Access Louisville: Recent Episodes

Louisville Business First

The latest news on Louisville, Kentucky from the staff of Louisville Business First. We look at trending issues in the Derby City from a business perspective. Join us each week!

We look at Louisville's hotel development boom on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett breaks down why tourism leaders and convention organizers say Louisville needs more hotel rooms — something he'd looked into for a recent cover story.

While weekend tourism remains strong, the larger opportunity is attracting and growing conventions during the week. We discuss nearly a dozen proposed hotel projects around Downtown Louisville and one in Southern Indiana and what they could mean for the local economy.

We also talk about the proposed Clockworks development in Clarksville, Indiana, where developers plan to anchor a $500 million mixed-use project with a 175-room Marriott hotel.

Later in the show, we discuss the surprising news that no Louisville hospital made the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings of Kentucky's top hospitals. Stinnett explains which health systems topped the list and offers some perspective on how those rankings are determined.

We also cover Baptist Health Floyd's planned emergency department expansion in New Albany and a new bioscience research facility planned as part of the University of Louisville's Innovation Park development near the Belknap Campus. Late in the show we mention the future of the former Theatair X property.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can listen in the player above. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above.

Residential real estate trends define Louisville's growth and neighborhoods.

This week the Access Louisville podcast got out of the studio for a live recording during which we dive in to local and national residential real estate trends.

Three local experts joined us for the discussion: Stacy Durbin, president of HomeServices KOI, Inc., overseeing Huff Realty, Semonin Realtors, and Rector Hayden Realtors.; Jakeeva Lee, CEO of Greater Louisville Association of Realtors; and Jon Mand, head of Jon Mand & Associates, part of Lenihan Sotheby's.

The event was held Thursday, July 30 at the Baird Conference Center on the 29th floor of 500 W. Jefferson in Downtown Louisville.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can listen in the player above. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Our next live podcast: Residential real estate trends are redefining Louisville's growth and neighborhoods. Join us for a live Access Louisville recording as we dive into the latest market insights. The event includes networking, breakfast and a spirited discussion of the latest news in our area. Our panel includes: Stacy Durbin, Semonin Realtors; Jakeeva Lee, Greater Louisville Association of Realtors; and Jon Mand, Lenihan Sotheby's. Tickets and registration are available here.

We go over the latest restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

To start out we chat about the sale of the former Silver Dollar building. The famous bourbon bar, which closed last year, had been housed in the Albert A. Stoll Firehouse at 1761 Frankfort Ave. Attorney Vanessa Cantley owns the building but is looking to step back from property management and focus on other pursuits, as Reporter Michael L. Jones explains on the show.

We also talk about a new executive chef at Hotel Bourré Bonne. Jason McCollum, the former Chik’n & Mi chef and co-owner, is now in charge of the Downtown hotel’s culinary program.

After that, we chat about a major acquisition deal for Louisville-grown breakfast franchise Biscuit Belly, a magic shop in Old Louisville that has a bar attached and a fast food bankruptcy. Jones also gives us his impressions of the new Cuban Itallian restaurant Prado 264, which recently opened in the Highlands.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Our next live podcast: Residential real estate trends are redefining Louisville's growth and neighborhoods. Join us for a live Access Louisville recording as we dive into the latest market insights. The event includes networking, breakfast and a spirited discussion of the latest news in our area. Our panel includes: Stacy Durbin, Semonin Realtors; Jakeeva Lee, Greater Louisville Association of Realtors; and Jon Mand, Lenihan Sotheby's. Tickets and registration are available here.

The Starks Building project, which aims to add residential housing at the corner of 4th Street and Muhammad Ali, could be huge for Downtown Louisville. We go over the latest with the long-delayed effort on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on the podcast this week to tell us about the recent sale of 315 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., which is next door to the Starks, and how it could fit into the project. A group of investors including developer Jeff Underhill (who's behind the Starks project) just bought the building for $300,000. Amazingly, that purchase price is down from $2.5 million just a year or so ago.

Stinnett notes that the developers have yet to secure financing for the Starks redo. But Underhill said the purchase of 315 W. Muhammad Ali adds several advantages to the project, if and when it gets off the ground. For one, the inclusion of 315 W. Muhammad Ali in the project creates the potential for a rooftop bar or recreation area on the fifth floor roof, something Underhill said would be unfeasible on the taller Starks Building.

More detail on that story here.

Also on the show we also talk about a new entrepreneurial space in NuLu, the latest with the Highlands "moist" vote and a new burrito joint heading to St. Matthews.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Our next live podcast: Residential real estate trends are redefining Louisville's growth and neighborhoods. Join us for a live Access Louisville recording as we dive into the latest market insights. The event includes networking, breakfast and a spirited discussion of the latest news in our area. Our panel includes: Stacy Durbin, Semonin Realtors, Jakeeva Lee, Greater Louisville Association of Realtors and Jon Mand, Lenihan Sotheby's. Tickets and registration are available here.

We have a little bit of everything on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Reporter Olivia Estright tells us about a new 200-home subdivision being built in Jeffersonville, called Kings Crossing. It's being built by Land-Mill Developers Inc. at 4785 Walker Way in Jeffersonville, Indiana, according to listing agent Matthew Henegar. The homes, with functional layouts and high-end finishes, range from $360,000 to $375,000.

"We can facilitate anybody in that price point from first-time homebuyers to last-time homebuyers," he'd told Estright.

That figure is much higher than what this market has seen for starter homes in the past, though it does seem to fit with the nationwide narrative of soring home prices.

After that, we go over the latest with former Kentucky Venues CEO David Beck, who was recently ousted from his position in a surprising development.

We also chat about Estright's story about an executive at GE Appliances who recently celebrated the seemingly unheard of milestone of 60-years with the same company.

And we go over the latest fallout from violence on Bardstown Road, including the news that Atomic is getting its liquor license back with restrictions, a judgement from the state on Baxter's 942 liquor license and a petition that would limit alcohol sales on Bardstown Road.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can listen in the player above. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above.

Our next live podcast: Residential real estate trends are redefining Louisville's growth and neighborhoods. Join us for a live Access Louisville recording as we dive into the latest market insights. The event includes networking, breakfast and a spirited discussion of the latest news in our area. Our panel includes: Stacy Durbin, Semonin Realtors, Jakeeva Lee, Greater Louisville Association of Realtors and Jon Mand, Lenihan Sotheby's. Tickets and registration are available here.

The Olmsted Parks wrap around Louisville like a string of pearls. And we chat about this civic jewelry on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Mary Grissom, president and CEO of the Olmsted Parks Conservancy, is on the show this week for an interview with LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy. The two talk about the history of the parks and bringing the renowned landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted to the city, how the conservancy works with Louisville Metro Government and how the system sets the city a part from its peers.

"This is the original. This is the national legacy for Louisville," she said.

She also speaks about the Olmsted Parks Conservancy's plans for restorative work at Chickasaw Park, following a $5 million anonymous donation.

After the U.S. Civil War, Grissom explained, Olmsted personally believed in public parks that were open to all — our disunity as a nation had to do with us not being able to see the humanity in each other.

In the 1920s, the city of Louisville went against those values and segregated its parks. It was around that time that Chickasaw Park was created on 61-acres and the city brought back the Olmsted firm to design that park, giving it the dubious distinction as the only segregated park developed by the firm.

That said, the park is a very special place for generations of Black Louisvillians. And because of that, Grissom said she was honored that the conservancy can use the $5 million donation to work on upgrades and restoration there, including lighting, benches, playgrounds and walking paths.

There'll be a refreshed master plan that's created with the feedback of park users and nearby residents "to ensure that both nature and park amenities are tended to," she said.

Elsewhere in the system, she talked about restoration of the pavilion at big rock in Cherokee Park, building conservancy membership and bridging the gap between generations of park users.

"We want to make sure that Olmsted parks are here for everyone. Always. Period."

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above.

Our next live podcast: Residential real estate trends are redefining Louisville's growth and neighborhoods. Join us for a live Access Louisville recording as we dive into the latest market insights. The event includes networking, breakfast and a spirited discussion of the latest news in our area. Our panel includes: Stacy Durbin, Semonin Realtors, Jakeeva Lee, Greater Louisville Association of Realtors and Jon Mand, Lenihan Sotheby's. Tickets and registration are available here.

Special guest Nick Morris, vice president of the Highlands Commerce Guild, joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

We chat about recent violence in the Highlands that has resulted from gatherings of teenagers and young adults in the area. Morris tells us what he's hearing from city leaders as well as businesses who want to see the issue addressed.

Our partners at WDRB reported that last weekend's violence resulted in nearly 40 citations and 21 arrests.

The city has put at least some of the blame on bars in the area.

This week Louisville Metro Alcoholic Beverage Control issued an emergency suspension order for Atomic, a Bardstown Road bar and gameyard following a shooting.

“We will not tolerate conditions at any establishment that threaten the safety of our community,” Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said.

But, as WDRB reported, Atomic and other bars in the area have pushed back on that characterization, noting that violence isn't being caused by their customers but rather people showing up and walking or cruising the streets.

Bardstown Road bars "are being blamed for things occurring off our properties and in the public right of way where we have no control, rather than the bad actors themselves being held accountable for their actions," said Dustin Hensley, co-owner of Atomic Louisville.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple and Spotify.

Our next live podcast: Residential real estate trends are redefining Louisville's growth and neighborhoods. Join us for a live Access Louisville recording as we dive into the latest market insights. The event includes networking, breakfast and a spirited discussion of the latest news in our area. Our panel includes: Stacy Durbin, Semonin Realtors, Jakeeva Lee, Greater Louisville Association of Realtors and Jon Mand, Lenihan Sotheby's. Tickets and registration are available here.

We break down an unfolding development lawsuit on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Reporter Olivia Estright, who covers residential and multifamily real estate, explains the history of the Gilmans Point development, a proposed apartment development on Westport Road that the St. Matthews City Council recently rejected.

LDG filed a lawsuit on June 11 in Jefferson County Circuit Court, alleging the St. Matthews City Council and its mayor improperly blocked the development despite its compliance with zoning ordinances. Gilmans Pointe was planned to have 199 apartment units with rents ranging from $2,100 to $2,700. The complex would be located at 4101 Westport Road, previously occupied by Plant Kingdom.

This prompts us into a discussion of why new apartment proposals are frequently met with anger from nearby residents.

After that, we chat about a decision by Yum Brands Inc. to sell Pizza Hut. As reported recently, Yum Brands. Pizza Hut, excluding in Mainland China, will be acquired by LongRange Capital, a private equity firm. Pizza Hut in Mainland China will be acquired by Yum China Holdings Inc.

This prompts a discussion about some of the challenges the pizza sector as a whole has been facing, everything from increased competition to a trend on protein heavy diets.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Our next live podcast: Residential real estate trends are redefining Louisville's growth and neighborhoods. Join us for a live Access Louisville recording as we dive into the latest market insights. The event includes networking, breakfast and a spirited discussion of the latest news in our area. Our panel includes: Stacy Durbin, Semonin Realtors, Jakeeva Lee, Greater Louisville Association of Realtors and Jon Mand, Lenihan Sotheby's. Tickets and registration are available here.

The bourbon industry has shifted and recent headlines bare that out. We discuss on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Topping our show this week is news on a potential deal to acquire Luca Mariano Distillery in Danville, Kentucky. As LBF Bourbon Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt notes Mark Newman, CEO of Las Vegas-based Apogee 21 Holdings, Inc., doing business as A21 Wine & Spirits, made a bid for $16.7 million to acquire the distillery as well as more than 6,600 barrels that are aging there. A hearing on the confirmation plan of the sale is set for July 7 in Detroit.

In June 2025, Luca Mariano held a grand opening for the facility despite being involved in several lawsuits. A month later, LMD Holdings, the parent company of Luca Mariano, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Also on the show this week, we chat about a different bourbon company, TKC Distilling Co, which is facing two lawsuits in Jefferson County Circuit Court over claims of unpaid bills. TKC Distilling Co. is the producer of True Story, a bourbon brand launched by Angel’s Envy Co-Founder Wes Henderson and his sons in September 2024.

The company faces two legal complaints for more than $1.5 million.

Late in the show we talk about the development of data centers, including a proposal for a data center in Charlestown, Indiana and new regulations being considered by Louisville Metro Government.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Our next live podcast: Residential real estate trends are redefining Louisville's growth and neighborhoods. Join us for a live Access Louisville recording as we dive into the latest market insights. The event includes networking, breakfast and a spirited discussion of the latest news in our area. Our panel includes: Stacy Durbin, Semonin Realtors, Jakeeva Lee, Greater Louisville Association of Realtors and Jon Mand, Lenihan Sotheby's. Tickets and registration are available here.

A Louisville brand with financial troubles and a new fast casual chain top this week's Access Louisville podcast.

This week we dive into the latest restaurant news in the area, including the recent bankruptcy filing by Louisville-based coffee chain Please & Thank You. The business, famous for its chocolate chip cookies, is remaining open as it navigates a financial restructuring via a chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.

Reporter Michael L. Jones is covering the story and is on the show this week to talk about some of the factors that led up to the bankruptcy, including a difficult environment for restaurants and a social media controversy that went viral.

After that, Reporter Olivia Estright is also on the show to chat about a new fast casual restaurant concept coming to the area. Denver-based Teriyaki Madness has leased space at 1225 Veterans Parkway in Clarksville, Indiana, between Chillburger and The Joint Chiropractic.

We also chat about a change in menu at Louie's Hot Chicken (it's going back to hot chicken after a brief flirtation with soups and sandwiches), a bakery that just moved into Floyds Knobs and the revival of Porkland BBQ following a zoning saga.

Later in the show we talk about how the shutdown of I-65 is treating us thus far. The interstate closed on Monday and is to remained that way for two months as bridges are being repaired along it. We get into whether the relative smoothness of the shutdown bolsters the case for supporters of the 8664 plan.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Attracting former residents back to Louisville — boomerangs, as they're known — could potentially be a way to increase the city's population. But there are challenges to it.

LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett joins us to talk about some of those issues on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Stinnett just wrapped up a cover story on the topic of boomerangs and how they fit into Louisville's growth strategy. The biggest stumbling block is the job market.

In spite job gains in some sectors, Louisville doesn't have a lot of options for people holding advance degrees. Those jobs are often confined to bigger metropolises. Stinnett also looked at programs that small cities like Topeka, Kansas and Tulsa, Oklahoma have implemented in order to address a similar problem.

After the boomerang discussion, we chat with Reporter Michael L. Jones about the financial troubles being experienced by Memorial Auditorium in Louisville and how a looming Metro budget cut may impact it. We also chat about an upcoming move by The Whirling Tiger, the closure of the Bristol Bar & Grille restaurant in Downtown Louisville and a pending relocation for Texas Roadhouse in Clarksville.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We chat about a big project underway in NuLu on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on the show to talk about The Zen 620 development at 622 E. Market and 620 E. Market Sts.

The Zen already houses restaurant owner Kevin Grangier’s Sake A Go Go restaurant. The other portion of the Zen, which spans six stories, is under construction and will feature nine apartment units and a ground-level restaurant called Zen Cafe.

You can check out renderings of the Zen and floor plans on its website, zennulu.com. Workers are adding four of the nine apartment units to the rear of the property, according to a permit filed with Louisville Metro Planning and Design.

Also on the show this week, we discussed a new St. Matthews location for Barnes & Noble and a new hi-fi bar that's on its way to Clarksville, Indiana.

We also go over the latest information on the crash of UPS Flight 2976. The National Transportation Safety Board held hearings on the crash this week, which focused on UPS maintenance decisions ahead of the flight as well as the equipment failure that ultimately led to the crash.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Some of Louisville's highest level sports teams are facing serious financial realities, which we discuss on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

First, we chat about Racing Louisville FC, the city's National Women's Soccer League franchise, which is looking for an equity investor.

According to a story from ESPN, Soccer Holdings, LLC — the owner of Racing Louisville FC — is seeking an equity partner to keep the team competitive in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). A representative with Soccer Holdings told ESPN that its chairman, John Neace, was not interested in giving up controlling ownership or moving the team.

Right now both Racing Louisville and Louisville City FC are locally owned, via Soccer Holdings. We discuss the implications of taking on outside investment — from positive outcomes (like higher caliber players) to negative outcomes (such as selling the team.)

In a separate sports business story, we also chat about the financial consequences of Name Image Likeness rights and salaries for college athletes. Leaders at the University of Louisville have sounded the alarm about the lack of sustainability for situation.

On this week's show, we also talk about a sweeping new plan for a $500 million development at the former Colgate-Palmolive Co. plant in Clarksville, Indiana. The plan would turn it into a mixed-use development, known as the Clockworks, which will have a large hotel and sports venue. We chat about a developers plans for a downtown-like area in Prospect.

And we talk about the latest with the Louisville Zoo. And there's a brief mention of this new art gallery at the River Ridge Commerce Center.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

Anne Kenworthy has her hands full.

As president of Spalding University, she's in charge of leading an educational institution at a challenging time for that sector. In addition to everyday challenges, like keeping current on the artificial intelligence tools that are available to students, post secondary education is also facing an expected enrollment cliff (related to declining birthrates) as well as skepticism about the return on investment for a college education.

Kenworthy, who was named as Spalding's president in 2024, talks about all of the above, and more, on this week's Access Louisville podcast. We even talk about how Spalding fits into downtown Louisville and some of the development taking place around there

She said when she came into the job many people told her about Downtown's past — but she's interested in it's future.

"I'm excited about what is happening ... even just the last 18 months of downtown," she said. "I think the redevelopment of downtown is strong and just keeps getting stronger. You're publishing these stories every day where people are making significant investments into downtown."

She praised the leadership of Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg, Louisville Downtown Partnership and others. [By the way, if you like podcasts about downtown — also be sure to checkout recent live episode Access Louisville: Heart of the City].

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above.

There are some big commercial real estate projects on the horizon around town and we go over them on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett starts us off with an update on the 20-story Kentucky Home Life building. The historic Downtown building located at 237 S. Fifth St. was purchased at auction recently by Thrash Group. The 112-year-old building is one of the more high-profile vacant properties Downtown, sitting directly across Fifth Street from Metro Hall.

The sale news comes after Business First reported last year that Thrash Group and an unnamed local partner were planning to convert the Kentucky Home Life Building into a mixed-use development with residential units, a hotel and first floor retail, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the project.

After that, we chat about the latest with the Mid City Mall in the Highlands, including the closure of ValuMarket. And we discuss the Girl Scouts putting its office building on the market, a new Downtown health sciences building for UofL building and some updates to the Apple store at Oxmoor Center.

After that, we share some Kentucky Derby advice as well as favorite stories (spoiler: Stinnett has some banger stories, including selling a Mint Julep to an infamous celebrity.)

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Many restaurants seem to live within four weeks of closing.

Lawrence Weeks, chef and co-owner of Murray's Creole Pub, brought up that chilling point during a live recording of the Access Louisville podcast earlier this week.

"If we do a month that's bad, it's hard to recover from that," he said on the show. That's why matters like food costs, the economy and consumer behavior are so important to the industry. Murray's Creole Pub is located in a 2,500-square-foot, two-story building at 1576 Bardstown Road in the Highlands. It offers a casual, pub‑style space on the first floor and a high‑end dining room upstairs.

Weeks was joined on the podcast by Noam Bilitzer, of NuLu Mediterranean restaurant MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle, of Mayan Cafe, also located in NuLu, LBF Restaurant Reporter Michael Jones and LBF Managing Editor David Mann. The panel discussed the impact of the delayed Kentucky Oaks post time during Derby week, staffing difficulties and turnover, thin profit margins (average around 4%) and the importance of community support and collaboration among local restaurants.

The show was called "Access Louisville: The State of Dining out" and was recorded in front of an audience on April 21 at the Baird Conference Center at the 500W building.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can also follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Louisville's Waterfront Botanical Garden is growing.

Yeah, that's a pun — but it's also a true statement, considering the massive expansion project taking place there. This week Philip Koester, CEO at Waterfront Botanical Gardens, joins LBF's Access Louisville podcast to tells us about everything happening place there.

Waterfront Botanical Gardens, 1435 Frankfort Avenue, is an urban botanical garden just east of Downtown Louisville, built on the site of a former landfill that was closed in the 1970s. The project opened to the public in October 2019.

The first phase of a four-phase masterplan has been completed, representing the development of approximately five acres of the 23-acre site. Phase 2 will include the addition of the Bonsai House and Display Gardens, an approximately $8 million project.

The garden already has about 50 trees in its collection.

"Over the next several years we plan to have a total of 150 bonsai trees," Koester says on the show. One of the trees — found at the top of a mountain in Wyoming — is estimated to be 1,100 years old.

"That tree is gonna be the centerpiece of the fifth outdoor room [in the bonsai house exhibit]," he said. The five rooms will each hone in on one of the elements of Japanese Buddisst philosophy— fire, water, wind, earth and void (space).

"It's going to be a huge selling point, a huge curiosity," he said.

You can hear more from Koester in the interview, which is available in the player above.

Waterfront Botanical Gardens had 2024 revenue of $7.4 million, up from $5 million the year prior, according to federal tax filings. It had net assets approaching $25 million. It welcomed 64,000 visitors last year.

Waterfront Botanical Gardens is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $10.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

It's April in Louisville so plenty of restaurants are opening around town. We go over the latest on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

We start off the show with a conversation about Web and Honey. This deli is coming to the former ShopBar space at 950 Barret Ave. The deli is being launched by Melissa Ann Culton, the former co‑owner of Bluegrass Pizza & Pub in Danville, Kentucky.

ShopBar closed in June 2025 after six years in business.

After that, we chat about Harry's Taphouse, a Jeffersonville bar and restaurant that's coming to Georgetown. And we discuss Smoketown’s Trellis Brewing, which is launching an in-house kitchen to produce food designed specifically to pair with the brewery’s beers.

We also discuss a new soul food restaurant coming to Russell, called GiGi's Kitchen, a new location for Indi's Chicken in New Albany and the story behind My Brotha's BBQ, which opened recently in Jeffersonville.

Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

After the restaurant talk, we get to talking about residential real estate.

The Louisville region is projected to create jobs, but affordability remains a major concern with one-third of the workforce struggling to afford a one-bedroom apartment, as One Louisville CEO Trevor Pawl noted at a recent event. LBF Reporter Olivia Estright also just had an interview the president of Kentucky Realtors about the issue of affordability and more.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

What would a deal for Brown-Forman Corp. mean in Louisville? We chat about it on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Louisville-based spirits giant Brown-Forman and Paris-based Pernod Ricard have confirmed they're in discussions about a potential merger. LBF Bourbon reporter Stephen P. Schmidt is on this week's show to talk about the size of the company this would create and how it would stack up in the industry.

Brown-Forman (BF.A, BF.B) is Greater Louisville’s fifth-largest public company, with most recent annual revenue of $3.98 billion. It's key brands include Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve and Old Forester. Meanwhile, Pernod Ricard, which had net sales of €10 959 million in fiscal 2025 (roughly $12.6 billion) has more than 200 brands, including Absolut Vodka, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet just to name a few.

We also talk about the philanthropic and sponsorship impact that Brown-Forman has around Louisville. And check in with how Wall Street is thinking about the news.

After the bourbon discussion we talk about the closure of Louisville-based Goodwood Brewing and Spirits local taprooms. The company is undergoing an ownership transition while grappling with mounting financial problems, including multiple lawsuits alleging nonpayment of rent, services and taxes, as LBF's Michael L. Jones reports.

Late in the show we also chat about a new speakeasy coming to Hotel Distil and the upcoming They're Off luncheon, which will feature University of Louisville alum and Detroit Lions backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

The restaurant scene is ever evolving and we go over the latest on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

To start off the show, we chat about the future of Vincenzo's. With news of the potential redevelopment of the Humana Building and surrounding property, we've all been wondering what would happen to this venerable Louisville restaurant that's on the site. Reporter Michael L. Jones, who interviewed the brothers behind the restaurant, explains that a lot is still up in the air.

Brothers Agostino and Vincenzo Gabriele opened the authentic Northern Italian restaurant in May 1986 after David Jones Sr., then chairman of Humana, invited Vincenzo to take over the former Columns location in the Humana Conference Center at 150 S. Fifth St. in Downtown Louisville.

But they're now celebrating the restaurant's 40th anniversary at a time when the future of the Humana Building is in flux. LBF previously reported that Louisville-based Poe Cos. has signed a letter of intent to purchase the 26-story Humana Building at 500 W. Main St. and convert it into a 1,000-room hotel.

Later in the show this week, we chat about the closing of Sharetea, a family-owned business in Middletown. We talk about the latest with Akiko’s, a Karaoke bar on Bardstown Road.

And we wrap up the restaurant talk with a chat about a new Cuban Italian restaurant, Prado 264, which is coming to the former Mark’s Feed store space.

Following the restaurant talk, we go over some local media news, including a recent deal that saw WHAS-11 change hands. And we talk about the University of Louisville women's basketball team advancing to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

Greater Louisville Inc. is out and One Louisville is in.

We go over the new economic development strategy on this week's Access Louisville podcast. The creation of One Louisville follows the merger of GLI and the short-lived Louisville Economic Development Alliance last month.

The new economic development agency debuted at GLI's final annual meeting on Wednesday. And LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones recently did an interview with One Louisville Board Chairman Matt Thornton.

On the show this week, we talk about what led up to the change and what to expect next.

After that we chat about some recent Southern Indiana news, including the sale of the former Hardee's in Jeffersonville — a high-profile location right at the entrance of that city. We also discuss a major reuse project in New Albany that could bring in new residential and retail as well as a potential roadblock for a solar power project in New Washington.

After a break, we get into some local soccer news, including the departure of Lou City FC's Danny Cruz. Cruz is taking a job in the MLS, leaving Louisville with an opening right as the season begins. We also talk about a recent report that estimates the value of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchises, including Racing Louisville FC.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

Hollywood is shining a spotlight on Louisville with HBO's true crime documentary "Murder in Glitterball City."

The doc, which released a few weeks ago, was based on the book "A Dark Room in Glitterball City" by local author David Dominé. And he joins us on this week's show. Dominé is also the owner of Louisville Historic Tours, which gives architectural and ghost tours in the city.

We give our impressions on the 2-part series, which — in spite of the heinous crime at the center of it — somehow manages to paint Louisville in a charming light. That was core to the book as Dominé explains, as he wanted the Old Louisville neighborhood to feature like a character in the book.

As Dominé notes on the show, the book and the documentary are two different things. But he was very happy with HBO's take on it. It's not everyday an author gets his work translated to the screen in such a way.

"Just a fact that it attracted attention and made it to the screen was very gratifying," he said. "It's great that Louisville still gets it time in the spotlight. I love the fact that people are talking about Louisville."

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Brittany Kelly of North of Bourbon and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

New apartment and single family home developments around town top this week's Access Louisville podcast.

We start off talking about plans to renovate the Hubbuch & Co. Architecture building at 320-324 W. Main Sts. into 14 apartment units. Developers for the project include Lee Weyland, partner at CORE Real Estate Partners, Dean Wilkinson, president of Wilkinson Builders, and Bobby Bailey, founder of Louisville Geek.

After that, we chat about plans for new apartments at 11501 Schlatter Road, which is the former site of Valor Traditional Academy. Six permits were filed detailing the construction of five apartment buildings and one clubhouse building at the site. The Valor building looks like a castle, which of course gets us joking around about this actual castle being listed for sale in Charlestown, Indiana.

We also talk about a new 61-home development near Downtown Jeffersonville, Indiana and plans for an AirBnB development in Downtown Louisville, called the Colt Club.

After a break, we chat about restaurant news, including Papa John's plans to close 300 underperforming locations around the country. We talk about some new bars around Louisville Slugger Field — that gets us on a tangent about speakeasies. And we wrap up the show with a chat about Bristol Bar & Grille, which is closing its Highlands location after nearly 50 years.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

McDonald’s owner-operator John Salls joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

Salls, who has more than 10 years of experience in the fast-food restaurant industry, talks about leading the restaurant group, having an impact on his young employees and carrying on his mother's legacy.

John Salls is the son of Ira Salls, who in 1991 became the first Black female McDonald's franchisee in Kentucky and Indiana. She passed away in 2024 at the age of 70 and John talked about how she inspired him.

“It's the reason why I do what I do," he tells LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy. "It's the reason why I'm so dedicated to the brand, just watching my mother — all the sacrifices and strides that she made as a trailblazer.

"I'm really proud to carry on her legacy and continue to be a staple in the community for everyone, and just try to exemplify some of the things that she believed in.”

He also spoke about the challenges of operating in a price-competitive market, including rising food costs — something that's plaguing many in the industry.

“Those pressures are definitely real," he said. "I think over the last year, we may have seen base food [cost] go up about a percent."

In order to counter that he talked about growing marketshare and reaching new customers — "whether it be through the delivery platforms or through the McDonald's mobile app, or just doing some local store marketing or community engagement.”

Salls holds a bachelor of science degree from The University of Kentucky. He's an Eagle Scout and a member of First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We cover a number of topics on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

First, we chat about the University of Louisville ending its long-running management of an early childhood center near campus and severing its ties with Family Scholar House due to budget constraints. Louisville Scholar House includes 56 apartments, the Owsley Brown Frazier Academic Services Center and an Early Learning Campus (ELC), which provides care and early learning for children ages six weeks to four years old through the College of Education and Human Development.

After that, we talk about the Louisville Kings, a United Football League franchise that will start playing in March at Lynn Family Stadium. Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt tells us about efforts to build local support for the new team — particularly among the business community. We also chat about what we think of the team's newly unveiled jerseys, which feature a forrest green meets lime green aesthetic.

Late in the show, we switch gears to go over the recently announced Bourbon & Beyond lineup.

The Foo Fighters, Queens of the Stone Age and Goose take top billing on opening night, which is Friday, Sept. 24, while Mumford & Sons and Kacey Musgraves headline on Sept. 25. Chris Stapleton, The Red Clay Strays, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit play on Sept. 26. And Dave Matthews Band, Hootie & the Blowfish, Counting Crows round out the main stage Sunday, Sept. 27

The festival, now in its eighth year, is promoted by Los Angeles-based Danny Wimmer Presents, the same company that puts on Louder Than Life.

We wrap up this week's podcast with a chat about a new documentary coming to HBO called "Murder in Glitterball City." Reporter Michael L. Jones recently spoke with author David Dominé about the 2-part series, which is based on Dominé's book "A Dark Room in Glitter Ball City: Murder, Secrets, and Scandal in Old Louisville."

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

A new pizza joint is coming to NuLu and a new place for steak burgers is coming to the South End. We talk about both — and more — on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

We start out around Dixie Highway. Reporter Michael L. Jones recently covered a press conference from Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg. During the Feb. 10 conference, the mayor announced the first four restaurants to receive grants from the city’s $1 million Dixie Highway Corridor Fund:

LongHorn Steakhouse will open a full-service restaurant at 7401 Dixie Highway;
Crumbl Cookies, one of the nation’s fastest-growing dessert chains, will open its first South End store at 10970 Dixie Highway;
Freddy’s Frozen Custard & Steakburgers will build a new restaurant at 8700 Dixie Hwy; and
Derby City Pizza will expand its location at 12900 Dixie Hwy to include an event space and outdoor game yard.

We also chat about the first Southern Indiana chef to be considered by the James Beard Foundation. Red Yeti’s Chef Michael Bowe was selected as a semifinalist for the 2026 James Beard Awards as Best Chef: Great Lakes Region, as reporter Olivia Estright explains. She met with him at the Downtown Jeffersonville restaurant recently to talk about the honor.

We also chat about Greenside Pizzeria, a new spot from the owner of Gravely Brewing, coming to NuLu.

And editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy tells us about a couple of chain restaurant moves — the closure of Bravo near Oxmoor Center and the opening of a new Skyline Chili in Springhurst. After that we chat about the return of soul food restaurant Daddy Vic's, which is back in a new location after it's original space was damaged in a severe thunderstorm last year.

Following a break we talk about the retirement of longtime Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore. Moore was a guest on Access Louisville just last summer and gave us updates on a number of projects in Jeffersonville, which is the second largest city in the Louisville Metro Area.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

You can't be a suburb of nowhere.

And that means that Downtowns are important to communities, including Louisville.

Jeff O'Brien, executive director at the Louisville Metro Cabinet for Economic Development, made that point during Access Louisville: Heart of the City, a live event put on by Louisville Business First on Feb. 5 at the Baird Conference Center at 500 W. Jefferson Street.

The event doubled as a live recording of the Access Louisville podcast.

Lee Weyland, of Core Real Estate, Hank Hillebrand, of the Poe Cos., and Rebecca Fleischaker, of the Louisville Downtown Partnership were on the show as well. Louisville Business First Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett moderated the discussion.

The panel spoke about the importance of development in Louisville's urban core, not just in downtown but also NuLu, Butchertown and elsewhere.

It was a particularly timely discussion considering all the recent news on new developments.

On Tuesday, Feb. 3, Louisville-based Poe Cos. announced it had officially signed a letter of intent to purchase the Humana Building at 500 W. Main St. and convert it into a 1,000-room hotel. (Business First exclusively reported Poe Cos. plans on Dec. 12.)

And only a few weeks ago Business First reported that Indianapolis-based Ghoman Group has secured franchise approval to bring a JW Marriott hotel to the 26-story 401 S. 4th St. Tower — formerly the Brown & Williamson Tower — at 401 S. Fourth St.

So we weren't short on things to talk about. Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above.

Access Louisville: Heart of the City: Our next live podcast is 4 p.m. Feb. 5. Join us as we talk about development within Louisville's urban core with Lee Weyland, of Core Real Estate, Hank Hillebrand, of the Poe Cos., and Rebecca Fleischaker, of the Louisville Downtown Partnership. Details and registration here.

Imagine if Louisville landed three new hotel towers.

Seems far fetched, right? But there are actually three such projects floating around out there. We talk about those on this week's Access Louisville podcast. The latest (and focus of the show) is a recently unveiled plan for a J.W. Marriott at 4031 S. 4th Street (formerly known as Brown & Williamson Tower).

Indianapolis-based Ghoman Group has secured franchise approval to bring a JW Marriott hotel to the 26-story structure, which is in the middle of Fourth Street Live. The company has said construction is set to begin “soon” with an opening date set for sometime in 2027. There are some unanswered questions, though, including how much that renovation would cost.

Just that project would be a big win for the city. But, as we discuss the Humana Building, on Main Street, is also being eyed to be converted into a 1,000-room hotel, according to multiple sources familiar with the project. As Business First reported last month, Louisville-based Poe Cos. is in the planning stages of the project, which could include the construction of an additional tower.

