Café's Hopping, But No "Signs of Life" In This Bookstore

Signs of Life

722 Massachusetts Street
Lawrence, KS 66044
Phone number: (785) 830-8030
Prices: $$$$

The focus here seems to be more on the café and less on the bookstore which has a heavy Christian influence.

We only decided to go on Lawrence's Final Friday to hear University of Kansas (KU - #1 KU tromped #4 Kentucky earlier that evening by the way) opera students who were performing from 7:30 to 8:30 PM (every Final Friday during the school year). The café was doing a brisk business, but there were only a couple people browsing books during the hour we were there and one of them was my wife. I had a look around, trying to find a restroom during the opera intermission, but the counter on the book side was empty with not an employee in sight.

If you are a Christian book enthusiast, this may be a decent option in Lawrence, but be prepared to hike over the the café to get someone to help you. The café does have reasonably priced cookies, brownies and muffins (just $2 each), the most redeeming quality in my experience.

CombatCritic Gives Signs of Life 6 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Six Bombs Equates To:

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Read Chris S.'s review of Signs of Life on Yelp

Title: Lawrence, KS: Café's Hopping, But No "Signs of Life" In This Bookstore

Key Words: Lawrence, Café, Signs of Life, signs, life, bookstore, books, Christian, Kansas, university, KU, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, review, Yelp, Massachusetts, street, Mass

Translation for Civilians: G2G = "Good To Go"

That's The Spirit ... Professional Ownership And Reasonable Prices

Spirit Party Shop & Liquor

600 Lawrence Ave

Lawrence, KS 66049

Phone number: (785) 842-8700

Prices: $$$$

It is a small store on the corner of 6th and Lawrence Avenue with a fair selection of beer, wine and spirits, fair prices, and friendly staff. However, they offer no military discount even though owned by a retired Army officer ... FUBAR!

Epilogue: After posting the review above, the owner sent me a comment, explaining why they cannot offer military discounts rather than whining and attacking my character for posting less than (5) stellar reviews like most owners and/or managers would do.

Turns out the Kansas ABC (Alcohol and Beverage Commission) will not allow discounts for one group if not offered to everyone else. That makes perfect sense considering the ABC is just another over regulated bureaucracy. Thanks for the message Paul!

CombatCritic Upgrades Spirit Party Shop And Liquor Store To 8 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Eight Bombs Equates To:

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Read Chris S.'s review of Spirit Party Shop & Liquor on Yelp

Title: Lawrence, Kansas: That's The Spirit ... Professional Ownership And Reasonable Prices

Key Words: Spirit Party Shop & Liquor, spirit, party, shop, liquor, Lawrence, Kansas, LFK, University of Kansas, university, Jayhawk, Jayhawks, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, store, service, review, Yelp

Translation for Civilians: WTFO! = "What-The-Fuck ... Over!"

Imperfect, But A "World" Of Difference At Planet Fitness Versus Other Health Clubs

Planet Fitness

2525 Iowa Street
Lawrence, KS 66046
Phone number (785) 865-3771
Website: planetfitness.com
Prices: $$$$

If you travel as much as I do and like to stay in shape while on the road, then a gym membership with reciprocal privileges and numerous clubs across the U.S. is a convenience you cannot do without.

New on South Iowa, Planet Fitness is a breath of fresh air in Lawrence after being an abused member at The Summit and Genesis health clubs over the past three years.

They have dozens of stationary bikes, ellipticals, treadmills, stair climbers, weight machines, and other top of the list be equipment. They also have 32 TVs with 8 set channels and free Wi-Fi available, all for $10 a month. That's why I left Genesis where we were paying $80/month. 

Oh, and by the way, guests are free and you can upgrade to a Black Card, adding hydro massages, tanning (not my bag), drink discounts, and reciprocity at Planet Fitness locations nationwide for just $10/month more. The hydro massage beds (2), recliners (2), and chairs (2) are a relaxing way to finish a workout and almost as good as a real massage. The even have buckets of free chocolate and grape Tootsie Rolls ... HOOAH! The only thing missing are towels, a sauna, and shampoo in the showers, but hey, what'ya expect for $10-$20 a month?

