25 years ago: Cromer’s department store declines to join riverfront mall

Development firm Two Crowns Inc. was no longer looking to A.J. Cromer’s department store to anchor their project of a riverfront shopping mall in Lawrence. “Cromer’s is not coming in. We couldn’t reach an agreement…. We’ll get a department store, but obviously not a local store,” said Two Crowns president Bob Wright. Cromer said that the rent and “common area” charges proposed by Two Crowns had made the project unfeasible for them.

Even more rain fell on Lawrence, bringing the month’s total up to nearly five inches. Although no damage was reported in the area, other portions of the state were not so lucky during the recent storms. According to AP reports, one man had been killed, a trailer park outside Emporia had been heavily damaged, and an Olpe man had been thrown more than 100 feet into the air by high winds.

Jigsaw puzzles produced at the Lawrence Hallmark plant were used in the National Jigsaw Puzzle Championship in Athens, Ohio. Security was tight around the production and release of the competition puzzles, which were also planned for public distribution in the fall.