Lawrence Library to Open Southwest Branch in 2027
The Lawrence Public Library plans a 6,400-square-foot second location in the former Beauty Brands space at Parkway Plaza.
Updated on Nov. 9, 2026 in Openings & Closings
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The Lawrence Public Library expects to open a second location in southwest Lawrence in summer 2027, occupying a 6,400-square-foot storefront in the Parkway Plaza Shopping Center at 3514 Clinton Parkway. The space was previously occupied by Beauty Brands, which closed at the end of December 2025.
Why it matters
The library says Lawrence has grown geographically and the downtown location at 707 Vermont St. is no longer conveniently accessible to everyone in the community. The storefront may also serve as an incubator to determine which services matter most in surrounding neighborhoods.
The roadmap identifies investment areas across ZIP codes 66049, 66047 and 66046 as part of a 20-year plan. Renovation costs and operating budgets for the new branch have not been disclosed.
The players
Lawrence Public Library
The public library system serving Lawrence, Kansas, operating a downtown central library and now planning a second branch.
Friends & Foundation
The support organization partnering with the Lawrence Public Library to fund renovation work on the new location.
The details
Renovation work will be funded through a partnership between the library and its Friends & Foundation. The site was selected from investment areas identified in the library's 20-year roadmap, which describes southwest Lawrence as a high-density area with families and schools.
Timeline
December 2025: Beauty Brands closed its Parkway Plaza storefront.
Summer 2027: The southwest Lawrence library location is expected to open.
Roadmap
The second location is the first physical step of the library's 20-year roadmap, which identified investment areas by ZIP code, including 66049, 66047 and 66046. It extends a plan built on the premise that Lawrence's growth has pushed services beyond the reach of the downtown central library.
Residents in southwest Lawrence and surrounding neighborhoods would gain a closer library branch instead of relying solely on the downtown location at 707 Vermont St. The branch is expected to offer library resources and programs closer to home once it opens in summer 2027.
The takeaway
Families in southwest Lawrence should watch for opening details as the summer 2027 date approaches, since the branch is designed to reflect which services matter most to nearby neighborhoods.
What happens next
The Lawrence Public Library expects the southwest Lawrence location to open in summer 2027.
Further reading
For more on other storefront changes in town, see Openings & Closings in Lawrence.
Source note: This article includes information reported by LJWorld.
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