Hobbs

Hobbs in Downtown Lawrence is my source for cool cards, neat knick-​knacks, slick shirts, and great gifts. It’s where I purchased the «B-​Movie Extras» figurines that decorate my office.

Being relatively traveled in both the states and abroad, I still hold up Hobbs as the standard bearer for «damn awesome boutiques.» For 10+ years now, this place has been consistently unique, always offering up stuff that I’m guaranteed to love, and up until recently, guaranteed to not be able to afford.
Mens clothes, gadgets and kitchen stuff. These are the things that I love at Hobbs. They sell fantastic fashions, including a limited run of premium denim. Sometimes I’ve found the clothes there to be a bit to… flamboyant? for my taste, but that’s not typical. Also, there are a number of things that I love but just can’t afford. That IS typical. I’m not made of money, but I wish that I was. Watches, cufflinks and sunglasses are also well represented.
When I say kitchen stuff, I don’t mean «here’s a great place to buy your every-​day pots and pans.» Instead, Hobbs is more where you splurge on silly expensive tea towels or cocktail glasses. I’ll always find things that I (really, really) want but rarely do I make the leap.
Ultimately Hobbs is about the coolest place ever to buy a gift. I wish they’d open up a 2^nd location in KC, but I’ll just have to make due with shopping their wares on my semi-​regular trips to Lawrence.

I went there today and it’s a really neat place (with some of the items they sell, it helps to have a rather irreverent sense of humor). Prices were on the high side, but the stuff is rather unique. Some nice-​looking clothes, too — although appropriate for those who are a lot younger than I am.

Oh, hobbs… You truly are the only haberdasher in a sixty mile radius and for that I am truly grateful. A great selection of boutique clothing. Unfortunately my sizes are popular and if I don’t swoop on items when they first arrive I am S.O.L. – particularly in jeans as I have the same waist measurement as one of the owners and they get first pick.
HOWEVER, I still shop here regularly and appreciate the high level of style they propagate. I love how flexible they are with holding items and placing things on layaway.
hobbs is also known for their housewares and knick-​knacks which serve the casual shopper who is looking for that certain something to give as a gift. Have a white elephant gift exchange? Go to hobbs. Need something small, cute and inexpensive to give as a «thank you»? Go to hobbs. Shopping for that quirky, artsy hard-​to-​shop-​for relative/​friend? Go to hobbs.

no idea what «urban outfitter’s knockoff» means.
hobbs is a well-​edited selection of both gifts and homewares as well as a boutique carrying a nice mix of men’s and women’s clothing, shoes and accessories. everything in this store is very well merchandised and its employees are friendly and often go out of their way to please the customer.
men’s clothing lines include stuff from ted baker, ben sherman, scotch and soda and other designers aimed at younger audiences.
prices can get a little wild, but they have awesome sales on clothing. it is also worth it to pay extra to get nice things sold by nice people.

This store is so appropriate in a college town like Lawrence. An Urban Outfitters knockoff, Hobbs succeeds in finding a style meant for the hip college kids that are looking for sarcastic, ironically cool and tragically stylish stuff to fill their material thirst.
Really, Hobbs has all their bases covered with witty books, useless cool must-​haves like nose cups (when you drink it looks like you have a funny nose) or flasks hidden inside a diary book, and of course, clothes. The women’s section featuring styles modeled after Paris Hilton and the guy’s much more cool and metro. They even have a baby section, with onesie’s from American Apparel and and Paul Frank.
Quirky and cute, this place is fun to browse. If you have a younger sibling that’s high school or college age, I’m sure there’s something you can pick up for them. Otherwise, shop with an open mind and you’ll crack yourself up trying not to laugh out loud.

Everyone has a friend or family member who’s impossible to buy for. And sooner or later, we all need a little Hobbs.
Hobbs is the purveyor of all things hip: clothing, jewelry, pajamas, home knick-​knacks, retro games, funny cards and hundreds of other little doodads and geegaws. Be careful: when you shop there for someone else, you may discover you’ve spent just as much time checking out stuff you wish someone would buy for you!
Some of Hobbs inventory, like Cat Butt gum or risqué tissue dispensers, require a warped sense of humor to appreciate. But that’s what makes the store so much fun. So browse around … chance are you’ll find a perfectly clever gift or a little something that lets someone special know how twisted you truly are.