Two hotels in two existing towers would be huge. But as Business First falso reported in 2024, developer Zyyo is also planning to build a new 27-story, $175 million Downtown tower called One Forty West, which will feature a 300-room hotel.

What are the chances that all three of these hotel projects happen? We talk about it.

After a break we go over some restaurant news, including the next chapter for a Louisville classic, Soupy's; and a new steakhouse coming to Clifton, called Mill Iron 4. We also go over a new taqueria coming to Butchertown, called Chica's Cantina, and a bankruptcy filing from the company behind Twin Peaks.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Access Louisville: Heart of the City: Our next live podcast is 4 p.m. Feb. 5. Join us as we talk about development within Louisville's urban core with Lee Weyland, of Core Real Estate, Hank Hillebrand, of the Poe Cos., and Rebecca Fleischaker, of the Louisville Downtown Partnership. Details and registration here.

Few people in Louisville probably know the overlap between art and business better than Ben Robinson.

Robinson, a singer-turned-CEO, was appointed as general director and CEO of the Kentucky Opera in November. We get a chance to catch up with him this week on Access Louisville, a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

Robinson is not only an accomplished singer but a stage director and arts executive who brings creative vision, operational expertise and a deep commitment to opera as a community-building force, a release announcing his hire last year said. He replaced former CEO Barbara Lynne Jamison. Peggy Kriha Miller has been leading in an interim capacity.

Most recently, Robinson was general director of Anchorage Opera in Alaska and managing director of Lyric Fest in Philadelphia.

On this week's show, he talks about his first season at the reigns.

Louisville has always been a community that places a clear value on the arts, he said.

"Great arts and a great foundation for arts supports great businesses," he said. "It attracts people to this area. It helps build an economy."

Right now there's a lot of energy particularly at peer organizations and everyone seems to want to work together on projects that are mutually beneficial, Robinson tells us.

"It's all audience focused. And we have one of the greatest audiences here and they are sophisticated and interested in supporting great art. It's an awesome thing to come into," he said.

He also talked about the business side of his role.

"It's never anything other than a 50-50 balancing act between rewarding and horrifying," he said, jokingly.

The economic impact of arts organizations should never be under estimated, yet they tend to stay in a constant fiscal crunch. He said he views his job with an integrated approached to both arts and business.

If we don't put on great programing that serves as the engine to the whole machine "then we're not doing the job the right way." With that, he's always looking at the organization's resources, where revenue is coming from as well as expenses.

You can hear more in the full interview in the player above or where ever you get podcasts.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

Join us live: KY Inno's annual Startups to Watch Awards highlights early-stage companies that are poised to make big moves in the coming year. Join us 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27 at the Ice House, 226 E Washington St. Tickets for the event are available here.

A plan for the future of the Mid City Mall site seems to be taking shape. But is it good enough?

We talk about it on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

The plan hasn't been fully revealed but there is plenty of information out there. Most recently, LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett reported that The Metts family, which owns the property at 1250 Bardstown Road, is partnering in a joint venture with Atlanta-based Branch Properties to redevelop the site, according to the agenda for an upcoming Highland Commerce Guild meeting. Branch Properties develops, operates and invests in grocery-focused retail properties, according to its website. The majority of its portfolio, which spans eight states in the Southeast, consists of Publix-anchored properties, including a planned shopping center in Richwood, Kentucky, near Cincinnati.

In July, Stinnett also reported that a zoning certification filing made with Louisville Metro Planning and Design called for the construction of a grocery store and six standalone retail buildings on the property.

We're not throwing shade at the prospect of a new Publix or new retail. Lord knows there's a need for more grocery stores inside the Watterson Expressway.

But this is a huge site in the middle of a vibrant urban neighborhood. Where's the 10-story tower? The parking garage? Is there a movie theater and a library branch in the plan — because we had that at the old site and everyone seemed to like it. LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy recently penned an opinion column saying he'd like to see high-density residential redevelopment mixed with ground-level retail/commercial.

You can hear our thoughts on what's been revealed on the show. It could be that this plan would just be the easiest thing to develop.

After the Mid City Mall talk, we also chat about recovery efforts following the Nov. 4 crash of UPS Flight 2976. Reporter Michael L. Jones and Digital Editor Zak Owens recently took a tour of the restricted site, which is just south of Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, and they tell us about what they saw and the latest with the cleanup effort.

Finally, we wrap up this week's show with sponsored content featuring LBF President & Publisher Lisa Benson, who has an interview with Ross Mayfield, private wealth manager at Baird. Baird is the sponsor of the Access Louisville podcast.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Access Louisville: Heart of the City: Our next live podcast is 4 p.m. Feb. 5. Join us as we talk about development within Louisville's urban core with Lee Weyland, of Core Real Estate, Hank Hillebrand, of the Poe Cos., and Rebecca Fleischaker, of the Louisville Downtown Partnership. Details and registration here.

We've unplugged our crystal ball, waited five minutes, then plugged it back in.

Surely, now, we'll be able to see the future.

As we have the last few years, we start another year of the Access Louisville podcast by making predictions for what we think will happen in the area over the next 12 months.

We tackle a large range of topics in our predictions — construction, sports, business trends, bourbon and more. You'll have to listen in on your favorite podcast streaming app to hear all of them but here are just a few to give you a taste:

Greater Louisville Inc. will change its name. It's role and collaboration with Louisville Economic Development Authority is being reconsidered, after all.
We'll see 10 or more homes sold at greater than $2 million. They have been steadily climbing, including with one coming in around $7 million recently.
AC/DC will headline Louder than Life this year? We're all hoping that one is true for the major music festival.
A deal will be struct to move JBS Swift out of Butchertown. The neighborhood has changed and developed a lot in the last decade.
We've even got a few political predictions. (A gubernatorial bid for Sen. Robert Stivers, perhaps?)
Also, more bankruptcies in the bourbon industry? There have been a few in recent years after all.

Keep in mind these are just predictions based on familiarity with trends and stories in the area.

The predictions show is a favorite Access Louisville tradition. On this week's show we also look back at the predictions we made around this time last year to see what we got right and what we got wrong.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Against the Grain wound down its operations at Louisville Slugger Field in late December.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast, we chat with Sam Cruz, one of the founders of the brewery, about the closure and what's next for the Louisville beer brand.The company had been at Louisville Slugger Field for 14 years. It announced the closure in a Facebook post recently, saying its lease at the ballpark is expiring and it has opted not to renew. The restaurant’s last day was Tuesday, Dec. 23.

Losing the space is like letting go of a "living memory," Cruz tells us on the show. But he's not sad about it.

"Its hard to be sad about evolution," he said. "Life changes. Our company and us as people we've grown and evolved and the restaurant has kinda run its course. It's time to look beyond that. I felt really comfortable ... being able to land the plane as oppose to holding on and potentially crashing at some point."

In recent years, Cruz and business partner Jerry Gnagy bought out two previous partners in Against the Grain, and those two partners had been handling the restaurant side of the business, Cruz said. The brewery has had a production facility in Portland for about a decade now.

With the previous partners out and the alcohol industry as a whole in decline, Against the Grain has been working on a pivot toward production. In particular, they've been working on diversifying their abilities as a production company for different beverages.

"We could do soda or we could do a packaged water. We're going to get into coffees and products like that. So the future for us is over the next year at the very least is building on that portfolio of contract clients that we have," he tells us.

You can hear the full interview during the episode.

Against the Grain closed its Highlands Public House in August 2024, citing a challenging lease renewal and shifting neighborhood economics.

In 2022, it shuttered the Sandwich Emporium Downtown and parted with The Whirling Tiger music venue in Butchertown, later sold to new operators. Earlier this year we reported the company launched a new line of THC beverages called ZAZA. The brand is available in Kentucky and Southern Indiana, and regionally in the Chicago-area.

Against the Grain is the second-largest brewer of beer in Metro Louisville with 5,000 barrels produced locally last year.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

A deal that would see the Humana Building, at 500 W. Main Street, redeveloped as a large hotel, seems to be cooking behind the scenes.

LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett broke the story recently and joins us on the Access Louisville podcast to tell us about what he's learned.

As reported on Dec. 12, Louisville-based Poe Cos. is in the planning stages to convert the 26-story Humana Building into a 1,000-room hotel, according to multiple sources familiar with the project. The tower is located at 500 W. Main St., near Louisville's Belvedere, Museum Row and the KFC Yum Center.

To reach 1,000 rooms, an additional tower may be constructed behind the existing tower, near or where The Exchange office space and Vincenzo's restaurant now sit, according to at least one source. The existing tower would be converted to house the majority of the rooms, the sources said.

On the show, Stinnett tells us how his reporting on the matter came together, other projects the Poe Cos. has in the works and what the needs look like with hotels in Downtown Louisville. We also go over what might happened next.

Later in the show we chat about the landscape for electric vehicles going forward.

This is in the wake of the news that Ford is pulling back on EV plans, dissolving its battery manufacturing venture with SK On (called BlueOvalSK) and repurposing its recently opened battery manufacturing facility in Glendale, Kentucky. As part of the repurposing, BlueOvalSK is laying off all its Glendale workers. A Ford subsidiary plans to takeover the plant and repurpose it for battery energy storage.

It's a complicated situation for the automaker being as it just announced a new manufacturing platform at Louisville Assembly Plant in August in support of a new midsize EV pickup truck with a $30,000 price tag (low for the EV market.) Plans for that truck are still on, Ford says.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Louisville got a major economic development announcement recently with the news that multinational tech giant Foxconn is opening up a facility here — but it does raise some questions.

We talk about what we know — and what we don't know— on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear and other officials announced on Tuesday, Dec. 9, that Foxconn Technology USA Corp. — the American subsidiary of Taiwan-based Foxconn Technology Co. Ltd. — would invest $173 million to launch a manufacturing operation in Jefferson County, creating 180 full-time jobs.

In a news release, Beshear called it the company's first U.S. manufacturing operation, but that doesn't appear to be the case.

The other main question we're wrestling with is what products are going to be made at Foxconn's local facility, which is planned at 6675 Randy Coe Lane.

The company has not confirmed anything officially, though there are some hints.

The Foxconn discussion is just one part of the podcast this week.

We also chat about closure of Angel's Selfie Museum, located near the KFC Yum Center just off Whiskey Alley. We discuss our recent coverage on how immigration policy changes are impacting the workforce. And we talk about a new golf simulator, Five Iron Golf, which opened in Downtown Louisville.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We've got a classic restaurant news update on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

We start things off by talking about Mashup Food Hall, which opened its doors at 750 E. Jefferson St. recently. Part of the $115 million NuLu Yard development from Weyland Ventures, Mashup Food Hall is home to six local vendors, including Dipped & Drizzled and Mable’s Southern Kitchen, Barcelona Bistro Bar, 721 Mint It! Herb & Juice Bar, Nexus Bar Bites (formerly Happy Belly Bistro), Wiltshire Pantry Bakery & Café and Cold Stone Bagels.

We also talk about a couple of recent closures around town, including Fizz District in Crescent Hill and OutCast Fish & Oyster Bar in New Albany.

We also hear about a new location for Maya Bagel Express, a New York-style bagel restaurant, which opened at 2513 Preston Highway on the edge of Germantown. The more than 3,000-square-foot space was previously occupied by a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant that closed in August.

Following a break, LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett gives us a break down on the state of Downtown office space. CBRE’s November Downtown Louisville SkyView report shows there is more than 1.8 million square feet of vacant space inside Downtown towers, representing a 40.2% direct vacancy rate, up from 35% one year ago.

After that, Reporter Olivia Estright tells us about Actors Theatre's plan to bring back its classic, "A Christmas Carol" this year. And Reporter Michael L. Jones tells us about the newly renovated Portland Branch of the Louisville Free Public Library.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

A potential revamp of the Belvedere, along Louisville's waterfront, has been a big priority for Mayor Craig Greenberg. And it's a topic that got a lot of people talking thanks to a bold early design (which has now been abandoned.)

We get an in-depth update on the project this week on the Access Louisville podcast via an interview with Layla George, who's managing the reimagining effort.

In an interview with LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy, George talks about what she's heard from the public since that initial design from Heatherwick Studio came out early this year. People had strong opinions about it, but as she explains, the idea has been scrapped because of the structural work it would have required. Now project officials are looking at what's next for the site.

"There's so much potential to the site that's untapped right now," she said. "We are long overdue for Belvedere version 3.0."

Those behind the project have certain amenities they want to see up there, she explains — a covered stage, shade, seating, a walking path and a better, more accessible connection to the Ohio River.

A new design is currently under development and could be released by February. Officials are working through the cost estimates before releasing new designs, she said.

George said she visited around 50 parks and public spaces in cities across the country for design inspiration. Interestingly, though, many places that featured beautiful landscape design were empty. And so, she explains on the show "success really looks like a lot of people using the space, all the time."

Two strong examples from her travels she shouted out were Klyde Warren Park in Dallas and Discover Green in Houston. They were both of which were packed during times where no special events were going on — just daily life, she explained.

"Those two parks were models for me. After seeing that, I thought, we can absolutely do that at the Belvedere."

You can hear more in the interview itself. Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

We cover several interesting happenings around town this week on the Access Louisville podcast — including a nearly $36 million development that's under way in the Portland neighborhood.

LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett was on hand earlier this week for the ground breaking of Liminal, located at 1416-1426 Lytle Street. Antecedent Development and its partners are working on the project, which aims to transform historic warehouses into 138 apartments and 20,000 square feet of commercial space. The development joins other major investments in Portland, pushing total revitalization efforts beyond $100 million.

We discuss the distinctive look and feel of the project and its potential impact on the neighborhood.

After that we talk about plans from Louisville-based Texas Roadhouse Inc. to replace its very first Louisville store, near Outer Loop, with an updated and more modern space nearby.

Reporter Olivia Estright is on the show as well to talk about a couple stories that she has been working on this week, including the closure of two restaurants in New Albany, Indiana. The owner was trying out a plan for dual concepts in a space on State Street, but it didn't take, she explains.

Estright also discusses the relocation of Mahonia, a plant shop that's moved from NuLu to St. Matthews. A big road construction project in NuLu was one of the reasons for the moves, she explained.

After a break, Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt jumps on to chat about the United Soccer League, of which Louisville City FC is a part. As we've reported before the USL is launching a new top tier Division I, which will have a system of relegation and promotion. Soccer fans in the US have bemoaned the lack of such a system in Major League Soccer, so the new league is drawing plenty of interest.

Schmidt recently penned a story in which he offers his take on what the league will look like when it launches in 2028. And that story is getting some traction with soccer fans nationally.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We chat about a few new restaurants to check out around town, plus a few high-profile closures on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

To start off the show, we discuss the long-rumored return of Papalinos, a Highlands pizza joint that closed more than a decade ago but everyone remembers fondly.

As of Nov. 10, it's back, this time at 1022 Clarks Lane, explains LBF Restaurant Reporter Michael L. Jones. Original chef Allan Rosenberg along with notable restaurant owner Fred Pizzonia are behind the revival, which replaces The Dirty Bird, a chicken and bluegrass restaurant also co-owned by the pair as well. This is actually one of a few moves the pair are making with their restaurants, which Jones goes over on the show (you can also read more in the link above.)

After that, Digital Editor Zak Owens is on the show to talk about the demise of Against the Grain's flagship restaurant at Louisville Slugger Field.

Founders Jerry Gnagy and Sam Cruz said the decision was driven by the end of the lease term and a desire to focus more fully on the company’s beverage manufacturing operations.

“The last 14 years have been a blast-and-a-half with so many great people … It’s all been a heckuva ride,” Gnagy and Cruz wrote on Facebook. “There are no heavy hearts or regrets, only a million great memories.”

Jones also tells us about Adrienne and Kris Cole, the husband-and-wife team behind The House of Marigold, which is opening a second location at 624 E. Market St. in the NuLu neighborhood in spring 2026. This will be the second House of Marigold restaurant to open in less than four years. The Coles launched their flagship Middletown restaurant at 10310 Shelbyville Road in 2023 and quickly earned accolades, including Southern Living’s “Best New Restaurant in Kentucky.”

We also chat about Pasta Garage Café & Market, an Italian restaurant based in Lexington, opening a Louisville location this week at 552 E. Market St. in the Gateway to NuLu building.

We go over the recent closure of The Silver Dollar — a celebrated bourbon bar. The bar had been open since 2011 and made the announcement earlier this week.

And we chat about Serai, a new Malaysian restaurant coming to 2311 Frankfort Avenue in early 2026. Louisville Business First previously reported that the restaurant in that space now, DiFabio’s, owned by husband-and-wife duo Caitland DiFabio and Jon Riley, will close at the end of December.

After that we have a brief discussion on Kentucky's role in the hemp industry and how that may change due to federal legislation which passed alongside the bill to reopen the government.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

It'll be hard for anyone in Louisville to forget last Tuesday, Nov. 4, and the crash of UPS Flight 2976.

Around 5:15 p.m. that day, on what was shaping up to be a beautiful autumn evening, a McDonnell Douglas MD-11 bound for Honolulu crashed during takeoff from Louisville, igniting a massive fire and creating an enormous smoke plume visible across the city.

It's been hard to talk about anything else since then. So on this week's Access Louisville podcast we discuss how we reported the story, including its impact on business.

On the show, LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on the show to recount his conversation with Sean Garber, CEO of Grade A Auto Parts & Recycling, which was hit by the aircraft and debris during the crash. Hearing what happened at the business was one of the toughest interviews he'd ever done, Stinnett said on the show.

We also discuss how important Worldport is to UPS' business and the company's response so far, including a statement from its CEO Carol Tome in Atlanta.

More coverage from the Business First team this week:

UPS identifies crew killed in jet crash as death toll rises
Power outages, road closures persist near airport
Bar spared in UPS crash
Feds begin probe after deadly UPS jet crash

At about 6 p.m. Thursday, airport officials announced that runway 17R/35L (the runway used by UPS Flight 2976), or West Runway, was back open, meaning the airport (SDF) was again fully operational. For those seeking assistance, the city has set up a Family Assistance Center that can be reached at 1-800-631-0604.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify,

With only a few professional teams across the commonwealth, college athletics are the biggest show in Kentucky.

And we get down to the financials behind it on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Josh Heird, athletic director for the University of Louisville, and Marc Hill, deputy athletic director for the University of Kentucky join the show as special guests, alongside Louisville Business First Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy and Managing Editor David A. Mann.

Making it even more special was the fact that we recorded the show in front of a live audience at the Baird Conference Center, located on the 29th floor of 500W Jefferson Street in Downtown Louisville. Baird is the sponsor of the Access Louisville podcast.

LBF's Stephen P. Schmidt recently wrote a big story on the financial landscape of college sports, which really served as the impetus for this show. On the program, we cover a range of topics and I've picked out a few selections below.

College athletic departments went into the red in order to create revenue sharing programs. When do they get back in the black?

Hill said UK went into the red for the first time recently, as a result of the revenue sharing program. But "we have a three-and-a-half year plan to come back get back in the black. We've been able to have some ventures on the league level in order to do that. We want to come back whole on the other side," he said.

Heird added that an athletic department has to be looked at holistically as a part of a University.

"I wish that the narrative would shift a little bit ... look, almost every athletic department is losing money. But it's a department within the university as a whole. So, what is the value of that department to the university," he asked. Adding that it's a question that the university leaders around the country are having to navigate right now.

Additional revenue sources for departments and contract lengths for college athletics

There's a lot of conversations out there on new revenue in the wake of new spending by departments.

"This industry is gonna get really creative — and has gotten really creative. And we're going to find all the opportunities we can," said Heird.

That said, the idea that millions of dollars are going to start raining down on athletics departments is in accurate, he added. For instance, some athletic departments are trying concerts in their stadiums — but that's only generating so much new revenue.

Hill added that UK doesn't want to put too much pressure on the backs of fans and supporters to generate new revenue.

Heird also touched on the controversial move this year to schedule the UK and UofL basketball game in November rather than December.

He explained that scheduling is a complicated process with a lot of different considerations — and it becomes even magnified when TV scheduling gets involved.

"I think everybody was mad just because it was different than it used to be," he said of this year's schedule. "At the end of the day, we want to play the University of Kentucky because our fans love it. I think there fans love it. I think it's good for the state."

We also chatted about the length of college player contracts — both officials explained why multi-year deals are not on the table at most negotiations. And we discussed the potential for congressional involvement in the college sports as a couple of competing pieces of legislation have made it to the desk of lawmakers.

You can hear more in the episode itself.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast and Spotify.

Access Louisville Live: Our next live podcast is 4 p.m. Oct. 29. Join us as we talk money and college sports with University of Louisville AD Josh Heird and University of Kentucky Deputy AD Marc Hill. Details and registration here.

What's a city without a robust arts scene?

Kim Baker, president and CEO of Kentucky Performing Arts, joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

Kentucky Performing Arts operates the W. L. Lyons Brown Theatre, Old Forester's Paristown Hall and The Kentucky Center on Main Street. Editor Shea Van Hoy speaks with Baker about a range of topics, including how the live entertainment business is going, a major construction project at the Main Street facility and much more.

The arts business has definitely changed in recent years. The Covid-19 pandemic kept people out of live events for an extended period of time, meanwhile the era of streaming entertainment took hold giving more people to do at home.

There were lessons learned from that period though, Baker said.

"At the heart of our mission, is really to connect and inspire through the arts. And I feel like, during that shutdown, we connected to people and to other organizations really throughout the country that we had never connected with before," Baker said. "That was because we were trying to figure out how to stay alive, and how to stay in business."

"We also realized the importance, from that, of staying connected."

There's also been a major change in the world of fundraising, she notes. Both individuals and corporations have reconsidered how they give.

"People give in different ways. That's created some challenges," she said, adding that arts do need civic and private sector support.

You can hear more in the episode itself. Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast and Spotify.

Access Louisville Live: Our next live podcast is 4 p.m. Oct. 29. Join us as we talk money and college sports with University of Louisville AD Josh Heird and University of Kentucky Deputy AD Marc Hill. Details and registration here.

Soccer is big in Louisville — but is the stadium big enough?

LBF Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt is on the Access Louisville podcast this week to talk about his recent interview with John Neace, chairman of Soccer Holdings. Soccer Holdings owns Louisville City FC, Racing Louisville FC and the venue where both teams play — Lynn Family Stadium.

The stadium has 11,700 permanent seats, with a total capacity of 15,300 when standing room is considered. But in the interview, Neace told Schmidt efforts are under way to look at ways to increase the capacity to 15,000 permanent seats in an effort to satisfy the requirements of being part of a Division 1 U.S. Soccer league, which the United Soccer League (USL) plans to launch in 2028.

Of course, this topic also gets us talking about the recent news that the United Football League's new Louisville Kings franchise is planning to use the venue starting in March. The stadium’s size was an ideal fit for the new UFL team — a team that was officially revealed just last week.

Late in the show we talk about a couple of other projects going on around town, including the Kentucky Humane Society's new facility.

The nonprofit is planning to build a new $37 million Animal & Community Campus off Preston Highway at 1111 Orchard Ave. CEO Alisa Gray recently told LBF's Joel Stinnett. Stinnett is also on this week's show and notes that the approximately 54,000-square-foot headquarters will allow KHS to consolidate the majority of its services and staff into one location, Gray said, while increasing space for dogs and cats by 30%.

We also go over the news that a new 27-story tower proposed in Downtown Louisville recently cleared a hurdle with a downtown building getting approval for demolition.

Accesss Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast and Spotify.

Access Louisville Live: Our next live podcast is 4 p.m. Oct. 29. Join us as we talk money and college sports with University of Louisville AD Josh Heird and University of Kentucky Deputy AD Marc Hill. Details and registration here.

Will you be at Lynn Family Stadium next year when a new American football team kicks off?

We chat about the newly unveiled Louisville Kings on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt has been following news of the new team all week — from initial rumors and speculation, to the actual announcement and eventual a chance to hear from the people behind it.

On the show he tells us about the ownership structure of the league, how Louisville was decided upon and how it fits in the sports landscape of Kentucky. We also chat about how we think fans will react to it. Louisville supports its baseball and soccer teams but other sports, such as minor league hockey, have come and gone.

After the sports discussion we chat about a major merger involving the largest law firm in Louisville — Frost Brown Todd.

Reporter Olivia Estright is on the show to tell us about the firm's merger with Gibbons P.C. of New Jersey, creating a new 800-lawyer national firm named FBT Gibbons LLP.

The combined firm will serve Fortune 500 clients to growth-oriented start-ups and mid-sized businesses across the nation.

If you follow the legal scene here in Louisville also be sure to check out our recently announced 20 People to Know in Law.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Access Louisville Live: Our next live podcast is 4 p.m. Oct. 29. Join us as we talk money and college sports with University of Louisville A.D. Josh Heird and University of Kentucky Deputy A.D. Marc Hill. Details and registration here.

We've got a roundup of recent restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

We start with Ramen House’s relocation. Reporter Michael L. Jones details how the popular eatery moved from its original spot in MidCity Mall to a new, larger location at 204 South Spring Street, previously home to Gary’s on Spring. The move was prompted by the expiration of the Ramen House’s lease and the owner’s desire for a long-term arrangement, which was complicated by the MidCity Mall's potential sale.

The owner, Jonathan Ham, took on the role of general contractor for the new space, facing numerous challenges including a flooded basement, the need to replace major appliances, and even a break-in that resulted in stolen tools.

Despite these setbacks, the new location offers expanded kitchen space, a parking lot, and plans for a cocktail menu once the liquor license is secured, Jones said.

After that, we chat about By Golly’s Bar & Grill, an Ohio-based pub-style restaurant chain, in Clarksville, Indiana, which opened at the site of a former Hooters. Jones explains that By Golly's is using the Louisville area as a launchpad for regional expansion

We also highlighted the growth of Parlor, a successful local pizza chain, which recently moved its New Albany, Indiana location to a more visible spot on West Market Street.

In other pizza news, we note that Louisville Pizza King recently opened a third location on West Oak Street.

Late in the show we discuss a new season of “Wrestlers,” a show that previously aired on Netflix and showcased Louisville’s Ohio Valley Wrestling organization.

And lastly Jones shares a story about Groundhog Archeology, in which Patrick Donley, a local artist, discovered valuable historical artifacts beneath his Germantown studio after a groundhog unearthed china and bottles dating back to the post-Civil War era.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Have you ever talked up the taste of Louisville's water to someone visiting the area? If so you wouldn't be alone.

On this week's Access Louisville podcast, Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy speaks with Spencer Bruce about the reasons behind that — including the marketing effort that aims to make Louisvillians feel proud of the water. Bruce shares a story about a time that he overheard a restaurant waiter bragging about the taste of the water to a tourist — music to his ears, of course.

"It's important that the community, that our customers trust us," Bruce said on the show. He added that there's an educational effort underway as well, rather than just pure marketing.

"We like to say we want to raise next the generation of children to understand the value of water."

Bruce also shares some updates on a few milestones from the Louisville Water Co., including a bond it just took out to fund some new infrastructure projects.

In August, Louisville Water announced it sold $233 million in bonds, the largest sale in the company’s 165-year history. This bond sale was the first issuance since 2022 and more than 75% of the funding supports four projects: upgrades to the Crescent Hill Water Treatment Plant (the largest treatment plant in Kentucky), installing new residual lines for water treatment, supporting regional growth along the Interstate 65 corridor and relining the Crescent Hill Reservoir.

"Like every utility it's critical that we reinvest in ourselves," he said.

Louisville Water supplies drinking water to nearly one million people in Louisville Metro and surrounding communities. On average, the company produces 131 million gallons each day.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Louisville's fall music festivals are bigger than ever — but is that a good thing or not?

We discuss that question this week on the Access Louisville podcast.

Danny Wimmer Presents’ two annual festivals at the Kentucky Exposition Center — Bourbon & Beyond (Sept. 11-14) and Louder Than Life (Sept. 18-21) — look a lot different this year. The festivals now have 2.4 million square feet of space. They also utilize some indoor space at the Expo Center for merchandise sales, cooling off and bathrooms.

Going in, we admit we had our worries.

The Expo Center is massive and there's a lot of concrete that can hold in heat. On the show we give our takes on how the first leg of the two consecutive festivals went. We recorded this show on Thursday, Sept. 18, just hours before Louder Than Life was to start, so we couldn't weigh in on that one just yet. We also talk about how the festival experience was — everything from the sound mix to the artists we watched.

Later in the show we shift from music to bourbon with Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt telling us about his recent visit to Bardstown, Kentucky for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. He talked about how a change in the footprint of that festival changed the experience. While he was in Bardstown, Schmidt also visited a new tasting room for Old SteelHouse Distillery. And, around the same time, he visited Heaven Hill Distilleries brand new office.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Several Louisville companies are led by CEOs that have chosen not to live in Louisville.

But how much that matters seems to be up for debate — and we chat about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on this week's show to talk about an in-depth report that he just finished on CEOs leading Louisville companies from somewhere else. Humana Inc., Yum Brands and Papa Johns International Inc. are a few big examples, but there are others as well.

For the story, Stinnett talked to executives who said that not having the CEO present can impact both the community and the workplace culture.

“When company leaders reside here, things get done,” including building stadiums, zoos, parks and so on, John Schnatter, former CEO of Papa Johns International Inc. told Stinnett. Others, such as Scott Catlett, formerly chief legal officer at Yum Brands Inc., spoke about how it can impact morale inside the workplace.

On the other side of the issue, we heard from local executives like Trever Pawl, head of the Louisville Economic Development Alliance, who said the Louisville companies that have CEOs based elsewhere are among the largest and best-run in the world.

‘We’re just fortunate to have the global companies here that are reinvesting the way they are at a pretty rapid pace.”

Also on this week's show

Later in the show, Stinnett tells us about a new bourbon development coming to Broadway. Von Payne Spirits is planning to open a “Gothic-inspired” distillery and tasting room inside the former Whiteside’s Bakery Co. building at 1400 W. Broadway, according to a news release.

We also chat about the Courier Journal recently announcing plans to move out of its building. The news outlet's longtime home on Broadway is still for sale, however.

Additionally, we discuss Bourbon & Beyond — one of two music festivals planned in Louisville in September (the other being Louder Than Life). Danny Wimmer Presents, the company behind those festivals recently struck an interesting deal with University of Louisville Athletics, which we talk about on the show.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.) You can also listen in the player above.

A plan to tear down Liberty Hall in Downtown Louisville, also known as the Oddfellows Building, in order to build a new pickleball facility is attracting the ire of preservationists.

We talk about the plans and the response on this week's Access Louisville podcast. LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on the show to share details of a press conference he attended on Tuesday, Sept. 2.

Steve Wiser, of the Louisville Historical League, said during the press conference that he was shocked by the plan for pickleball courts, calling it 'a joke."

Louisville Business First broke the news recently that the Omni Louisville Hotel is planning to build a $12 million pickleball-focused entertainment venue on the property, according to a permit filed with Louisville Metro Planning and Design. The 14,000-square-foot venue would feature four indoor pickleball courts, four outdoor pickleball courts, an indoor restaurant and bar, outdoor yard-game areas and flexible event and gathering spaces, according to the filing.

The Oddfellows building is one of two downtown structures we chat about on the show.

Reporter Olivia Estright is also on the show to talk about the recent acquisition of the 800 Tower apartments. The residential building, at 800 S. Fourth St., was purchased by FNMA for just over $20 million, according to a deed filed in June, following foreclosure proceedings against the previous owners.

We also chat about listening sessions for the proposed revamp of the Belvedere in Downtown Louisville; and a site in Downtown Jeffersonville, Indiana where the mayor wants a grocery store to be built. We also discuss a new tavern that's heading into space in New Albany.

And at the very end of the show, I mention a report that Isaacs & Isaacs has a new CEO. That gets us talking about our favorite TV lawyer commercials.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.) You can also listen in the player above.

A building in the heart of Downtown Louisville could be up for a revamp, which we chat about on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on the show to share his latest reporting on the Kentucky Home Life Building at 239 S. 5th Street.

He notes that the Mississippi-based Thrash Group — plus an unnamed local partner — are planning to convert the building into a mixed-use development with residential units, a hotel and first floor retail, according to multiple sources with knowledge of the project. There are some legal hurdles to clear first, however.

The Thrash Group has submitted an application to Mayor Craig Greenberg’s Downtown Louisville Building Conversion Program to help fund the project, Louisville Metro Government Press Secretary Kevin Trager confirmed. The project is one of four finalists still being considered for funds.

Though ornate, the building has not been with out its difficulties.

Earlier this year, police converged on the vacant 20-story structure, which is across the street from Louisville Metro Hall, after intruders allegedly cut a gas line while trying to steal copper wire, as WDRB News reported. WDRB is Business First's newsgathering partner. Officials told WDRB that the inside of the building is covered with trash, debris, glass, scraps of copper and various discarded tools strewn everywhere.

That's just the top of the show.

We also discuss a building in the Highlands that formerly housed Bakersfield and Hopcat, which Stinnett reported is on the market. That gets us into a talk about restaurant turnover in the Highlands.

Additionally, Reporter Olivia Estright is on the show to talk about a potential new Aldi location in Southern Indiana and the potential sale of a golf course in New Albany. We also chat about the latest with the Monon South Trail, a vote to unionize at the BlueOval plant in Glendale, Kentucky, a looming shutdown of I-65 next year for road work and the news that VSimple is moving to Louisville.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.) You can also listen in the player above.

A couple of major projects that the Louisville area has been watching for years appear to be inching forward — and we chat about them on the latest episode of the Access Louisville podcast.

The two projects are the One Park development effort in Louisville and the redevelopment effort around the former Colgate-Palmolive Co. plant in Clarksville, Indiana.

One Park is a massive mixed-use high-rise development from Jefferson Development Group planned near the intersection of Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive. Final state approval for tax increment financing, or TIF, for that project is “a couple weeks away,” the One Park team told Louisville Business First and WDRB News in a joint report. Nothing has really happened with the project since Kentucky’s incentives board gave the first of two approvals needed to provide state support for the estimated $554 million development in early 2024.

The news on Colgate is a new development team with Louisville-based Weyland Ventures at the helm.

Weyland Ventures says it has plans for the historic former toothpaste factory, which closed in 2007. It's been used by businesses since but town officials have long wanted to see the riverfront property developed for something greater. Weyland joins the effort as an eminent domain case — brought by the town of Clarksville to acquire the former plant — has been dismissed in the wake of a settlement.

“Their expertise in working collaboratively with communities to create vibrant and economically sustainable districts anchored by historic properties will result in a project of which we will all be proud," a statement from the town reads.

