Downtown Lawrence loses a brewery, gains two restaurants and a bodega

Post updated at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29: 

Downtown Lawrence has experienced a rash of closures in recent months, leading many residents to question the economic viability of a downtown storefront.

This month, Mass Street lost a brewery, but gained two restaurants and a convenience store.

Black Stag Brewery & Pub ceases operations

As of Oct. 25, Black Stag has stopped serving food and brews at 623 Massachusetts St.

“We want to extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who visited, shared a meal, and raised a glass with us over the years,” a message on the website reads. “Your support, laughter, and friendship made Black Stag more than just a brewery and pub — it became a gathering place filled with memories we will always cherish.”

The locally owned eatery opened in early 2019 and also served as a spot for live music.

Farmers market stall gets a brick-and-mortar location

Lebanese Flower, a street food-style stall at the farmers market, soft launched their permanent cafe location sandwiched next to Hookah House at 716 1/2 B Massachusetts St. during the first two weeks of October.

The restaurant is serving up street food and sides — from shawarma to falafel to dolma — as well as a robust selection of desserts, coffees and teas.

They’ve even reserved a whole section of the menu for Dubai chocolate delights, which have grown in popularity in recent months as a spin on a centuries-old treat.

Lebanese Flower Cafe is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays.

LFK Cornerstore has soft opened

A new bodega-style corner store is taking the place of Hollywood 22 Inc., a vape, tobacco and accessories shop that closed at 1025 A Massachusetts St.

LFK Cornerstore has soft opened, and although it will offer similar accoutrements to vape and tobacco shops, owner Alex Syed wants it to be an affordable one-stop convenience store for a wide variety of customers. 

Syed said he that if he wants to grab a quick soda downtown, he has to go to a restaurant, a specialty store or leave the street to head to a gas station. Over the next two to three weeks, he says the store will continue to fill up with products like candy, chips and easy-to-grab sodas.

A longtime Lawrence resident, Syed also owns Pure Vape and TM Cigar Lounge, both located in The Malls Shopping Center on 23rd Street, as well as Cigar House at 106 W. North Park St. LFK Cornerstore joins a growing arsenal of shops offering vape and tobacco products. However, Syed said he’s a proponent of cities imposing limits on the number of tobacco and liquor stores that can operate at any given time to prevent other businesses from being snuffed out.

He noted that a multitude of vape shops in the area open and then close quickly, which he attributes to remote ownership. He felt that LFK Cornerstore could offer more to its customers through his personal investment and by hiring strong employees. 

“I’ve been doing this for 25 years … I live in Lawrence,” he said. “I come to my shop every day, every other day … I want to work myself, too.”

LFK Cornerstore is open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and noon to 10 p.m. on Sundays.

Mediterranean food franchise coming soon

Shawarma Press, a Mediterranean food franchise, is taking over Krustaceans Seafood’s former storefront at 947 New Hampshire St. 

A sign outside the building and a Facebook post suggest the restaurant will open soon, but an official date has not yet been announced.

Other Shawarma Press locations feature bowls and wraps with lamb and beef, chicken, falafel, tandoori and more options.

Update, 1 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29: 

Sisters Atrooba and Tahima Hashim, both students at KU, will hold a soft open for their Lawrence franchise over the weekend, according to a Wednesday news release. The release did not provide the specific times that the restaurant will be open. 

“We’re looking forward to serving the community and introducing everyone to our fresh and healthy Mediterranean food,” Atrooba said in the release. “Our menu offers traditional Mediterranean items such as Shawarma wraps, made-from-scratch falafels, hummus, and fresh soups, salads, and pastries, but we are making our mark within the industry by introducing new, exciting fusion dishes to the menu.”

Texas-based Shawarma Press plans to open up to 50 locations across the country over the next five years, according to the release. 

Wulfe Wulfemeyer (they/them), reporter and news editor, has worked with The Lawrence Times since May 2025. They can be reached at wulfe@lawrencekstimes.com.

Read their complete bio here. Read their work for the Times here.

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