Picturesquely located in the ground floor lobby of the Ariel Broadway Hotel, 301 Broadway in downtown Lorain, is a gift shop that many may not even know exists.
Travelers to Lorain who want to pick up a small local souvenir from their trip may be more familiar with local conditions.
But Laurel “Lollie” Bansek, the store owner, hopes that everyone who loves Lorain will stop by.
Bansek’s husband is Steve, a longtime Lorain community leader who served as Lorain City Clerk of Court for 25 years.
Lolipop’s Gift Shop opened in the hotel’s former boardroom and has evolved into Lolipop’s Boutique & Gifts.
And if shoppers want to show their love for Lorain in all seasons or are simply looking for something fun and fashionable for their wardrobe, they won’t be disappointed with the Lorain-themed jewelry and selection of fashionable clothing.
Although the room is relatively small, it is packed with everything related to Lorain.
Shoppers can find keychains, mouse pads, coffee mugs, postcards, magnets and more, most featuring the now-familiar “Lorain” logo or beautiful images of the famous Lorain Lighthouse.
There is also a nice selection of clothing, both Lorain-themed and haute couture, and a varied selection of what can only be described as “crazy socks.”
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Bansek initially started her business as a pop-up shop.
A professional photographer, she said her original idea was to sell landscape photos of the International City. But three months later, she laughed, she hadn’t sold anything.
So an idea was born.
Why not switch from photography to Lorain-themed souvenirs? She opened her business under the name “Lolipop’s Gift Shop” at 408 Broadway in downtown Lorain.
During the store’s first four years of existence, a lot happened on Broadway, including the construction of “The Big Dig,” the redesign of the street itself, new sidewalks being built, and the addition of the arches at both the entrance and exit to downtown.
Bansek said that this had limited shopping options at times, but the store had managed to survive the tough times.
When she heard that the Ariel Broadway Hotel was going to be renovated, her interest was piqued, she said.
Through her son, Stephen G. Bansek, who was then a member of the board of directors of the Lorain Port and Finance Authority, she contacted Radhika Reddy, managing partner and co-owner of the Ariel Broadway Hotel, and worked with the port authority to obtain financial support and grants.
Bansek said Reddy offered to move her business to the hotel.
Lolipop’s gift shop opened on February 1, 2020 and the hotel’s official opening was on March 1.
In summer 2022, Bansek decided to add women’s clothing to the range, starting with beach/lingerie cover-ups and then ponchos and ruanas in the fall.
In summer 2023, some additional items of clothing were added.
And in winter 2023, Bansek began offering sweaters and jackets.
In spring 2024, the store fully entered women’s clothing, including “curvy,” which in other retail stores means plus sizes.
With the addition of a full line of women’s clothing, the store was renamed “Lolipop’s Boutique & Gifts.”
The store also offers items such as Lorain-themed shot glasses, unique jewelry, one-of-a-kind scarves and even Christmas decorations.
“It’s the only retail store of its kind in downtown Lorain and a great place for locals to find something unique,” Bansek said.
Lolipops Boutique & Gifts
301 Broadway, Lorain
www.lolipopsboutique.com or 440-225-8957
