photo by: AdobeStock

A home remodeling project is pictured.

News and notes from around town:

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Perhaps you know the feeling: On Valentine’s Day chocolate and flowers sometimes suffice, while other years a piece of jewelry might be in order. Then there are those years where circumstances suggest — is that the right word — that something a bit more extravagant is in order.

A complete kitchen makeover? A bath remodel? A new swimming pool? If that is your situation, you are in luck this year, as the Lawrence Home Show is set for this weekend, which includes Valentine’s Day on Saturday. (If it is news to you that Valentine’s Day is on Saturday, I might suggest you linger at the infinity pool exhibit.)

“Bring your sweetheart to the home show,” Bobbie Flory, executive director of the Lawrence Home Builders Association, said of the annual event that is hosted by the association. “There are lots of goodies to get as you walk through the event.”

The event is slated for 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday at the Crown Toyota Pavilion, 3430 South Iowa Street.

Of course, the show’s primary purpose isn’t to take care of last-minute Valentine’s Day purchases. Instead, it is to get ideas for home improvement projects for this year, or to actually start talking to the professionals who can build those projects.

Flory said one of the biggest benefits of the show — $5 admission for adults — is to be able to do some serious comparison shopping. For example, there will be multiple window companies at the show, and you’ll be able to talk to a professional from each company, see their pricing and learn about various features to compare and contrast the products.

“A big benefit is that it is all under one roof, and you don’t have to run all over town to talk to several people,” Flory said.

The show, though, also is set up for people who are curious rather than on the verge of a project. Flory said of the more than 60 vendors that will be on hand, there are several new ones. That includes a new vendor that produces elaborate outdoor water displays. Then, there are the multitude of kitchen remodeling companies.

“The eye candy is always the kitchen design,” Flory said. “That is a lot of fun to look at.”

Flory said energy efficiency products also should be a big draw for attendees. She said the technology — think everything from windows to lighting — has both improved and become more mainstream, which means prices on those products have moderated. If it has been a few years since homeowners calculated whether an energy efficiency project pencils out, Flory said it may be time to do so again now that the market has changed.

Or, maybe you are just looking for something to do before you hit the town for a Valentine’s Day evening. If so, that fine, too. Flory said the booths at the show feature lots of giveaways, and she’s knows one product that likely will be in high supply.

“I would guess there will be lots of chocolates at the home show this year,” she said.

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photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

Demolition work is underway on Feb. 12, 2026 at the former retail location at 11th and Pennsylvania streets in East Lawrence.

Some of you may be wondering what happened to an old East Lawrence building recently. The longtime retail spot at the corner of 11th and Pennsylvania streets is in the process of being demolished.

That is a pretty clear sign that a project we reported on late last year is progressing. We reported in November that city planners were being asked to approve a rezoning for the property that would allow at least a couple of single family homes to be built on the site.

The space became vacant after the Dragon’s Hoard, a game and hobby shop, moved to a new location in the shopping center near 23rd and Harper in eastern Lawrence.

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photo by: Chad Lawhorn/Journal-World

The Lawrence WingStand by Jefferson’s restaurant is pictured at 935 Iowa Street on Feb. 12, 2026.

While we are providing updates on projects we’ve reported on, here is one more: Lawrence has a new wing restaurant.

We reported in October that plans had been filed at City Hall for a WingStand by Jefferson’s to open in the former Leeway Franks building at 935 Iowa Street. Well, that project is now near completion. The restaurant plans to open on Friday, according to a press release from the company.

The wing restaurant will be new to Lawrence, but it DNA is not. WingStand is a spin-off from the Jefferson’s Restaurant chain, which is based right here in Lawrence with a downtown and a westside location.

The WingStand brand has thus far focused on the Kansas City market, with one location in Mission and another in Olathe.

As for the food, obviously chicken wings are the feature, and a big selling point is that customers can choose from about 20 different sauce options. The restaurant also features smashburgers and freshly-squeezed lemonade.