Pet World, Lawrence’s longstanding local pet store for cats, dogs and exotic animals, is preparing to open a second store that will be located in the Prairie Park area and will focus on cold-blooded creatures.
Pet World first opened at 711 W. 23rd St. in the 1970s and has been owned by Sherry and Tim Emerson since 1988.
The second location at 1209 E. 24th St. will allow the pet store to expand on the parts of its business that have thrived, such as fish, reptiles, arachnids and amphibians.
Sherry said the cold-blooded critters departments draw some customers from outside of Kansas, while other customers looking to find dog and cat supplies have shifted to buying online.
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Sherry said the move will happen in phases, with the majority of the fish department moving to the new location in September and the reptile department following in October. They will also move feeders, such as crickets and mice, to the new location in October.
The original location will close at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 5 for the move before both locations open at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 8.
The second location will keep the same hours as the original store, open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.
The second floor of the new location will eventually include an education room for gatherings and parties, as well as a dog wash area for Pet World’s Buddy Bath service. Part of the space will also continue to serve as the company’s online order center, according to a news release Sherry provided.
Pet World is also discontinuing its exotic animal boarding service after 38 years.
For Sherry, the store’s connection with the community was tested after a devastating fire that killed multiple animals in 2015 and led the city commission to update local fire codes.
“When that fire happened, the community was so rocked,” she said in May. “That was when we started to feel like … the city really counts on us.”
The current move comes as the owners begin planning for the future of the business. Sherry said the decision is not an immediate retirement, but is intended to adapt Pet World to the changes in the market and make the business more sustainable.
“We’re just being responsible stewards with what we have,” Sherry wrote in a blog post. “Retirement is coming soon enough, but not just yet.”
Sherry said the Emersons have received informal offers to purchase the original Pet World location and turn it into a canine specialty store. They’re still deciding what they plan to do with that location in the long run.
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Jacob Rice (he/him), photo correspondent, has worked with The Lawrence Times since March 2026. He studied journalism and mass communications at Iowa State University, where he spent four years as the visuals editor for the Iowa State Daily.
Check out his photography for the Times here. Read his articles for the Times at this link.
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