We also chat about the latest with a new middle school being developed at the former Passport Health Plan site at 18th and Broadway, a new housing development in West Louisville and a new science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics (STEAM) building in the works from Simmons College. To wrap up the show, we talk about a new Five Iron Golf simulator coming to Downtown Louisville and the latest with a plan to build a new whitewater attraction at Origin Park in Clarksville.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.) You can also listen in the player above.

We chat about Louisville's peer cities on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

Louisville Business First Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt recently wrapped up a story on the topic. While the list of Louisville's peers definitely varies depending on who's being asked a few things were clear.

First, Cincinnati, Indianapolis or Nashville, Tennessee — who we often like to compare ourselves to — are not really our peers because they are much bigger now than they used to be. Instead Memphis, Tennessee, Birmingham, Alabama and others are closer comparisons to Louisville.

During the show, we also discuss some ideas that Louisville could steal from other cities. Removing I-64 from the Downtown Louisville riverfront is one suggestion we come up with, as other cities have had success opening their riverfronts. Another suggestion we land on is a riverwalk in the vein of San Antonio — something Louisville has looked at in the past, including on a recent Greater Louisville Inc. trip.

In the second half of the show, we talk about Kentucky's resurgent manufacturing economy.

Schmidt recently visited Ford Motor Co.'s Louisville Assembly Plant to cover news of a new electric vehicle manufacturing process that's being launched in support of Ford's upcoming (and yet unnamed) midsize EV truck. We talk about how Ford's launch compares with what Toyota is doing at its plant in Georgetown, Kentucky. During the show, I reference a recent interview I did with the president of Toyota Motor Manufacturing Kentucky, which you can read here, in which we discussed EVs.

Schmidt also visited GE Appliances's Louisville operation to check out a recently unveiled manufacturing line there. And we chat about the news that Corning will begin manufacturing 100% of iPhone and Apple Watch glass at its facility in Harrodsburg, Kentucky.

Does this mean that the manufacturing industry is finally making a comeback? We chat about it on the show.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The merger of Jefferson County and Louisville — yes, the one that happened 20+ years ago — is being threatened with a recent lawsuit. We chat about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones explains that Real estate developer David Nicklies is challenging the constitutionality of merged local governments in Louisville Metro and Lexington-Fayette Urban County.

In a lawsuit filed in Jefferson District Court, Nicklies argues that the laws enabling these consolidations are examples of unconstitutional “special legislation” — laws tailored to specific localities in violation of Sections 59 and 60 of the Kentucky Constitution. Jones has a full story on the issue here.

The way in which merger was executed has been unpopular with some residents for a long time — particularly those who live outside of the old city limits, known today as the Urban Services District. Those outside the district don't get the same level of city services — garbage pickup, for instance — as those inside the district. Nicklies lawsuit argues that those residents, himself included, have been harmed by the merger.

We get into some the reaction to that on the show, as Jones spoke with former Mayor Jerry Abramson, an advocate of merger.

In a later segment of the show, we get to know Louisville Business First's newest reporter Olivia Estright. She joined LBF and the Access Louisville podcast crew just a few weeks ago and will be covering residential real estate, Southern Indiana and professional services in the city. You can read more about Estright here.

And to wrap things up LBF President and Publisher Lisa Benson is on the show this week with a conversation with Chip Sutherland, managing director at Baird. Baird is the sponsor of the show and they talk about a number of topics including Baird's role in public project finance.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Louisville Business First and Access Louisville did a poll asking: What is the most important project in Louisville? We talked about the results of the poll all these projects this week's Access Louisville podcast. Here's a look at the top five priorities that Louisville must take action on.

Finding a new use for the Humana building: In early 2024, Humana Inc. announced plans to vacate the iconic tower and consolidate its local employees in the recently renovated Waterside building and neighboring Clocktower building. The Humana tower is now for sale and Chicago-based Cushman & Wakefield U.S. Inc. has been retained as the exclusive listing agent for the building — a 27-story structure at 500 W. Main St.
Two new Downtown hotels: Louisville Business First broke the news on both of them. The most recent one is a 1,000-room hotel tower at the now-vacant site next to the Muhammad Ali Center, which is in the “predevelopment” phase by Louisville-based Poe Cos. There’s also a 300-room, 27-story hotel tower being planned by Zyyo, led by founder and CEO Nick Campisano.
Converting the Starks Building: Back in 2020, Underhill Associates unveiled a plan to convert the empty office building at the corner of Muhammad Ali Boulevard and Fourth Street into apartments with first-floor retail. As proposed, the primary tenants would be artist and the units would be offered at rates affordable for that income.
Residential/retail development near Lynn Family Stadium: In March, Soccer Holdings, the parent of Louisville City FC and Racing Louisville FC, announced an agreement with Denton Floyd Real Estate Group and LDG Development to build a mixed-use development with 200 luxury apartment units along with dedicated retail spaces on the first floor.
A new use for the former Jeffboat site: Right now, it's a massive, rustic slab of concrete but it could be so much more. The vision is for a $1 billion mixed-use development transforming a former shipyard in Jeffersonville, Indiana, into a waterfront residential and commercial area. Columbus, Ohio-based Thrive Cos. is the developer. Site work and demolition have received grant money from the state of Indiana but it's all still in the early stages.

The show, sponsored by Baird, was episode 300 of Access Louisville. It was recorded in front of a live audience at the Baird Conference Center on the 29th floor of the 500W building in Downtown Louisville.

The program included three special guest:

Earl Winebrenner, owner and president, Winebrenner Capital Management
Michael Gross, development director, LDG Development
John Hollenbach, managing partner, Hollenbach Oakley

The show was moderated by me and Joel Stinnett, senior reporter at Business First. You can find a few quotes from the our panelist in below but be sure to check out the program in the player above for the full show. Access Louisville is also available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Derby weekend won't be the same next year, following the news that Churchill Downs is pushing the running of the Kentucky Oaks back to 8 p.m. or later.

We chat about the impact of that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Churchill Downs announced the change on Thursday, July 24. Typically post time for the race, which runs the day before the Kentucky Derby, is scheduled shortly before 6 p.m. NBC executives say the race will move to NBC and Peacock, and the primetime post will allow for a “spectacular twilight finish.”

Our next live podcast is July 28: Join us as we take look at Louisville's most important development projects. Registration here.

The big impact will likely be how restaurants and bars evolve their dinner service. They're obviously losing a few hours — though it's hard to imagine that restaurants will actually be empty at dinner time on Oaks Day. We'll surely be watching how restaurants respond come next May.

We also chat about how the Derby Week experience has evolved over the years as it becomes more of a "bucket list" type of event for the world. Oaks Day used to be known as the day for locals to come to the track but that hasn't been the case for some time. Even Thurby is a scene, nowadays. For better or worse, locals are much more likely to be spotted walking around at 502'sDay at the track.

Reporter Joel Stinnett also gives us an update on a recent project at the track — albeit a behind the scenes one.

Later in the show we shift gears to talk about gas station food.

The popular gas station Wawa opened recently in Louisville — bringing out a number of fans. We also got the news that a Florida gas station, Nick & Moes, known for its fried chicken, is opening locally. That gets us talking about favorite gas station foods as well as the cult following that many of these chains have managed to cultivate.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.) You can also listen in the player above.

The hard stuff keeps flowing, in spite of potential hard times ahead.

We chat about the latest with the Kentucky Bourbon industry on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Bourbon Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt is on the show to give us the latest on Chicken Cock Whiskey (yes, they realize they have a funny name.) The bourbon brand built a tasting room in Bardstown a year ago and is now planning to open another location in NuLu. Schmidt got the scoop on the new development from a company executive after it came to light in a legal ad.

“We found a great space and a great part of town that is vibrant and growing,” Tyler Rothenberg, vice president of marketing for Grain & Barrel Spirits, CCW’s parent company, told us recently.

Our next live podcast is July 28: Join us as we take look at Louisville's most important development projects. Registration here.

Schmidt also got a look at Heaven Hill Brands new corporate office in the ShelbyHurst development in Louisville in the last few weeks. During a visit he had a chance to speak with the family behind Heaven Hill about what the new space means for them.

We also chat about the recent sale of Dueling Barrels Distillery out of Pikeville, Kentucky. And we discuss Whiskey House — a massive new contract distilling venture that's based in Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

Late in the show we talk about the demolition of the Executive Strike & Spare at the Kentucky Expo Center. And we give you a few recommendations on where to bowl in Louisville.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.) You can also listen in the player above.

Our next live podcast is July 28: Join us as we take look at Louisville's most important development projects. Registration here.

Affordable housing is an issue affecting many communities in the country, including Louisville. We get into some of the factors behind it on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Elizabeth Strojan, executive director of the Louisville Metro Housing Authority, joins the program to give us her insights on the issue. You might not realize how many people in Jefferson County are impacted by the Authority's work — which is something Strojan admits surprised her too. It directly serves 30,000 people in the county.

Strojan and LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy go over a number of topics on the show, including reactions to the recent Big Beautiful Bill — passed by Congress and signed by President Trump — as well as affordable housing needs.

They also talk about the reaction that new affordable housing proposals often garner — specifically when it comes to density.

"It's really the same everywhere," Strojan said. She recalled that even while working in New York City in affordable housing finance, neighbors opposed dense housing developments.

"We're talking about a densly built city where people are scared of density," she said. "I think it's unfortunately a part of human nature to fear change and fear the unknown. The best way to get people supporting affordable housing is to build the affordable housing. Because they see the sky doesn't fall."

Strojan also talked about what's next for the Dosker Manor public housing complex.

She said it's unfortunate that it has to be demolished but, after a physical needs assessment, there didn't look to be a way to save it. Right now, the authority is in the process of relocating residents (about 200 remain). The three highrises and the former First Link grocery story will be demolished and several hundred units will be rebuilt (which won't be as dense as before.)

"Overall we want obviously to increase the supply affordable housing. But that level of very high needs population in one city block was not sustainable for an organization like ours," she said.

You can hear the full interview on the show. Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We take a trip to the Hoosier State on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Our discussion revolves around some of the economic goings on in Clark and Floyd counties. LBF recently took a deep dive into trends in the area for a section we called Southern Indiana spotlight.

To start, we chat about new home development, which has taken off despite higher interest rates affecting housing affordability

New single-family home inventory grew by 8.8% between April 2024 and April 2025 in Clark, Floyd and Harrison counties, Glenn Hockersmith, a Realtor and broker with Schuler Bauer Real Estate, told LBF in a recent report. Despite the increased supply in the area, the average number of days on the market for these homes plummeted 12.9% during the same period.

River Ridge Commerce Center, a 6,000-acre commercial and industrial park in Jeffersonville that produced an estimated $3.04 billion in economic output in 2024, has a lot to do with that growth. But we also discuss how the various school systems in the region play a role.

On the show, we also talk a restaurant boom in New Albany, including something new heading into the former Toast on Market space.

We chat about the backstory on Hidden Hill Nursery & Sculpture Garden, which recently hit the market. We discuss a new recreational trail in Borden, Indiana, which is supposed to eventually connect to Mitchell, Indiana (and even up to Indianapolis at some point.) And we go over the plans for Origin Park, which we recently toured.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

GE Appliances President and CEO Kevin Nolan says a move to bring expanded laundry machine production to Louisville, from China is part of the company's ‘zero-distance’ business strategy.

We talk about the move and the strategy with LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

As Stinnett reported on Thursday, GE Appliances is spending $490 million to expand its local footprint and create an additional 800 full-time jobs at Appliance Park. The investment will move production of the GE Profile Combo Washer/Dryer and the GE Profile UltraFresh Front Load Washer from China to Building 2 at Appliance Park, located at 4000 Buechel Bank Road.

The strategy seeks to make appliances as close as possible to our customers and consumers and "aligns with the current economic and policy environment,” Nolan said in a news release announcing the investment.

GE Appliances is Louisville’s eighth-largest employer, according to Louisville Business First research, with 8,400 local employees. The company has been at Appliance Park, which is more than 6 million square feet on 750 acres, since 1953. The park houses GE Appliances’ technology and engineering center, industrial design, distribution center, warehouse operations and production of washers, dryers, dishwashers and refrigerators.

The company was spun off from General Electric and acquired by China-based Haier in a $5.4 billion deal in 2016.

The expansion comes one year after GE Appliances laid off 4% of its global salaried workforce, citing an appliance industry that was, “even more challenging than anticipated.”

JCPS news and more

Later in the show we talk about Yum Brands Inc.'s donation of its 28.4-acre campus at 1441 Gardiner Lane to Jefferson County Public Schools. Stinnett spoke with JCPS Marty Pollio about the donation recently.

After nearly 30 years as an educator, Pollio doesn’t shock easily, as you can imagine. But he told Stinnett he was floored by the generosity of the gift.

“This donation from Yum Brands is the equivalent of a brand new elementary school at JCPS that we will be able to build as a result of this,” Pollio said. “That generous gift will impact generations of young people in this community.”

Pollio's last day as superintendent was June 30. His replacement, Brian Yearwood, started July 1.

For the last segment of the show we talk about gas stations — including a new location for Wawa and the sale of the former Thornton's property in Downtown Louisville.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.)

Louisville's bar scene is a lot to keep up with but we give it our best shot on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

This week Louisville Business First Reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show the share some local bar and restaurant news. We start with a new location for High Horse Bar — which is now in Nulu after leaving space in Butchertown. We recently had Brian Goodwin, a partner in that bar, on the cover of LBF for a feature story.

Jones also has news on a couple of bar closures. Patrick's, a long-time favorite on Frankfort Avenue, has called it quits after having been in its space since the 1940s. Jones also shares the backstory on the closure of ShopBar — that closure has caused some kerfuffle online.

We also discuss a suspended liquor license for the 21st in Germantown, Dave's Hot Chicken coming to St. Matthews and Del Taco's plans for the area.

Late in the show, we shift off the restaurant topic and discuss a couple of high-profile executive exits in the nonprofit realm and the impacts of those moves. Top level leaders at The Speed Art Museum and Fund for the Arts announced plans to exit their respective organizations recently.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Jim Allen, vice chairman of Robert W. Baird & Co., is on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Baird is the sponsor of the podcast, but Allen was on the show with LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy to talk about local business as well as other topics.

At the top of the program, Allen tells us about progress since the merger between Hilliard Lyons and Baird. The merger of the two legacy financial firms (Hilliard Lyons dates back to 1854 in Louisville and Baird 1919 in Milwaukee) was announced in fall 2018 and completed in April 2019. The companies celebrated the five year anniversary of that merger last year and it's been going well since, he said.

"What has really made it go is the cultural compatibility between the organizations," Allen said.

The business has really changed over the 44 years that he's been in it, he explained. Back at the time he began, Hilliard Lyons was much more of a brokerage and transaction business. Today it's more about wealth planning, which he says is a market necessity particularly as wealth is being transferred across generations.

"Things are going really well [for the business] despite market volatility," he said.

Allen also spoke about Downtown Louisville on the show.

He's worked in Downtown Louisville throughout his career and long advocated for it, including when the company re-invested in the Louisville headquarters in the 500W Jefferson building. Baird invested more than $20 million into relocating and renovating its office spaces within the top five floors of the tower. The company began moving into the space, totaling roughly 100,000 square feet, in early summer 2021.

In spite of calls by some to move to the suburbs, he wanted the company to stay in the heart of the city.

"We need a strong urban core, a strong business center to really thrive as a city and as a region. And, of course, as we all know Louisville is a key economic driver for the commonwealth of Kentucky. Having a vibrant downtown is really, really essential."

A part of the company's commitment to downtown includes underwriting the taxable subordinate debt for the KFC Yum Center, he said.

Back before the arena opened in 2010, Hilliard Lyons financed that debt, which covered the suite level of the arena and was not eligible for tax-free financing, he noted. Goldman Sachs was the lead underwriter for the Yum Center and did not want to underwrite that portion.

"And so we did it," he said. "that's a very big source of pride for us ... as we all know the Yum Center has been transformational for Downtown Louisville." The Yum Center's 15th anniversary is on October 10, 2025.

You can hear more from Allen in the podcast, which you can listen to in the player above or on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Links to the show on both of those platforms are at the top of the story. Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from LBF which covers news in Louisville and features some of the city's key business leaders.

A handful of significant commercial real estate deals top this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on this week's show and tells us about the sale of the Brown-Forman Cooperage. As he reported recently. Lebanon, Missouri-based Independent Stave Co. purchased the 16-acre property at 402 MacLean Ave. from Brown-Forman for $13.66 million on May 1, according to a deed filed with the Jefferson County Clerk’s Office.

The site includes several storage warehouses, two equipment shops and the more than 4,000-square-foot production facility. The cooperage, which opened in 1945, produced about 2,000 barrels a day before closing this year as part of a 12% cut to Brown-Forman's global workforce.

Stinnett also tells us about a Louisville company, Goodson Clothing and Supply Co., moving into new office space on Nelson Miller Parkway. We also chat about a new Wawa opening along Veterans Parkway in Clarksville, Indiana. And we discuss a couple of recently revealed plans for new speculative warehouses — one in Shelby County and another at the River Ridge Commerce Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

In the last part of the show, we talk about the Academies of Louisville program, which aims to prepare students at Jefferson County Public Schools, for their careers post-high school. Eight years after it was implemented, a number of business and education officials are calling it a success — though a leadership change at the school certainly makes us wonder about its future.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

What's behind the Kroger Co.'s recent push to invest in Louisville?

Jake Cannon, Louisville division president for Kroger, is on this week's Access Louisville podcast to explain that and much more.

LBF has been reporting on major investments from Kroger in the market during the last few years. In March we had a story about a $1.8 million remodel of the West Broadway location. Before that, we covered a $2 million renovation of the Outer Loop Kroger. Those are just to name a few recent examples.

As Cannon explains on the show: "it takes capital dollars invested into our brick and mortar stores to make sure layout of the store is right and that we have the right assortment [of products.] Thousands of items are introduced into the market each year."

For example, he noted, that when he ran a Kroger store in the 2000s, there was only one energy drink on the shelves: Red Bull.

"Now it's an aisle ... everybody in the world has an energy drink and that's what the customers are looking for," he said.

Late last year, Kroger also announced a $40 million new marketplace store on Beulah Church Road.

The company is facing new competition in town, including Publix's entry and expansion into Louisville. Cannon talks about competition as well — including what he looks for when he visits Kroger's competitors. As well as companies that he personally admires, including Starbucks and Chik-fil-a.

Cannon, originally from Utah, started working in a grocery store when he was 16 as he explained in this 2023 profile story in Business First. That store wasn't a Kroger location but he found his way to the company from there. He worked for Kroger in Utah, Las Vegas and at the company's general office in Cincinnati, before coming to Louisville.

Cincinnati-based Kroger has served the Louisville community for 95 years now at 27 stores across Jefferson County. Kroger Louisville Division operates 116 retail stores in Kentucky, Southern Indiana and Southern Illinois. Kroger Co. is one of the largest employers in Greater Louisville.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The temporary closure of The Dirty Bird restaurant — which has struggled to obtain a liquor license — tops this week's Access Louisville podcast.

The Audubon neighborhood restaurant has garnered attention in part because of the suggestive names on its menu — the appetizers are referred to as "foreplay" and the fish sandwich is called "the hooker," for instance.

Fred Pizzonia, the property owner and manager of The Dirty Bird, told LBF Restaurant Reporter Michael L. Jones that a state ABC representative has complained about the names and he believes it to be a factor in the liquor license issue. We discuss that with Jones on this week's episode.

Jones also tells us about a new restaurant in New Albany with a well known local name — Falls City Kitchen. It's owned by Neace Ventures, the same company that owns Falls City Beer and a few other local food and beverage brands.

We also hear from Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt about the latest with this year's Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown, Kentucky. The festival is adding new experiences, as it takes inspiration from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas as well as the PGA Championship and the Kentucky Derby. Full details on that here.

We also hear from our sponsors at Baird this week. LBF President and Publisher Lisa Benson is on the show with an interview with Mark Nickel, who is president and chief investment officer at Baird Trust to talk about numerous topics, including what's known as "The Great Wealth Transfer."

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

A look at the latest happenings in NuLu, a little pickleball, a little golf and even a small restaurant recap.

All of the above are topics in a loaded edition of the Access Louisville podcast. LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show to discuss how Gravely Brewing Co. shook the local brewery scene by announcing that it would be moving its taproom from Phoenix Hill to 905 E. Main St. in NuLu.

Gravely Brewing opened at 514 Baxter Ave., near Hull Street, in 2017. The taproom has been a community staple ever since.

Yours truly will also talk about my initial observations after I visited Fifth Third Bank’s new office in NuLu for a sneak peek. The 10,000-square foot space is on the fourth floor of the NuLu Yard development, a $115 million project being overseen by Weyland Ventures.

Zak Owens, our digital editor, is also on hand to discuss how the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office has signed a lease to move into 47,000 square feet of space at 515 W. Market St., a building owned by the University of Louisville Foundation, as reported by Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett.

Owens will also talk about how Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg recently pulled the plug on a $65 million project for a large pickleball facility in Joe Creason Park in response to an outpouring of public outcry.

Staying on the sports theme, I will talk about PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan visiting town earlier this month for the Kentucky Derby. He and another member of the PGA Tour leadership team were Derby guests of Jimmy Kirchdorfer, the CEO/chairman of ISCO Industries who is also a co-owner of Valhalla Golf Club. I spoke with Monahan and Kircdorfer before they teed off for a round at Valhalla.

The main topic of conversation was how the PGA Tour is fully committed to having the ISCO Championship in Kentucky, which will take place in July. It will be at Hurstbourne Country Club for the next three years, with options to move the tournament to other courses in Kentucky.

Monahan also said that he thought it was “when not if” Louisville will be able to host another major golf tournament after last year’s PGA Championship took place at Valhalla. Keep in mind that the ultimate decision is made by the PGA of America, not the PGA Tour.

I will also talk about how the ISCO Championship has already sold out of its 18th green hospitality suites with the event still two months away.

And finally, we will top the podcast off with Jones talking about two of his recent headlines. The first is the future opening of Gaucho Urban Brazilian Steakhouse at 2013 S. Hurstbourne Parkway. Jones will also share the latest on Tavern To-Go, located at 111 E. Hill St.

Sarah Worrell, general manager of Kentucky Kingdom Theme and Waterpark joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

On the show, Worrell tells us a bit about what's new at the park, including the newest addition — Discovery Meadow. Discovery Meadow is an $11 million investment (part of $25 million in upgrades overall) and will open May 10.

"It's gonna be unlike anything anyone has ever seen in the park before," she told us.

Kentucky Kingdom Theme and Water Park, owned by Atlanta-based Herchend, is Kentucky’s largest amusement and water park. It spans 67 acres and has over 70 rides and attractions, including five roller coasters.

The new area is an homage to the community, she said. The name Kentucky Kingdom has been in the community for the last 30 years and Herchend and the team there wanted to celebrate the state, she said.

"Discovery Meadow is the first step into that," she said "... really embracing what is beautiful and special about Kentucky."

The new land features six acres aimed at families with three new attractions and 24 new and re-themed experiences. The three new rides are:

Redbird Racer – Spin and swoop aboard a vibrant cardinal defending its home.
Scout’s Squirrel Race – Playful squirrels chase the ultimate prize—a giant acorn.
Cumberland Express – A whimsical garden train adventure wrapped in vines.

Other details:

Shaded 4,800-square-foot playground
Two refreshed eateries plus a brand-new Dippin’ Dots cart.
More seating and shade
Games Garden – Classic yard game fun with a Kentucky twist.
Two refurbished restrooms.
Two new retail locations

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.)

Ford Motor Co. recently showed off the latest iteration of its large Expedition SUV in Louisville.

Was the reveal a sign of confidence for the automaker? After all, it gave the company a chance to boast about its high level of domestic production — something important in the wake of a trade war.

We chat about that as well as the auto industry overall on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast.

Let's face it, this event may have just been a good reason for Ford executives to come to Louisville on Derby Week.

The new 2025 Ford Expedition is rolling off the line at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville after the company invested $500 million at the facility. The reveal took place on Wednesday, April 30, and included a visit from Ford CEO Jim Farley as our partners at WDRB News reported. He spoke about the auto industry reactions on tariffs as well as the economy as a whole.

The price for the new SUV ranges anywhere from $62,000 to $100,000, by the way.

After the automotive talk, we switch gears to talk about the Kentucky Derby. Reporter Michael L. Jones has covered a couple of Kentucky Derby related stories in the run-up to the big event, including a conversation with George Zambelli of the Zambelli fireworks family.

Obviously, this was a rough year for the company after a huge flood in April canceled Thunder Over Louisville.

“I always wondered what it would be like if there was no Thunder, and unfortunately, we got to see what it was like,” Zambelli told Jones. “It's certainly an economic impact on the city. So, maybe this is a good wake-up call to say, ‘Hey, let's be supportive of this.’"

We also talk about the Belle of Louisville being scratched from the Great Steamboat Race and Jones' recent visit to Kern's Kitchen, makers of the famous Derby Pie.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.)

What are Louisville's biggest assets and how can we best leverage those?

That was recently a topic of discussion on the Access Louisville podcast. We took the weekly LBF show live for a special episode — recorded in front of an audience and with three guests:

Jennifer Barber, office member in charge, Louisville, Frost Brown Todd
Scott Catlett, chair, Impetus for a Better Louisville and former Yum Brands Inc. chief legal and franchise officer
Mike Mountjoy, founding partner and chairman emeritus of MCM CPAs and Advisors (now Cherry Bekaert)

All three were members of LBF's Power 50 list of Louisville’s most influential business people. They are all also at different stages of their careers, with Barber making her first appearance on that list, Catlett being a regular and Mountjoy being part of the inaugural Power 50 Hall of Fame. We talked about their careers for a bit at the top of the show, with each sharing their proudest accomplishments.

After the career talk, we got to talking about what Louisville should look to accomplish as a city — and they all three had great takes:

On building the economy

"We talk about bringing big companies here — we don't need to bring the big companies here. We need to bring people here," said Mountjoy. He advocates 0% income tax as a means of doing that. "The businesses follow the people, not the other way around. There aren't enough engineers in Louisville. There need to be more. There's not enough technology people here."

On getting involved

"One thing about our community is it's small enough if you want to make a difference you can," said Catlett. "There are plenty of organizations where you can contribute and make a difference and it's gonna take that. We can't look to the leaders of the past. We need people to step up — of today's generation, of tomorrow's generation — to really be a force for good in the community."

On the workforce

"The talent pool is still very strong. Outside of the legal industry, I think the issue for Kentucky and for Louisville is less the talent pool and more workforce participation," said Barber, noting a troubling trend within that metric. "We've got to increase our workforce participation. We're going to have to tackle some things like housing issues and childcare issues to get more Kentuckians and more Louisvillians into that talent pool."

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

UPCOMING EVENT: Access Louisville Live presented by Baird. Be on hand for a live recording of the Access Louisville podcast April 22. Details and registration here.

A new pizza joint, a French Bistro and the latest on the brewing scene.

All of the above are topics on this week's Access Louisville podcast. LBF Restaurant reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show to tell us about a new St. Matthews Pizza joint, Pizza Jones (no relation.) Pizza Jones will be located at 126 Breckenridge Lane, next to the China 1 restaurant, and is scheduled to open in early May. Gene Stein, co-owner of Pizza Jones, is the former co-owner of the defunct Pizza Guy brand, which closed nearly two decades ago.

Jones also tells us about French bistro M. Peppers, which opened at 1306 Bardstown Road, inside the Bellwether Hotel, opened Tuesday, April 15. It comes from the team behind bar Vetti inside NuLu's AC Hotel. The ownership group includes chef Andrew McCabe and restaurateur Ryan Rogers, co-owner of Feast BBQ and Royals Hot Chicken.

We also chat about Mashup Food Hall landing its first restaurant, the closure of the Oddbird Cafe in the Highlands and the latest trends in craft beer brewing. Brewing is still a growing business (despite troubles experienced lately by Louisville brewers) though it's not growing as fast as it was pre-pandemic, as our data showed.

After the restaurant talk, we chat about music festivals — including the news that Danny Wimmer Presents, the promotor behind Bourbon & Beyond and Louder than Life, has committed to Louisville for the next 10 years. Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life generated more than $33 million in local economic impact in 2024 and drew more than 300,000 attendees, booking over 60,000 hotel room nights, as Jones reported.

We also chat about the recently announced lineup of The Big Stomp festival, which you can find here.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

UPCOMING EVENT: Access Louisville Live presented by Baird. Be on hand for a live recording of the Access Louisville podcast April 22. Details and registration here.

Sometimes Mother Nature just has our number — and that's certainly been true so far in 2025.

On this week's Access Louisville podcast we discuss the loss of Thunder Over Louisville — which is being canceled this year because of flooding.

On a normal Thunder, about half a million people line the banks of both sides of the river. Kentucky Derby Festival pegs the Thunder economic impact at more than $120 million, while Louisville Tourism charts it at $10 million. A Louisville Tourism spokesperson detailed that their number only accounts for direct economic impact (and excluding things like sponsorship or advertising dollars or TV rights).

On this week's show, we also discuss how the flooding has impacted businesses including The Galt House, Captains Quarters and Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort.

After the flooding talk, we discuss work beginning on a project at the Kentucky Expo Center. Crews will begin demolishing parts of the existing center, including Newmarket Hall. The cleared space will pave the way for Phase I of the project, which is a new 350,000-square-foot multipurpose building designed to expand and redefine event capabilities at the facility.

Additionally, we chat about Louisville Metro Government taking preliminary steps to restore Louisville Gardens. The city is planning to do exterior demolition around the entrance of the building at 525 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd.

And, lastly, Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt is on the show to discuss the latest on how tariffs will affect Kentucky's signature bourbon industry. Tariffs were causing wild fluctuations on Wall Street this week. But they're also something the bourbon industry has been talking about for far longer, including at LBF's recent Bourbonomics event.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.)

UPCOMING EVENT: Access Louisville Live presented by Baird. Be on hand for a live recording of the Access Louisville podcast April 22. Details and registration here.

Louisville and the surrounding area have seen a bevy of new data center projects announced in the last several months. We discuss what it all means on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

The latest news is a $6 billion project in Oldham County which is attracting scrutiny from nearby residents and officials. There are also data center developments in South Louisville and at the River Ridge Commerce Center in Jeffersonville, Indiana.

The jury is likely still out on whether having these projects are good or not. Sure, they attract big investments and require some high paying jobs. And possibly set the area up for more technology industry development. But they're also a major draw on power and water resources.

After the data center discussion, Reporter Joel Stinnett shares some of his notes from covering new University of Louisville president Gerard "Gerry" Bradley. He did his first press conference recently after his very unusual appointment to UofL's top office.

Lastly, we get into a little baseball talk — particularly the news that a Louisville native has landed a very lucrative MLB contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks. And we wrap up the show with me lamenting the fact that Cincinnati Reds games are no longer readily available on my TV provider of choice. TV revenue is a challenge for MLB teams compared to those in other sports, as we recently reported.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The city got some surprising news this week with the announcement that Kim Schatzel was out as president of the University of Louisville.

What started as a Tuesday night rumor quickly evolved into a close-door meeting of the University of Louisville Board of Trustees on Wednesday. Louisville Business First reporter Michael Jones was at that meeting and shares his insights on the situation on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Perhaps most surprising was that Schatzel's departure was followed by the quick appointment of Gerry Bradley to replace her. Bradley is the third president in five years. UofL has experienced a rotating cast of leaders since longtime president James Ramsey resigned in 2016.

Also on this week's show, we discuss the former Highland United Methodist, which recently hit the market. Star Auerbach and her father Rob Auerbach, co-founder of Rainbow Blossom Natural Food Market, had purchased this property in 2023 and were considering a boutique hotel for the space. But after Rob Auerbach passed away in 2024, Star says she's no longer able to do the project on her own — though she would still like to see someone else pick it up.

Further, we talk about some recent Downtown property sales including Advocacy Plaza near the courthouse and the former MPI Printing building on Jefferson Street. We chat about development near Lynn Family Stadium and we've got an interesting story involving two bars in NuLu, both of which are named Taj.

There's also some content from our sponsors at Baird. LBF’s Lisa Benson has an interview with investment strategist Ross Mayfield — they’re talking market volatility, tariffs, bourbon and other economic news.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.)

We have a classic restaurant news update on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Restaurant Reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show to share some of his latest reporting. We start off on the surprising news that Joy Luck has closed its two locations in the area. The Asian fusion eatery, which had locations in the Highlands and on the East End, has been a staple of the local restaurant scene over the last nine years. The restaurants were owned by brothers Alvin and Brendan Lin. The two opened the Highlands location in 2013, and the East End restaurant followed in 2016.

Jones also has some news on Playa Bowls, which is replacing the Highlands restaurant. New Jersey-based Playa Bowls specializes in bowls containing superfoods like acai, pitaya, chia pudding, and more.

We also chat about Limon Y Sal, a new modern Mexican restaurant that opened recently at to 3900 Shelbyville Road. The nearly 7,500-square-foot space was previously occupied by The Raven, which closed last May.

We also talk about the food and drinks on offer this season at Lynn Family Stadium. And we go over new locations for Bubba's 33 as well as Swig and Highlands Fish Market that are coming to the area soon.

After the restaurant talk, we discuss new regulations on the hemp beverage industry. As well as a new promotion and relegation system adopted by the United Soccer League, of which Louisville City FC is a part.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are linked above.)

Louisville lost one of its biggest luminaries this week with the passing of Junior Bridgeman.

We discuss his passing and share some of our favorite stories about the basketball star turned businessman on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Bridgeman died at age 71 after suffering a medical emergency during the 45th Annual Leadership Luncheon on Scouting held at the Galt House on March 11.

He was a star guard on the University of Louisville’s 1975 squad that went to the NCAA Final Four. He played 12 years in the NBA, most of that for the Milwaukee Bucks, who retired his number. After his athletic career ended, Bridgeman operated numerous restaurants, including many Wendy's locations.

On this week's show, we share some favorite stories about Bridgeman. Reporter Michael L. Jones also shares some clips from interviews that he conducted with Kevin Cosby, president and CEO of Simmons College, Jimmy Kirchdorfer, CEO of ISCO Industries and Wade Houston, a basketball great and founder of HJI Supply Chain Solutions. You can find more from people who knew Bridgeman in this story from Jones.

Check out a few other favorite stories of ours here:

• An interview with Junior Bridgeman on the Breaking the Mold podcast, hosted by Kentucky to the World from 2016.

• Bridgeman's buy in to the Milwaukee Bucks from the Milwaukee Business Journal in 2024.

• And a 2014 profile of Bridgeman from Louisville Business First.