My one primary complaint are the giant, and I mean HUGE (as The Donald would say), ceiling fans whirling over the aerobic equipment. There are two long rows of equipment divided into two groups, each with a giant fan overhead. As a matter of fact, I have been in the airflow created by a C-130 Hercules propeller with less force than these fans. Not all of us like cold air blowing on us when we are sweating profusely during rigorous exercise. Some do, but many, including me, do not. I have asthma and many of us who suffer from exercise induced asthma should not have unnecessary air blowing on us while working out. It exacerbates the condition and, in some cases, could lead to death.

I went to the front desk to inquire about a suggestion box or other portal where I could share my dismay about the fans and was referred to the Assistant Manager. Because the machines are symmetrical with basically the same number of identical machines on each side, I asked her if it would be possible to turn one fan off so people have a choice whether or not they have wind blowing on them. Made perfect sense to me and a win-win situation. Her response was: "No that's not possible. We have to turn them on during business hours.", being the wrong answer from a customer service perspective. The correct answer would have been: "That's a great idea, let me look into it and get back to you", but all I got was a bureaucratic, lazy, "that's the way it has always been done, so that's the way it's going to stay" attitude. Unacceptable.

CombatCritic Gives Planet Fitness An Initial 6 Bombs Out Of 10 With A Two Bombs Deduction For Uncomfortable Conditions And Management Complacency ... More Bombs Are Better!

Six Bombs Equates To:

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Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie





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Read Chris S.'s review of Planet Fitness on Yelp

Title: Lawrence, KS: Imperfect, But A "World" Of Difference At Planet Fitness Versus Other Health Clubs

Key Words: Lawrence, KS, Kansas, Iowa, World, Planet Fitness, planet, fitness, health, club, gym, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, service, review, Yelp, elliptical, weights

Translation for Civilians: G2G =  "Good To Go"

This Ebenezer Made Me Feel Like I Was Getting "Scrooged"

EBZ Painting

Serving Lawrence and Surrounding Area
Phone number: (404) 290-7215
Prices: $$$$

Ebenezer was recommended by a neighbor in Nextdoor, stating that he was "reasonably priced", dependable, and thorough, so I looked him up on Yelp and asked him for an estimate to sand and paint one 30' x 8' exterior wall. The five "5-Star" reviews made me hopeful, but I was quickly disappointed.

Our appointment was at 10am, but 10am came and went, so I called Ebenezer to find out why he was late. I received a call from him about 10 minutes later telling me "I'm running late and will be there shortly". He finally arrived around 10:30am, 30 minutes late.

I started to explain what I needed done, but he cut me off and told me that the job would cost "about $550". I explained that I had not finished talking and that there was more trim and touch-up elsewhere on the house that needed work. I showed him the rest of the job, then he asked me if I thought the price was fair. I told him, "actually, no, because I have another estimate for the entire job for about $275". He asked me what would be a "fair price" and I said: "well, I have an estimate for $275, so that seems like a good place to start".

Ebenezer explained that he is a perfectionist and that his work would make the house "look like new". I told him that I did not want it to look like new because it's an 1860's house and superficial imperfections are part of its history and charm. He told me that he could not do the job for "anywhere near $275", so I thanked him for stopping by and he was off.

If I were not a disabled Veteran, I could sand and paint the "$550" wall in a single day, eight hours max plus a $35 can of paint. Based on EBZ estimate, his labor alone would come to approximately $65 an hour, quite excessive for a self-proclaimed novice. Skilled tradesmen (plumbers, electricians, etc.) charge around $65 an hour and his estimate was double that of another "experienced" house painter, so "reasonable" is not a word I would use to describe him. Based on his lack of punctuality, excessive price, and wasting 45 minutes of my time ...

