s Lawrence region, overseeing banking operations and continuing business development and relationship management related to Commerce’s full line of banking, borrowing and treasury management solutions for commercial clients. Gillespie began his career with Commerce Bank in May of 2011 as vice president and business banking relationship manager. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration majoring in finance from Kansas State University in 1994. Gillespie is active in the community, including serving as a board member for the Lawrence Schools Foundation and Lawrence Sertoma Club.

Meritrust Credit Union proudly welcomes to its real esate team Kent Fisher as Real Estate Loan Originator Kent has two decades of experience in financial services, including the auto financing and financial brokerage industries. His well-rounded background provides Lawrence home-seekers with a knowledgeable partner through the home-buying process, from application through closing and beyond. Real estate professionals will appreciate Kent’s dedication to service and making sure their clients find the right solution for their personal situation. “We’re elated to grow our Lawrence real estate team with the addition of Kent,” says Mitch Crouch, Meritrust Real Estate Sales Manager. “His passion for service and community align with the values we hold closely in our home loans process. We know home-buyers come to us to help make their dream homes a reality, and Kent will be a perfect partner in it.” He is a life-long Lawrence resident, is married and has two children. He is passionate about serving the people in our community, including involvement in programs that distribute hot meals to those in need and provide shelter for homeless families.

LMH Health earns Commission on Cancer accreditation LMH Health has earned official accreditation from the Commission on Cancer (CoC), a quality program of the American College of Surgeons. This accreditation, which is only awarded to institutions that can demonstrate a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer as a complex group of diseases, comes after a rigorous, two-year survey process that monitored protocols, treatments and outcomes in LMH Health’s cancer care units. “There has always been a fantastic team providing care to cancer patients in Lawrence Kansas, but this represents a major milestone for our hospital,” said Dr. Chad Tate, MD, surgeon at LMH Health and chairman of the cancer committee that sought accreditation. “This accreditation provides tremendous resources for our cancer patients and their providers. It also demands that we continue to meet rigorous quality standards for our care.” The accreditation, which was granted through 2024, requires consultation among surgeons, medical and radiation oncologists, diagnostic radiologists, pathologists and other cancer specialists. This multidisciplinary partnership results in improved patient care. 77

WHOS E DESK ? Be the first to correctly guess which local business figure works behind this desk. Winner receives a $50 gift card to 23rd Street Brewery. facebook.com/lawrencebusinessmagazine