Later in the show we also chat about the retirement of Scott Davenport, who stepped down as head coach of the men's basketball team at Bellarmine University. And we chat about a few things to watch for as we head into March Madness.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We get some perspective from a Louisville CEO on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Logan Pichel, president and CEO of Republic Bank & Trust, is on this week's show. (He also recently made our Power 50 list of the area's most powerful executives.) We cover a little bit of everything including diversity, equity and inclusion, mergers in the banking industry and banking under the new administration of Donald Trump.

In a period where stories out of Washington D.C. seems to be lighting up news feeds on an hourly basis, Pichel discussed the need to focus on his company's mission.

"You don't run the bank for the administration, you run it for the longterm franchise value of the organization," he said. "Administrations change. Not a lot has changed in our strategy."

He suspects a looser regulatory environment will likely be in place as a result of the new administration. He could also see more consolidation in the sector — "although I will tell you that we just bought a bank two years ago under the previous administration."

Pichel was referring to Republic Bancorp's (NASDAQ: RBCAA) acquisition of CBank for approximately $51 million in cash in 2023.

"It got approved quickly and it was a great experience," he said.

We also get into talking about Louisville's economy — which has taken some hits of late particularly with the news that KFC U.S. is leaving Louisville for Plano, Texas. The news of Humana Inc.'s move out of its namesake tower on Main Street hasn't bolstered confidence either.

"It is worrisome. You don't want to see exits. You want to see entrance into the community — especially with companies with such great reputations as KFC and Humana. We moved associates downtown in the last year or two."

"I also believe in momentum. Once you start to see more companies coming to Louisville, more people will come here. It's a great community," he said, noting he just moved here 4 and half years ago. Housing is not as expensive here as it is in other places and travel is easy.

"I just think we need momentum. We've got good leadership. Our mayor is fantastic. Craig Greenberg's great. And he's pro business. And he wants to bring new companies in. We just have to start getting some momentum," he said.

"I know we'll get there. I'm encouraged we'll get there. We all just wish it was a little faster."

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

We chat about a couple of apartment developments in the area on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

But we also discuss why these proposals seem to touch off so much controversy.

Specifically on the show we talk about two apartment development projects: One in a former school house in the Highlands and another near Highlander Point Shopping Center in Floyds Knobs, Indiana.

Through the years, we've heard that Southern Indiana is generally friendlier for development. But in this case, the Indiana development is attracting more complaints from residents than the one in Louisville. We get into chatting about why people oppose developments like this — including traffic, density and population growth.

We move on to some lighter topics after that including some restaurants and retail news. The new Bourbon & Burgers and the PGA Superstore are both opening soon in St. Matthews.

And we chat about music a bit considering that the iconic Headliners Music Hall is on the market. We also make note of some of the acts on the lineup at Louder than Life this year.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above.

The hits just keep coming for economic development in Louisville — most recently with the news that KFC is leaving town.

That's one of five recent examples of some absolutely abysmal economic news coming out of Louisville.

Before that it was Papa John's flight from Louisville to Atlanta. And the news that Humana Inc. is vacating its Main Street tower in Downtown Louisville. You can throw the closure of the Brown-Forman Cooperage and Diageo's ending of bottling operations at Stitzel-Weller Distillery onto the bad news pile too.

Those are just the big, semi-recent ones. Add it all up and it doesn't look good for the Derby City.

So what's happening here? We give our best shot at an explanation on this week's Access Louisville podcast, which you can check out in the player above.

In short, it's not all just one thing. Louisville is on the wrong end of some recent business trends.

Obviously, the trends that led restaurant companies (KFC and Papa Johns) out of town are different than those causing the distillers (Diageo and Brown-Forman) to shut down facilities.

In the case of the former, it seems restaurant companies want greater access to the world than Louisville can readily provide (a few site selection professionals we spoke with gave us some great insight on this recently.) And in the case of the latter, there's a global spirits downturn and threats of a trade war that are impacting Kentucky's bourbon industry.

As for Humana, it's in step with a lot of companies that are just needing less office space in the wake of remote work.

So the question is less: What's going on here and more what do we do about it?

More on this weeks show

We don't just lament Louisville's losses on this week's show. We also go over some good news that has taken place as well. It seems that things are moving for a redevelopment project at Louisville Gardens, which will be home to the film industry. There's also new apartment building going up that could be a real boon for Downtown Louisville.

And we've got some news on massive upgrades planned at Churchill Downs.

A big time change coming to U.S. soccer could mean Louisville's best opportunity for a new top-tier sports team. And we chat about it on the Access Louisville podcast.

As LBF reported on Thursday, The United Soccer League is planning to launch a division one professional soccer league which will directly compete with Major League Soccer at the top of the U.S. soccer pyramid. LouCity FC currently plays at the second tier of the pyramid in the USL Championship league. While nothing has been officially announced, there are strong hints that Louisville would move up to the top once the new league is launched.

As we talk about on the show, USL President Paul McDonough mentioned Louisville soccer specifically in two separate press interviews — one with the Athletic and one with the Guardian.

We talk about why this could be an exciting development — though not without it's growing pains. As we discuss, Lynn Family Stadium, where LouCity FC plays, can get tight when too many fans show up. There's also the question of the long-awaited development that was supposed to happen around the stadium — something that's surely among Louisville's biggest development opportunities.

We also spoke about Greater Louisville Inc.'s new economic development strategy. The plan includes a talent attraction strategy around wooing people back to Louisville who used to live here — referred to as boomerangs. That's already been something that occurs naturally in a lot of cases.

And we talk about Trevor Pawl, the new CEO of Louisville Economic Development Alliance (LEDA), who seems to be bringing fresh perspective to the realm. We wrap up with a discussion about Humana CEO Jim Retchin, who spoke at GLI's annual meeting this week.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Does Louisville hate big ideas? We get into that on the Access Louisville podcast.

A proposed revamp of the Belvedere is what gets us talking about the topic. Renderings of the project were recently unveiled, which showcase a unique and distinct design, on Louisville's waterfront. The designs were created by London-based Heatherwick Studios, which is also behind the Vessel in New York or Little Island in Brooklyn.

There's been a few pieces of news on the project including it's cost and timeline. Mayor Craig Greenberg has also appointed an executive to lead the effort.

But the reception on social media has largely been negative.

Yes, we realize that people generally use social media to complain but it got us talking about other big Louisville ideas that have seemingly been met with scorn — Museum Plaza, the Big Four Bridge, a Mid-City Mall redo and so on. Even when the Clark Memorial Bridge got a coat of paint that wasn't grey, people seemed upset by it.

We have our theories as to why — everything from nostalgia for the way things used to be to just plain grumpiness.

Also on this week's show we chat about a new art installation, called Spark, coming to Louisville's Portland neighborhood that's surely to get people talking.

We chat about the upcoming sale of the Humana tower and what might become of it. And we update you on the progress of the former Urban Government Center on Barret Avenue.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

We chat about several local construction projects on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Topping the discussion is what looks to be a new grocery store at 201 Blankenbaker Parkway. LBF Reporter Joel Stinnett spotted a demolition permit that had been filed to tear down part of the structure there (which used to be home to a Winn-Dixie and Walmart Neighborhood Market) in order to make way for something new.

The permit hints at a retailer going into the space and it's the right size for one — though nothing has been confirmed yet.

After that we also chat about Kentucky Educational Television (KET) opening its new studio on Main Street, which Digital Editor Zak Owens got a look at earlier recently.

Also on this week's show we talk about demolition planned at the former EMW Women's Surgical Center at the corner of 2nd and Market streets. A new 27-story hotel tower has been discussed for that space in the future, but for now the building is being demolished for a parking lot, as Stinnett reported recently.

After that we go talk about Stinnett's recent LBF cover story on the largest development opportunities in Louisville, which include the Urban Government Center on Barrett Avenue, the Starks Building in Downtown Louisville and the area surrounding Lynn Family Stadium. You can check out the full story on that development to-do list here.

In the second half of the show we switch gears and chat about a handful of local sports stories, including a new platform that allows fans to raise money for college sports recruits. LBF Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt has details on that program here. We also go over news about a former Louisville City FC player going to the MLS and the departure of UofL volleyball coach Dani Busboom Kelly.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We talk strategy with the CEO of a popular Louisville attraction on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

DeVone Holt has been at the helm of the Muhammad Ali Center, as president and CEO since September. He's the first in the organization’s history to hail from Louisville. On the show he talks about how he plans to both foster local relationships and expand the organization's reach.

“It really has been a whirlwind of activity,” Holt said on the podcast, which was recorded with LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy in late December. Holt spoke about the immense honor of spreading Muhammad Ali’s legacy around the world, calling it “literally one of the greatest honors of my professional career.”

Ali is revered by people from all walks of life and continues to inspire the center’s mission, he said.

Holt worked for Goodwill Industries of Kentucky prior to his CEO appointment and helped shepherd the organization's $50 million Opportunity Campus development in West Louisville. He speaks about his roots growing up in West Louisville before attending Doss High School. That's something we reported in our recent holiday feature on where several local executives went to high school.

The Muhammad Ali Center welcomed about 150,000 guest in 2023, ranking it among the area's largest tourist attractions. Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

The bourbon news doesn't seem to stop flowing.

We chat about a major strategy change for Louisville-based distiller Brown-Forman Corp. (NYSE: BF-A, BF-B) on this week's Access Louisville podcast. The discussion was spurred by the recent news that the company, which owns Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester and other spirits brands, is laying off 12% of its global workforce and shutting down its Louisville cooperage.

You can read more about the news from Brown-Forman here, as well as some reaction from the industry on the cooperage closure specifically.

We chat about what the news means for local tourism.

Bourbon sales are undoubtedly slowing down. But the famed Kentucky spirit still has plenty of fans that are up for a visit. You can check out our most recent list of the area's biggest bourbon attractions here.

We also discuss a local Hemp company that's considering a similar tourism-driven facility in Louisville.

After the bourbon and hemp talk, we switch gears to talk movies — which is becoming an emerging industry in the state.

You can read about a movie being shot in Louisville, "Dead Man's Wire" that has received $4 million in tax incentives from the state of Kentucky here. You can also read more about Kentucky's emerging film industry in this Q&A with Soozie Eastman founder and president of 502 Film and chair of the Louisville Film Commission. Eastman made a guest appearance on Access Louisville last year.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

We chat about what's next for the bourbon industry on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Specifically, LBF Bourbon Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt is on the show to talk about the coming year for the industry. Schmidt recently talked to several people in the industry for a two-part story on the year ahead in this signature Kentucky space. He heard a little bit of everything from speculation on acquisition deals to expanding the ways in which brands sell to their consumers. You can read part 1 of Schmidt's bourbon prediction story here, and part 2 here.

A key takeaway: Last year was a challenging one for the industry — at least compared to the boom years of the last decade — and that's expected to continue in 2025.

After that, we chat about a couple restaurant stories with Reporter Michael L. Jones. He tells us about a new location for popular Mexican restaurant I Love Tacos. He also shares an update about the former Pints & Union Space in New Albany, which will soon be home to a new tavern.

Finally we wrap up the show with a discussion of Louisville's Hometown Heroes banners. The sepia-toned banners have for years decorated the sides of Louisville buildings with the faces of famous and notable Louisvillians. A new class of Hometown Heroes was recently announced, as Digital Editor Zak Owens recently reported. (Fun fact: One of the Hometown Heroes Honorees, Ken Clay, founder of Corner of Jazz, co-authored a book with Jones, 2024's "Soulful Sounds of Derby Town." You can hear Jones talk about the book on our show here.)

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We've open up our crystal ball, blew on the circuit board and put it back together.

Surely, now, we're ready to predict the future.

As we have the last few years, we start another year of the Access Louisville podcast by making predictions for what we think will happen in the area over the next 12 months.

We tackle a large range of topics in our predictions — construction, sports, business trends bourbon and more. You'll have to listen in on your favorite podcast streaming app to hear all of them but here are just a few to give you a taste:

Mid-City Mall will be sold (it is on the market after all) but there will be legal battles related to what is developed there;
A new building conversion program will finally get work moving on the Starks building redevelopment project;
Louisville will make a push to land a WNBA franchise considering expansion plans for the league;
And Buc-ee's will continue it's expansion into Kentucky with a location between Louisville and Cincinnati.

Keep in mind these are just predictions, based on familiarity with trends in the area and not any inside knowledge.

The predictions show is a favorite Access Louisville tradition.

In fact, last week on Access Louisville, we traveled back in time to our 2024 predictions to see how they aged in hindsight. We only got a few right

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

If only we had a crystal ball.

In the last several years, the team at LBF's Access Louisville podcast have developed an end-of-the-year tradition where we sit down and try to predict what might happen the next year. In this week's episode, we revisit predictions we made for 2024 — and it was a mixed bag on what we got right and wrong.

Some of the things we covered include Racing Louisville FC falling short of the playoffs, rumors of Humana’s sale to Cigna (talks of a deal are reportedly off the table) and plans for a new 27-story hotel in Downtown Louisville. We also chat about the latest with the University of Louisville men's basketball team, tensions over development in West Louisville during the last year and Bob Dylan's new attraction in town.

Be sure to tune in next week as we look to the future to make predictions for the upcoming year. And the plan is to review them in a year and see how we did.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We catch up with a major Louisville nonprofit on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Tamera Reif, senior director of Housing Services at Volunteers of America Mid-States, is on this week's show to talk about a number of ongoing projects with the organizaiton. She spends her days in the world of residential homeless and housing work — a key issue affecting Louisville in recent years. She talks about how she is inspired to do the work.
Volunteers of America Mid-States (VOA) broke ground on its new headquarters, the $58 million Community Care Campus, in September. Reif tells us on the show that one of the most exciting parts of that project is a new family emergency shelter, which will more than double the available space for families experiencing homelessness. The campus also includes transitional housing for 18 to 24 year old youths and respite care for homeless people leaving the hospital.
The space will also include meeting rooms and partner spaces, she explains. And she speaks with LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy talks with Reif about how the campus project came together with the support of Louisville Metro Government.
The start of construction comes nearly two years after Louisville Metro Government purchased the Smoketown properties on Breckinridge Street near Floyd and Brook streets for nearly $7 million. Existing facilities on the property included the Vu Hotel and Guest House as well as the C2 event space, which George Stinson and his partner Ed Lewis opened in 2016.
The majority of the funding for the project is coming from the Kentucky General Assembly and Louisville Metro Government, which are contributing a combined $22.5 million, according to VOA’s website. Low income housing credits are responsible for $19 million in funds and the VOA has been able to raise $2.5 million for the project to date. But that still leaves a $17.5 million gap in funding.
The new campus is expected to fully completed in 2027 and will employ 75 people. Miranda Construction is handling the buildout of the Community Care Campus. Hancock said the new Unity House will have 34 rooms and be able to serve 80 to 90 people at a time.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We've got a classic restaurant news update on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show to tell us about Byrdie's. James Beard-nominated Chef Jenner Tomaska and his wife and business partner Katrina Bravo opened Byrdie’s, a new French-inspired bistro, in Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood on Thursday, Dec. 12.

Byrdie's is on the first floor of the Hotel Genevieve, located at 7300 E. Market St., which itself was just recognized by the Michelin Guide for its French-inspired architecture. The nearly 3,000-square-foot restaurant replaces Rosette’s, an all-day restaurant that closed in August.

We also chat about a new French bistro and boutique that's scheduled to open in the Clifton neighborhood in the spring. Ça et Là, which means “Here and There” in French, will be located at 1832 Frankfort Ave., near the American Printing House for the Blind. The new business will blend café culture, artisan imports, and affordable Southern French street foods, petits plats, and wines.

Later in the show we chat about a possible revival for Chi-Chi's Mexican Restaurant as well as the relatively new Take Thai restaurant on Factory Lane. We also get into some retail news with updates on a new location for ALDI and Fresh Market. And we note that Carhartt is opening a retail location in Louisville.

Finally, we wrap up the show with news that Givaudan is opening a new facility in Reading, Ohio, near Cincinnati. That's after an explosion at the company's Louisville plant killed two people, injured about a dozen and damaged property around the Clifton neighborhood.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

How important is a proposed $250M development around Louisville Slugger Field? We chat about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Reporter Joel Stinnett initially reported on this project, on Dec. 2. and is on this week's show to share a few insights and details about it.

The Louisville Sports Entertainment District would be a 500,000-square-foot mix of housing, retail, hospitality and entertainment atop of what now is a city-owned parking lot east of the baseball stadium. The more than $250 million public-private partnership would include Louisville Bats owner Diamond Baseball Holdings, which bought the club last year, and Houston-based real estate firm Machete Group.

The city is working with the two groups on a development agreement.

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg said the proposed development is in the “very early stages” so it is not clear how much of the $250 million investment would be provided by the city. However, the project would require incentives, he said, including the possible creation of a Tax Increment Finance district.

We also chat about an O.G. punk rocker, Dean Thomas, drummer for the Los Angeles rockabilly group Levi And The Rockats in the late 1970s, who's opened an art gallery on Main Street. Dean Thomas Fine Art Painting opened Dec. 8 at 635 W. Main St. in Downtown Louisville. Reporter Michael L. Jones talked to Thomas about his careers in both music and art, which he wrote a story on here and explains on the show.

Jones also tells us about a new restaurant he recently reported on, which, oddly enough, is opening inside a gun range. Brass Social, at 11800 Electron Dr. opened Friday, Nov. 29, in the Next Level Ranges development in Jeffersontown, which also includes gun ranges and a pro shop.

Brandon Mitchell, co-owner of Brass Social, said the new restaurant serves what he likes to call elevated bar food with locally-sourced ingredients. His partners in Brass Social, James and Jennifer Naive, own a farm in Spencer County, Double J Beef, that supplies the restaurant’s beef. The restaurant also gets beef from Ridge Creek Farm in Spencer County.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

After some struggles years ago, Louisville-based Rainbow Blossom has a great last few years.

Rainbow Blossom, an independent chain of natural food markets that specializes in natural grocery, body care and health and wellness products, just opened a new East End location a few months ago. It also made LBF's Fast 50 list of growing companies in Louisville in this year, with revenue rising 18% over the last three years to $13.04 million in 2023.

Second generation owner Summer Auerbach joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week and explains things weren't always so rosy.

She discusses the challenges and strategies of growing the family business, which was founded by her parents in 1977. Despite opening a sixth location and expanding its New Albany store recently, Auerbach emphasizes maintaining the company's small, accessible, and family-like culture. On the show she also highlights the importance of direct communication, team input,and creating written guidelines for consistency. Auerbach also reflects on overcoming tough times by differentiating from competition, being nimble and innovative, and leveraging data and metrics to drive growth

"We have really been able to make changes quickly, to be responsive to community needs and make sure we are separating ourselves from our competition," she said.

She also talks about where she sees the company heading in the future — including a potential medical cannabis dispensary license that it is seeking.

"I think that will be a natural progression for us as that space moves forward," she said. "I'm proud of our state for taking this leap. I'm glad we're not the 50th state [to make marijuana legal.]

Auerbach also was recently honored as part of LBF's Most Admired CEOs program. More on her and other honorees here.

You can listen to the full interview in the player above as well as on popular podcast services like Apple Podcasts and Spotify (which are also linked above.) Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

We go over all the latest restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast. LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show to tell us about several interesting developments.

Notably, Jones shares the story of Frank Faris, who formerly owned Genny's Diner and today is behind the Frickled Pickle Express food truck. Jones, who has reported on the restaurant scene in Louisville for many years, said he's always wanted to speak with Farris. He got to do so for a recent feature story, which you can read here.

Frickled Pickle Express has been operating for a couple of years but Jones said he was surprised about how much attention his story has gotten on social media, as many people seem to be curious about what Faris has been up to.

Next, Jones tells us about a new ice cream shop, Retta's Scoop. The shop will open its first physical location at 2011 Frankfort Ave. in early 2025, but it's ice cream is already available at some retail and restaurant locations. Retta’s Scoop offers unique flavors like Sweet Potato Pie, Fancy Toast, and Sour Dough PB&J, Jones explains.

We also talk about a new bakery concept from the folks behind Quill's Coffee — Oddbird Cafe. Right now it has baked goods but it'll be adding sandwiches and other lunch items in the future.

Off the restaurant news, Digital Editor Zak Owens tells us about a new cigar bar that's open. The Louisville Cigar Company, at 967 Baxter Avenue, will offer a wide selection of cigars plus craft cocktails in a speakeasy-like setting.

After that, Reporter Piper Hansen tells us about a new event center being built at the under-development Origin Park. And a plan to connect trails within six counties in Southern Indiana that she recently wrote about.

Lastly, we wrap up the show, on the news that Louisville has lost its only flight to LAX. Spirit Airlines cut its flight from SDF to LAX ahead of its recent bankruptcy filing.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast, we chat about the Givaudan Sense Colour explosion that shook the city on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

Two people were killed in the explosion, which took place at 901 Payne Street.

On the show we talked about the atmosphere in the newsroom the day it happened and some of the fallout, including damage to surrounding homes and business. And we discuss past violations and incidents at the business. Finally, we wrap up by talking about where things go from here, including the possibility of rebuilding.

You can read more of our coverage of the explosion at the links below:

2 dead in Givaudan plant explosion
Body pulled from Givaudan plant rubble hours after explosion
Louisville Givaudan Sense Colour facility was cited twice for violations last year
Clifton businesses recover following Givaudan Sense Colour explosion

Later in the show, we switch gears to chat about the potential sale of Mid City Mall in the Highlands. A redevelopment of that site has a lot of potential for change in the area and we talk about our wishlist for what we'd like to see in any type of new development.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

A couple recent real estate deals allow plans for a proposed 27-story tower to move forward.

And we chat about those transactions on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on the show to talk about New York City-based Zyyo's latest moves toward building the facility, as it has closed deals to purchase 140, 138 and 136 W. Market Sts., according to deeds filed with the Jefferson County Clerk’s office. The transactions totaled more than $4 million.

As Business First first reported in July, the properties are where Zyyo, in partnership with Hawley, Minnesota-based TruVine Companies, is planning to build the tower. It's known as One Forty West, and will feature a 300-room hotel at the corner of 2nd and Market streets.

“Next steps for the development include demolition, site prep and design. We are managing negotiations with a number of brands, all of which are super excited with our program and vision. Construction estimation is an ongoing process through each of those phases,” Nick Campisano, founder and CEO of Zyyo, said. There's more on the project here.

Also on this week's show we chat about developer Earl Winebrenner buying more land in NuLu.

In the second half of the show Reporter Piper Hansen fills us in on what's happening in Floyd County, Indiana, including an under development business park with nearby housing that's under construction.

She also tells us about a key figure behind that development, John Vellenger, president of in-space industries, Redwire Corp., which is building a facility in Floyd County. Vellenger has had an amazing career in engineering focused around countless experimental modules and technology being tested on the International Space Station. You can read more about him here.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Louisville is getting a new international grocery store — which got us talking about the market's needs on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Reporter Joel Stinnett joins the show this week to tell us about Saraga International Grocery, which has signed a lease and will open its first area store at 200 N. Hurstbourne Parkway inside The Forum Center. This was formerly the site of Lucky's Market, which closed amid a company bankruptcy in 2020.

This gets us talking about what we'd like to see in the grocery market in Louisville — a second Trader Joe's and more options inside the Watterson Expressway are on our wishlist.

In other grocery news, Stinnett also tells us about the latest with Hy-Vee. In spite of delays, the Des Moines, Iowa-based grocery retailer says it is still planning to open a location in Kentucky. It initially announced plans to build in the Fern Creek area in 2021 but it has yet to happen.

Bourbon and restaurant news

Later in the show, we discuss some bourbon industry news with LBF reporter Stephen P. Schmidt, including the auction of a distillery in Downtown Louisville. This auction includes aging bourbon, equipment as well as real estate and other assets. We also talk about a new downtown tasting room for Green River Distilling Co., which sounds different than some of the other tasting rooms you can find in that it'll have a more sports bar like atmosphere.

Finally we wrap up the show with a bit of restaurant and bar news, including the news that Baxters 942 is losing its liquor license. And we discuss a new grab-and-go bar coming to Oxmoor Center that will allow customers to drink while they shop this holiday season.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

After some struggles years ago, Louisville-based Rainbow Blossom has a great last few years.

Rainbow Blossom, an independent chain of natural food markets that specializes in natural grocery, body care and health and wellness products, just opened a new East End location a few months ago. It also made LBF's Fast 50 list of growing companies in Louisville in this year, with revenue rising 18% over the last three years to $13.04 million in 2023.

Second generation owner Summer Auerbach joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week and explains things weren't always so rosy.

She discusses the challenges and strategies of growing the family business, which was founded by her parents in 1977. Despite opening a sixth location and expanding its New Albany store recently, Auerbach emphasizes maintaining the company's small, accessible, and family-like culture. On the show she also highlights the importance of direct communication, team input,and creating written guidelines for consistency. Auerbach also reflects on overcoming tough times by differentiating from competition, being nimble and innovative, and leveraging data and metrics to drive growth

"We have really been able to make changes quickly, to be responsive to community needs and make sure we are separating ourselves from our competition," she said.

She also talks about where she sees the company heading in the future — including a potential medical cannabis dispensary license that it is seeking.

"I think that will be a natural progression for us as that space moves forward," she said. "I'm proud of our state for taking this leap. I'm glad we're not the 50th state [to make marijuana legal.]

Auerbach also was recently honored as part of LBF's Most Admired CEOs program. More on her and other honorees here.

Like many communities, Louisville has a shortage of teachers. We talk about efforts to address it on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Rowan Claypool, founder and CEO of Teach Kentucky, is on the show to talk about his organization's work. Founded in 2003, Teach Kentucky aims to help college graduates launch their teaching careers in Louisville’s public schools. The organization has grown from bringing two teacher candidates in its first year to annually bringing a new 40+ person cohort of aspiring teachers from across the nation to the city, according to its website.

On the show Claypool explains that they started 24 years ago when the idea of a teacher shortage was just a looming threat. Today it's actually severe and taking place all over the country.

"What we discovered in building the program is there's always a shortage of good teachers at all times, forever," he said.

With that, Jefferson County Public Schools needs the organization to bring people from outside the community because the community itself can't produce enough teachers, he said. Fortunately, the district pays its teachers well and has some aggressive relocation incentives.

There's more details on how the organization is recruiting teachers here and some of the lessons they've learned over the years on the episode. Also of note, Claypool is among honorees for Louisville Business First's Most Admired CEOs program.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

We talk campaign finance trends on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

A few weeks ago, LBF Reporter Piper Hansen began digging into donation trends among workers at some of Louisville's biggest employers. She found that most of those donations (for the second quarter of 2024) went to Democratic presidential nominee and sitting Vice President Kamala Harris over former President Donald Trump. Here's a look at trends from the top three employers, according to info from OpenSecrets.org, a nonprofit campaign finance tracking website.

United Parcel Service Inc. employees — $226,529 donated in total; Harris contributions: $139,746; Trump contributions: $86,783
Ford Motor Co. — $119,986; Harris contributions: $76,071; Trump contributions: $43,915
Kroger Co. — $85,917; Harris contributions: $46,696; Trump contributions: $39,221

Hansen talks about these figures on this week's Access Louisville podcast and you can read more about what she found here.

Campaign contribution data just released for the third quarter, as well. Hansen is digging into those figures now — looking at individual donations this time — we expect to be posting a story soon at Bizjournals.com/Louisville. Election Day is on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

More this week

Following the campaign finance talk we discuss talk a little restaurant news, including an ownership change Le Relais. We also chat about a new endeavor from the team behind Wild Eggs. It'll be doing a virtual kitchen for a related concept (Crazy Bowls & Wraps) in order to serve customers on delivery apps.

We talk about a deal to purchase the former Harvest restaurant building selling and some news from the Louisville Economic Development Alliance. And wrap things up with some local media news, with Bill Lamb returning to WDRB.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We've got a little bit of everything on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

To start off the show, we chat about what Louisville and Kentucky had offered the Sundance Film Festival. As we've reported multiple times in the last year, Louisville had been in consideration for the legendary film festival but that is no longer the case.

That said, LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones did recently get his hands on what had been offered by the city and state to bring Sundance here: An incentive package valued at $73M.

After that, we get into some development and restaurant news. We chat about an upcoming move by High Horse, a popular Butchertown bar, that's going to Louisville's NuLu neighborhood following a dispute with its landlord.

Further, we discuss a new pedway that's planned between two NuLu buildings and a new bourbon attraction, called Whiskey Thief, that's moving into that neighborhood. LBF got a sneak peak at Whiskey Theif recently.

Late in the show, Jones tells us about an ownership change at Ciao, a well-known Italian restaurant near the Highlands.

And we wrap things up by talking about the Kroger company's efforts to update its store on Outer Loop as it faces new competition from Publix.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

We didn't get the part, but we gotta keep auditioning.

Louisville was recently snubbed on a bid to land the Sundance Film Festival. As we reported a few weeks ago, the legendary film festival had Louisville on a short list for possible relocation. Then it narrowed its list even further and the Derby City is now out of the running. But that doesn't mean our film ambitions have dried up entirely.

Soozie Eastman, founder and president of 502 Film, joins the Access Louisville podcast this week to talk about where the city goes from here in terms of its developing film industry. Of particular interest to us is the reuse of shuttered Louisville Gardens in Downtown Louisville, which has been proposed as a site for a sound stage that could bolster the business.

That effort was considered during the Sundance bid and is continuing forward and eyeing completion in late 2026, she said — though she's more of a supporter of the project, not an active developer on it.

"Sound stages are really, really special pieces of property within the film industry," she said. "It becomes a hub for a community. And quite honestly, while we have been doing incredibly well growing our film economy as is, having a sound stage is kinda that missing link that helps us grow to the next level."

That's just a sample of what Eastman had to say. Be sure to check out the show for more. And for a wider look at Louisville's film industry, check out this recent piece from LBF Reporter Michael Jones. (Note: This was written while Sundance was still in play.)

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We catch up with the latest restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Reporter Michael L. Jones leads the podcast with a story about Renshoku Ramen, an Old Louisville restaurant that has faced a few struggles of late, including being hit by a car (known as being MagBarred) more than two months ago. The crashed killed the driver and caused a fire that spread to the building at Second and Oak streets. Co-owner Nick Robey told Jones in a recent story about how the ramen shop reopened in late August, but the crash is still impacting his business.

That's just one of the stories on this week's show. We also talk about a favorite New Albany doughnut shop, Honey Créme, which recently hit the auction block. The online reserve auction launched last Monday with an opening bid of $750,000.

We also chat about the sale of Kyros Brewing in Louisville's Portland neighborhood; an expansion for Back Deck BBQ into the Butchertown neighborhood, the closure of Bakersfield in the Highlands and a new location for Derby City Pizza that's coming to Jeffersonville.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Every once in a while, you have to look back at your career and your place in the community and not only ponder where you've been but look ahead at what's coming next.

That's what we did on Monday, Sept. 9 as we sat down with our newest inductees in LBF's Forty Under 40 Hall of Fame:

Sandra Frazier, founder, Tandem Public Relations
Jimmy Kirchdorfer, chairman and CEO, ISCO Industries Inc, and an owner of Valhalla Golf Club
William Summers, chief community development officer, Republic Bank

The three joined us on the most recent episode of the Access Louisville podcast, which was recorded live in front of an audience for a special event at Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana.

We covered myriad topics on the show — from Louisville's hits and misses to honing in on specific moments of the three honorees careers.

For an example of the latter, Kirchdorfer spoke about taking his family's business from a small irrigation company that primarily served clients in Kentucky to one that serves people around the world. He remembers walking into the company's plant and watching a system that was going to be used in Asia being built right here.

"They needed our expertise, halfway across the world — calling us," Kirchdorfer said. "That kinda inspired me to think bigger."

Fraizer told us about the advice she gives to young professionals looking to advance in their careers and get more involved in the community. She tells them to slow down, learn from what they're doing and don't worry about offending people.

"If you do want to get engaged in things, have a strategy and processes. You've got to come to it from a thoughtful place that isn't going to immediately shut people down," she said.

And Summers spoke about a few of the community's key turning points, such as the opening of the KFC Yum! Center. He was a long-time member of the Louisville Arena Authority board, a non-profit that oversees the arena's management and operation, which he called a big part of his career.

Opening the arena was a key win for Louisville. But the community has had its misses too, such as not bringing an NBA franchise to the city.

"That would have been a game changer," he said.

Summers believes there are a lot of opportunities to be had for Louisville, though. "We as a community, we have to be comfortable taking more risks," he said.

Access Louisville is also available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First, where we cover recent news and spotlight local business and community leaders. Monday's recording was only the second time we've recorded in front of a live audience. The last live show, which featured former Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson and Philanthropist Christina Lee Brown, can be heard here.

You can check out who made this year's Forty Under 40 class here. And you can read more about the Forty Under 40 Hall of Fame (including past inductees) here.

Louisville has a big decision to make about what kind of public transportation system it wants.

Transit Authority of River City, better known as TARC, is facing a "fiscal cliff" as a result of several factors, including covid-era stimulus funding running out. We talked about the issues with TARC executive director Ozzy Gibson on a bonus episode of the Access Louisville podcast this week.

Gibson and others want to hear from the community about what they want out of the agency. And it's collecting input via an online survey, which you can take part in here. The deadline for the survey is Sept. 20.

Lots of people around town, and on social media, have voiced support for a robust transit system, complete with rail and bus offerings. But, as Smith explains on the show, it's most certainly a financial issue.

"Everybody tells me, you need to look at what Cincinnati's doing, Indy. They tell me to look at Richmond [Virginia] — all three of those raised taxes to get the good service they have."

For Louisville to do that it would require the support of 14 Metro Council members to bring fourth a referendum, which would then be decided on by the voters.

A few of the aforementioned cities raised taxes in 2017 or 2018, so when they got money from Covid-era stimulus packages, they were able to make upgrades and add new busses, Gibson said. Louisville, had to use its stimulus money to keep service running — and now that's running out.

"If we wanna be the best, it's gonna cost money to get there," Gibson said. "Otherwise, we're just going to be little ol' TARC. We will be cut [by] 50%. And how long will it take us to get back to where we were? Maybe not in my lifetime. If people don't take the survey and reach out to the powers that be, we can't be anything."

Service cuts are already the first of a three-pronged strategy to address the operational budget gap projected to be as much as $30 million by July 2026 without cuts, additional revenue or some combination of the two. Those strategies include:

The January 2025 service reductions.
A community-focused network redesign process called TARC 2025 that launches this summer and will result in a full plan for an updated TARC network within the reality of available funding by February 2025.
Comprehensive efforts to identify new sources of revenue to support service from local, state, and federal sources.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above. Since this is a bonus episode, look for us to drop another episode later this week.

Is Louisville's lack of population growth a cause for concern? We talk about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Reporter Piper Hansen recently finished a story examining population trends in Louisville.

Estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau released in June show Jefferson County’s population decreased by 1.4%, nearly 11,000 people, between April 2020 and July 2023. Meanwhile, the Louisville MSA gained only 2,602 people (0.2%) while the Nashville MSA gained 80,929 people (4%); the Cincinnati MSA gained 19,5050 (0.9%) and the Indianapolis MSA gained 45,723 (2.2%).

Sure, there are people who like Louisville the size that it is and they don't want to see the population explode like it did in Nashville. That comes with its own set of problems.

But we're not exactly on that road right now — or even going in the direction of that road.

“We’re not going to be the next Nashville overnight, everybody can relax,” Christine Tarquinio, GLI’s vice president of talent, workforce and brand strategies, who launched the Live in Lou initiative, told Hansen for her story.

After the population talk we switch to a few lighter topics, including:

• Renovations at the Holiday Manor Kroger store and the groundbreaking of a new Kroger in Highview;

• A couple of new shops around town, including Kawaii Candy & Karaoke in Anchorage as well as Goldie's "For the Love of Food" in Nulu; and

• The end finally coming into sight for the Sherman Minton Renewal Project.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular services like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us for Access Louisville's next live recording: Sept. 9 at JA BizTown, sponsored by Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana. Tickets and details here.

We switch into sports talk radio mode on this week's Access Louisville podcast with three big local sports business stories.

Stephen P. Schmidt, who covers sports business at Business First, tells us about Bellarmine University moving its men's basketball program back to Knights Hall in the Highlands. For the last few years the program has been playing at Freedom Hall. Knights Hall is on campus and it provides a much more intimate setting for watching games. But it does make us wonder what's next for Freedom Hall now without that regular tenant. Fortunately, it's on the Kentucky State Fairgrounds, where a big renovation project is underway.

Next, we talk about the rise of volleyball and how Louisville fits in. The KFC Yum Center is hosting the University of Louisville's women's volleyball team for several dates in the next few months and is the host for the championship later on in December.

After that, we go over our takeaways from a joint appearance by UofL men's basketball coach Pat Kelsey and University of Kentucky men's basketball coach Mark Pope. The two coaches, both new to their respective jobs this year, were interviewed on stage this week at the Leadership Louisville Luncheon by Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.

(We also swerve into some college football talk later in the show — not much of a business story, just a thing that is happening.)

After sports we go over some recent restaurant news, including:

• The owners of local favorite Monnik Beer Co. have a new concept planned;

• Chef Shaq's Kitchen, a Downtown restaurant, is teaming up with a new cigar lounge;

• The former KFC 11 property in the Highlands has been sold;

• Starbucks is getting a new Downtown location;

• A bluegrass bar is moving into the former TimTam space; and

• A south end favorite, Khalil's, is closing to make way for a new Clucker's location.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular services like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us for Access Louisville's next live recording: Sept. 9 at JA BizTown, sponsored by Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana. Tickets and details here.

The former the Jeffersonville Boat and Machine Co. shipyard — Jeffboat, as it's known — is no doubt one of the area's biggest redevelopment project.

The former shipyard, closed to downtown Jeffersonville (and just across the Ohio River from Downtown Louisville) closed in 2018 due to economic struggle in the industry. Now there's a push to have it redeveloped as mixed use commercial, residential and green space.

We talk with Jeffersonville Mayor Mike Moore about that project on this week's Access Louisville podcast. He sees it as a major chance for his city to capitalize on quality of life and million-dollar views of the city. Taking it on is Thrive Cos., a real estate development company based in Columbus, Ohio, as Louisville Business First recently reported.

We also talk about development at River Ridge, including landing Facebook parent Meta, which is opening a data center there. And how best to address the high-number of short-term rental properties around the city, among other topics.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular services like Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

We check in on some retail news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Topping our show is a story from Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt on Swags, a popular retailer for runners, changing hands. Schmidt talked to the founder of the store about how this handoff came together.

In other retail news, Kroger is making some headlines lately both with a new store on Louisville's East End and plans for a big renovation on Louisville's West End.

In restaurant news we make note of a bankruptcy filing from World of Beer, which is a Tampa-based company that has a Louisville location. And we chat about a new restaurant going into the Speed Art Museum.

Schmidt also talks about his recent interview with well-known bourbon industry luminary Fred Minnick, who was named Louisville Business First's Volunteer of the Year thanks to his notable philanthropic work. The Volunteer of the Year honor came out as part of our Partners in Philanthropy program.

Lastly, we wrapped up the show with a bit of soccer talk on the news that the Lexington Sporting Club is joining the USL Championship League. That means both Louisville City FC and Lexington SC will be in the same league, which should make for a fun rivalry for fans in the commonwealth.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular services like Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Join us for Access Louisville's next live recording: Sept. 9 at JA BizTown, sponsored by Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana. Tickets and details here.

A couple of interesting businesses hit the market recently, which we talk about on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

The first is Colonial Gardens, a South Louisville landmark that's home to four restaurants: Hokkaido Ramen & Sushi, Costa Del Sol, Craft House Pizza and The B.A. Colonial. It was redeveloped by Louisville-based Underhill Associates starting in 2017. LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett spoke with Underhill Associates president Jeff Underhill about why now is the right time to sell.

“We’re developers. We’re not buy and hold guys," he told Stinnett. The fact that the development is full with the four restaurants having strong leases is probably a strong selling point as well.

After that, Reporter Michael L. Jones tells us about Third Street Dive being put on the market. He spoke with Lynne Frost, who's owned the establishment since 2010 about how the bar still does good business and has actually become a bit touristy in more recent years (it's close to several hotels) even while maintaining its punk rock identity.

Later in the show we chat about the closure of Pivot Brewing, a visit by the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, a new "secret" garden speakeasy in Shelby Park and the latest on the redevelopment of Louisville Gardens.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

Join us for Access Louisville's next live recording: Sept. 9 at JA BizTown, sponsored by Junior Achievement of Kentuckiana. Tickets and details here.

We talk about a couple of local projects that appear to be dead — or at least on life support — during this week's Access Louisville podcast.

The first is the proposed Dream Hotel — a $100 million hotel project that was proposed on Main Street a few years ago. As LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett reported recently, the effort is indefinitely on hold, according to a Louisville Metro Government official. Louisville isn't the only city where Dream Hotel projects have faced some issues. After that, we talk about a retail development in J'town (which was suspected to include a new Publix location) that looks to have been stopped as well.

The property where the development was proposed needed a rezoning in order to move forward, which was denied by Louisville Metro Council. And now the deadline to appeal that action has passed.

It's not all bad news though. We also talk about plans to move forward with redevelopment of the former Jeffboat property in Jeffersonville, Indiana, now that a developer has been picked for that massive project.

After that we chat a bit about soccer with Louisville City FC hosting a major German club, Eintracht Frankfurt, for an international friendly recently. And we discuss some recent layoffs in the bourbon industry.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular services like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Fourth Street Live needs something.

What that something is — well, that sounds like a fun idea for a podcast.

The Downtown Louisville entertainment district recently marked 20 years without any fanfare, as seven of its 20 locations are vacant. On this week's Access Louisville podcast, LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones tells us about the history of the entertainment district, how it came to be and decisions that were made at the time of its founding. He also fills us in on his conversation with the Cordish Cos.' Zed Smith about future plans for the site.

We use that as an excuse to share some of our favorite Fourth Street Live memories and ideas for what we'd want to see there in the future.

After that, we talk about a potential lawsuit that has been threatened regarding the redevelopment of the Urban Government Center off Barret Avenue. The long-stalled project could be getting put on the back burner yet again.

After that, we switch gears to talk about some recent restaurant and retail news, including a new location for the popular chain Cook Out, going in near University of Louisville. Waldo's Chicken & Beer and Big Bad Breakfast also have new locations in the works. And Jones also tells us about a couple of Highlands area businesses — Koko + Rae, which was recently sold; and Dirty Tease, which is moving.

And lastly we round out the show by talking about UofL men's basketball coach Pat Kelsey buying a new house.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcast and Spotify.

Sometimes you have to power through the beginnings of things.

That seemed to be the case for the Louisville Economic Development Alliance (LEDA), a newly-formed group of local business leaders who are taking the reins of economic development under Mayor Craig Greenberg.

The group got started this week under buggy circumstances, as Reporter Michael L. Jones explains on the Access Louisville podcast. Some of the issues included a failed attempt to record the public meeting, microphone feedback and an awkwardly arranged room that had members of the alliance sitting with their backs to the press in attendance.

In spite of the issues, the effort does bring a lot of the city's biggest players in business to the table to focus on economic development. Among the board members are Lawson Whiting, president and CEO of Brown-Forman; Bill Carstanjen, CEO of Churchill Downs Inc. and Brian Cromer, partner and chair of the business and finance group at Stites & Harbison, PLLC. You can see the full list of who's on the board here.

Also on the show this week, we discussed recent news that Fabletics is closing its Louisville facility. While the job losses are difficult, we reflect on whether there is a wider trend toward fatigue with subscription-based services.

We also chat about a new bourbon attraction and upscale restaurant opening next to the KFC Yum Center on Whiskey Row. The facility opens in Main Street space that formerly housed Bearno's — and there's a Bearno's partner involved in the deal to establish the new spot, as Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt explains.

Finally, we wrap up the show on a somber note by discussing the recent assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump during a rally last week in Virginia. Sadly, the attempt served as a grim reminder of the dangers of political violence in America.

It hit particularly close to home for Mayor Greenberg, who survived as assassination attempt himself while running for Mayor. Reporter Piper Hansen reflected on listening to the mayor talk about it during a press conference this week.

We talk about Louisville's hotel needs on this week's Access Louisville podcast — specifically in light of a proposed new 27-story hotel tower in Downtown Louisville.

Louisville Business First was first to report New York City-based commercial real estate developer Zyyo’s plans to construct the $175 million tower, which would sit at 140, 138 and 136 West Market Street. The site is across from the future Canopy by Hilton hotel, which is another Zyyo development that is currently under construction.

Louisville has about 23,000 rooms while regional neighbor Nashville has more than 50,000, according to Cleo Battle, Louisville Tourism President and CEO. Indianapolis has about 40,000. Columbus, Ohio is north of 30,000.

The reaction to the tower plans from city leaders like Battle have been favorable, though the comment section on LBF's Facebook page has been critical (Wait!? People on the internet are mad about something?)

In addition to the tower plans, we also chat about some restaurant news including plans for Le Moo founder Kevin Grangier's next steakhouse. It's going in the aforementioned Canopy by Hilton, actually. We also chat about plans for a new Craft House Pizza location in Louisville; as well as a new wine bar that's moving into La Grange. And we get into some fresh tourism numbers and talk about a lofty goal set by Louisville Tourism.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Is Louisville overdue for a different approach to economic development?

We chat about that on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast. Specifically, we discuss Mayor Craig Greenberg's recently unveiled plan for a public-private-partnership aimed at economic development, which takes the form of a new nonprofit group that is to include many business and nonprofit leaders at the helm. (We also chat about how the last few months have unfolded for Mayor Greenberg, including turbulent weeks at the Louisville Metro Police Department of late.)

On the topic of economic development, we make some comparisons between the strategies of Louisville and Southern Indiana.

Reporter Piper Hansen recently spoke with Lance Allison, the new president and CEO of One Southern Indiana, to gain some insights on that. One Southern Indiana is the economic development agency and chamber of commerce for Clark and Floyd counties. She also recently sat down and discussed economic development with Wendy Dant Chesser, chief director of corporate strategy and external affairs for the River Ridge Development Authority.

On the topic of Southern Indiana, we also chat about the mixed use Shadow Lake development in Charlestown; as well as plans to turn Downtown Jeffersonville into one of the area's premier entertainment districts.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

In the last few decades, plenty of Louisvillians have made their way through the ranks of Young Professionals Association of Louisville.
But have you ever wondered how that organization got its start?
As YPAL approaches its 25th anniversary, we sit down with its founders Cynthia Knapek, president of the Leadership Louisville Center; and Christy Ames, general counsel and EVP at Republic Bank & Trust Co.
The two tell us how they were each looking for ways to connect with other professionals and with the leadership in the city at the time. They wanted to build something that lasted too — though they each admit they weren't thinking 25 years into the future back when they founded the organization.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular services such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Louisville became the first city in Kentucky to pass a Fairness Ordinance protecting members of the LGBTQ community 25 years ago.

To mark that important milestone and to discuss 2024 victories at the Kentucky Statehouse, the Access Louisville podcast sat down with Chris Hartman, executive director of the Fairness Campaign, for an interview as the organization also celebrates Pride Month.

Hartman told us 1999 was a landmark year for LGBTQ rights in Kentucky and, of course here in Louisville, where the Fairness Campaign had worked, built grassroots support, political support and then ultimately Board of Aldermen support to finally — after almost a decade —pass the original Fairness Ordinance.

It was the first in Kentucky and among the first in the nation to protect LGBTQ folks from discrimination.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First and available on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Louisville Business First set out to put some of the city's development issues under the microscope in a recent special feature we call Opportunity Louisville.

And we talk about those issues and some of our coverage on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Reporters Michael L. Jones and Piper Hansen, who have led our coverage on these issues, are on the show to talk about what they've learned. A key takeaway seems to be that both developers and even some city officials seem to agree that changes are necessary on the permitting and rezoning fronts. And the problems we have in our land development codes are affecting both commercial and residential development. That hurts Louisville in a couple of different ways.

Of course the podcast is just to tip of the iceberg. If you really want to get into heart of the coverage check out the links below:

Pain points: Is there a cure for Louisville's development dilemma?
How middle housing could increase housing stock options
Development professionals say streamlined approval process needed to spur growth
Opportunity Louisville: Cincinnati developer says cities face the same challenges in converting offices to residential
OPINION: Louisville needs to foster more housing options, streamline development

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular services such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also listen in the player above.

Louisville's restaurant scene always gives us plenty to talk about. And it leads this week's Access Louisville podcast.

We chat about the new executive chef at the Brown Hotel, who comes to Louisville via a similar position at the Trump Hotel in Chicago.

After that, LBF restaurant Reporter Michael L. Jones tells us about a new ramen restaurant in the Highlands, Kiwami Ramen, which opened at the site of the former Wild Ginger restaurant. Kiwami is part of a wave of recent Asian restaurants to open in the area and shows how the local market is maturing, he said.

We also chat about bourbon on the show this week, hearing about a recent trip to Wild Turkey Distillery near Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. And we talk about an effort to bring an estate in Oxmoor into the bourbon world.

Late in the show, we get into a conversation about sports betting. including why gamblers (and sports leagues) love parlay bets.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify

This week we’ll start things off by looking back on the week that was at Valhalla Golf Club for the 106th PGA Championship. We had a team of reporters and photographers out there (including yours truly) on the course for every day of the tournament.

Piper Hansen will talk about what she encountered at the course on Friday after news broke about the fatality of a security guard and the subsequent arrest of Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 ranked golfer in the world.

We’ll also talk about the latest from the footage that was recently released involving Scheffler and one of the detectives from the Louisville Metro Police Department.

I will also share a story about what I encountered at Valhalla on Tuesday when — like on Friday — stormy weather jumbled up the planned schedule.

We will also talk about Valhalla’s chances of playing host to another PGA Championship or another major championship golf tournament.

Michael L. Jones will conclude the podcast with a round of interesting stories that he has come across on the restaurant beat, beginning with the “cookie caper” involving Please & Thank You and the 150th Kentucky Derby.

Michael will also talk about closing of a popular bar in the Highlands and the opening of a bakery in Germantown.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

Dan Maloney, director of the Louisville Zoo, joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week. During the show, LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy interviews Maloney about a number of different goings on at the facility, including its accreditation process.

The two also talk about plans what is current the elephant exhibit in the Zoo. The elephants are being retired to a sanctuary. https://louisvillezoo.org/elephantjourney/

This could be a real positive for the neighboring, rhino exhibit.

The two also talk about the trails exhibit and the Zoo’s train, among other topics.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services, such as Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above.

We lead this week's Access Louisville podcast with a conversation about West Coast hamburger chain Jack in the Box and its journey from San Diego to the Midwest.

Louisville Business First Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on the show to talk about where the chain is heading next. He recently spoke to Franchisee Shane Paul about the company's plans to open in Westport Plaza in real estate that was formerly home to Chase Bank.

In total, Paul said he is planning to open six new Jack in the Boxes in the Louisville area over the next three years. We have full details on the expansion plans here. We also talk about the cost of opening a Jack in the Box, usually around $2 million and that's not including the franchise fees.

After that, we chat about things we noticed this year at the 150th running of the Kentucky Derby. The whole Access Louisville/LBF crew was at the Derby, as usual, and you can find our coverage of the event here.

And finally, we wrap up the show with talk about the latest hospital safety ratings from Leapfrog Group. There was a surprising trend this year in which all Norton Healthcare Inc.'s hospitals saw a slip in their grades and only one area hospital got an 'A' grade for safety.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

Kentucky Kingdom's Sarah Worrell joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week to talk about what's next for the park.
The biggest change is several months out, but exciting nonetheless: 'Christmas at Kentucky Kingdom.’
The idea, she explains is a family-friendly wonderland that will even include a snowmaker and snow-tubing. It's part of an $8 million investment and comes a few years after the park was acquired by Herschend Family Entertainment in 2021. Worrell, who came on board just after that deal, said the company is looking to create four seasons of fun.
After the interview we talk about a few recent news stories, including Kentucky's first Montessori school hitting the market for $2.5 million. We also chat about Gustavo's opening at a new location and Tumbleweed closing one location.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast for Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

Will the world ever embrace Kentucky bourbon the way it embraces Scotch whiskey? We chat about that a bit on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Bourbon Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt is on the show with news that Buffalo Trace is opening an attraction in London, England. Buffalo Trace Distillery London, a 2,000-square foot facility will be located at 32-33 Long Acre in Covent Garden in the city’s West End.

Plenty of Kentucky bourbon brands are trying to grow their international markets. And this will mark the first time that such a venue will be open for one of Sazarac’s flagship brands outside of its original production campus in Frankfort, Kentucky. So we chat about which international cities might be a good fit for bourbon attractions.

Tokyo comes up in that discussion considering that some big Kentucky brands have ties to Japan.

After the bourbon talk, we go over a few other recent news items.

Reporter Piper Hansen tells us about a recent law that will allow the city to perform random inspections on rental properties. Don't worry, this doesn't mean that inspectors are going to be randomly showing up at renters' doors. That just means the properties are randomly selected by the city for inspections and scheduled. Previously, inspections were carried out in the case of complaints.

After that we talk about an interview that Reporter Michael L. Jones recently finished with Chef Bryan Emperor, who will lead the soon-to-be-open NuLu sushi restaurant Sake A Go Go.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast and can be found on services such as Apple Podcast, Spotify and others. You can also listen in the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify

We've got a three-course meal on this week's edition of the Access Louisville podcast.

First off, we talk with Special Sections and Research Editor Allison Stines about what stood out to her the most about our most recent Business Women First luncheon in Downtown Louisville — including the best piece of advice she heard out of all of our honorees. We will also talk with Reporter Piper Hansen about the event's guest speaker, Kristel Bauer.

After that, we continue our chat with Piper about a new apartment complex, The Bend, a $50 million project in Clarksville, Indiana, that recently celebrated its ribbon cutting. Hansen will also provide an update on the zoning issues that are affecting readers in Kentucky — and some insight into the ongoing political back-and-forth between Gov. Andy Beshear and the General Assembly in Frankfort.

We close out the segment with the latest on the restaurant beat with Reporter Michael L. Jones about the story behind the Black Rabbit, a poplar bar and eatery in St. Matthews. Michael will provide the backstory on how the former owner Jared Fox Matthews has decided to sell the business to a group that includes his longtime general manager, Sherman Lewis.

Michael will also talk about two establishments located in the same area of the Highlands: Dad’s Coffee, which is closing its doors after only being open for two years, and the Dundee Tavern, a place known for its “Dundee Dip” that is in the process of being converted into a Derby City Pizza.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, both of which are linked above. You can also listen to the show in the player above.

Doug Owen, senior vice president, principal broker Kentucky, for JLL joins the Access Louisville podcast this week to talk about the state of Downtown.
It's a mix of both good news and bad news Owen says.
There have been some wins for Downtown Louisville including a move by accounting firm Forvis into the top floor of the PNC tower earlier this year. And news that the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is seeking a lot of space in Downtown Louisville was also a positive.
But there are challenges as well — with many people citing safety as an issue considering homeless and panhandling at many intersections.
"It's not the image you want to portray, in terms of coming into downtown — having somebody greeted by a panhandler. And then we have some mentally ill people walking the street. And so that's where the city needs to focus."
Owen said he realizes it's not a popular opinion but it is having an impact on tenants leasing downtown because they hear about safety concerns from their employees.
After the interview with Owen, we talk about the one-year anniversary of the April 10 mass shooting at Old National Bank. Reporter Stephen Schmidt recently penned a story about how the leadership team there is moving forward.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

We've got a roundup of recent restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

First off, we talk to Reporter Michael L. Jones about how he got the story of Anoosh Bistro in East Louisville selling to a new owner. Jones said it started with him seeing a photo online of Anoosh Shariat and Chef David Danielson posing together. Turns out that Anoosh had sold the restaurant to Danielson, who had always dreamed of having a place like it. Details on the Anoosh Bistro sale can be found here.

After that we talk about a few more restaurant items, including a new location for Popeyes Chicken in West Louisville and a new location of Chik-fil-A in St. Matthews. We also talk about some expansion plans from Louisville-based breakfast and brunch chain Wild Eggs, which is eyeing the Lexington market. This leads to a discussion of our favorite local breakfast dishes.

Finally, we wrap up the show with some 2024 solar eclipse talk. Reporter Piper Hansen posted a story on how the celestial event is expected to bring crowds and tourism to Southern Indiana.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular services including Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify.

We've got a special Access Louisville Podcast this week — and it's special for a couple of reasons.
First, two guests join us: Jerry Abramson, former mayor of Louisville and executive-in-residence at Spalding University; and Christina Lee Brown, philanthropist and namesake of the Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute.
Secondly, this week's show is special because it was recorded in front of a live audience at our offices in Downtown Louisville for the first time.
The theme of the show was to look back at Louisville's milestones over the past 40 years. What did we get right? What surprised us? And what's on our wishlist for the future?
The expansion of what is today known as Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport was one example that Abramson highlighted. But we also talked about more recent developments, such as the building of the River Ridge Commerce Center in Jeffersonville.
As far as looking ahead at what the city needs in the future, Brown said the top thing on her wishlist is that everyone see the real value of health for our community. The idea of creating jobs is solid, she said, but we need to ask ourselves about employees health too.
"How can we care for those employees psychological health in new kinds of ways? How can we take care of their air, water and soil in new kinds of ways," she asked.
Abramson noted the importance of education and civic engagement.
"This whole citizenship thing has sort of evaporated," Abramson said. "You need to engage — there's a responsibility. For democracy to work, you have to have an educated electorate."
Those were just a few of our favorite takeaways. You can listen to the entire show in the player above and on popular podcast services, such as Apple Podcast, Spotify and Google Podcasts.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

Garth Williams, general manager of Derby City Gaming Downtown, joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week. Williams tells us about getting the venue open last December, what he looks for in the hospitality industry and preparing for Louisville's busier seasons in tourism.
After that we chat with Reporter Joel Stinnett about the prospect for converting former office buildings into residential spaces in Downtown Louisville. Such projects have found traction in nearby peer cities such as Cincinnati and Cleveland.
And we talk about the surprising departure of Rob Lynch from Papa John's International Inc.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular services like Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcast.

The Access Louisville podcast takes a surprisingly sporty turn this week.

We've got an interview with Bev Yanez, head coach of Racing Louisville FC. Yanez, who's in her first year leading the team, tells us about her career in soccer and how she found her way to Louisville. We also talk about what it's like to be a working mom of two small children who is also working in a high-profile sports job. For more on Yanez, check out this profile story we recently posted as the season is getting set to begin.

After the interview, we talk about a couple other local sports developments in the world of bowling and golf.

LBF Reporter Joel Stinnett is on the show to tell us about the Executive Strike & Spare, a bowling alley that has long been located near the Kentucky State Fair Grounds, moving to Jeffersontown. It'll be taking over a Dick's Sporting Goods location on South Hurstbourne that is expected to close soon.

In the world of golf, Stinnett also tells us about a story he recently finished up about Eagle Creek Golf Course, in Oldham County, building a new $3 million clubhouse. The new one-story, 10,600-square-foot clubhouse will include a pro shop, a basement for golf cart storage, a party room, two golf simulators, a covered porch in the front and a residential unit to house the course superintendent.

And we also talk about a new golf attraction that recently opened at Oxmoor Center — the technology-forward Puttshack. As we reported this week, it's tech. It's mini golf. It's both — mixed with a lot of food, drinks and bright lights.

One more thing — we also talk with the newest member of the Louisville Business First team and the Access Louisville crew, Reporter Piper Hansen. Hansen grew up in Louisville and will be covering residential real estate, professional services and Southern Indiana.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, which are linked above.

We've got a classic roundup of local restaurant news on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

First up, we chat about LuCretia's Kitchen, a new soul food spot coming to Old Louisville. It will open at 617 W. Oak St., near the intersection of Oak and Seventh streets, on Friday, March 15. The menu will include fried chicken, meatloaf, smothered pork chops, ribs, rib tips and brisket and more.

After that we talk about a second location that's on the horizon for Steak & Bourbon, across from Derby City Gaming. The steak restaurant, which started out in Westport Village, is going into the former Z's Oyster Bar location in Downtown Louisville. We also talk about some favorite cocktails and steak pairings during this segment.

After that we go over some recent board of directors news at Texas Roadhouse. And we discuss a new oyster bar coming to the Germantown neighborhood, called Franny's. It'll be located in a new development that's being built on Goss Avenue.

You can join us for a live recording of the Access Louisville podcast on March 26 in Downtown Louisville. Guest will include former Mayor Jerry Abramson and philanthropist Christina Lee Brown in a discussion on Louisville's biggest milestones. Register for the event here.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, which are linked above.

This week's Access Louisville podcast has a bit of everything.
We talk about Shaquille O'Neal's departure from the board of Papa John's International Inc. as well as Mitch McConnell's plans to step down as Senate Republican Leader.
After that we get into some real estate news: A piece of property in the Highlands between Baxter Avenue and Bardstown Road, that was for a long-time home of KFC, is up for sale. We've also got news on a new development in NuLu, which will be called NuLu Marketplace North.
After that we talk with Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt, who tell us about a mystery-infused experience being offered by Bardstown Bourbon Co. that he recently attended. And we talk about Jack Harlow's upcoming festival at Waterfront Park.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Access Louisville Live! Join us for a live recording of the Access Louisville podcast on March 26 in Downtown Louisville. Guest will include former Mayor Jerry Abramson and philanthropist Christina Lee Brown in a discussion on Louisville's biggest milestones. You can register for the event here.

Plenty of people know Michael L. Jones as Louisville Business First's economic development and restaurants reporter. But he's also a music guru, local history buff and author of three books.
On the Access Louisville podcast this week, we talk with Jones (a regular on the show) about his latest book "Soulful Sounds of Derby Town," which just launched. Jones and his collaborators on the book look back at some of the history of Black music in Louisville.
On the show, he tells us about how the book is a culmination of eight years of work.
"You can imagine six music nerds sitting and talking about who's important enough to go in the book — should they go in gospel? Should they go into jazz?," Jones said on the show.
The pages are filled with stories about musicians who began in Louisville and went on to make a mark in the industry at large. As Jones explains, singer Helen Humes and jazz trumpeter Jonah Jones were among a slew of people who got their start playing in a community band here in Louisville.
The book is going from the "page to the stage" on March 2 with a book launch event and performances by some of the living musicians featured in it. That takes place at Kentucky Performing Arts and tickets are available here.
Also on this week's show, we chat about the lineup that was just announced for Louder than Life — a metal focused music festival that is happening again this September.
And late in the show, we talk about a leadership change at Endeavor Louisville and some of the things that are happening with the local startup scene.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services. Access Louisville Live is coming up. Be apart of it as we record a live episode of the show on March 26. Tickets are available here.

How do you know when you've made it in Louisville? Well, you get on Louisville Business First's Power 50 list, of course.
The Power 50 is LBF's annual special section highlighting 50 of the most influential people in Greater Louisville’s business and related communities.
We talk about who's on the Power 50 and how they were picked on this week's Access Louisville podcast. LBF Editor Shea Van Hoy is on the show to tell us about some of the new faces on the List as well. We rolled out the Power 50 list in two separate lists earlier this week (Here's the first 25 post; and here's the second 25 post.) We also debut our Five on the Rise list of up-and-coming leaders, which you can find here.
Later in the show we talk about the latest in a plan to upgrade the Kentucky Exposition Center. Schmidt Associates was recently picked as the architect on the long-term project. That said, there is some concern that it's all moving too slowly.
Lastly on the show I tell you about our upcoming live event: Access Louisville Live, which will include networking and a live podcast on March 26. Register here.
There's also a quick mention of this story about 2-way street conversions.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more.

Downtown Louisville suffered a 1-2 punch this week, based on news that two big companies would be vacating office space.
We talked about it on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Humana Inc. announced it would be vacating the signature, 27-story Main Street office tower that bears its name. The health care company is consolidating its workforce into other buildings.
That Humana news came on Monday. Then on Tuesday Louisville Business First learned that Fifth Third Bank is vacating its office space at 401 S. 4th Street and taking space near NuLu.
You might say: So two companies are leaving there office space — what's the big deal? Well, it's part of a larger trend of companies leaving Downtown in favor of other areas. Office workers aren't the only thing a city needs — it also needs visitors, residents and sports teams and so on. But, absent a large core of residents, office workers help support the restaurants and other establishments that give the city a key part of its identity.
On the show we talk about some of the issues that Downtown Louisville faces in the wake of this news.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We've got a classic roundup of restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
First, we chat with Reporter Michael L. Jones about Spinelli's Pizza making a return to Downtown Louisville. It's going into space at the corner of Fourth and Chestnut Streets that formerly housed Riot Cafe, providing a space for a good lunch as well as live music.
We also have updates on a new pickle ball retailer, called MatchSet, which is heading into Westport Plaza. We've got a story about Gustavo's moving a location in Prospect and a new strategy to own more of its real estate. There's details on a new golf simulator venue, Five Iron Golf, coming to NuLu. And finally, we've got news on two Louisville chefs who were named James Beard semifinalists.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We talk about the Netflix series 'Wrestlers' on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Al Snow, partner in Ohio Valley Wrestling (OVW), joins us to share what it was like to film the show as well as some of his inspirations during his career and what happens next.
Reporter Michael L. Jones is also on the show to talk about covering OVW and some of the business people behind it for a recent story in Louisville Business First.
As he explains, the main arc of “Wrestlers” documents the sometimes turbulent relationship between Snow, and Matt Jones, founder of Kentucky Sports Radio, the managing partner of a majority ownership group that includes Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg.
Snow, a former WWE wrestler, is devoted to preserving the traditions of wrestling, including the outrageous storylines, while Jones is trying to modernize the way the OVW operates to increase its revenue.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services like Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

The restaurant news never quite stops.
Details on a few new local places top our show on this week's Access Louisville podcast. To start things off we chat about Marco's Pizza, a growing chain with its sights set on Louisville, and it's next location going to Jeffersontown.
We also cover a renovation at Royals Hot Chicken in Nulu, 7 Brew making space for a new coffee stand in East Louisville as well as Parlour coming to the Falls City Brewing space on Liberty Street.
We've also got a story on a student housing development going into Downtown Louisville near Jefferson Community & Technical College. And a report on a local family business that recently sold — Thomas Car Wash. Lastly, we talk about the most expensive home that sold in the area all last year.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify or Google Podcasts.

Vince Tyra, the former athletic director for the University of Louisville is caught in a corporate crossfire in Canada. Montreal-based Gildan Activeware Inc. had recently departed ways with its CEO and named Tyra as his replacement.
But now an investment firm, Browning West LP, is calling for Tyra's termination arguing he has "weak" credentials.
Reporter Joel Stinnett tells us about the story on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Later in the show we talk about Sports Illustrated's new deal with Churchill Downs, giving the brand naming rights on a new space at the famous racetrack. We also talk about SI's brand recognition in a crowded sports media space.
Later, Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt tells us about predictions for the bourbon industry in 2024. He recently wrote a two-part story on the topic: Here's part one and part two.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcast and Spotify.

The team at Access Louisville and Louisville Business First have once again set out to predict the future.
On this week's episode we look at what 2024 will hold for the Louisville community.
We tackle a large range of topics in our predictions, from sports to M&A to construction projects.
You will have to listen in on your favorite podcast streaming app to hear all of them but here are just a few:

The One Park construction project will begin.
Louisville will land a Margaritaville Hotel — been talking about that one for a while, haven't we?
Racing Louisville will make the playoffs — they do have a new coach after all.
And Bob Dylan will come to town for his new venture.