CombatCritic Gives EBZ Painting 2 Bombs Out Of 10 ... More Bombs Are Better!

Two Bombs Equates To

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Zomato - #1 Ranked "Verified" Foodie





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Read Chris S.'s review of EBZ Painting on Yelp

Title: This Ebenezer Made Me Feel Like I Was Getting "Scrooged"

Key Words: EBZ Painting, EBZ, Ebenezer, Scrooge, painting, paint, pricey, late, Nextdoor, Lawrence, Kansas, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, service, review, Yelp, Zomato, Tabelog

Translation for Civilians: TANGO UNIFORM = "Tits Up"

Unscrupulous, Rude, Unprofessional ... AVOID HARRIS AUTO REPAIR AT ALL COSTS!

Harris Auto Repair

811 E 23rd Street
Lawrence, KS 66046
Phone: (785) 838-4488
Website: harrisautorepairinc.com
Prices: $$$$

Unscrupulous, rude, unprofessional ... AVOID HARRIS AUTO REPAIR AT ALL COSTS! 

Read my initial Yelp review dated 4/25/2016 for reference.

I have no idea how these guys get 5-star ratings on Yelp, other than from friends, but take this Yelp Elite's word for it, think twice before taking your car there because your or someone else's life could be in jeopardy if you do.

I should have gone with my gut feeling on these guys. Something was just not right, but I could not put my finger on it. Now I know what the problem is. They either do shoddy work or charge people for doing nothing at all because the $600 brake job they "supposedly" did on my car in April nearly caused me to rear end a bus that decided to stop in front of me (for no apparent reason) a little over a month ago and less than 3 months and 500 miles after they "fixed" my brakes.

As I mentioned in the review I wrote 3 days after they did (or did not do) the work referenced above, the brakes seemed no different than before I spent $600, but I trusted them and gave them the benefit of the doubt, assuming that the brakes worked fine and the vehicle was safe to drive. It is not. I was not very close to the bus I mentioned above, but when it unexpectedly stopped in the middle of a block for a jaywalking pedestrian, my brake pedal went straight to the floor and my car came to a very slow stop, barely missing the rear end of the bus. I was very lucky that I did not hit the bus, stopping inches from its bumper. Anyway, I was leaving town for a month and did not have time to take the vehicle in and tell them about the problem before I left, so I thought it could wait until I returned.

Well, now I am back from my trip and decided to stop by Harris Auto Repair today to tell them about the problem with their brake job. As I explained the problem, to Lance I believe, it seemed obvious that he was not going to stand behind the repairs they may or may have not made. Instead, telling me all of the things that could possibly be wrong with my brake system, I then asked him if they had inspected the system when they performed the work in April and why I was having the same exact problem after spending $600 in their shop. If they were in-fact "professionals", they would have inspected the brake system thoroughly (which I paid an extra $86 for), diagnosed the problem correctly, and performed NECESSARY repairs, charging me a fair price for work performed. At this point he started to get indignant with me, raising his voice and saying "look Chris, we've been through this before ... blah, blah, blah". That was when I stopped listening, realizing he was not about to stand behind their shoddy work (which nearly caused an accident) and telling him "Fine, I'll just take it somewhere else to get your work fixed".

On a similar note, a week or so ago (the day after I returned) I asked them for an estimate to have three belts replaced on the same vehicle (at which point I planned on telling them about the brake problem) and was quoted around $230, but I was alone and they could not shuttle me back and forth while the work was being performed, so I decided to go to my regular mechanic. Mike, at Don's Auto Center on 11th Street (near Haskell), quoted me $160 to replace the belts, which he did in an hour, charging me exactly what was quoted.

I will never consider taking our cars to Harris Auto Repair again and highly recommend that you consider doing the same. I have had extremely poor experiences with mechanics in Lawrence (Das Autohaus is another example) where integrity appears to be severely lacking, Don's Auto Center being the sole exception. So take your vehicles there because they are honest, you can trust them, they do good work, and they will charge you a fair price ... unlike Harris Auto Repair.

