Post updated at 4:41 p.m. Monday, Jan. 19:
In the leaner economic months following the holidays, at least one business is managing to set up shop in a previously vacant downtown storefront.
Additionally, downtown Lawrence has recently lost a pizza place, and a coffee shop is doubling down on its brick and mortar location after closing its mobile trailer.
Little K & Co: A Baby Boutique set to open this month
The commercial space at 21 W. Ninth St. — alongside Wheatfields, Standard Electric Tattoos, Jewelry by Julie and more — was once home to House of Chá.
Now, the storefront will host a boutique called Little K & Co, featuring baby and kids’ clothing, as well as toys.
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“We are two local moms that used to shop at Sweet Tea & Caviar and dreamed of having a baby boutique of our own,” Kaylee Nye and Katlyn Gress wrote via email Monday.
Nye and Gress purchased Sweet Tea & Caviar, renamed it and brought it back to Lawrence. Although owners and names have changed, they said they’ve kept many of the same brands.
“Our products include items from newborn to new moms, clothing from birth to 14 and some women’s items, and unique toys and gifts for all ages,” the website reads.
The shop was originally located in Eudora, but the owners announced the move via Facebook in December.
Nye and Gress hope to open the store by Feb. 1. View their website at this link.
Pizza Palace shuttered, but India Palace lives on
India Palace, a long-standing downtown restaurant, opened its companion concept, Pizza Palace, in 2023. At the time, the owners wanted the restaurant to be a go-to locale for vegetarians as well as meat eaters.
Pizza Palace’s toppings included chicken tikka, spiced tilapia and tandoori chicken, alongside roasted garlic, basil, cauliflower and paneer. The restaurant preserved some pizza parlor classics, like wings and cheese sticks, while introducing twists such as paneer sandwiches and masala fries.
Although India Palace continues to serve up a variety of regional dishes and Indian-American classics, the Indian-style pizza joint is no longer in operation.
India Palace is open Wednesdays through Mondays at 129 E. 10th St. View the menu on their website here.
Streamline Coffee doubles down on downtown location, closes airstream trailer
In fall 2023, Streamline Coffee started its life as an airstream trailer and was serving customers at 4840 Bob Billings Parkway up until this winter.
In December, the business announced the trailer’s impending January closure. However, Streamline lives on at its brick-and-mortar location downtown, which opened in spring 2025. Its neon-and-nostalgia-themed space is sandwiched between Grounded Coffee and Richard’s Music Co. at 13 E. Eighth St.
Streamline is one of 44 eateries, bakeries and bars participating in Lawrence’s 2026 restaurant week. They’ve expanded their menu for the festivities to include three martinis and a Dubai chocolate latte, as well as crepe and drink combo deals. Find their restaurant week menu here.
“We loved the trailer, but want to put more energy into our downtown location,” owner Katie Hoke wrote via email Monday.
Streamline Coffee is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursdays through Sundays.
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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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