The predictions show is a favorite Access Louisville tradition.
In fact, last week on Access Louisville, we traveled back in time to our 2023 predictions to see how they aged in hindsight. We only got a few right — but one of us did make a successful prediction on how Mayor Greenberg's economic strategy would roll out with more involvement from the business community.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s hosted by David A. Mann. Our guests this week are Joel Stinnett, Ellie Tolbert and Michael L. Jones
It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

So, it turns out, 2023 was pretty hard to predict — or maybe we're just not great with a crystal ball.
In the last few years, we at the Access Louisville podcast have developed an end-of-the-year tradition where we sit down and try to predict what might happen the next year.
Our predictions are mostly for fun. But we also have some insights because we're always monitoring trends and efforts around the community as part of our reporting for Louisville Business First.
On this week's podcast, we're going back and looking at what predictions we made at the beginning of 2023 to see what we actually got right.
Turns out, it was very little. And the stuff we did get right was probably pretty obvious. But hey, that's the game.
Be sure to tune in next week as we look to the future to make predictions for the upcoming year. And the plan is to review them in a year and see how we did.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

Louisville is famous for its bourbon distillers, but what about the folks mixing cocktails behind the bar?
With Christmas and New Year's Day approaching, we thought now might be a good time to check in with one person who does just that each day. Randi Densford, beverage director for Barn8 Farm Restaurant & Bourbon Bar.
Densford tells us about how each season on the farm influences the cocktails, upcoming flavor trends and gives us some insight into how to make a career out of being a beverage director.
Barn8 Farm Restaurant & Bourbon Bar is located at Hermitage Farm in Oldham County. In addition to being a restaurant, it's an attraction that showcases a bit of Kentucky's agricultural roots.
Densford has 11 years of restaurant and bartending experience. She's a Louisville native and a graduate of Sullivan University with a bachelor's degree in culinary arts.
She previously worked at Decca, a former NuLu restaurant and Bardstown Bourbon Co., a distillery with its own restaurant on campus. She's been with Barn8 at Hermitage Farm since late 2019, ahead of its opening in early 2020.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

We've got a bit of news and a special guest on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Lincoln Crum, of Lincoln Crum Realty & Auctions, joins the show to talk about his newest venture called My Local Santa. Crum talks about the business he's building around performing as St. Nick at corporate and other events.
Crum tells us how his work being Santa Claus, which he sees as a second career, has been a rewarding endeavor both financially and spiritually.
As usual we go over some recent news as well.
Reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show and tells us about Mayor Craig Greenberg's recently finalized economic development plan. And Reporter Eleanor Tolbert tells us about an event center that's coming to Progress Park — a Louisville "glampground."
We've also got news on a new Indian-Mexican fusion restaurant that recently opened, called Tikka Tacos, and an update on a land purchase by the Parklands of Floyds Fork.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We've got a little bit of everything on this week's Access Louisville podcast — starting with a little news from the bourbon world.
We lead with Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt who tells us about a couple of large projects in the works from Angel's Envy. We also talk about the roots of a Kentucky bourbon brand called Never Say Die.
After that, we switch gears and talk about health care and the need for nurses with Mark Vogt, head of Galen College of Nursing. He tells us about how his organization is working to ease a nursing shortage as well as challenges that have arisen in the profession that have taken place since the Covid-19 pandemic.
At the end of the show we talk about some retail news, including the sale of the Paddocks Shop and a new manager at Racing Louisville FC.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

Looking for a few things to do around town to get you into the holiday spirit? We've got a few suggestions on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Typically we discuss local news on the show. But since it's a holiday week, LBF Editors David A. Mann and Haley Cawthon and Reporters Michael L. Jones and Eleanor Tolbert sit down to chat about some of their favorite holiday traditions as well as new things to try out.
A few things we chat about:

Hayrides at Hayswood Nature Reserve in Corydon, Indiana
Cutting down Christmas trees at Huber's Orchard and Winery
Watching a Charlie Brown Thanksgiving
Fête De Noël Winter Holiday Festival in Paristown
Ice skating in Downtown Jeffersonville

We'll be back for our usual news chat next week. Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

Changes are likely coming to Transit Authority of River City (TARC) by virtue of the fact that the agency is getting a new leader soon.
LBF reported earlier this week that Carrie Butler, who has led the organization in recent years, has submitted her resignation. So we talk about what that might mean for the future of TARC on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
This leads into a discussion of transit in Louisville overall and why it's just not popular among most residents.
After that we talk about a couple of other high profile leadership changes at Louisville organizations, including the upcoming departure of Tori Murden McClure from Spalding University and a new CEO for Seven Counties Services.
After that we get into a little restaurant news, including new locations for Noche Mexican BBQ and Charleys Cheesesteaks.
We also chat about the soon-to-be open Derby City Gaming Downtown and its slick new 3-D video board.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

A couple of recent restaurant stories lead this week's Access Louisville podcast.
LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show to talk about a few stories he's authored lately, including the recent closure of Manhattan Grill in Downtown Louisville, a new Oxmoor Center location for The Eagle, a fried chicken restaurant that's also in the Highlands, and a new location in Old Louisville for Fleur de Tea.
After that LBF Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett is on the program to talk about safety grades for Louisville hospitals coming from The Leapfrog Group. We go over which hospitals got which grades and what those could mean.
In other health care news, we also discuss the recent acquisition of SentryHealth and the story behind that Fast 50 company.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

Building a network can be an invaluable thing both in business and other aspects of life.
We talk about networks, upcoming events and even share a few tips on networking on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
The heart of our show this week is an interview with Chris Redd and Ricky Mason, co-founders of Network n' Chill. They tell us about how they started their organization to bring people together as well as talk about their individual entrepreneurial efforts.
After the interview, we share a few tips for networking. And we highlight an event that's coming up — Louisville Business First's Diversity, Equity & Inclusion event on Nov. 9. Redd and Mason will be joining us for that one.
After that we go over some recent news, including a big move for a Downtown Louisville employer, ComputerShare. And we talk about a law firm, Gray Ice Higdon, that's locating in St. Matthews.
And finally we go over some area restaurant news — including a new Filipino restaurant coming to Middletown, an expansion by Jack in the Box, and the closure of one Comfy Cow location.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

More than 100 Louisville leaders recently went to Boston to see what economic lessons they can learn.
Now, sure, Boston is a much bigger city than Louisville but that doesn't mean there aren't examples we can't follow. We talked about that this week on the Access Louisville podcast with LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones, who was on the trip. Camilla Schroeder, president at Advance Ready Mix Concrete, who helped organize the trip with Greater Louisville Inc. is also on the program to tell us about it.
You can find recent coverage of the trip here:

Boston tourism improvement district illustrates of potential of new Louisville district
What Louisville can learn from Boston's reduction in gun violence
Boston Longwood Collective is a model for LOUMED in Downtown Louisville
Chasing innovation might not be the best economic development strategy
Partnership between business and educational communities key to talent attraction and retention

Seldom have we seen such big week in local business news — and we unpack it all on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
First, there was Humana Inc.'s news that a new CEO would be coming in next year. LBF Reporter Joel Stinnett shares a bit of background on the new Humana boss, Jim Rechtin, who comes from a Nashville company that saw its share of financial difficulties.
The leadership change at Humana comes at a time when we've seen a the company decrease its presence in Downtown Louisville with the onset of remote work.
After the Humana discussion, we talk about Kroger, which just broke ground on a new store in the area. Sure it's not as big as a CEO change at Humana but it's not every day when a big new store is announced.
Finally, we round out the show with some talk about United Auto Workers decision to go on strike at the Kentucky Truck Plant in Louisville. The strike could have a ripple affect on the company as a whole.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

Maggie Payette Harlow joins the Access Louisville podcast this week.
We talk to Harlow part of our celebration of women-owned businesses locally and nationally. Check our coverage in the linked stories.
During the show Harlow, who is the CEO of Signarama Downtown, tells us about the next phase of her careeer, trends in the industry and some of the local signs she is most proud of. Of course, we could resist the opportunity to ask her life has changed since her son, rapper Jack Harlow, rose to fame in recent years.
Later in the show, we talk about an economic development event in Eastern Kentucky, called the SOAR Summit (short for Shaping Our Appellation Region). We also go over upcoming changes at the former Glenmary Country Club property in Louisville.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We talk about most desired office amenities on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Several area businesses and organizations have opened new offices recently including Greater Louisville Inc. in a downtown Louisville office tower, Lemonade PR in the Butchertown neighborhood, Messer Construction in Jeffersontown and Moonbase Tango on the moon (er wait, it's in Germantown.)
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

The Kentucky Bourbon Festival has grown up and found a new audience, which we talk about on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Randy Prasse, who is president and chief operating officer of the festival, is on the show to tell us how the festival went this year. It took place during the weekend of September 16. (Our reporter Stephen Schmidt attended for a look at the event.)
If you're keeping track, Bardstown's Kentucky Bourbon Festival takes place the same weekend as Bourbon & Beyond takes place in Louisville so we talk about how those two festival vary and intermingle.
Late in the show we talk efforts to create more engaging spaces in Downtown Louisville. And we talk about challenges facing the team behind Hi-Five Doughnuts.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

NuLu is far and away one of Louisville's most popular neighborhoods for locals and visitors alike. But that's doesn't come without a few issues.
Those are discussed on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Haley Cawthon, assistant managing editor - digital for Louisville Business First discusses some of the issues impacting the neighborhood with LBF Reporter Michael Jones. As he explains, there has been a proposal that would create a new taxing district that would address issues like cleaning up trash, assisting the unhoused and helping people feel more safe. Not everyone is onboard with the tax proposal, saying the city should already be handling this issue.
Later in the show, and speaking of people who need homes, the LBF crew talks about new affordable housing projects. One in Louisville and another in New Albany but they both seek to address community needs. LBF Reporters Ellie Tolbert and Joel Stinnett are in on that discussion.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Cawthon is filling in this week for regular host David Mann. It's available on popular services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We go over a few recent restaurant closures around town on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Michael L. Jones talks about the loss of Paradise American Indian Cuisine in Middletown, which had been in business for less than a year. We also talk about the closure of Six Forks Burger Co. It's owners said they're ready for a lifestyle change after running this Schnitzelburg restaurant since 2019. And finally, we discuss the closure of a Senior Iguanas location after 15 years.
Later in the show we talk about a few office moves including LG&E's plan to vacate 14 floors of the LG&E Center tower on Main Street.
And to wrap up we talk about a recent deal that sees beer giant Molson Coors buying Kentucky bourbon brand Blue Run Spirits.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services

The Boxhill Estate, a mansion in Glenview that's owned by Bellarmine University, is going on the auction block after being listed for sale for a large part of this year.
On this week's Access Louisville podcast, Haley Cawthon, assistant managing editor — digital for Louisville Business First, tells us her experience learning about the history of the house.

We cover a couple of interesting local disputes on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
First off, Reporter Michael L. Jones tells us about a copyright infringement lawsuit involving the Honorable Order of Kentucky Colonels and the Kentucky Colonels International. The HOKC won a judgement against the KCI but it looks like an appeal is in the works.
After that we talk about a bankruptcy case for Louisville restaurant chain Green District. And after that, we talk about the closure of the Fern Valley Strike and Spare, which comes after a land sale but not without a bit of social media discord.
After that we switch gears and talk a possible IPO by Louisville health tech firm Waystar. And we go over a few restaurant and retail stories involving a new taco joint — Bakersfield coming to the Highlands; and a new retailer, BJ's Wholesale Club, coming to Jefferson Mall.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

We cover a little bit of everything on this week's Access Louisville podcast, including some real estate, restaurant and retail news.
Louisville Business First Reporter Ellie Tolbert tells us about the sale of an Actor's Theater Building in Downtown Louisville. We also chat about their new take on the horror classic "Dracula." Last year the theater adopted "Dracula: A Feminist Revenge Fantasy" in place of the classic version.
LBF Reporter Michael Jones tells us about the sale of Joe's Older Than Dirt (don't worry it's a familiar new owner for fans of the Lyndon area bar.)
And we wrap up the show with a discussion about Greater Louisville's Best Places to Work — a project led by LBF Data Projects Editor Allison Stines. We chat about some of the perks that helped local companies get the Best Places to Work recognition.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services

Louisville's got new places to go and new places for a bite to eat.
We talk about both on this week's Access Louisville podcast as Louisville Business First reporters Michael L. Jones and Ellie Tolbert join the show.
Jones tells us about a plan to rebuilt the Clarksville Rooster's, which was destroyed in a fire earlier this year. We also chat about a restaurant in East Louisville, Barcelona Bistro Bar, that recently (and quietly) changed hands.
We also go over Jack in the Box's plans for the area and why it makes sense of the burger chain to expand here.
Tolbert tells us about a Louisville store, Vintage Vibe, that's moving from The Highlands to NuLu. The twist is it's moving across the street from its other location (well, sorta.)
Finally we wrap up with a little development talk, including the Painter's Row residential and office building coming to the Portland Neighborhood. And we talk about a new app that's allowing property owners to lease out their vacant lots for parking. Not everyone is happy about that.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

We chat with a couple of Louisville area entrepreneurs on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Chris and Dan Ratterman, of Shady Ray's join the show.
We talk about the company's new store at Oxmoor Center, a new product line for golfers — called Green Wolf — and the company's local expansion.
As usual, this episode is not all focused just on one topic. We also chat a new app, called The Kentucky Hug, where bourbon fans can book tours at area distilleries.
And we chat about a new simulator experience for golfers in the area.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on most popular podcast services, such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

There's always plenty to talk about in the world of Kentucky Bourbon.
We do just that as Reporter Stephen Schmidt, who covers bourbon for Louisville Business First, joins the Access Louisville podcast this week to talk about recent stories he's been covering.
To start out, we give a nod to another podcast, Bourbon Pursuit, who's hosts have launched their own bourbon brand and are now in the process of planning their own physical space on Main Street. You can find all the details on those plans here.
After that, we chat about a new bourbon brand from UofL basketball great Russ Smith. Schmidt talked recently with Smith about the brand and was able to try it out himself.
Smith, a member of the 2013 NCAA National Championship University of Louisville Cardinals team, has also recently reunited with some members of his old squad for a basketball tournament that's been entertaining Louisville fans.
Later in the show we chat with Reporter Joel Stinnett about a Clarksville Business, Avant Garde, that was recently in the news over its request to build a parking lot outside of its building. The company briefly considered moving to Louisville because of the parking situation, though it now looks to have been resolved.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services like Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and more.

We chat about new advertising campaigns from KFC on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
The Louisville-based chicken chain has introduced a few new marketing efforts recently — one with rapper Jack Harlow and a more recent one with football great Deion Sanders. Louisville-based marketing agency Nimbus worked with KFC on the campaigns. And Nimbus CEO Stacey Wade joins us to talk about how they came together and the importance of authenticity in marketing.
Late in the show we chat about some recent restaurant news including the closure of Wiltshire on Market, and the closing of one W.W. Cousins location. We also chat about the fact that a Louisville restaurant, Lueberry, is now for sale.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on most popular podcast services.

We've got a roundup of various restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Michael Jones has an interesting story to share about Andrea Essenpreis, the owner of Q&A Sweet Treats at 211 S. First St. in La Grange. Essenpreis, following a recent accident, experienced a lot of community support for herself and her bakery — full details here.
We also talk about the opening of Awry Brewing Co. in the Highlands neighborhood in Louisville, as well as a new "Laundrocade" venture from the Zanzabar owners, and the opening of a new Asian kitchen at the Outlet Shoppes.
A new podcaster, Joel Stinnett, joins the show this week. Stinnett recently started at Louisville Business First but is a veteran of covering the health care industry. We chat about a couple stories he has worked on of late, including an interview with One Southern Indiana's outgoing CEO Wendy Dant Chesser and a story about former Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin's new role.
Late in the show we discuss AppHarvest — a promising Kentucky startup that has been experiencing difficulties this year and just named a new CEO.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on most popular podcasts services.

We look at a slew of developments in Southern Indiana on this week's Access Louisville podcast. This podcast coincides with our Southern Indiana edition of Louisville Business First.
We start out in Jeffersonville, where there's a major opportunity to transform land along the Ohio River front from industrial space that was the old Jeffboat shipyard to possibly residential, commercial and mixed use community space.
LBF Reporter Steve Schmidt recently spoke with the people behind the project and is on the show to tell us about where it stands.
Next, we go over huge changes coming to Clarksville — including an effort to finally give the historic community a proper downtown near the former Colgate-Palmolive plant.
We also talk about the developing plans for Origin Park nearby — a massive effort that officials see being of regional importance. And we discuss improvements along Main Street in New Albany, which have challenged businesses.
Finally, we wrap up the show with an interview with Charlestown Mayor Treva Hodges, who gives us an update on all the things happening in her community.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and more.

What's new in NuLu?
That's the theme of this week's Access Louisville podcast — er, mostly anyway. Reporters Michael L. Jones and Ellie Tolbert are on the show to tell us about several new spots coming to the bustling Louisville neighborhood. Wick's Pizza is heading there with a new by-the-slice shop, Le Moo founder Kevin Grangier has an all new sushi restaurant in the works there, and we've also got news on a tech company from France that is locating its U.S. headquarters in the neighborhood.
But, as usual, we don't just cover one topic on this week's show. We also talk about a new restaurant opening in Norton Commons and wrap up the show with a quiz about local businesses.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and others.

We've got a bit of everything on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast, including a roundup of recent developments around the area.
Reporter Eleanor Tolbert is on the show to tell us about plans for two new locations of kid and parent friendly Glow Worm Cafe, which is looking to add locations in Anchorage and Beechmont. We talk about how the concept works and a few of the parents on LBF's staff give us their take on the idea.
Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt is also on the show this week to tell us about a big new development that has been proposed in the Clermont area, south of Louisville. This area is home to two popular attractions for Louisville — Jim Beam Distillery and Bernheim Forest.
Later in the show we also talk about a historic building, currently used as event space, that is for sale in LaGrange.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business. You can find it on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

Dan Maloney, director of the Louisville Zoo, joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week. We chat about the Zoo's newest exhibit, which features red pandas.
We also talk over some restaurant and retail news, including a new home for All Thai'd Up and an all-yellow food store that's coming to a Louisville hotel.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on most popular podcast services.

There's a couple of new sports related facilities going up in the area, which we discuss on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Ellie Tolbert is on the show to give us the details on Pickle & Social, a pickle ball venue and bar that is opening on four acres at 8100 Lyndon Park Lane in the fall of 2024.
The 35,000-square-foot complex will have 12 pickle ball courts and an 8,500-square-foot full-service restaurant with a bourbon bar.
Does bourbon and pickle ball mix? Yes. In Louisville bourbon mixes with everything.
Later in the show, Reporter Michael L. Jones gives us the latest restaurant news, including the sale of Napa in Westport Village. And we also go over some major investment news from Toyota which is taking place elsewhere in the state.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on most popular podcast services.

There's always something going on along Frankfort Avenue but American Printing House for the Blind likely has one of the biggest projects.
The nonprofit marked the official groundbreaking for The Dot Experience, a new museum that will be part of a $55 million campus expansion this week. And so we welcomed APH President Craig Meador to join the Access Louisville podcast this week.
On the show Meador tells us about what to expect from the museum and how it can demonstrate accessibility for companies looking to expand their workforces.
As usual, we have a few topics on this week's show.
We also discuss The Myriad, a new hotel coming to the Highlands (it's gonna have a pool!) as well as a new event space, Germantown Gables. After that we chat about Drew Brees' new restaurant that's coming to nearby Clarksville, Indiana and a bit of shuffling among local TV sports anchors.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on most popular podcast services.

The Kentucky Derby has long been the reigning champion of the first Saturday in May. But will that always be the case? We talk about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
The discussion comes on the heels of this story about how the growing popularity of Formula One racing, particularly as Miami is hosting an F1 race on the same weekend as Derby. We also discuss how hotel occupancy compared between Louisville, Miami and Nashville (which were all hosting their own big events) on Derby weekend.
There's also concern about the number of horses that died at Churchill Downs during the course of Derby week — something that would alarm any spectator.
Further, we talk about how the proliferation of sports betting might impact how much money people spend betting on horses.
Later in the show, we shift gears to chat about some restaurant news, including Country Boy Brewing's plan for a tap room in Louisville and the closure of an Old Louisville restaurant Hill Street Fish & Seafood. Finally we wrap it all up by talking about a trademark dispute between Taco Bell and Taco John's.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on most popular podcast services.

We share a few memories of legendary University of Louisville basketball coach Denny Crum on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Crum, who coached at Louisville from 1971 to 2001, died this week at age 86. Reporter Michael L. Jones recalls his involvement in the community, including his presence at LEO, while host David A. Mann looks back at covering the last years of Crum's coaching tenure while working at the student run Louisville Cardinal newspaper back in 2001.
Later in the show we talk about some recent restaurant news, including the opening of Gus's Friend Chicken and a new Chinese buffet on Gardiner Lane.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

It's the time of year when the Louisville area hosts many visitors.
With that we spend a bit of time talking about hotels and Airbnbs this week on the Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Eleanor Tolbert is on the show and tells us about a new $29 million hotel project that's going into a more than 100-year-old building in New Albany. That one is in development, while Louisville just added a new hotel — called Hotel Genevieve, of which we have photos.
Tolbert also tells us about the surging price of Airbnbs with the upcoming Kentucky Derby weekend and passes on a few tips for those interested in renting out their homes for Derby weekend.
Reporter Michael L. Jones also gives us the latest news from the restaurant beat including the upcoming closure of Angilo's Pizza in the South Louisville and the expansion of Parlour in Jeffersontown.
Late in the show we get into Kentucky Derby predictions, including talk over whether last year's win by Rich Strike will have more bettors going for the long shot this time.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast, Spotify and more.

Kentucky has something unique when it comes to the culture around bourbon. Not only is it a part of the state's identity, it also has a community around it that frequently gives back when Kentucky is in need.
That's something Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt talks about on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Specifically, Schmidt discusses a bourbon auction that aims to raise money for the family of Josh Barrick who was among those killed during the mass shooting at Old National Bank in Louisville on April 10. Barrick was a friend of the bourbon community, including the podcasters at Bourbon Pursuit.
This isn't the first time we've seen a bourbon sale help raise money for a cause like this. A similar auction took place after Kentucky was hit hard by a massive tornado in 2021.
We also talk about bourbon collecting in general and some of the finer points of that popular Kentucky hobby.
Later in the show we shift to talk about a couple commercial real estate developments that have taken place in the area, including a new hotel coming to the corner of 2nd Street and Market Street in Downtown Louisville.
And we wrap up the show with a chat about Kentucky Derby fashion as race day draws near.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Radio Public and more.

The annual Kentucky Derby Festival kicks off this weekend with Thunder Over Louisville, where a tribute to victims of gun violence is planned.
We talked about what we're looking forward to in the festival on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO Matt Gibson joins the show to talk about what's new and where the event goes from here.
Later in the program we also discuss some new restaurants around Louisville, including Jamaican Jerk Center, the new Goodbounce Pickleball Yard on River Road, a new beer spot — called Awry Brewing — and much more.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services, such as Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify and more.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

This week on Access Louisville, we are grieving the loss of those who died at the Old National Bank shooting and considering the weight of the news on the community.

On Monday morning, April 10, six people were killed at the Old National Bank at 333 E. Main St. The shooter was among the dead.

Several others were injured and transported to UofL Hospital.

The news was shocking and left many in the community at a loss for words. Businesses, community leaders and elected officials sent condolences, and other business leaders signed a letter calling for change.

It’s hard to talk about anything else. This week, we discuss our reaction to the news, the community’s response and a vigil hosted for them.

Coping with tragedy is difficult, especially when our city sees it often. The Humana Foundation is deploying a $1 million investment into mental health care.

The City of Louisville has a list of mental health support resources on its website, which you can find here.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's hosted by Laurel Deppen and David A. Mann. Our guests this week are Haley Cawthon and Ellie Tolbert.

You can find it on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more. You can also listen in the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Greg Galiette is ready for the Louisville Bats to play ball.

Galiette is entering his second baseball season as the president of the Louisville Bats, the minor league baseball team in Louisville. He became president in December 2021, but he has been with the team since 1984, when the Bats played as the Louisville Redbirds.

On the same day as the Bats’ home opener this week, Business First Editor Shea Van Hoy spoke with Galiette about the new season.

“Every time you start a new season there’s always a lot of optimism, not only for us but for every team,” Galiette said. “…We’re keeping our fingers crossed and we think we have a decent team this year.”

Galiette and Van Hoy chatted about new additions to Slugger Field and more.

We discuss all this and more on the Access Louisville podcast.

It’s not always baseball season, but some in Louisville would say it’s always bourbon season.

Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt sought to explore the intersection of two old Kentucky industries: bourbon and banking.

Schmidt said the two industries have supported each other for years, with the latter trying to figure out the best way to qualify the value of an asset that appreciates as it ages.

Baseball and bourbon… what else is needed for a perfect Louisville podcast? Ah, yes: Jack Harlow.

The Grammy-nominated Louisville native made the headlines this week because he bought into Phocus, a brand of caffeinated sparkling waters made in Louisville. With a new ad campaign and a new team, the company now has its sights on going national.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's hosted by Laurel Deppen and David A. Mann.

You can find it on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more. You can also listen in the player above.

We have a rundown of all the latest restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Topping the discussion is information on Nic and Norman's, a restaurant coming to Whiskey Alley (aka Washington Street, behind Whiskey Row. We also chat about Bandido Taqueria's new location and a new area location for Drake's.
LBF Reporter Michael Jones and Assistant Managing Editor, Digital Haley Cawthon fill us in on all the details.
Later in the show we talk about the start of soccer season for both Racing Louisville FC and Lou City FC. Racing has a new general manager, who was appointed in the wake of last year's damning report on abuse in the National Women's Soccer League.
After that we talk about the summer concert series Waterfront Wednesday and memories from a few bands on the bill.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's hosted this week by Laurel Deppen and David A. Mann.
You can find it on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and more.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Greg Fante wants to make you notice the Louisville Sports Commission.

Fante, who officially stepped into the president and CEO role at the Commission last month, is focused on increasing the name recognition for his organization. He compared what he wants to do for sports what Fund for the Arts did for the arts, he said in an interview on the Access Louisville Podcast.

The Sports Commission has been busy prepping for the South Regional of the NCAA Men’s Division I Basketball Tournament (the Sweet Sixteen Tournament), hosted in Louisville this year.

Fante explains how Louisville won the tournament, and some of his favorite sporting events to watch.

We also discuss a shiny new rendering unveiled for a $51 million distillery project. The project from Blue Run Spirits was designed by a key architect behind other projects including the Google Headquarters, Lego Brand Museum and more.

Blue Run is located in Georgetown, Kentucky, and the facility is expected to open in 2025.

Beyond basketball and bourbon, we also go through several other top headlines from the week, including a new food selections at the Lynn Family Stadium, a $2.6 million house in Prospect, a new hospital project and another Rooster’s fire.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests are Fante, Shea Van Hoy and Haley Cawthon.

It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Though the Silicon Valley Bank failure happened on the other coast, the ripple effects were felt by Louisville startups, attorneys and bank leaders.

A startup founder told KYInno that he was rushing to pull funds from the bank, faced with the fear of the question: How will their employees be paid. Haley Cawthon spoke to the founder, who asked to be anonymous given the fluidity of the situation, and shares what she learned with us.

Beyond startups, an attorney at large Louisville law firm Frost Brown Todd spent his weekend helping clients both locally and across the country who had funds in SVB. Ellie Tolbert spoke with him and some leaders in Louisville’s banking scene to get their reaction.

The SVB bank collapse was big news everywhere, but in true Access Louisville fashion, we sneak in some talk of restaurants and tourism.

The Bard’s Town, which recently announced a move, put plans on hold after its owner passed away. In his memory, former employees are opening the new location anyway with the help of some of his plans, Michael L. Jones reports.

We also discuss renovations to the Louisville Slugger Museum and lineups for two Danny Wimmer presents music festivals: Bourbon and Beyond and Louder than Life.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It was hosted this week by Laurel Deppen. Our guests are Tolbert, Cawthon and Jones.

It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

A multi-use development by a prominent developer made headlines multiple times this week, but what is it missing?

Nulu Marketplace, which is owned by developer Mo Deljoo, is home to a brewery, restaurants, retail establishments and even office space. Recently one of its retailers, Buff City Soap, closed its location, leaving the opportunity for something new.

We speculate on what the complex could use on the Access Louisville Podcast: perhaps another restaurant, new retail or a bodega.

West Sixth Nulu, the complex’s anchor tenant, recently announced it was adding food to its menu offerings. It will start by focusing on shareable items, including wings and tacos.

Cherry Pickin’, a cold press juice bar, will open in Nulu Marketplace at the end of April. The concept’s owners said juice bars were something missing in the area, and they hope to fill that void.

Beyond the Nulu area, we also discuss Lil Toasty’s, a second location for Toasty’s Tavern opening in the food truck at Gravely Brewing Co. The food truck was previously home to Mayan Street Food from the owners of Mayan Café.

Louisville also ranked in the top five metros for economic development, according to a site selection magazine. It ranked above the likes of Nashville, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina; Indianapolis; and Columbus, Ohio.

We discuss all this and more on the Access Louisville Podcast.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It was hosted this week by Laurel Deppen. Our guests are Eleanor Tolbert, Haley Cawthon and Michael L. Jones.

It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

We discuss all this and more on Access Louisville.

Owners of the Claudia Sanders Dinner House have edited the listing with changes that could help attract a buyer.

The Shelbyville restaurant was established by KFC founder Col. Harland Sanders for his wife Claudia. It went on the market in June for $9 million and has now been lowered to $4.9 million.

The price decreased because the original listing included Sanders family memorabilia and the trademark and likeness of Claudia Sanders. The owners will sell that separately. Now the listing includes just the physical real estate and the restaurant business.

Reporter Eleanor Tolbert explains that this could help them attract a new buyer.

In other KFC news, we also discuss a beloved menu item returning to the Louisville-based chicken chain for a limited time. The Double Down, famous for its use of fried chicken as bread, is returning to KFC menus across the nation beginning on March 6.

With its double chicken, double bacon, and double cheese, it has what the company calls a “cult following like no other.”

Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt also joined the show to discuss a recent trip to the Old Forester distillery and what he learned.

Schmidt also talks about how two Louisville tech companies are helping those in Ukraine after a year at war. The companies are helping in different ways, but both are making an impact.

We discuss all this and more on the Access Louisville Podcast.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Tolbert and Schmidt.

It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Louisville is a foodie town — and several new restaurants will bring different cuisines to the area.

Harvey’s Cheese, a shop formerly in Logan Street Market, has now changed course to offer food beyond cheese: Australian.

Now just named Harvey’s, the restaurant will reopen in March at 2011 Frankfort Ave. in the former ramen restaurant Mirin, which closed in December 2019. Reporter Michael L. Jones tells us that the owner is from Sydney, Australia, and opening such a restaurant has been his longtime dream.

In other restaurant news, a Louisville popup is opening its first brick-and-mortar location. Renshoku Ramen owners plan to open a restaurant in Old Louisville this spring. It will focus on dinner and then expand to include lunch grab-and-go options.

Renshoku started as a popup in 2019 and served locations including the Merryweather and the Asia Institute – Crane House in Old Louisville, which celebrates Asian culture.

Beyond restaurants, we also discuss the One Park North project. The site, which is the former Jim Porter’s on Lexington Road, is comprised of two mixed-use buildings which are 10 and 17 stories.

Recently, the rezoning of the area was approved by Metro Council.

We discuss all this and more on Access Louisville.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Eleanor Tolbert and Jones.

It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

The Access Louisville podcast is a two-parter this week.
First, we focus on bourbon. Louisville Business First Bourbon Reporter Stephen P. Schmidt has been on the road recently visiting some local distilleries, including a trip to Buffalo Trace in Frankfort. This is one of Kentucky's largest distilleries and behind some hugely popular brands like Pappy Van Winkle and Eagle Rare.
Schmidt got a chance to take it's all new "hard hat tour," which is partially good marketing, partially a behind-the-scenes look at how one of Kentucky's signature products are made.
He also tells us about his recent trip to Heaven Hill's Louisville Distillery and a new project coming to Whiskey Row, called Buzzard's Roost.
After that, we switch gears and chat about sustainability — specifically a Kentucky-based program called Canopy. Louisville-based Canopy offers certifications to for-profit companies based on the “good” the company does, including the work they do for their people, community and environment.
Editor-in-chief Shea Van Hoy is on the show interviewing Scott Koloms, the founder and CEO of Canopy, and Confluent Health CEO Larry Benz, who's company is Canopy certified.
They chat about how the process works and how it can benefit companies in various ways.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more.

We chat about a couple of Louisville's local celebrities on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
First, Reporter Michael Jones tells us about a premier event he recently attended centering around Chef Darnell Ferguson. Ferguson hosted a red-carpet event at the Muhammad Ali Center last Sunday to share a preview of his new show, "Superchef Grudge Match," a one-hour program that premiered on the Food Network and streaming on Discovery+ on Feb. 7.
It's a great evolution for Ferguson, who's dreamed of having his own show, Jones said. But of course we will miss his local restaurants Superchefs (which closed last year) and Tha Drippin' Crab (which closed in January.)
Later in the show, we talk about another well-known Louisville celebrity: John Schnatter, including his reaction to news that the company he founded, Papa Johns International Inc., is putting its Louisville headquarters for sale. Reporter Ellie Tolbert gives us the details on that story. The company is keeping a workforce in Louisville but it is downsizing its space because it no longer needs as much.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. The show is available on most popular podcast services including Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcast and more.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Bed, Bath and Beyond is closing three of its Kentucky locations after raising a red flag that bankruptcy could be imminent.

The retailer has two locations in Louisville, one at the Paddock Shops at 4350 Summit Plaza Drive, and another at 99 Breckenridge Lane. The Paddock location will close, along with two others in Elizabethtown and Bowling Green.

The New Jersey-based company announced days earlier that it was considering a bankruptcy filing. It is expected to close more than 80 stores nationwide.

The company hasn’t said what has led to some of these developments, but we speculate on the Access Louisville Podcast that a rise in ecommerce could be decreasing a need for its services.

GameStop filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN), announcing it was closing its distribution facility in Bullitt County. The facility will close this summer, laying off 236 people as a result.

Beyond retail, Louisville has experienced some real estate trends that have impacted home sales, including that of a high-profile smart home.

We discuss all this and more on the Access Louisville podcast.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Van Hoy and Jones.

It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Cleo Battle is ready to shift from recovery mode to growth mode.

Battle is the president and CEO of Louisville Tourism. After three years of uncertainty for the tourism industry, he is leading the organization as it plans to attract a global audience.

Shea Van Hoy, editor of Louisville Business First, sat down with Battle to discuss what he was looking forward to and trends in the tourism industry. This conversation is the first in a series of executive interviews on the Access Louisville Podcast.

Something that keeps Louisville from attracting different kinds of meetings or conventions is its hotel capacity, one that is lower than peer cities, Battle explained. There are some hotels under construction, but currently Louisville is under-hoteled.

Beyond this construction, there’s another change coming to the hotel industry. Reporter Michael L. Jones explains a new hotel tax and its implications for Louisville and its tourists.

Still, Louisville is hosting several large-scale events this year, including, of course, the Kentucky Derby, which has expected of 250,000. It also includes National Farm Machinery Show and Championship Tractor Pull and Thunder Over Louisville.

We discuss all this and more on the Access Louisville podcast.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Van Hoy and Jones.

It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

We're always sorta talking about restaurants on the Access Louisville podcast. This week we lean into it with a classic Access Louisville restaurant roundup.
On the show we talk about a new location for Jaggers, a fast food concept from Texas Roadhouse, opening soon. We also chat about Goodbounce pickle ball bar, the opening of Sweet & Juicy Seafood, the new Capital Grille coming to Oxmoor Center and much more.
Later in the show we chat about migration patterns for businesses. Specifically we talk about data from the U.S. Postal Service which shows how some ZIP codes, such as downtown Louisville's 40202, have lost businesses, while others, including 40245 in far East Louisville, have gained businesses.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's hosted by David A. Mann this time. Co-host Laurel Deppen will be back next week. This week's guests are Reporters Michael L. Jones and Ellie Tolbert as well as Haley Cawthon, LBF's assistant managing editor, digital.
You can find the podcast on popular services like Apple Podcasts, Spotify and others.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

The startup scene in Louisville has always been tight knit and bustling, but some things have shifted.