CombatCritic Gives Harris Auto Repair 1 Bomb Out Of 10, Earning Them A Spot On CombatCritic's "WALL OF SHAME!

One Bomb Equates To:

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TripAdvisor - Top Contributor

Tabelog - Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - #1 Ranked Foodie





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Title: Lawrence, KS: Unscrupulous, Rude, Unprofessional ... AVOID HARRIS AUTO REPAIR AT ALL COSTS! 

Key Words: Harris Auto Repair, Harris, mechanic, car, auto, automobile, Volkswagen, VW, battery, repair, cost, con, pro, rude, Lawrence, Kansas, Yelp, combatcritic, review, wall of shame

Aggressive Driving Was All I Had To See To Decide NEVER To Hire This Company

River City Heating & Cooling

1120 E 23rd St

Lawrence, KS 66046

Phone: (785) 841-2665

Facebook: RiverCityHeatingAndCooling On Facebook

I wouldn't hire these guys if my life depended on it.

When a police car suddenly stopped with lights flashing in front of me just minutes ago, I needed to merge into the left lane to get around the officer performing his duty. The white River City Heating and Cooling van that had cut me off just minutes earlier (on 9th Street just east of Iowa) was to my left, but rather than letting me merge left, the male driver (with a woman in the passenger seat) aggressively sped up to ensure that I could not get over, causing me to have to slow quickly in order to merge and avoid the police car blocking my way.

If this is the way River City Heating and Cooling treat Lawrence neighbors while driving their clearly marked vehicle around town, you can imagine how well you can trust them with your heating and cooling needs.

CombatCritic Gives River City Heating and Cooling 1 Bomb Out Of 10 And A Spot On My Quickly Filling WALL OF SHAME ... More Bombs Are Better!

One Bomb Equates To:

Read Reviews By CombatCritic:

Yelp - "Elite '14/'15"

TripAdvisor - "Top Contributor" 

Tabelog - "Official Judge (Bronze)

Zomato - "#1 Ranked Foodie"



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Read My Review On Yelp!

Title: Aggressive Driving Was All I Had To See To Decide NEVER To Hire This Company

Key Words: River City Heating and Cooling, river, city, heating, cooling, furnace, air conditioner, Lawrence, Kansas, KS, 23rd, CombatCritic, TravelValue, travel, value, restaurant, menu, review, Yelp

Translation for Civilians: FUBAR -"Fucked Up Beyond All Repair"

Terravest Homes - Bait And Switch Cost US $600

Terravest Custom Homes

888 N. 1928th Road

Lecompton, KS 66050

Phone number: (785) 691-6088

Website: terravest.com

Prices: $$$$

Here is my Angie's List review dated October 20, 2013:

Company Name: Terravest Custom Homes 

Category: Remodeling - GeneralServices

Performed: Yes* More Weight is given to a review where work has been completed.

Work Completed Date: October 18, 2013

Last Modified Date: December 09, 2013 

Hire Again: NoApproximate Cost: $600.00 

Description Of Work: We asked for an estimate to build a double garage on our lot.

Angie's List Member (My) Comments: 

"We contacted J. Stewart, the owner of Terravest Custom Homes, LLC, about building a two car garage BEFORE winter. We budgeted $20,000 plus or minus 10 percent for the project, being prepared to pay $18,000 to $22,000 in cash. Mr. Stewart seemed like a nice person when he came to do the estimate, seeming willing to work with us. We told him what our budget was and what exactly we wanted, a simple 24 foot by 24 foot two car garage on a cement slab with a double door, one window, one door, and electricity. We also wanted a quote to install a sidewalk from the garage to the front door. Mr. Stewart told us that he would try to keep costs down and estimated $30 to $40 a square foot for what we wanted, bringing the total to between $17,250 and $23,000 and very close to our budgeted amount. He told us that he could not provide a "final" quote until we had plans drawn up, so he recommended an architect whom we met with the following week.

