Charmed to Meet You

Every year, thousands of soldiers and family members come to Fort Leavenworth.?Many are enrolled in the Command and General Staff College (CGSC) which offers graduate level studies in leadership and working with other agencies and foreign countries in joint operations.?Upon completion of this course, some continue their education through the School of Advanced Military Studies (SAMS.)

As with any move to a new place, people often wonder where to go for shopping, food, and entertainment.?Some think they have to go to the nearest big city for such endeavors.?While Kansas City has many fine establishments, Leavenworth the “First City of Kansas” has many charming establishments.?

I am using variations of the word “charm” because in August, Leavenworth Main Street businesses welcome newcomers and locals with a Charm Hunt.?The first 500 people receive a map with the locations of the participating stores.?Each store will stamp the hunter’s map and give them a charm.?If one completes the map, one will have enough charms for a charm bracelet.?Bracelets can either be purchased for $5.00 or if one spends a certain amount in a participating store, they can receive a free bracelet.?

It is a way for people to explore downtown Leavenworth and “Shop Local.”?It is a two-day event which is good for families with small children.?They can do half of the stores on Friday and finish up on Saturday.?For those who think, “Oh we can knock it out in a day.”?August in Kansas can be brutal.?When I ventured out of this year’s hunt, the heat index on Friday afternoon reached 100?F.?Be prepared for a humid heat and stay hydrated.

I went to the Community Theatre and picked up my yellow map and set out on my quest for charms.?People clutching yellow maps exploring downtown Leavenworth is a sight to see.?Participating businesses put out balloons to help charm hunters locate them.?It also gives something the kids can do-find the balloons.?While some shops are on the hunt every year, others take a break and new ones sign up.?

Not every store will be your cup of tea.?One of my favorite stores which is a cup of tea for many is Queen’s Pantry Teas at 510 Delaware Street.?This store has all things tea.?Black, green, white, herbal teas, tea towels, tea infusers, local honey for tea, teapots, teapot cozies, tea cups-tea everything.?Some say I drink fancy tea.?I say I drink good tea because it comes from this store.?This is not the instant tea granules I was exposed to as a kid.?This is the real deal with aromas ranging from subtle to strong with scents of mint, fruit, sweet, spicy, and earthy.?I buy loose leaf tea for myself and individually wrapped tea sachets for gifts.?

If someone is having a bad day, I can slip them a tea sachet.?Tea is good for the soul.?They also carry other British goods.?The Cadbury Hot Drinking Chocolate and Cadbury milk chocolate bars have been known to go home with me.?They carry Wrendale Designs cards and other gift items.?The foldable reusable shopping bags come in a variety of fun prints and are perfect for the Farmers’ Market that runs May through October in Haymarket Square.?The square is next to the Water Department on Cherokee Street.?There is a smaller market on Wednesday evenings and a larger one on Saturday mornings.?

If you are a staunch coffee drinker, there is Meriwether’s Coffee Shop and Café at 702 Cherokee and Burr Roasters and Café at 111 S. 5th Street.?Coffee is not my area of expertise.?However, it fuels many?people at my work place (a prison) and Burr Roasters has a blend called “IV Drip.”?Their website says “Concocted especially for first responders and those who work inside the golden hour, IV Drip is a unique blend of Arabica and Robusta beans combining great flavor with the caffeine to fuel a 12-hour shift.?You will not find this anywhere else.”?It sounds potent to me.?Meriwether’s gets their coffee and espresso roasted locally from Market Coffee in Kansas City.?I’ve heard their breakfast burritos are delicious.?

Many of the cute boutiques cater to women.?Candle Queen Candles at 500 Shawnee Street is a great example of a store that has all things “girly.”?Customers will be greeted by charming staff and lots of pink.?As I left the store, one of the cheerful staff members greeted me on the street and asked how I was doing with my hunt.?For those who need a break from pink there is Gators Games and Hobby at 720 Shawnee Street.?It is hard to miss with the two-story mural of Spock signing “Live Long and Prosper.”?When my gamer brother visited from the West Coast, I took him to this store.?Those looking for games, card sets, and other things “geek chic” should visit this store.?While I am not a gamer, I did find a ceramic mug that proclaims, “Books: Because it’s too peopley outside.”??

Another “non-pink” store is Celtic Holsters LLC at 307 Cherokee Street.?The store carries a variety of holsters and personal care items for beards and tattoos. ?I did not know there was such a thing as tattoo balm.?The owner is super friendly and treated hot charm hunters to bottles of water.?

Probably my favorite store in all of downtown Leavenworth is Momo’s Knitting Nook and Crochet Emporium at 518 Delaware Street.?This store is one of the friendliest local yarn stores in Kansas.?There is a lounge for yarn users to sit and knit or crochet with plenty of comfortable seating for non-yarn using spouses to relax while their spouses peruse the yarn selection.?From the sturdy but soft acrylics to the lace weight natural fiber yarns, there is something for every yarn user.?Colors abound and the project possibilities are endless.?Mona runs the store and has come to my rescue on more than one occasion when I dropped a stitch on a project.?If you have visited the Community Theatre for performances you might recognize Mona.?She is a regular in their productions.?

If you get hungry, there are several options downtown including First City Cheese Market & Kitchen Essentials (melted cheese sandwiches mmm), Pullman Place (perfect for railroad enthusiasts), Tampico Authentic Mexican Restaurant, Baan Thai Restaurant, Island Spice Jamaican Restaurant, Harbor Lights Coffee House (heavenly cheesecakes.)?This is by no means a complete list.?Come explore what downtown has to offer!

Rich in history, Leavenworth has been adding history markers to store fronts to educate passersby about the city’s history.?Also, murals have been popping up downtown.?Walking downtown Leavenworth is good for the mind and body.?For more information about downtown Leavenworth, visit Leavenworth Main Street – Historic First City of Kansas.?