Business First identified 20 startups to watch in the new year. The companies spread across different sectors including health tech, insurance, ecommerce, real estate and more. They also are across the state, with companies based in Covington and Paducah.

Haley Cawthon, assistant managing editor – digital, previously led KY Inno and had a front row seat to the startup community.

“There’s always been this genuine interest in the startup ecosystem in Louisville,” Cawthon said.

Since Cawthon started in 2019, she said something has remained the same: a shortage of venture capital in the area continues to be a challenge. But the local ecosystem has a lot of momentum and excitement, which came into play more in 2022. 2023 could pose a challenge, though, in seeking more funding.

Stephen Schmidt, who recently took on the role of KY Inno lead, has noticed that the environment in Kentucky is more welcoming and collaborative than some major startup hotbeds on either coast.

We discuss all of this and more on this week’s Access Louisville podcast.

Beyond startups, we also discuss Louisville’s newest minor league sports team: the Derby City Distillers. The team is one of the newest expansions of The Basketball League (TBL). Schmidt explains how you can try out and the team’s ties with the University of Louisville basketball program.

There’s also been a lot of recent movement in the advertising industry. Earlier this week, Doe-Anderson, Louisville’s largest advertising firm, announced it was restructuring its leadership team to better position itself for growth in the future — that includes naming a new CEO.

The news comes after a busy end of 2022, with the Power Agency and Scoppechio merging and VIA Studios merging with an out-of-state company.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Schmidt and Cawthon.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

The Business First crew has once again set out to predict what 2023 will hold for the Louisville community.

We tackle a large range of topics in our predictions, from the new mayor’s priorities to major hotels on the Sunny Side (Southern Indiana).

You will have to listen in the player above or your favorite podcast streaming app to hear all of them, but as a treat, here are just a few:

Louisville’s favorite son, rapper Jack Harlow, will get involved in UofL’s Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) business.
The Louisville Bats, minor league baseball team, will finish with a winning record this season — for the first time since 2011.
Louisville’s airport will land a major nonstop flight — possibly to Seattle or Toronto.
Fourth Street Live! will land a major renovation project — and possibly be sold to another development company.

The predictions show is a favorite Access Louisville tradition.

In fact, last time on Access Louisville, we traveled back in time to our 2022 predictions to see how they aged in hindsight. Surprisingly, we got a few right, including the announcement of two new Publix locations in Louisville and that the University of Louisville would part ways with its then-head coach Chris Mack.

So we have a pretty good track record, right? Let’s see what the year has in store.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Stephen P. Schmidt, Ellie Tolbert, Michael L. Jones, Shea Van Hoy and Haley Cawthon.

It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

Cheers to 2023.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

We’re reporters, not mediums. Yet last year, we set out to predict what would happen in 2022.

Now as the year comes to a close, we went back to review those 16 predictions. Some were pretty bold, (and didn’t age well in hindsight,) while others unexpectedly were spot on.

You can travel back in time and hear the rest of the predictions from last year’s show at this link.

Here are a few things we predicted: Two more Publix retail locations will be announced; the NCAA will wrap its investigation and the University of Louisville men's basketball team a gets three-season postseason ban; Downtown properties start converting to apartments; and River Ridge Commerce Center will land a Fortune 500 corporate headquarters.

Reporter Ellie Tolbert was spot on with the Publix prediction. In 2022, two Publix locations were announced, one as recently as this month. The grocery giant announced it will open stores at the northwest corner of Flat Rock Road and Shelbyville Road and one in Lexington.

The UofL prediction was half right. The NCAA investigation did wrap up, but the punishment was far less harsh than a three-season postseason ban. An independent committee issued UofL a $5,000 fine, ending a years-long period of limbo for the program.

As for the other two predictions listed above…Well, they didn’t shape up. You’ll have to listen to find out what other predictions came true.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Tolbert, Haley Cawthon, Shea Van Hoy and Michael L. Jones.

It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

In the New Year, we’ll get out our crystal balls to predict what 2023 may hold. So stay tuned, and happy holidays!

News of yet another Publix location coming to Louisville has the potential to shake up the grocery market locally. We chat about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Lakeland, Florida-based Publix announced a new store coming to the corner of Flat Rock Road and Shelbyville Road earlier this week. Reporter Eleanor Tolbert, who joins the podcast this week, explains this is the third store Publix has announced for Louisville. One other Publix store is under construction at 2500 Terra Crossing Boulevard and a second one is planned at the corner of Ballardsville and Brownsboro Road in Louisville. Tolbert has also done some internet sleuthing and found there might be one more Publix in the works in Fern Creek — though that's not official yet.

Tolbert has been following developments closely in grocery/retail trends in Louisville lately, particularly since writing a special report on the subject earlier this year. As mentioned in that report, The Kroger Co. owns 43% of the local grocery market share, with 43 stores in the area, according to Tampa, Florida-based retail data provider Chain Store Guide. Next closest is Bentonville, Arkansas-based Walmart Stores Inc., with 16 stores and a 23% share; and Meijer with 6.9%, and six stores, in the market.

More from this week's Access Louisville podcast

Later in the show we speak about a Louisville lawyer, Jack Wheat, who had a hand in helping a Kentucky artist get credit for her work to help launch the famous Cabbage Patch Kids dolls. This case helped set the tone for Wheat's practice for years to come.

We also chat about some of the latest restaurant news, including: Epiphany, a farm-to-table cocktail bar, launching in the Highlands, Ziba's Bistro closing at Logan Street Market; and Gallant Fox opening in Mount Washington.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by myself and Reporter Laurel Deppen and new episodes are posted on Fridays. Our guests this week are Haley Cawthon and Eleanor Tolbert.

It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the show in the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Jeff Brohm is coming home.

After the University of Louisville’s head football coach, Scott Satterfield, announced he was leaving for the University of Cincinnati, yet another high-profile position was left vacant at the university.

But this time not for long. Brohm, who is a Louisville native and played baseball and football for the Cardinals, will take on the head football coach role.

This week, Brohm signed a six-year contract with UofL with a base salary of $5 million.

Just last week, UofL named its next president. Earlier this year, it named a new head basketball coach and a new athletic director. Now with all of these vacancies filled, will UofL solve its “revolving door” problem?

Reporter Michael Jones speculates that Brohm may be around to stay, especially because he’s from Louisville.

We discuss this and more on the Access Louisville podcast.

Also this week, leaders broke ground on Kentucky’s biggest economic development deal in history.

Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) and SK On hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the BlueOval SK Battery Park, the joint venture’s $5.8 billion investment in Glendale, Kentucky.

Pete Buttigieg, the United States Secretary of Transportation, also made a stop in Louisville this week to discuss logistics at the UPS Worldport.

Beyond sports and logistics, we also discuss the biggest restaurant and retail news of the week.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Jones and Eleanor Tolbert.

It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You also can listen to the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

A Louisville private school made plans to demolish a neighboring apartment complex which it owns, but it received community pushback.

Louisville Collegiate School, one of the area’s largest private schools, submitted an application to demolish the complex, Yorktown Apartments, at 2354 Grinstead Drive.

But no decisions have been made yet. The Cherokee Triangle Architectural Review committee tabled the discussion this week.

The complex includes three buildings, each with 16 units. Collegiate bought the property in 2015 and intends to use it for a 56-vehicle parking lot.

The situation plays into a larger discussion of a lack of affordable housing throughout Louisville, especially in the Highlands neighborhood.

We discuss this trend on the Access Louisville podcast.

Also this week, the University of Louisville named its next president. Kim Schatzel, who currently holds the president title at Towson University in Maryland, will step into the role in February.

Some were critical of UofL’s decision to hire a white person for the role, but others in the community noted their excitement to get to know her. We discuss this reaction, along with what could be a new chapter of stability for UofL.

And in true Access Louisville fashion, we discuss bourbon: from master tasters to a Louisville location for Bardstown Bourbon Co.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Michael L. Jones and Stephen P. Schmidt.

It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen to the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

The day is finally here: Top Golf is open.

After years of anticipation, the national golf concept is taking bay reservations now. But it was “softly” open last week, accepting walkups. Our reporter Eleanor Tolbert got to tour the facility before the crowds.

Tolbert explains that she has visited Top Golf locations in Nashville and Cincinnati, but Louisville’s differentiates itself. It seems larger, she told us, with three stories and encompassing 67,000 square feet, with 102 bays, three full-service bars, dining areas, private event space and more

But Louisville’s location has something else that sets it apart from the others. It’s one of just two Top Golf locations to feature a different menu from the others, along with Las Vegas. Our unique menu? Bourbon, of course.

The bourbon bar includes nine different bourbon brands and specialty cocktails.

Beyond Top Golf’s bourbon offerings, we also discuss new places to try bourbon across the city, including a new spot from Heaven Hill in the Yum Center and Bardstown Bourbon Co. opening a new spot on Main Street this summer.

Forecastle is “taking a break” in 2023, so what will it look like when it comes back?

The Forecastle Festival, one of Louisville’s crown jewels, has been a staple of the city for 20 years. Organizers cancelled the festival last week, saying “there are some things that we want to work on and improve for the future, so we’re going to take some time to strategize and determine the best path forward for the festival."

We brainstorm what a future of the festival might look like. Will it go back to its indie rock roots or lean into the EDM/Gen Z crowd?

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen.

It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen to the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

Louisville has elected a new mayor — the first in 12 years. Craig Greenberg won the Louisville mayor race earlier this week, defeating republican Bill Dieruf.

The race was closer than some expected, with Greenberg receiving about 52% of the vote, and Dieruf 46%. But Reporter Michael L. Jones reminded us that Louisville hasn’t had a republican mayor since 1969.

We discuss campaign donations to both Greenberg and Dieruf by familiar names in the business community and speculate on what opportunities Greenberg will seize as he steps into the city’s top spot.

Also on the show, we talk about news that’s been brewing in the Louisville brewery and cocktail scene.

TEN20, a Louisville brewery which has been on a recent expansion kick, announced its fourth taproom. This summer, TEN20 will open in the Bolt + Tie, a $22 million mixed use development across the river in Clarksville, Indiana. The brewery also has locations in Butchertown, Anchorage and the Highlands.

The TEN20 taproom will mark Clarksville’s first brewery. We discuss how rare this is – noting that Kentucky and Indiana breweries typically haven’t crossed the river and stayed. Louisville brewery Monnik previously had a taproom and brewery in New Albany, but it closed earlier this year.

Beyond brewing, we also discuss Liquor Lab, the second location of a national chain with big expansion goals. Liquor Lab is a “make your own cocktail” experience which teaches patrons how to make bar-ready cocktails at home.

Reporter Eleanor Tolbert tried her hand at a class and shares her experience with us. You can read about it here, too.

We talk about all this and more on this week’s episode of Access Louisville.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen.

Our guests this week are Tolbert and Jones. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

A Kentucky spirits giant is considering a $500 million investment in Kentucky.

Sazerac Company Inc. was preliminarily approved for a 15-year incentive agreement in Laurel County in London, Kentucky.

According to a report released by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA), Sazerac is considering the large project “to meet growing demand.”

The details of the project are still unclear as it was just preliminarily approved, Stephen P. Schmidt tells us on the Access Louisville podcast.

On this week’s podcast, we introduce you Schmidt, our new reporter. He covers bourbon (timely for this week) along with technology, innovation and finance.

It was a big week for bourbon. We also talk about a “secretive” whiskey company which bought land in Shelby County for $5.5 million. Assistant Managing Editor Haley Cawthon explains to us why the brand is such a mystery.

Beyond Bourbon, we also discuss what has been the talk of the town: UofL basketball received its punishment following an NCAA investigation that stretched 5 years and probably cost the university $50 million, Athletic Director Josh Heird estimated.

We talk about all of this and more this week on Access Louisville.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s co-hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen.

Our guests this week are Cawthon and Schmidt. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Follow us on popular podcast services to never miss an episode.

Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher

This week, several entities with Louisville ties were sold, including one of the city’s biggest hotels.

AC Louisville, which houses Italian eatery Bar Vetti, is located in the heart of NuLu and sold for $51 million. Nothing will change on the consumer end, but the local group divested its ownership.

We also talk about recent bank mergers and acquisition activity, including the acquisition of Limestone Bancorp and Republic Bank’s purchase of a Cincinnati-based bank.

But in true Access Louisville fashion, we catch up on the news of the city’s food scene, including an official opening date for Jerry Green and Friends, a new club, and a fun bar/plant shop concept.

We also discuss a recent podcast poll regarding which side of the Big 4 Bridge is better. Who won? Turns out, it’s “popping” in Jeffersonville.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It’s hosted by David A. Mann and Laurel Deppen. Our guests this week are Cawthon and restaurant reporter Michael L. Jones.

A new report measured the quickness and accuracy of fast-food restaurant drive-thrus. Taco Bell, which is owned by Louisville-based Yum Brands Inc. (NYSE: YUM) took the top spot for speed, but the one in last place may surprise you.

Chick-fil-A took the last spot for speed, primarily because the line is already long before the store opens, Haley Cawthon told us during the Access Louisville podcast.

You can read Haley’s full story here.

We discuss a food truck turned brick and mortar restaurant opening in Norton Commons, and a new seafood restaurant in New Albany.

We also learn about a dream job: Old Forester’s Master Taster. The whiskey company named Melissa Rift brand ambassador and master taster this week.

We talk about all this and more on Access Louisville.

Louisville's Waterfront Park is a gem along the Ohio River.
But is the foot of the Big Four Bridge in Louisville as good as its counterpart in Jeffersonville? We discuss on this week's Access Louisville podcast — specifically on the news that a new "eatertainment" facility (a new pickleball bar) is planned at the waterfront.
As to the answer of which is better — we suppose it depends on what you're looking for. Jeffersonville has restaurants, shops and bars while Louisville has quiet green space and manicured landscapes. Both have their perks.
Later in the show we discuss the upcoming Louisville Beer Week as well as favorite Louisville breweries. And we talk about the reopening of Down One Bourbon bar on Main Street.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

We go through the latest restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Some of the new places we chat about include Blue Bay Seafood on Poplar Level Road; and Barista Parlor, which is coming to downtown at 500 W. Jefferson.
We also chat about the opening of Topgolf, which is expected in November.
Later in the show, we discuss a disturbing report on sexual abuse Racing Louisville FC, including reaction from sponsors and fans.
And lastly we chat about the sale of the Courier Journal's building downtown.

What city would you compare Louisville to?
We talked about that questions on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Reporter Ellie Tolbert recently attended a conference at which Louisville business and civic leaders were searching for inspiration in Jacksonville, Florida. That got us talking about how Jacksonville and Louisville share some similarities.
Later in the show, we discuss recent news that Ford Motor Co. is expanding its operations locally with a $700 million investment. The company showed off its new model F-Series Super Duty Truck during an event at Churchill Downs.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's hosted by David A. Mann and edited by Laurel Deppen. You can find it on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher.

There's so much going on in Louisville of late and we chat about it on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Bourbon & Beyond, one of Louisville's biggest music festivals took place last weekend. And this weekend we're looking forward to Louder Than Life — a more metal focused festival. In addition to that, Startup Fest has been ongoing this week and the National Jugband Jubilee are taking place this weekend.
After talking about events we switch gears and chat about restaurant news, including a couple of closures — Red Top Hotdogs and Ramsi's Cafe in Norton Commons.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services like Apple Podcast, Spotify and more.

For better or worse, wallpaper is back. In a big way too! In this year’s Homearama home tour, many of the homes feature wallpaper.
Reporter Eleanor Tolbert shared what else she learned in her Homearama preview. One theme was clear: In a post-pandemic world, interior design is focused on comfort and community.
“We all had to sit in our homes for a year, and now people are like, ‘If I’m going to be in my home, I want it to be a space I want to be in,’” Tolbert told on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
We also discuss two recent closures in Louisville’s food scene.
Breadworks, a locally owned bakery chain, announced it was closing its three locations for good. Plans are already in the works for a new concept in the Douglass Loop location.
Over on the sunny side of the Ohio River (Southern Indiana), a Louisville-based brewery has closed its New Albany location.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week it was hosted and edited by me, Laurel Deppen, stepping in for the normal host, David Mann. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast and Spotify. You can also listen in the player above.

A Louisville author has filed a copyright infringement lawsuit claiming that his tours of Old Louisville are being copied by a national firm.
We talk about what's behind the lawsuit on this week's Access Louisville podcast (you can also get the details in writing here.)
Later in the show we chat about transportation issues in Louisville including funding problems at TARC. Additionally we chat about an effort (or maybe a lack of effort) to bring Amtrak service to Louisville.
Lastly we chat about a big redevelopment plan in Clarksville that involved buying a hardware store out of its lease.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's hosted by David A. Mann and edited by Laurel Deppen. It's available on popular podcast services.

A friend is coming to Louisville for just one night and wants to go out for dinner. Where do you take them?
We kick around that question on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
We also talk about a lot of recent restaurant news, including a move by Barry's Cheesesteaks, the newly announced Waldo's Chicken & Beer, the next phase for Jerry Green and Friends nightclub, and a move for Bunz Burgers in the Highlands. We also chat about a new coffee shop setting up in the Highlands and Downtown as well as some retail news from Him & Her Boutique.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services like Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

We talk about two Louisville hotel projects on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
One hotel, proposed in Portland, is being developed by Gill Holland, who helped foster the NuLu neighborhood. The other, proposed downtown on Market Street, is not exactly a new plan but has been revised with some new details.
Reporter Ellie Tolbert is on the show to tell us about the details on each. Fun fact: Both hotels are expected to have rooftop bars.
Later in the show we talk about the concert lineup at the Kentucky State Fair, including how much the acts are being paid.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

Chamie McCurry joins LBF's Access Louisville podcast this week.
McCurry is chief marketing officer for Danny Wimmer Presents, the Los Angeles company behind two of Louisville's largest festivals — Bourbon & Beyond and Louder Than Life.
Both festivals are coming up in about a month so McCurry joined the podcast this week to talk about everything from this years line ups, festival origins, challenges and much more.
Bourbon & Beyond is slated for Sept. 15-18 at the Highland Festival Grounds at the Kentucky Expo Center. It's a massive lineup, which you can check out here. Louder Than Life is the following weekend, Sept. 23-25, at the same location. Lineup details here for that one.
McCurry has worked in many aspects of the music festival business during the last few decades so she's able to talk about how these festivals have evolved over the years.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Stitcher.

In pandemic times, buying stuff online has been a way of life. But the white hot e-commerce sector may be cooling off.

This week, Zappos confirmed it is winding down operations at its warehouse and outlet store on Minor Lane in Louisville. On this week's Access Louisville podcast, reporter Eleanor Tolbert tells us more about the company's reasoning.

Zappos isn't the only e-commerce giant that's recalibrating for current demand: Last month, Shopify laid off 10% of its workforce and GoPuff closed dozens of warehouses. In May, Amazon, one of the biggest consumers of warehouse space, told investors it had excess capacity in its fulfillment and transportation network, posting its first financial loss since 2015.

But that downturn isn't necessarily decreasing the appetite to build new industrial facilities, Tobert shared, mentioning this big project at River Ridge Commerce Center.

Of course, no Access Louisville podcast would be complete without some bar and restaurant news. We talk about Board & You Cafe in Norton Commons, as well as some growing chains like Crumbl Cookies and Chick-fil-A. Plus there's a new craft-your-own-cocktail event venue coming to town, so we chat about some of our favorite local beverages.

On this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast we chat about a large new distillery project in Louisville's Smoketown neighborhood. Reporter Michael L. Jones tells us about the ownership behind the historic building where it is planned.
Later in the show we talk about Beam Suntory's big investment in Nelson County. And the closing of The Wiggle Room in the Highlands.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We've got another restaurant roundup on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Michael L. Jones tells us about Great Wok, a Chinese restaurant that recently closed. The reasons behind the closure were a familiar refrain: Rising costs. That, as well as labor shortages, have been troubling Louisville restaurants of late.
We also chat about Black Olive, a new Italian concept near UofL, as well as the sale of Malibu Jack's, an entertainment venue with a location on Hurstbourne Parkway.
After that we chat about a series of projects in Downtown Louisville, including the recently announced campus for The Envirome Institute and long-sought efforts to revamp Louisville Gardens.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

A report came out recently that said Louisville has the best drivers in the nation. It's been the subject of much online conversation, so we figured we'd carry that on for this week's Access Louisville podcast. We chat about our least favorite habits of Louisville drivers — be they a failure to zipper merger, speeding or just not waving enough.
After the traffic discussion we catch up on lots of retail-goings on — including a document found online that seems to hint at the next Publix location in Louisville. We also talk about a renovation of the St. Matthews target and a new tenant at Paddock Shops.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular services including Apple Podcast, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

Louisville lost a few restaurants recently, which we chat about on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Michael L. Jones is on the show and tells us about Maira Mediterranean Restaurant, which is near University of Louisville, closing in order to make way for a proposed development. We also chat about the closure of Hibachi Sushi Buffet, which is on Bardstown Road, near Hurstbourne Lane. As part of that discussion, we give a few sushi recommendations.
After that, we switch gears to talk about the grocery business. Reporter Ellie Tolbert just finished a big story on how the Louisville grocery market is going to change with the entry of Publix and Hy-vee.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We get into a discussion about the best places for a coffee meeting during this week's Access Louisville podcast.
This discussion came up based on the news that Quills Coffee is planning new locations and a new bakery in the Highlands. Several local favorites came up during the discussion, including Heine Brothers', Quills, Sunergos, Fante's and more.
After that we switch gears and chat about Crumbl Cookie's new location, a new downtown living development, a bourbon brand being sold and more.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, Spotify and more.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we chat about two new places to go around town.
Reporter Eleanor Tolbert is on the show to give us her impressions of the recently updated Angel's Envy distillery near Downtown Louisville. That leads us to a larger discussion about the appeal of bourbon tourism.
After that we go over a new rock bar that's been opened in Clarksville: Losers 812. And we chat about a Kentucky restaurant with famous ties going on the market — Claudia Sanders Dinner House. Lastly we talk about Humana donating a building Downtown to the University of Louisville.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We chat about the latest restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Louisville Business First restaurant reporter has a new column where he's talking about the latest in Louisville's food scene. One example of this is a call he just had with the team behind Pig Beach, a barbecue restaurant that's planned in the former Tumbleweed/Doc's Cantina space on the waterfront. He also tells us about a pizza chain that is rebranding some of its locations with a new name. And we chat about Porkland BBQ and its struggles with zoning.
After the restaurant talk we take a deep dive into Louisville's affordable housing shortage. This discussion comes on the heels of a recent cover story on the topic. We talk about misperceptions people have about the lack of affordable housing as well as how it plays into a sharp rise in homelessness we've seen in Louisville during the last five years.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

Kentucky Kingdom General Manager Sarah Worrell joins the Access Louisville podcast this week. Worrell has spent a career in the theme park business —and so we chat about what she loves about that industry.
We also get a peak into the philosophy behind the Louisville amusement park after it was purchased by Herschend Family Entertainment, the Atlanta-based company behind Dollywood and Silver Dollar City in 2021.
As we reported a few weeks ago, the company hasn't made sweeping changes, yet it is looking at ways to improve the overall quality of it and waterpark Hurricane Bay.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcast, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Radio Public.

Special guest David Beck, president and CEO of Kentucky Venues, which puts on the Kentucky State Fair, joins the Access Louisville podcast this week.
Several announcements were made about the fair recently, including the concert schedule and the 9/11 exhibit that's slated this year. Interestingly, Beck notes on the podcast The Oak Ridge Boys, the country band behind "Elvira" and other hits, has been on the fair concert bill for 46 years. Beck talked about lining them up for a 50th anniversary.
After that we talk about how Kentucky Venues plans for improvements at its properties such as the Kentucky Exposition Center. Beck even brought up a possible mass transit project that could connect Downtown Louisville with the Fairgrounds.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

Louisville's mayor's race is set following the busy primary season. Democrat Craig Greenberg will face Republican Bill Dieruf in November. We chat about each candidate's message on this week Access Louisville podcast.
Later in the show get an update on the latest in Louisville's food scene including a new food hall that's developing in town.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we chat Vince Tyra's new job. The former UofL Athletic Director has a new role with a well-known Bowling Green, Kentucky company.
After that we talk about the latest development at Norton Commons. The development is called Lyric at Norton commons and is home to restaurants, retail and residential. LBF Reporter Ellie Tolbert is on the show to tell us about some of the unique amenities, including a media tunnel that connects two courtyards at the development.
After that LBF's Haley Cawthon tells us about a Louisville company that is building a crypto mine in Indiana. We go down the rabbit hole of web3 and other technologies in that discussion.
And lastly we chat about the closing of Gasthaus, a longtime German restaurant in East Louisville.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We recorded the Access Louisville podcast at Churchill Downs this week, just before the running of the Kentucky Oaks. On the show we shared our favorite derby memories, unpopular Derby opinions and our favorite things about Derby.
You can check out some of our coverage from Kentucky Oaks here. And we'll have some Kentucky Derby coverage coming soon too.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find us on popular podcast services like Apple Podcast, Spotify and more.

We chat about improvements coming to Churchill Downs on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Those going to the Kentucky Derby this year will notice the swanky new Homestretch Club, a luxury seating section right by the track. There's also new stadium style seating that replaces many of the old trackside bleachers. These improvements are in place now but there is more on the horizon, including an up to $200 million renovation of the Paddock area coming soon.
After that we talk about the closure of the Village 8 movie theater in Louisville. It'll give its last showing during a $2 Tuesday in July.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more.

Seema Sheth, senior vice president and regional executive of The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Louisville Branch, joins the Access Louisville podcast this week.
Sheth, a Louisville native, took on the role in December. Hosts David A. Mann and Haley Cawthon discuss with Sheth the importance of economic education, which is often overlooked.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Podcasts.

We've got a lot of new restaurants to talk about on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Two of them are salad joints, with Green District and Vinaigrette both adding locations in Louisville. But if salad is not you're thing, that's OK too. We also have news on a new cheese shop, Watch Hill Proper bourbon club, a pool hall coming to the former Diamonds Pub location and much more.
After the restaurant discussion, we chat about some retail developments, including a new shop at the Bluegrass Outlet Shoppes. And we talk about Bourbon & Beyond's big lineup reveal.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

There's no doubt that history is important to many Louisvillians and it's often the subject of debate when it comes to new development.
We chat about that on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast.
We've gotten a little taste of this debate in the last few months, with the Dream Hotel project proposed on West Main Street. Fortunately, the developers and those wanting to preserve the character of Main Street were able to come to an agreement on this one — though there are still a few more approvals to go before work gets started.
After the preservation talk, we chat about a new construction project from Baptist Health Louisville, a recent layoff announcement from McKesson and the sad news of Hadley Pottery closing.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on most popular podcast services.

UofL Health is building a new seven story tower in Downtown Louisville. We talk about this new development on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
This will be the first new tower in Downtown Louisville for some time. And it's substantial because it follows a string of recent health care investment announcements.
Later in the show we talk about plans for a Janet Jackson concert on Derby night in Louisville. And then we switch gears to talk about a new location for fast food joint Jaggers in East Louisville.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

For fans of University of Louisville men's basketball, the last season may have been forgettable. But last week was most certainly memorable, as the program ushered in a new era with the hiring of coach Kenny Payne.

On this week's Access Louisville podcast, LBF reporter Laurel Deppen talks about this hire after attending the news conference where he was officially introduced. Reporter Michael L. Jones and Editor Jason Thomas give us their take as well.

Of course, this big hire comes as March Madness is still underway, which gives us more basketball to talk about. This year will be a bit lacking for fans in the area because Louisville failed to make the tournament and the University of Kentucky and Indiana University were defeated in the first round.

After the basketball talk we turn our attention to Opportunity Louisville — a special report on the economic issues and opportunities facing the city.

Breeze Airways announced a new nonstop flight from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) this week.
It's been a long-sought destination for the region because of Silicon Valley. The new direct flight comes after American Airlines announced nonstop service to Boston — another highly-coveted tech and health care hub — in December. Direct flights to Austin, Texas, also started last year.
So what more could we ask for? Well, Seattle, for one.
We talk about the new flight, as well as Heine Brothers' plans to remodel a handful of storefronts and Louder Than Life's lineup in the latest episode of the "Access Louisville" podcast.
This week's episode is a little different, as our regular host David Mann has been out on vacation. Never fear, he'll be back next week!

There's soon gonna be something new to eat in Louisville.
Jack in the Box, a San Diego-based fast food joint, has announced plans to open up at a former Steak n' Shake location in Louisville. We talk about where it's going and why people are excited about it on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Later in the show, we chat about a couple of properties along Bardstown Road in the Highlands, which recently sold. This includes the building that housed Guitar Emporium, a well-known shop for local musicians.
And lastly we chat about Louisville Business First's Power 50. This list includes the 50 most powerful people in town. We go over a few legacy and new members on the list and chat about a few issues we'd like to see this group take on locally.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

When you talk about housing in Louisville it tends to trigger debates.
Lots of people agree that Louisville needs more affordable housing. And market-rate and luxury housing fetches plenty of interest too.
But, frequently, when a developer proposes a new housing development, be it single family homes or apartments, the reaction is negative. That's particularly true with the 'not-in-my-backyard' set who seem to be always concerned with traffic, parking and flooding issues.
We get into all of the above on this week's Access Louisville podcast, focusing on two housing proposals — one in St. Matthews and another in Windy Hills — which have both sparked debate about what's needed in town.
After that we talk about Norton Healthcare and Goodwill Industry's huge $100 million West Louisville investment. And finally we wrap things up with news of a cyber attack against Norton Healthcare.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on most popular podcast services.

Humana Inc. has released its latest plan to return workers to its offices in Downtown Louisville. Getting Humana workers back Downtown should be a boon for neighborhood restaurants and shops as it's expected to bring a number of people back.
We chat about that plan on the Access Louisville podcast this week. We also talk about the idea of coming back to the office. We've got some different opinions about the value of being in person vrs. working remotely. They both have their advantages and disadvantages, we determine.
Lastly, we talk about the latest with Louisville's startup scene including a $16 million capital raise for Louisville-based firm Virtual Peaker.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer gave his final state of the city address last week before the Rotary Club of Louisville. On this week's Access Louisville podcast, we chat with Reporter Michael L. Jones who attended the Rotary meeting about his biggest takeaways from the speech. We also chat about Fischer's legacy and how he will be remembered after leaving office.
After that, we chat with reporter Laurel Deppen about her recent interview with ScionHealth CEO Rob Jay.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

We roundup some of the latest Louisville area restaurant news on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Specifically we chat about the owner of two downtown Louisville establishments — Riot Cafe and Limbo — that are looking for help from the community during the always tough winter season.
We also chat about a new hip-hop themed restaurant in Fern Creek, Melt 502. And a the opening date for Guaca Mole in Nulu.
After that we switch gears and talk health care news, with a major investment from Confluent Health. Finally, we wrapped it up with a little talk about UofL's next chapter after the departure of Chris Mack.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

Louisville-based FreshFry was on a great trajectory prior to the pandemic, helping restaurant clients extend the life of their frying oil with its oil cleansing pods on a national level. But when the early days of Covid-19 shut down restaurants, things began to look starkly more difficult.
This week on the Access Louisville podcast we welcome FreshFry founder Jeremiah Chapman, who tells us how the company not only survived those difficult days but has actually thrived since — rising like a phoenix, as he put it.
"And it feels like the market dynamics have changed for an extremely exciting 2022," Chapman said.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services as well as on LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com.

The character of accommodations are changing in Louisville — offering much more boutique and unusual experiences. We chat about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
The impetus of the discussion is a recent cover story in Louisville Business First, which highlights a number of unique hotel projects that have taken place around town in the last few years.
Later on in the show, we chat about some restaurant news, including a new Thai restaurant in Downtown Louisville. The owner of this new restaurant has a great story in that she opened an American restaurant in Bangkok and is now opening a Thai restaurant here in Louisville.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Radio Public.

What does 2022 hold for Louisville?
On this week's Access Louisville podcast a full crew of Louisville Business First staffers give predictions for the year. We take on a full range of topics: What will happen with Downtown office buildings, what new stores might come to town, what new restaurants might open and even what will become of specific projects such as the Starks Building and One Park. A few tech predictions make their way in there as well.
The predictions show has become a tradition these last few years with this being the third one. Time will tell if any of these predictions come true (we were hit and miss on our predictions for 2021.)
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Radio Public.

Was 2021 predictable? In some ways, yeah.
Last year around this time the Access Louisville podcast crew made several predictions about what 2021 had in store. On this week's show we go back and talk about what we got right and what we got wrong.
In some cases the predictions were spot on. For instance, LBF Editor Shea Van Hoy somehow correctly predicted that Muhammad Ali Airport would get a flight to Boston. But in other cases — such as a prediction that a downtown hotel would close — we were way off (several downtown hotels actually opened.)
We also had a few predictions that were hard to quantify. For instance, was it a make or break year for restaurants? Probably. We certainly saw some places close. But we also saw some new places open ... so it's a bit debatable.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport has finally added a flight to Boston. The new flight starts in June from American Airlines.
Reporter Michael L. Jones joins this episode of the Access Louisville podcast to talk about the announcement. It caps off what has been a big year for the airport in terms of adding flights.
We also talk about the reopening of a staple Louisville music venue, Joe's Palm Room and efforts by local food trucks to feed the hungry following last week's devastating tornadoes in Western Kentucky.
Reporter Laurel Deppen is also on the show to follow up on recent personnel changes at the University of Louisville. She was at the university earlier this week as it named an interim president and interim athletic director.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

The news cycle belonged to University of Louisville this week, with President Neeli Bendapudi and Athletic Director Vince Tyra both announcing they’re leaving.

Plenty has been said about it (here’s a reaction story about Bendapudi’s announcement.) We can’t help but pile on a little more commentary on the situation for the podcast this week.

Later in the show we talk about restaurant news including a new location for Ten20 Craft Brewing and a new food hall in the Beechmont neighborhood.

And we give a quick update on the Louisville mayor’s race, including the news that Carla Dearing is out of the race.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services like Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, Stitcher and Radio Public.