When Mr. Stewart and the architect came to the house, we went through the process again, spelling out exactly where the garage would go, the size, and other details in order for the architect to draw up the plans to submit to the city. He told me that it would cost $600 to $1000 to complete the work and, trusting Mr. Stewart, we decided to go ahead with the plans in order to finish the garage before winter. That was on September 11th, 2013. The architect said that he should be able to finish the plans in a week.

A month went by with no word from either Stewart or the architect, so I contacted both and asked what the delay was. The architect said that it was taking longer than expected and that he would go to the city to see if there were any restrictions as well as come back to the house to measure the house, lot, and other things necessary to finish the plans. We finally received the plans on October 17th, 36 days after we were promised they would be done in one week. Winter was quickly approaching and we wanted to get the project going ASAP.
With plans in hand, Mr. Stewart scheduled an appointment to come by with his quote on Friday, October 17th, he was about 30 minutes late. As I looked over the quote, I was drawn to the total which was well over $30,000, FAR ABOVE the $30 to $40 a square foot we were quoted ($30,500 divided by 575 square feet comes to over $53 a square foot). I told Mr. Stewart that we could not afford $30,000 and he said "I can suggest some metal building companies", to which we replied "we already have a quote and it is only $6,000 for a metal garage". He quickly left without saying another word or offering to make things right. 

I am disappointed by his behavior, making us wait nearly six weeks then coming in $10,000 (a 50 percent increase over his estimated price) over his original quote, but I am more upset with myself for trusting the man. We now have no garage, winter weather will arrive in a few weeks, and we spent $600 we could not afford to have plans drawn for a garage that may never be built. I should have known better than to trust a human being after what we have been through in the last 5 years, but J. Stewart seemed like a nice man with integrity, so I thought he would do the right thing. He did not, so DO NOT BE FOOLED by his friendly demeanor and empty promises. We paid and are still paying for trusting J. Stewart and Terravest Custom Homes, LLC, so we believe you should proceed very cautiously before hiring him for any project, particularly one with tens of thousands of dollars on the line."

Here is the Angie's List "Company (Terravest) Response":

"I am very sorry that the Angie's List Customer was dissatisfied with my presentation. I had as well hoped the project would have priced out at a lower price as we had hoped but the facts are not stated correctly. Several costs were presented as allowances which the client could opt not to spend. For example, we priced a $350 walk-in door with two small windows in the upper portion of the door to allow light into the garage while maintaining security and a window was added on the side of the building which again we gave the client the ability to deduct theses additional expenses. A standard 6 panel door could be selected for less expense and the window could have been deleted. When it was evident that the price was just to high for the clients we did discuss the metal building because I wanted to help them get some structure that could be affordable for them, I was willing to recommend a competitor just to still help them get a structure done before winter hit. The price they are quoting they got from someone was the metal building only with no foundation. We were asked to provide a concrete foundation, a garage concrete approach to the garage and then we were called back and asked to include 30 feet of sidewalk and an option to run more concrete to the front of the house. The person who is writing the review I have never been introduced to and dont know if I ever even met. There was a woman who showed up at the same time I did to present my presentation that I was thirty minutes late for but I had contacted the client in advance to let them know I was running behind on my schedule. The garage was also bid with other upgrades, a Heritage type 3-D roof versus a 3 tab, electrical wiring and a lighting allowance was added and a insulated garage door with an opener all which could be deducted or down graded. For example the garage door was an insulated door being installed on an un-insulated garage but this was included on the thought that the client would eventually insulate the garage. When we notified the client that we had all the bids together and we were assembling the bid we were also asked to include regrading the drainage on the lot which was also included. The cost of the city building permits were also added to the actual cost of the garage. The architectural drawings were suggested because there was a historical concern mentioned and more importantly it was explained to the client that the client would own the plans and they could therefore use the plan to get alternative bids from other contractors if I was unable to meet their budget expectations. Because the client worked directly with the architect, I was unaware of the delay in getting the drawings and I should have checked on this and did so the minute the client called me with concerns of delays and I did get the proposal to the client within ten days of receiving the blue prints as I had originally promised. When the client called and asked for additional drainage work around the garage, it was also determined that the sewer line for the house ran under the foundation for the garage and additional steps to taken to remedy any this problem as well is the removal of the line of trees along the alleyway and the pad that needed to be built up so that we could correct the rest of the drainage issues for the client. We even included an allowance of $250 for fine grading and seeding of the rear lot after the work was completed. Leaving in the cost of regrading the lot and removal of the trees but removing the additional upgrades the cost would have been at $48 per foot which was still too high for the clients budget and we apologize that we could not meet the expectations of the client but this is why we went through the bidding process to insure the client of what we could do and if the client feels that we have intentionally over priced the project, they own the plans and are free to do the project with another contractor of their choosing and we would be happy to provide any of our bids and estimates to the client or another contractor. We informed the client (a gentleman with a different name than the person submitting the review) before we started the process that it would be extremely hard to meet their budget expectations but we were willing to try if they wanted to have a third party draw the plans to insure that we were bidding apples to apples with anyone else that they choose to have bid the project. We again apologize for any misunderstanding and wish that we would have had the opportunity to involve this person in our discussions about the project and find it very disappointing to have these things written about our company from a person whom we have never met and this is what often happens with third party discussions and it is always good to take notes and ask the contractor to clarify any expectations in writing prior to the start of any project to make sure that everyone's expectations are equal. 

