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jonralston30@gmail.com

FAVORITE SIGNS OF #LFK

A social media photo project I did on my own time featuring some of my favorite cool-looking signs in Lawrence and a little history behind them.

First entry in my Favorite Signs of #LFK series: Fire Station No. 1. Love that deco typeface.

Favorite Signs of #LFK, No. 2: Red Lyon Tavern. They'll charge you for the Guinness but the shamrocks are free. Rawr.

Favorite Signs of #LFK, entry No. 3: Masonic Temple (rays of light remix).

Favorite Signs of #LFK, No. 4: Kaw Valley Line (fun fact edition). Did you know that La Prima Tazza used to be a bus station before it sold amazing coffee drinks? It's true! Which is why it says Kaw Valley Line outside. Bonus fun fact: Free State Brewing Co. next door used to be the garage where they kept and maintained the buses.

Favorite Signs of #LFK, No. 5: The Bourgeois Pig (Horsefeather special edition). A couple of years ago at the paper we tried to get to the bottom of a longstanding #LFK rumor that the Horsefeather drink was invented at this longtime townie hangout. It turned out not to be true, but it's still a great drink! Not pictured: Me drinking a Horsefeather.

My Favorite Signs of #LFK, No. 6: Liberty Hall. A very old building that's had a lot of famous names on this kiosk over the years. Read more about its history in this cool story Sara Shepherd wrote a few years ago for its 100th anniversary.

Favorite Signs of #LFK, No. 7: "Eat." Ladybird Diner gets straight to the point, doesn't it? Though a sign that says "shovel delicious pie into your mouth" would be more accurate.

Favorite Signs of #LFK, No. 8: The Replay ("Lounge" not pictured). Living behind the Replay, where the PBR flows like water, I've been treated to many a free patio concert by countless local musicians over the last 10 years just by cracking a window. One of the perks of downtown Lawrence living.

Favorite Signs of #LFK, No. 9: The old Varsity Theater. The Varsity opened in the '20s and showed movies until the late '90s before Urban Outfitters moved in. I never had the chance to see a movie there but a lot of townies say they miss it. The sign lives on, at least.

Favorite Signs of #LFK, No. 10: Theo.Poehler Mercantile Co. (starving artist edition). This former grocery warehouse building was converted into lofts several years ago as an anchor to the Warehouse Arts District, a hub for the city's creative minds to do their thing.

Favorite Signs of #LFK, No. 11: Lawrence Train Depot, or This Way to Albuquerque. The Southwest Chief stops here twice a day on its way to Los Angeles or Chicago, in case you feel like a little Cary Grant in "North by Northwest" role-playing. This would be the night train headed west, which I hear is a pretty scenic trip if you can handle 36 straight hours on a train.

Favorite Signs of LFK, No. 12: I've officially closed a (10-year!) chapter of my life working at this place. It was full of good times and bad but through it all it was always interesting and I will always cherish the experience of working with so many great people over the years. I'm a little sad to leave but I'm mostly excited for some positive change and to see what comes next. Oyster worlds, oats to sow and all that.

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