Multimedia Reporting (Kuhr-Volek)

With the closing of the Olive Art Supply and Gallery on Feb. 28, artists will find themselves starved of cutting-edge local art. Leslie vonHolten, Lawrence.com art blogger, hopes to bring back the sense of artist community in Lawrence.

Since 2003, The Olive, 15 E. Eighth Street, has provided goods, supplies and a venue for Lawrence art exhibitions. Now, without the Olive, local artists lack a meeting and showing space.

VonHolten and local muralist Dave Lowenstein have started SEED, a monthly artist lecture series. The programs, free to the public, offer a display and short lecture on a different Thursday each month at 411 Ninth Street.

SEED represents the beginning of a new art space and scene, vonHolten said.

“We really want to germinate a tighter-knit art community,” she said. VonHolten noticed that local artists do not often have a chance to view each other’s work, especially with the closing of the Olive.

The first SEED meeting, Jan. 18, featured local artist Kendra Herring. Thirty-eight people attended, and vonHolten projects that the number will grow.

VonHolten wants to attract interest from KU students. She plans to push SEED with fliers and talks on campus. Students are important to the local art scene, vonHolten said. They tend to take more risks with art, she said.

“In school, taking classes stimulates the brain in different ways than doing art alone. They can incorporate inspiration from other classes and make the importance of art resonate through different aspects of education,” vonHolten said.

Hong Zhang, Lawrence, will be the next featured artist at SEED on Feb. 22 from 7-9 p.m. Her signature work includes pencil and paper drawings of hair correlating to ethnicity.

For more information, contact Leslie vonHolten at leslie@lawrence.com or call 749-1923.

Police officers in Lawrence may have less pressure in the upcoming year. Under a new policy, the department hopes to gain more personnel. KUJH reporter Rachael Gray explains.

Kate Furst, 26, Lawrence, set her purse down for only a moment. When she reached down to grab her vintage, patent leather clutch, she felt nothing. Downtown nightclubs can be dark and crowded on Thursday nights.

Furst had no idea who stole her purse.

“I went outside and told some police officers what happened. They knew and I knew the search was pointless,” she said.

Furst didn’t file a formal report, but the incident will be recorded under a new crime report policy.

“What we’ve done is include initial reports into criminal reports,” Capt. David Cobb, informational affairs said. “Even if a person uses our services without a formal report, we record those numbers,” he said.

This change in policy caused a hike in the number of crimes reported from 2005 to 2006. The police department reported 3,000 more crimes in 2006 than 2005.

In 2005, the police reported 9,417 crimes in Lawrence. For 2006, this number rose to 12,477 reported crimes.

The dramatic increase in criminal reports is no cause for alarm, according to Cobb, informational affairs. Crime rates in Lawrence did not rise as much as the numbers reflect, he said.

Cobb said the police department seeks more funding from the state, which led to the change in reporting procedure.

“The previous numbers did not accurately reflect the amount of work the police department does,” Cobb said.

Sex crimes, battery, vandalism and larceny showed the most increase from 2005 to 2006. Victims often refuse to file a formal report when police officers arrive on the scene, but police still ensure the safety and security of these victims, Cobb said.

Police now file these reports as “call to action reports,” Capt. Dan Affalter said.

“We wanted this number to better depict how much work the officers do,” Affalter said.

The Lawrence Police Department uses both Uniform Crime Reporting and Kansas Incident Based Reporting System for statistics. The UCR statistics record only the most serious crime committed in an incident such as murder or homicide. The KIBRS statistics count all offenses occurring in a particular incident. Both figures have increased since 2005.

Sgt. Paul Fellers, internal affairs, said that many factors contribute to crime rate measurement. The police department continues to seek improved methods of tracking criminal activity, Fellers said.

He stressed the importance of citizen involvement. He said that police often rely on the public for information and leads in cases.

“Many of our successes could not be accomplished without public involvement,” Fellers said.

“Crime prevention is a community effort,” he said.

Furst got her purse back. An anonymous woman picked it up in an alley behind Massachusetts Street. The address on Furst’s driver’s license led the woman to her home.

One month’s rent money, a cell phone and antique lighter were gone.

“They left me my ID and $10,” Furst said.

You don’t have to fly to Las Vegas to elope.

Circle S Ranch, a wedding venue in its ninth year of operation, now offers elopement specials. The ranch added an elopement package because of demand in the industry.

The 1,200-acre ranch lies in the rolling hills 13 miles north of Lawrence. The western atmosphere attracts national attention. Guests have traveled from New York and California to experience a Kansas-style country wedding.

The ranch, which is also a bed and breakfast, advertises romantic getaways, spa treatments and family reunions. It provides a location for meetings and business retreats. University of Kansas faculty often use the ranch for conventions.

The elopement package is less than a year old. It includes flowers, a small cake, music, dinner for two and an overnight stay in a suite for $950. Last year, the ranch booked five elopements. This number is projected to increase in 2007.

Originally, the ranch offered the special only in February.

Debbie Lenz, Circle S employee, said they planned to pick up business in the wedding off-season. The Circle S Ranch now offers the special year-round.

“We really wanted to meet the growing demand of the eloping business,” said Lenz.

Americans are increasingly short of time. Fast food and Internet shopping are two ways people save time. Now, Americans are cutting time even for marriage.

Lisa Tabb and Sam Silverstein, co-authors of Beyond Vegas write that there’s a plus side to this. On average, weddings will cost a couple or couple’s family more than $19,000, a figure published in Modern Bride Magazine.