J. Stewart

My Angie'sList Review Addendum (Dated 12/9/2013)

"Very odd, but when I searched Terravest Custom Homes today, my review and grade were nowhere to be found with Terravest receiving an "A" on recent reviews.  I have had this problem with Angie's List before.  Poor reviews are either missing or the service provider lies through their teeth (as is the case again here) and I, the consumer, has little if any recourse to tell the truth.

This account belongs to my wife, Elisa F, "the woman" referred to in the 10/21/13 response, and Mr. Stewart was introduced to her the first time he came to our home and again when he dropped off his ridiculous bid.  Let me just clarify a couple points made by Mr. Stewart in his lengthy, confused, and misleading response (there are so many inaccuracies that I will not attempt to answer them all):

As far as the "grading" and "upgrades" are concerned, Mr. Stewart is lying when he said that they were "added on".  We spoke about the grading ($250), the roof, door, electrical, and roof the first time we met and the second time when the architect came to plan his drawings, so Mr. Stewart's account is intentionally misleading.  The architect can attest to this fact if asked. Even then, we are talking about chump change compared to his overall bid of $30,000. I never called and asked for "additional drainage work", so Mr. Stewart is indeed a liar.  Take that into consideration when deciding whether or not to hire him for a job.

Winter is now here and my wife and I are scraping snow off our cars and freezing our buns off because of Mr. Stewart's incompetence.  Hopefully, Angie's List will DO THE RIGHT THING  and publish my review on Terravest's page so that other consumer's will not waste their valuable time or money.  I am downgrading my review to an "F" because Mr. Stewart is a liar and as a retired AIr Force lieutenant colonel and disabled Veteran, I have ZERO TOLERANCE FOR PEOPLE WITHOUT HONOR AND INTEGRITY ... ZERO!

CombatCritic Gives Terravest Custom Homes 0 Bombs Out Of 10 ... The Lowest of the Low And A Spot On My "WALL OF SHAME" ... More Bombs Are Better!

Title: Terravest Homes - Bait And Switch Cost US $600

Key Words: 66044, Angie's, Angie'sList, CombatCritic, fraud, Institutional, terrorism, Kansas, kansas city, Lawrence, List, Terravest, Terravest Custom Homes, service, Yelp, home, builder, garage, home builder