Shopping in Olathe

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.

With 20 years of industry experience, Jonathan Sollers at Shawnee Optix graces faces with expertly fitted frames from designer brands such as Nike, Rayban, Gucci, and Marc Jacobs. The shop’s selection of specialty lenses adheres to unique ocular needs with a range of special designs and coating, including polycarbonate, no-line bifocal, scratch-resistant, and barbecue-flavored.

For more than 60 years, Zeke's Paint & Design Centers have been outfitting do-it-yourselfers with the paints and tools they need to give their homes chromatic makeovers. Zeke's preferred brand of paint, Benjamin Moore, can be mixed to perfectly match the preexisting colors on walls or breathe new life into boring pieces of Renaissance artwork. The store's commitment to professional-grade products doesn't stop at paint; finely bristled brushes, rollers, and supplies from brands such as Purdy and Corona ensure even coats and minimize the need for later touchups. Resident experts share helpful tips for do-it-yourself projects and can even point visitors in the direction of trusted professionals for more complex jobs, such as re-creating The Creation of Adam on the ceiling of a dog's house.

Birdies Panties’ 500-square-foot storefront exudes lush elegance with high-end panties, jewelry, and designs from Marlies Dekkers. During chandelier parties, brides-to-be or birthday girls and their guests may sip champagne or cocktails, noshing on hors d'oeuvres or stringing them into high-fashion bracelets. While meandering through the space, visitors might observe antique oak cases or dip-dyed, gold-and-coral charmeuse curtains made by Joscelyn Himes, a colorist for Vera Wang. Persian rugs and a Venetian blown-glass chandelier purchased in New Orleans imbue the space with an exotic aura. Every summer, Birdies also coproduces the West 18th Street Fashion Show, inviting locals to listen to live music and view emerging designers’ fashions on an 80-foot runway.