With eloping as an option, couples save time and money they could put towards other expenses or extravagancies.

“It's our experience that a couple can stay at the best hotels, eat like kings, see the world through a unique perspective, and return home marriage certificate in hand -- with enough dough left over to throw a whiz-bang reception if they so wish,” write Tabb and Silverstein.

The cost at Circle S Ranch rivals eloping in Las Vegas. For a roundtrip ticket and two-night stay in a hotel, couples can pay $317 from Travelocity.com. In addition to chapel use, meals, other travel expenses and possible gambling, a couple’s elopement weekend in Vegas can cost well above $950.

Lenz notices a trend in couples who elope at Circle S Ranch.

“A lot of times it’s about funds,” she said.

Eloping couples are often older or are not marrying for the first time, she said.

The growing elopement industry could be related to today’s older brides.

The average age for brides in 2004 was 25.8, up from 20.3 in 1953, said Letsrunoff.com, a Web site geared for eloping couples.

The first couple who eloped at Circle S Ranch married July 11, 2006. They have a booked a bigger wedding with guests and a reception July 11, 2007, at the ranch.

Downtown Lawrence has about 20 stores that sell women's shoes and clothing. Spectators, 734 Vermont St., and Saffees, 911 Mass St., are the oldest. Envy, 911 Mass St., shares a building with Saffees. The store opened a month ago and joined the competition of downtown boutiques.

Storeowners in downtown Lawrence cite their ability to adapt to trends in order to stay in business. They build personal connections with customers to keep them returning; and they carry a variety of merchandise.

Mark Swanson, co-owner of Spectators, said the biggest key to success is the ability to change.

“If you’re not always changing, if you’re being what you started out to be, you’re going to fail,” he said. “You must be connected to your customer, and those wants and needs are always changing,” he said.

“You can imagine how much downtown Lawrence has changed in 26 years,” he said.

Swanson said not only has downtown changed, but the type of merchandise has also. Spectators started out as a maternity store then starting selling kitchenware. Swanson began selling clothing as the popularity for plates and dishes declined downtown.

Swanson's second store, Hobbs, 700 Mass St., opened in 1997.

Rick Marquez, director of the Downtown Lawrence Inc., said it's not uncommon to have downtown stores opening and closing.

The Casbah, formerly 803 Mass St., closed its doors in the first weeks of 2007. The store’s eclectic style of clothes, jewelry and accessories attracted college students for years. The store even profited from national eBay sales. Owner Terri Flaunce’s sale permit ran out Jan. 18.

“The Casbah had a good four-year run downtown,” Marquez said. “We’ve had stores go under within months, but some like Spectators, have been downtown for 25-plus years,” he said.

Marquez and the staff at Downtown Lawrence Inc. are dedicated to promoting downtown shopping. The non-profit organization coordinates events and efforts to lure shoppers downtown. Downtownlawrence.com lists clothing stores and their Web sites to expose downtown merchandise.

Marquez said that the best strategy a storeowner can have is to pay attention to customer tastes and produce products that tailor to demands.

Steve Mercurio owns Saffees. His second store, Envy, caters to a younger crowd of college and high-school girls. Customers at Saffees tend to be middle-aged to older women.

“The clothing style offered at Envy is different than any other store in town,” Whit Inskeep, store manager said.

Inskeep said the clothing styles are straight out of Los Angeles.

“Sometimes it takes awhile for the hottest trends from the East Coast and West Coast to hit the shelves in Lawrence,” she said. “But it’s important to update merchandise because a lot of college students are from other places around the country and world. These kids are fashion-savvy.”

Inskeep said Envy is for women who want to be ultra-fashionable and look their best without paying outrageous prices.

On the streets of Lawrence she sees many girls wearing the same clothing.

“The clothes at Envy are unique because we only carry six pieces of each item,” she said.

Inskeep said the individuality and the low prices of the merchandise will keep customers coming back.

“That’s the beauty of a good local business: communication between employees and customers.”

Mayumi Mendoza is a staff writer for Powerhomebiz.com. The Web site provides information and tips for business owners and entrepreneurs.

Mendoza said that keeping up with change is key.

“You have to be on your toes to adapt to every little change in the market,” she said.

Mendoza said that 80 percent of retail clothing businesses fail within the first five years because of poor management, tough competition from department stores and poor evaluation of fashion trends.

Mendoza offers ways small businesses can survive in the clothing retail market. The first is to start small. She said not to invest cash in the quantity of inventory, but quality. Her second suggestion is to learn as much about the market as possible.

Next, maintain quality in the merchandise mix.

“By offering a wider selection, you can protect yourself in case another line does not sell as expected,” she said.

Mendoza said to go heavy on service. She said to be sure to know the names of frequent customers.

“You can even call them when you get in a shipment of merchandise just right for them,” she said.

Mendoza said owners should control inventory. She said experts suggest keeping merchandise within three price lines: budget, off-price and moderate.

Owners should listen to the demands of customers, she said.

Finally, she said, owners should cross-market products, market the store and hire the right people.

“The business may appear glamorous, but you must be willing to work long hours,” Mendoza said.

Swanson also said commitment is important. He said people don’t realize how intense running a clothing business is.

“You can’t get into it expecting a pastime. It’s a 24/7 job to run a store,” Swanson said.

He said owners needed to give customers what they want to get them back into the store.

“It’s not a situation where you demand the respect or loyalty of customers,” he said. “You have to prove it.”