Shopping in Lenexa

Though focused on bicycles, Elite Cycling equips athletes for both on-land legs of a triathlon with both cycling and running equipment and apparel. Along with a cavalry's worth of racing bikes from brands such as Cervelo, Ridley, and Surly, the store stocks athletic shoes from such brands as K-Swiss and Newton. To ensure customers find the ideal frame during fit analyses, the staff asks series of questions to determine their individual needs and specific cycling goals beyond just having the loudest bike bell possible.

The brainchild of a fashion-forward mother-and-daughter team, the charming Frankie and Jules boutique stocks trendy yet practical apparel and accessories for all occasions. Seasonal dresses hang neatly from wall displays, adorning the shop with splashes of color and eye-catching sparkle. A selection of everyday items includes embellished T-shirts, seamless leggings, and oversize sweaters. Finagled from chic Titans, these items come together to create cozy ensembles for casual Fridays and laid-back dates, whereas sleeveless sequined dresses elevate entrances into red-roped venues. Patrons may complete their looks with Frankie & Jules' selection of heels, boots, flats, and bejeweled accessories.

Hedged by evergreen shrubs and flowering bushes, placid tide pools and trickling waterfalls flow into a deep, rocky basin. This backyard oasis is one of dozens of successful installations constructed by Rolling Meadows Landscape and Garden Center’s team of landscape artists. At their garden center, landscape experts of the same ilk assist guests with their own gardening endeavors. In addition to advice on landscape design, eco-friendly gardening goods, and the pros and cons of installing a moat made out of slip ‘n’ slides, Rolling Meadows’ team strives to empower local green thumbs with monthly educational classes and workshops.

A wave of pastel hues washes over the walls of Lauren Alexandra's two elegant boutiques, where baby and maternity specialist Pamela Dicapo has been outfitting infants, toddlers, and their parents with upscale accessories since 1994. Newborn essentials—stuffed animals, baby-talk translators, and blankets from brands such as My Blankee and Little Giraffe—share colorful shelf space with apparel from European clothiers such as CakeWalk and Catimini. The shops brim with a bevy of accouterments, and Pamela's passion for all things baby-related extends beyond her store. She and her supporting crew travel to parents’ homes to cultivate domestic comfort with professional room design services, harnessing their decorating finesse to help parents select soothing, kid-friendly wall treatments, furniture, and carpet.

The Kansas City Star's hard-hitting journalism has netted seven Pulitzer Prizes over its distinguished 130-year history and expanded into cyberspace through its website, KansasCity.com. Fat Sunday editions, meanwhile, are glutted with rich content, including C.W. Gusewelle’s news column, a spread of color comics, and the ever-popular coupons and sales ads.

The tobacco, the wrapper, and the roll. On the surface, a cigar may not seem overly complex, but Fidel's Cigar Shop celebrates the depths of its nuance in head-to-toe humidors that lock in and preserve earthy flavors harvested from Nicaragua, Honduras, Ecuador, and elsewhere. The shop's staff educates guests on the inventory of more than 300 varieties, with specialized flavors and finishes akin to a fine wine's bouquet or a gourmet coffee's roast. Along with rows of cocoa-colored cigars tucked into cedar boxes, Fidel's also outfits aspiring aficionados with humidors, lighters, and cutters. In lively, social settings, regular events showcase new boutique products from exclusive estates, and the onsite Graycliff smoking lounge swaddles smokers with cozy seating, WiFi, and three LCD TVs, allowing them to relax as smoke-eating air purifiers erase the one-sided games of tic-tac-toe played with smoke rings.