Small Town Spotlight :: Kechi, Kansas

[box style=”rounded”]This post is part of our Small Town Spotlight Series. Read more posts from this series…[/box]

Just a few miles northeast of Wichita is a tiny little town with tons of charm!! Kechi is home to a little over 2,000 people and a plethora of businesses. The years our family spent living there were such a delight, because we were within 10 minutes of “city life” like grocery stores and restaurants, but enjoyed the quaint town with quiet country roads and lots of nostalgia.

Small Town Spotlight

It’s the little things that make Kechi such a fun town. From the annual Easter Egg Hunt and Halloween Open House, to visits from Santa Claus – holidays in Kechi are magical! Each year residents assemble  Christmas baskets and distribute them to fellow townspeople who could use a little extra cheer.  My kids loved going by the old city hall building and grabbing homemade cookies and punch (and tons of candy) at Halloween!

Kechi’s playground and pond can keep kidd busy for hours.  With a stocked pond for fishing and a nice bike path for exercise, you can spend an entire morning there and finish it off with lunch in the shaded picnic area.

If you’re looking for a tasty lunch/dinner spot, Geno’s BBQ is open on the weekends ( Friday 5-8, Saturday 12-7, and Sunday 12-3) and turns out delicious BBQ.

The BIGGEST thing Kechi is probably known for is it’s artistry! And boy let me tell you, Kechi is home to an amazing assortment of artists from quilting, embroidery, weaving, to custom cabinetry, decorative concrete, interior design, and wood working, to name a few!

Karg Art Glass is home to a breathtaking gallery of a diverse collection of art in many forms.  There are glass blown pieces, metal sculptures, and paintings available, as well as glass blowing demonstrations in the mornings.  Their work is all over the nation, and the artistry is nothing short of phenomenal.  At Christmas time, you can go in and blow your own glass ornament – such a fun experience and a unique gift!

Karg Art Glass

Artisan Lane specializes in quilting, vintage décor and furniture, and custom woodworking. It is home to The Cottage Market, The Vintage Rhinestone, and Richards Wood Shop.  And can I just say, I have so many adorable décor pieces from ALL of these shops, it is hard to walk into any of them and not leave with something…like a custom made pew bench (from Richards), with an adorable handmade pillow on it (from The Cottage) and a perfect rustic sign above it (from The Vintage Rhinestone). Junk in the Trunk is a great spot if you’re looking for unique antiques.

kechi artisan lane

Another bit of nostalgia in Kechi is The Kechi Playhouse.  The Playhouse runs from June-October and truly does feel like a timeout from the modern world.  The Playhouse is an old church-turned -theater and some of the original pews are still used for seating.  Productions feature local talent and are tons of fun – definitely snag some tickets for your visit!

kechi playhouse

The Kechi Fair runs the fourth Friday and Saturday of June.  It is packed with fun with events like a parade (hello, candy), fireworks, ice cream, a fishing derby, turtle races, and a street dance! And if that’s not enough for a tiny little town, the Kechi Farmers Market is every Thursday evening from 4-6:30pm, June-September at the Kechi United Methodist Church.

Kechi used to be known as the antique capitol of Kansas.  I am not for sure if they keep track of that sort of thing anymore, but what I do know is that Kechi is definitely worth the short drive from Wichita and a great place to call home.

Jeny Ayres
Jeny is a baker, a shaker, and a baby maker. She is crazy about her college sweetheart, C, and their little tribe of 5 kiddos (ages 10-2). Although born and raised a "city girl" in the ICT, falling for a country boy has recently relocated Jeny to life in a farmhouse, with cows, chickens, & the freedom to get the paper in her pjs with no chance of anyone else seeing her. When she is not singing insanely loud in the car on her way to and from 100 different places with her tribe, you can find her baking for Brown Sugar Bakery {https://www.facebook.com/brownsugarbakeryks} and trying to keep up with her happy chaos, which she blogs about over at Little Wonders {http://littlewonders-ayres.blogspot.com}. She loves Jesus, dance parties, and her 6 roommates.