Herein we report the synthesis and mesomorphic properties of the first series of 5-alkoxy-and 2-alkoxy-1,3-thiazole-based liquid crystals.  The 5-alkoxy mesogens 1 were synthesized through a Lawesson's reagent-mediated cyclization of the corresponding α-benzamido esters, which is not a well explored entry to 5-alkoxythiazoles.  The analogous 2-alkoxy-1,3-thiazole-based liquid crystals 2 have been targeted via an S_NAr approach, which has not previously been employed in the synthesis of long chain alkoxythiazoles.