Shopping in Topeka

The Ellis family traces its history of working with plants to the late 1800s, when they operated a pottery-manufacturing company in Texas. Current-generation family members build from their familial expertise at all five of their store locations, spread between Louisiana and Texas. Twice a year, the Ellises travel overseas to identify upcoming horticulture trends decided by UN meetings in The Hague. This has expanded their decorative focus to include all aspects of home décor to complement greenhouses filled with tropical blooms and locally grown shrubbery. Clocks, lamps, and vases score homeowners extra credit in interior-design classes, and fountains and outdoor furniture make gardens hospitable for warm weather. The Ellises encourage creativity with hands-on classes in subjects such as making centerpieces, weaving wreaths, and tying ribbon into perfect bows.

On a fateful day in 1933, at the height of the Great Depression, a hitchhiker arrived at The Howdy Come In––a rest stop owned by Ben and Eva Winter––carrying only his clothes and a suitcase full of cabinet-making tools. The Winters decided to hire him to build a chifforobe for their new baby, Bobby, and were so impressed by his craftsmanship that they decided to go into business with their new friend. Soon the partners were selling new and refurbished furniture out of the Winters’ dairy barn under the name Winter’s Furniture Store, and they eventually moved to a storefront in the city of Emporia, where they could share their high-quality wares with more people and fewer confused cows.

Today, the family business is run by the Winters’ son, Bob, who oversaw its expansion into two showrooms in Topeka and Lawrence and gave it a new moniker––Discovery Furniture. His merchandise buyers select fine furniture from around the world, filling the design floors with trusted name brands such as Broyhill, Aspen, and Flexsteel. As a member of the Furniture First buying group, Winter is able to pass along the savings of buying stock in volume along with a guarantee that he will meet or beat any competitor’s advertised price within 75 miles. Interior designers on staff can help customers determine which pieces, styles, and colors best fit their needs, and most of Discovery’s furniture can be custom ordered in any style, color, or fabric, catering to customers who know what they like and like to match their upholstery to their clothes.

At Brown’s Shoe Fit Company, Mark and his staff preside over a flock of shoes, sandals, and sneakers so expansive it ensures that any pair of feet can find a new home. Their inventory includes designs from renowned brands such as Børn, Clarks, and New Balance, all of which improve on traditional American footwear by being extra durable and constructed with 90% less apple-pie filling. They also stock popular kicks such as Crocs and UGGs, reflecting an adaptability to changing fashion trends that has enabled their store to thrive for more than a quarter of a century.

MVP Sports Magazine gives readers a waxy-paged window into the world of the young athletes and high-school programs that define the sports landscape in Topeka and Shawnee County. The quarterly publication covers the notable sports teams from nine area high schools—including Topeka High School, Topeka West High School, and Washburn Rural High School—along with area athletes competing in nonsanctioned sports, such as motocross, rodeo, and contacting extraterrestrials by Morse code flashed with a pocket mirror. Though MVP Sports Magazine publishes past issues online, an active subscription gives readers access to colorful, photograph-laden issues they can proudly display on their coffee table or tool bench.