JK McKnight, founder of Forecastle, a long-running music, art and activism festival in Louisville, joins the Access Louisville podcast this week.
McKnight has a new venture: Art of Impact, which is focused on reaching Millennials and Gen Z audiences through experiential marketing. We talk about how this agency does that as well as which brands fit the best.
We also chat about music festivals in general: Their future, Forecastle memories, the tragedy at Astroworld and what may have been behind it.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

We’ve got another classic Access Louisville restaurant roundup this week. Reporters Michael L. Jones and Eleanor Tolbert join us to talk about several food stories (many of them related to pizza.)
• Tony Impellizari is retiring after 42 years
• Square Cut Pizza opens in Shelby Park
• LaRosa’s is coming to town.
• A new generation takes over at Anne’s Café
After the restaurant, discussion we talk about Louisville’s priorities in the wake of President Joe Biden’s signature infrastructure bill. We recently talked to Mayor Greg Fischer about this topic for an interview.
And lastly we talk about the news that U.S. Bank is moving its local headquarters. It’s the latest company we’ve seen take its offices out of Downtown Louisville.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

Downtown Louisville is getting something new: Dream Hotel. Details of this facility just dropped and we discuss it on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast. A key point to consider here is the size of the hotel: 168 rooms. That's not as big as the Omni, Marriott Downtown or Galt House. But it is larger than some of the boutique style hotels we've seen popping up around town since the pandemic took hold.
Later in the show, we talk about work finally getting started at the new VA Hospital. This project has been a long time in the making.
And lastly we chat about a new convenience store (yeah really, a convenience store.) Farm Stores just opened up in town and we chat about its drive thru model.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast, Google, Spotify and more.

Social media has impacted American culture in a lot of ways — for better or worse. On this week’s Access Louisville podcast, we talk to Brad Luttrell, co-founder and CEO of Louisville-based GoWild, which operates a social media platform focused on hunting, fishing and outdoors.
We cover a lot on the show — how he started, how he’s raising money and so on. But a big piece of our discussion is focused on how Facebook and YouTube are censoring hunting and fishing culture. Luttrell takes issue with this as he sees hunting and fishing as something that’s been a part of human culture for millennia.
As that censorship is happening he’s made the move of pulling all advertising from Facebook, which he admits was a weighty decision because it takes GoWild's discourse out of the mainstream.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services like Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher.

One of Louisville's biggest industries — health care — is going through dramatic changes of late. That's a key discussion for us on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
The biggest headline we have in this realm is the anticipated launch of ScionHealth. This company is expected to be launched and headquartered in Louisville following LifePoint Health's acquisition of Kindred Healthcare, which was announced in June. As a part of this a key ambassador in Louisville's health care scene, Ben Breier, is stepping aside — at least for now.
After that we talk about Forecastle founder J.K. McKnight's new venture — and the return of live music.
And lastly, we wrap this week's show up with discussion on some fast food news this week: Freddy's Steakburgers and Jack in the Box both launching in the Louisville area.

Startups are an odd thing.
On the one hand, they're often small, sometimes micro, businesses — not yet changing the world. But on the other hand, it's fascinating to watch a founder put so much on the line for an idea they believe in.
On the Access Louisville podcast this week, we chat about a couple of Louisville area startups that we're watching with great interest. The first is Kidvestors, a company that's educating young children on investing; and BehaVR, a virtual reality company that's investigating anxiety treatments using VR.
After that, we chat about Louisville Business First's Fast 50 list of growing companies. Interestingly, some of the companies that saw tremendous growth in the last year were impacted by the pandemic — although in some what positive ways.
Finally, we wrap things up with a bit of chain restaurant news, including new locations for Jersey Mike's and Green District in Louisville.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

There's much to talk about on this week's Access Louisville.
We chat about the new One Park North development being proposed in the Highlands. A restaurant in the area that's closing if it isn't sold. And the latest political news.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

A former church in Louisville's Clifton neighborhood is being redeveloped into office space.
We chat about the transition and who's behind it on this week's Access Louisville podcast. It's an interesting project (photos here) and it gets us chatting about the future of office space. Will office towers be less useful post-pandemic as smaller spaces that require less commitment gain in popularity?
After that, we chat about a new location for Quill's coffee in Louisville's Norton Commons neighborhood. We talk about a distribution center project that Kroger is pulling the plug on and the fate of the Louisville Zoo's train attraction.
We also say farewell to LBF Reporter Chris Larson. Larson has been with LBF for five years and this is likely his last podcast as he's moving on to another position.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

There's plenty going on in Louisville's restaurant scene of late.
On this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast, reporter Eleanor Tolbert joins us to talk about several recent stories. Against the Grain, a well-known brewer in Louisville, is opening a sandwich shop. There's something new moving into the former Pesto's spot in Downtown Louisville. And Decca is reopening in NuLu, following some changes to its ownership and a Covid-19-related hiatus.
Later in the show we talk about a couple of Louisville spots that made Yelp's national bourbon bar rankings. And lastly we chat about Louisville Business First's Forty Under 40 program.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

The Kroger Co. is getting a little more competition in Louisville with Publix entering the market. Louisville Business First reported that the Florida-based grocery store chain is moving into East Louisville earlier this week. LBF reporter Ellie Tolbert joins the Access Louisville podcast to talk about where exactly the store is going and who is bringing it to town.
She also tells us about breakfast chain First Watch's plan to open another location in Louisville.
These two news items get us going on a big food tangent. (Sigh. Typical.)
After that, reporter Haley Cawthon tells us about a new product covering Kentucky's startup and technology scene: KY Inno. It's a new platform from Louisville Business First, which she is overseeing.
And lastly, we chat about the 20th anniversary of Sept. 11, including some stories from Louisville area executives who were close to the attacks.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on most popular podcast services.

In a football game, is it usually better to go for it on 4th and short? Or is punting the safer bet
It actually depends on a lot of different factors and the situation, of course. But making that decision correctly, in a specific situation, is one thing that Louisville tech company EdjSports strives to help teams do. The company provides data and analytics to improve decision making in sports. This week on the Access Louisville podcast, we sit down with EdjSports Co-founder Sean O'Leary to talk about a recent move that will put the company more in focus for its founders.
We also talk about the market for sports betting, prospects for Louisville's entrepreneurial scene and more.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on most popular podcast services.

Metro Louisville is growing. But which counties in the area are growing the fastest? We chat about that on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast. It's undoubtable that the city has seen a lot of people move into the urban core with neighborhoods like Germantown and Butchertown becoming hot places to live during the last 10 years. But new U.S. Census numbers show us that the fastest growth has actually taken place in the suburbs between 2010 and 2020.
After the growth talk, we switch gears and talk about Louisville's brewing scene. There's a new taproom in Louisville from Ashville, North Carolina-based Hi-Wire Brewing. That gets us talking about how the brewing scene here compares to those in other cities of our size.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services like Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher.

We talk about economic development taking place on Louisville's South End on this week's Access Louisville podcast. A major piece of this is the recently redeveloped Colonial Gardens, which offers a bit of restaurant variety to the area. Future development at Jefferson Riverport International is another big piece. After that we talk about some of Louisville's most overlooked neighborhoods.
Following that discussion we catch up on some Humana news, including its recent acquisition of Kindred at Home. We also talk about how it's mandating vaccines for a significant part of its workforce.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Stitcher.

The pandemic is back on an upswing and so is ire over wearing masks.
Sigh. This again, eh?
We chat about both on the Access Louisville podcast this week, specifically on the news of a new mask mandate for schools and childcare settings from Gov. Andy Beshear. (That new mandate is being challenged in court by Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron.)
We switch gears in the second half of the show to talk about restaurants, including the news that Royals Hot Chicken is closing a location in Louisville. We also talk about a new space for Wiltshire Pantry.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

Louisville Business First just released its annual Best Places to Work publication, ranking local employers based on employee feedback.
This year's program is especially interesting in light of the fact that expectations about work have changed so much in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic. We chat about what makes a great workplace and how our expectations have changed on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
We switch gears in the second half of the show and talk about a new three new projects slated to roll out at Churchill Downs during the next three years.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast, Google Podcast and Spotify.

Fans of hard seltzer in Louisville will have a new place to go as a craft seltzery is in the works in NuLu. We talk about the concept, which is new to this market, on the Access Louisville podcast.
Craft beer has been all the rage these last twenty years or so. On the show we talk about whether craft seltzer will have the same success in the market.
Later in the show, we talk about a West Louisville restaurant, Sweet Peaches, which has undergone some renovations thanks to a business incubator program for the area.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

We talk about the growing local bourbon scene on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Angel's Envy Distillery, located on East Main Street, just released renderings for an $8.5 million expansion project. We also just got a look at Brough Bros. new distillery in the Park Hill neighborhood.
This is a small but significant new development, being as it's Kentucky's first Black-owned distillery.
After the bourbon talk we discuss a new restaurant coming to Middletown: Chicken salad Chick; as well a new Quill's coffee shop in St. Matthews.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

We chat more about the Louisville mayor's race on this week's Access Louisville podcast, particularly in terms of fundraising.
Early reports are in and one candidate, former 21C Hotels CEO Craig Greenberg, has surged ahead of others in the Democratic field with the support of some well-known names in the business community.
The numbers are interesting, with Greenberg raising 30 times more than the next closest candidate, but it is very early in the race. Voters won't pick a new mayor until November 2022.
After that we talk about the state of college sports, based on the news that a new local sports marketing agency has been formed. And at the end of the show we chat about a new sundae shop in Nulu.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

These days it seems a lot of executives are looking for something new.
We talk about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Louisville Business First reporter Chris Larson joins the show to talk about several recent executive changes at Louisville area organizations, including Humana Inc., the Humana Foundation, Hosparus and Fund For The Arts.
After that we talk about a new flight to Austin from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. And we chat about where airport officials want to go next.
Finally, we wrap things up with a little Fourth of July talk.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on most popular podcast services.

There were three big acquisitions in the last week and we talk about them all on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
We don't know the dollar figures on these deals but it seems likely that national long-term acute care player Kindred Healthcare was the largest. This last week also saw the sale of Liquor Barn, a popular Kentucky retailer; and LEO Weekly, a small but still a well-known business among the media savvy in Louisville.
We go over all three acquisitions with Louisville Business First reporters Haley Cawthon and Chris Larson.
After that we lighten things up a bit and talk about a few new places to visit in town, including a new brewery in the Portland neighborhood and a new bourbon bar in Downtown Louisville.
And, lastly, we chat about a new report that says Louisvillians are good drivers — surprising right?
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. It can be found on popular podcast services including Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher.

You'll get the latest on Louisville's ever changing restaurant scene on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Haley Cawthon joins the show to tell us about recent restaurant changes, including one of several new Cajun seafood restaurants, the return of Wiltshire on Market and a high-profile retirement in the pizza business.
After that, we have an update on the Louisville mayor's race — including the news that Louisville Metro Councilman David James is stepping out of the race and former Councilwoman Barbara Sexton-Smith is teaming up with candidate Craig Greenberg. We've got some news on a potential run by former Louisville Forward chief Mary Ellen Wiederwohl too.
Lastly, we talk with Reporter Marty Finley, who is leaving Louisville Business First for a new opportunity, about his time in journalism.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and Stitcher.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we focus our attention on the plan to revitalize Downtown Louisville in the wake of this past year.
Mariah Gratz, CEO of commercial real estate developer Weyland Ventures, as well as Rebecca Fleishaker, of Louisville Forward both joined the show. Gratz and Fleishaker recently participated on what's called the Downtown Louisville Revitalization Team, which aims to breath live back into the neighborhood. On the show we talk about some of the ideas that came out of that commission, wants we have for the area, property challenges, perceptions and misperceptions and much more.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services like Apple Podcast, Spotify and Stitcher.

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer still has more than a year left in office but candidates are already lining up to replace him.
This week on the Access Louisville podcast we talk about some of the candidates in the race thus far, including Bill Dieruf, a Republican from Jeffersontown, who is set to announce his candidacy. Other candidates include Louisville Metro Councilman David James, former 21c Museum Hotels President and CEO Craig Greenberg, pastor and community organizer Timothy Findley Jr. and Shameka Parrish-Wright, a co-chair of the Kentucky Alliance Against Racist and Political Repression and manager of the Louisville Bail Project.
During the discussion we talk about some big issues that will face the new mayor; as well as traits we'd like to see from a new mayor.
After that we talk about the suspension of legendary trainer Bob Baffert from Churchill Downs tracks and what it means to horse racing in general. And lastly, we talk about coffee shop favorites, on the news that Heine Bros. is launching a new drive-thru only location.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

We talk about the recent sale of two Downtown office buildings on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
The first building is the Artspace Building near the Brown Hotel, where a new apartment development is planned.
The Kentucky Home Life, corner of Fifth and Jefferson streets also recently sold. A mixed use development (consisting of retail, hotel and apartment space) is planned there. We were a little surprised to hear about a new hotel coming in considering the Covid-19 pandemic but this is a future project after all.
Later in the show we chat about a new high-end liquor store coming to NuLu and a local bar, Trouble Bar, which has received some national accolades.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

We talk about a new development along the riverfront in Clarksville, Indiana this week on the Access Louisville podcast. Bolt + Tie offers co-working space, high-end apartments and more, reporter Marty Finley tells us on the show.
This one flew under the radar during the development process. It's one of the latest new places to go on the Indiana side of the river, which has been quickly developing during the last few years.
Later in the show, we speak with Reporter Chris Larson about a former Walmart Neighborhood Market store that's being converted into medical offices by Norton Healthcare. This new location will allow some services at nearby Norton Audubon Hospital to grow and expand.
Finally, we wrap up the show with news of a new restaurant being developed near Oxmoor Center, called Capital Grille. It's an upscale steakhouse owned by Darden restaurants, which gets us talking about our favorite steak restaurants.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and more.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we talk about a handful of new restaurants that are opening up. The Clifton and Frankfort Avenue areas are looking especially attractive to Louisville diners, thanks to the opening of Phantom Cafe and the planned Gilberto Gelato.
But there's also a problem in the restaurant industry (well ... many industries, but especially the restaurant industry) and that's staffing. We talk about how unemployment checks are keeping many people out of the workforce and how that's hurting restaurants.
Later in the show we chat about new plans for Kentucky Kingdom, which is under new ownership. And we talk about a new bourbon that's being released from Evan Williams.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We chat about the Kentucky Derby on the most recent episode of the Access Louisville podcast. Derby feels a bit odd this year because the crowds and excitement around town have been dampened by the pandemic. But it also feels nice for some of us to be going back to Churchill this year, after such a difficult year in 2020.
We talk about favorite derby memories, derby bucket list activities and ways in which we could improve the derby going forward.
After the Derby talk, we chat about another upcoming event: The Kentucky State Fair. As of now, it's looking like the fair will return to its 2019 form allowing for visitors. Last year, only fair entries were allowed, again because of the pandemic.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

Audio Quality Warning: Due to a technical glitch, the audio quality on this episode is rough.This week on the Access Louisville Podcast we talk about some new features coming to the Norton Commons. We also talk about some of the problems with the neighborhood, including it's location.
Later in the show we talk about a lawsuit involving former UofL President James Ramsey. And we discuss improvements we'd like to see at Churchill Downs.

Jefferson Property Valuations Administrator Colleen Younger joins the Access Louisville podcast this week. We talk about an upcoming reassessment of property that could affect thousands of homeowners and business in the county. Younger's office is required by the state's constitution to reassess real property in order figure out a value, which your tax bill is going to be based on.
She tells us how that value is figured, what the office is doing to address rising values in inner city neighborhoods (which have the potential to displace low income residents who might not be able to afford a higher tax bill) and the process of appealing a tax bill. There's more information on the reassessment here.
Later in the show, we switch gears and talk about a new challenge from Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear to increase vaccinations in the state. The governor says he will lift certain Covid-19 restrictions on businesses once a vaccination threshold is reached.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

We talk about a couple of big issues with the Kentucky unemployment system this week on the Access Louisville podcast.
First, we discuss this week's news that the system has been temporarily shut down by the state following what Gov. Andy Beshear called a sophisticated cyber attack and an organized fraud effort. The shutdown was necessary in order to keep cyber criminals from taking money that would have otherwise gone to Kentuckians using the program. The system is expected to be back up within days. More details on the shutdown here.
We also talk about the problem of unemployment fraud (where a fraudster tries to take out unemployment insurance in your name) — a rampant issue during the pandemic, local accounting firms tell us.
Lastly we talk about the Courier-Journal selling it's building in Downtown Louisville and some of the rundown newsrooms that Business Firsters have worked in over the years.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we talk about different things that need to happen in order for Downtown to recover from both the Covid-19 pandemic and the civil unrest that occurred in the last year.
This podcast ties in with Louisville Business First's special report: Downtown Rebound, which you can check out here.
We discuss a lot of different ideas on the show from addressing public safety concerns to adding more residential, particularly in office buildings that just aren't as in demand as they used to be. More green space and parks are also discussed. And we learn what a "streetery" is.
Access Louisville is the weekly podcast of Louisville Business First. It can be found on popular services including Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and more.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we discuss the plan for this year's Thunder Over Louisville. The annual fireworks display is being put on in a different way this year as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and we talk about what we think of its new idea. In the midst of this chat we also talk about some of our favorite Thunder memories over the years.
We also chat more about Liberty Hall (nicknamed the "Odd Fellows Building") on Muhammad Ali Boulevard. Louisville Metro Council recently overturned its status as a local historic landmark, meaning it could be torn down and replaced with something new.
Later, we get an update on comings and goings in the restaurant industry locally, including a new speakeasy coming to NuLu.
And to wrap things up with chat about how our NCAA brackets are looking now that the tournament is fully under way.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services like Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher and Radio Public.

The historical value of Louisville's so called "Odd Fellows building" has been the subject of some debate lately. And we're talking about it on this week's Access Louisville podcast as well.
Historic preservationists have sought to save the building after hearing a plan from nearby Omni Hotels to tear it down. But others, including two Louisville Metro Councilmen, say it isn't worth saving, alleging the Odd Fellows organization has a racism past. The twist is that the structure isn't even named the Odd Fellows building, people just call it that. (It's a very typical thing in Louisville to give a building a nickname that sticks.)
Later in the show we get an update on restaurant comings and goings around town. And we chat about our picks for this year's NCAA men's basketball tournament.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we discuss the most powerful people in Louisville.
Louisville Business First just put out a list called The Power 50, which recognizes some of the city's biggest power brokers. LFB Editor-In-Chief Shea Van Hoy tells us some of the people who made this (and you can check out the full list here.)
After that Reporter Sarah Shadburne tells us about an interesting lawsuit involving Brough Brothers Bourbon, which says it's claim of being Kentucky only Black-owned distillery is being infringed upon by a Lexington company.
Lastly Reporter Haley Cawthon updates us the latest restaurant news, this time with a focus on comings and goings in the NuLu neighborhood.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

Forecastle is canceled for another year.
We chat about it on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast. Interestingly, when it comes back in 2022 it'll be on Memorial Day Weekend (which we think is good news considering how hot it usually is in July.) We chat about a few favorite Forecastle memories during the segment.
After that we discuss the arrival of Spirit Airlines at Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport. It will begin serving the airport with a new flight to LAX as well as other locales.
And finally we wrap things up with a little Kentucky Derby talk, including news that a proposed hotel at Churchill Downs might wind up being smaller than initially anticipated.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by David A. Mann, who's joined by Brooke Timmons, Jason Thomas and Marty Finley.

Green District, a Louisville-born restaurant brand that's focused on salads and other healthy options has a plan to grow throughout the Midwest.
Two Green District officials, Co-founder and CEO Jordan Doepke and Chef Rob Rice, vice president of operations and salad innovation, join the Access Louisville podcast this week.
We chat about the vision for the concept and how a major private equity investment aims to make that a reality.
We also chat about the company's plans to find its place in urban centers, even as the pandemic has many downtowns temporarily shuttered.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We focus on commercial real estate and restaurant news on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast. But first, we talk about this Louisville-made movie.
Louisville Business First Commercial Real Estate Reporter Marty Finley is on the program to talk about a proposed new hotel going into Nulu and the state of the neighborhood in general. We also chat about one or two recent stories Marty has written about former strip clubs being sold and for possible redevelopment.
Late in the show, LBF Restaurant Reporter Haley Cawthon gives us an update on restaurant comings and goings, including the loss of Matin's Bar-B-Que in the Highlands and the new Hog Father Pizza in Butchertown.

Papa John's International Inc. founder and former CEO John Schnatter opened up about his ouster from the pizza chain he started on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
He also discusses the existence of two tapes, which he say proves there was a choreographed setup aimed at removing him. These tapes have not been made public, but are a part of a lawsuit Schnatter has again 247 Group LLC (doing business as Laundry Service) and Wasserman Media Group.
Schnatter left the Papa John's in 2018 after a report surfaced he allegedly used a racial slur while on a media training call with Laundry Service. We talked about that on the podcast too, including asking Schnatter about the context of those comments.
It was a wide-ranging interview in which we covered everything from food trends, a proposed raise in minimum wage, his ouster from Papa John's, the new leadership at Papa John's and more. It's a lot to unpack, so here's some timestamps to navigate the program:

0:58: The next big menu trend
3:12: Concerns on business regulations
6:55: Proposed minimum wage increase
8:15: Papa John's leaving Louisville and Schnatter's next business
14:10: The aforementioned lawsuit and the tapes
17:30: The reasons behind the alleged setup
19:10: When do we get to hear the tapes?
23:30: Why the alleged racial slur happened
25:50: The Louis Freeh report
28:50: Current CEO Rob Lynch is "delusional"
34:29: Removing former CEO Steve Ritchie, who followed Schnatter as head of the company
35:31 Jet setting and local restaurant picks
36:40: Social media presence
39:20: Thought's on LouVino (Steve Ritchie's new restaurant)

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

Special guest Rebecca Fleischaker joins the Access Louisville podcast this week. Fleischaker is co-chief of Louisville Forward, the economic development arm of Louisville Metro Government, so naturally a discuss of the city's economic prospects takes place.
Key to that discussion: What's next for Downtown Louisville? Obviously, the pandemic cancelled numerous conventions and sent many downtown professionals to work from home. So we discuss the city's path forward, especially as office space needs change in the wake of the pandemic.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It can be found on most popular podcast services.

Last year was a rough one for the Louisville economy (and Downtown Louisville in particular) because so many events were canceled . But things are hopefully looking up.
On this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast, we talk about some events that are on the calendar for Louisville Metro in 2021. These include public events like the Kentucky Derby, as well as more industry-focused small events. You can read about the top 15 events here. We also talk about some events that are notably missing.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services as well as on LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com

We take a break from the norm on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast and focus in on Endeavor restaurant group and it's founder Steve Ritchie. Ritchie is the former CEO of Papa John's who recently bought Louvino, a Louisville-born restaurant concept that he plans to expand. Reporter Haley Cawthon shares some audio clips from a recent interview with Ritchie and we talk about how the business is going.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First and available on popular services.

Last year was pretty hard to predict but we bet we can do better next year.
On this week's Access Louisville podcast our panel gives us 14 predictions for Louisville in the new year. The predictions range from everything to the future of Fourth Street Live, the date of the Kentucky Derby to a new flight out of Muhammad Ali Airport.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This one was pre-recorded because of holiday schedules but we'll be back to regular schedules in the new year.

The holidays are here. With that, we decide to skip the usual news routine this week and focus on holiday celebrations on the Access Louisville podcast this week. It's a different type of year but we can still talk about how we're celebrating the season and what we miss.

Last year around this time, we sat down and did a podcast where we tried to predict what would happen in 2020. Wow, we were way off.
On this week's episode of the podcast we go over 12 predictions that we made last year and see what we got wrong, compared to what we got right. There were a few accurate ones in there but for the most part, our predictions were upended by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Most of our predictions were local ones, considering we're a show with a pretty Louisville-centric focus.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by David A. Mann, digital editor at LBF, Chris Larson, reporter at LBF and Brooke Timmons, senior designer for ACBJ, the parent company of LBF.

We talk about Louisville's NuLu neighborhood this week following the death of commercial real estate developer Tim Peters. Peters, who died at his home earlier this month, left a long legacy in Louisville renovating and rehabbing buildings in NuLu and on Bardstown Road. He was one of the people who originally bought into to the vision for NuLu.
We chat about how it developed and our own early experiences visiting the neighborhood over the years.
As usual we don't just discuss one topic on this week's show. At the top of the show, we discuss a new advertising campaign from KFC involving actor Mario Lopez. We also discuss the latest trends in Kentucky's battle against Covid-19.

We're back to talking about food this week on the Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Haley Cawthon joins the show to talk about her recent cover story on Texas Roadhouse and its relatively new concept, called Jaggers.
It's a fast casual chicken and burgers restaurant that Texas Roadhouse Founder and CEO Kent Taylor came up with and it's opening its first Louisville location soon. She shares the story of how the brand developed and why Taylor started it in Indianapolis instead of Louisville.
As usual we don't only discuss one topic on this week's show. Early in the program we talk music, including the news that Louisville's Better Days record store has a new home. Late in the show we talk about Ford Motor Co.'s economic impact on the region.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We put aside the usual newsy routine on Access Louisville this week to reflect on Thanksgiving plans in light of Covid-19 and talk about what we're thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we chat about both good news and bad news on the Covid-19 front.
The bad news, of course, was a fresh round of restrictions in Kentucky put out by Gov. Andy Beshear aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. We talk about what those restrictions are, including a ban on indoor restaurant dining.
The new restrictions were passed down on Wednesday and reporter, Haley Cawthon, spent the day Thursday talking to restaurant owners about what it will do to their businesses. She shares a bit of that on the show.
The good news is that we've seen some positive developments on a Covid-19 vaccine this week. Mass immunity could put an end to all these sorts of actions, so fingers are crossed on a safe and speedy rollout there.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. If you like what you hear please consider subscribing on popular podcast services.

We try to make sense of the tumultuous 2020 election on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Normally we stick to local topics on the show but an election like this only comes around once in a lifetime (hopefully) so we might as well talk about it. During the show we speak about our expectations versus reality, including the margin between the candidates and how the president would react in the case of a loss.
We recorded the show on Friday morning, a few days after polls closed, and the winner had not been announced yet. Vote counting was still ongoing in several states at that point.
Don't worry we chatted about plenty of local stuff too. At the beginning of the show we discuss favorite local steakhouses — that's on the news that St. Matthews' Del Frisco's is back open after being closed for a year. We also talked about rising cases of Covid-19. And we discussed Business First's upcoming Most Admired CEO awards.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services.

Covid-19 is in the midst of what seems to be its largest surge ever both in Kentucky and elsewhere.
On this week's Access Louisville podcast we talk the surge and getting back to good Covid-19 pandemic habits. The length of the pandemic and the fact that it's become such a part of life now has meant that everyone is a little fatigued by it. With that, many people are pushing their boundaries and allowing themselves to get a little too comfortable, says Brooke Timmons, one of the show's hosts.
As usual, we don't just talk about one topic on the show this week. We also discuss a recently poll that places Kentucky among the most hated states in America. Yikes! We discuss a legal conflict holding up the state's Medicaid program. Finally we talk about Halloween plans and recent scary movie viewings.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. If you like what you hear, be sure to check it out on popular podcast services so you can never miss an episode.

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we talk about recent criticism against Papa John's International Inc. made by its ousted founder, Louisville's own John Schnatter.
Schnatter wrote a column this week on SeekingAlpha.com explaining why he's worried about the company, including it's upcoming new headquarters in Atlanta.
We also talk about a Q&A video series with Schnatter that we just happened to be publishing right at the time this column appeared. Great timing right?
As usual we don't just talk about one topic on the show. At the very beginning of the program we discuss local attracts that we (shamefully) have never actually visited. And later we chat about Kentuckians who have contributed to the campaigns of President Donald Trump and to Vice President Joe Biden.

What are the most popular businesses in St. Matthews? We recently conducted a survey to find that out. You can find the results of that here.
We talk about the poll on this week's Access Louisville podcast. We also chat about which Louisville neighborhoods have the best mix of businesses. St. Matthews is certainly up there. The Highlands and Norton Commons were also contenders.
As always we don't just discuss one topic. At the top of the show we make note of two Louisville restaurant brands that were recently involved in franchising deals that aim to take them national: Green District and Biscuit Belly. And lastly we talk about a recent special report from Louisville Business First called Small Business, Big Mission which highlights Black businesses in the area and the access they have to growth capital.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services.

We get all misty-eyed and reminiscent this week as we talk about our favorite long-gone bars on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast.
It was recently announced that the former O'Malley's corner complex at the corner of 2nd & Liberty Streets was getting a new tenant in the form of two new restaurants. And with that, we started thinking about what's become of several other bygone Louisville nightspots. Reporter Haley Cawthon penned a story about several Louisville spots that have since taken on new uses.
As usual we don't just cover one topic on this week's show. We also discuss a recent report about the best places to live in the U.S. Bowling Green, Kentucky makes that list.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. You can find it on several popular podcast services.

Is Louisville having a housing boom in the middle of the pandemic?
It sure seems that way sometimes. In the last week or so Reporter Marty Finley has written about a couple of new residential developments — a new subdivision in the East End, a new townhouse development south of Jeffersontown and a new apartment complex that just finished work in Highview.
We talk about all of the above on the Access Louisville podcast. Finley is on the panel to give us an update on all of the above. This also somehow gets into a discussion about home improvements.
As usual, we don't just cover one topic during the podcast. Reporter Haley Cawthon tells us about a couple new restaurants coming to the NuLu area. As well as a new taco joint coming to the Highlands.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from LouisvilleBusinessFirst. It's available on popular podcast services.

There's a lot of positive spin being put on the news that Papa John's International Inc. is opening a new global headquarters in Atlanta, instead of Louisville.
And hey look, we realize the chamber of commerce and the mayor's office can't publicly scorn the company for this decision. They have to be diplomatic and congratulate Papa John's on their success and potential growth.
But we don't have to be diplomatic.
We're just going to come right out and say that this is the latest (and largest) company to decide that there's greener pastures out there than Louisville if you're looking to grow globally.
It's a troubling trend we talk about on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Apellis Pharmaceuticals is another recent departure as our list of public companies continues to shrink in recent years. We also saw Yum Brands Inc. move the top brass out of Louisville several years back.
On the show, we chat about the transition at Papa John's that led to this decision, including the appointment of its CEO Rob Lynch. We also talk about the way this news was received by leaders in Louisville. Only a few, including founder John Schnatter called it disappointing.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. If you like what you hear be sure to check us out on popular podcast services.

TARC, Louisville's public transportation agency, released a 124-page report this week that details alleged sexual harassment by its former director Ferdinand Risco Jr. The report also goes over an alleged sexual relationship that Risco had with a contractor at the agency.
We go over the report and what it means for the agency on this week's Access Louisville podcast. We also discuss how this fits into a tumultuous year for Louisville and its mayor, Greg Fischer.
As always we don't just talk about one topic on the program.
We actually start this week off a bit more lighthearted by discussing a mansion that was put on the market by basketball legend and Papa John's pitchman Shaquille O'Neal. And we chat about some comings and goings in the Louisville restaurant scene, including the closure of Harvest restaurant in Nulu.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services and on LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com.

Louisville's NuLu neighborhood is getting a shipping container housing development. This type of housing, relatively new to the Louisville market, is discussed on the Access Louisville podcast this week.
Reporter Marty Finley tells us where the development is going and how the containers will look once complete. And of course we weigh in on whether this type of housing would suit us now (or maybe a little earlier on in life.)
As always, we discuss more than one topic. At the top of the show we discuss a plan by Kentucky Venues to host drive-in concerts at the Kentucky Exposition Center. We also talk about a big health care deal this week which effectively takes Passport Health Plan out of the Medicaid contract picture and we chat about a new barber shop brand that's grown up in Louisville and is expanding.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on our website as well as popular podcast services.

We talk restaurant comings and goings on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Louisville Business First Reporter Haley Cawthon tells us about a few places shutting down, including Crescent Hill Craft House, Spring Street Bar & Grill and Spinelli's Downtown. She also goes over a few of the new spots that are opening up including Swizzle, located at the Galt House, and others.
As always, we don't just cover one topic on this week's program. At the beginning of the show, we discuss a new online farmers market and whether the pandemic has impacted how we shop at farmers markets. Later on we talk about commercial real estate, including Dean Dorton's exit from downtown and how downtown can comeback following a difficult year.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's hosted by Cawthon, LBF Digital Editor David Mann and Reporter Marty Finley this week.

We've been focused on philanthropy all week at Louisville Business First. It's the topic of our Access Louisville podcast this week as we recently wrapped our Partners in Philanthropy program, which went live this week. Content from that program can be found here.
Data Editor Allison Stines joins the program this week to talk about how it all works: How data is collected, what we're looking for and so on. Reporter Sarah Shadburne also is on the show this week to talk about an interesting philanthropic partnership between Purrfect Day Cat Cafe in Louisville's Highlands neighborhood and the Kentucky Humane Society.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services and at LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com.

We focus on the Kentucky Derby — and what it means for hotels and downtown — on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
The decision to run the Kentucky Derby with fans was made earlier this week. Reporter Marty Finley walks us through some of the rules and expectations. We also talk about this in the context of the hotel sector and the Downtown Louisville area — both of which are facing challenges in the wake of Covid-19.

It's odd to say it in August but it's almost Kentucky Derby time.
The big race, which was rescheduled from May to September because of the coronavirus outbreak, is now just about a month away. We were told a while back that it would be run with fans in attendance but we're starting to wonder about that now that coronavirus cases have spiked. We discuss the prospects this week on the Access Louisville podcast.
With just a few weeks to go a lot of details still need to be hashed out, including how many fans will be there. At this point we know that up to 24,000 could be in the infield with a still undetermined number in the stands.
As usual we don't just talk about one topic on this week's show. We discuss a new "glamping" ground that's opening soon in Kentucky. Reporter Marty Finley gives us an update on a few big commercial real estate projects that are in the works around town — one in the medical district and another near Ballard High School. And finally we chat a little bit about a special feature we just finished up called Corridors of Opportunity: West Louisville.

This week on Access Louisville we open the show with some new about restaurant innovations and talk about what we'd like to see next.

We also bring you the story behind the Buff City Soaps deal. Reporter Haley Cawthon talks about the company's growth plan as well as why the company owner has stuck around in Louisville even though the soap company is headquartered elsewhere.

On our final topic of the show this week we chat with Louisville Business First data editor Allison Stines about our Best Places to Work program. She fills us in on how the honorees are chosen and breaks down how the program works.

Late in the show we talk about perks at work–– things we've seen other companies do and some of our favorite perks.

What are Louisville's wealthiest neighborhoods?
We discuss on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Louisville Business First Data Editor Allison Stines recently finished researching our annual list of the area's wealthiest ZIP codes. She tells us about the top five and gives a bit of information about each: population, income and so on.
As usual, we don't just cover one topic on the show.
Early on we talk about recent restaurant closings. Our hosts, including Stines, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Digital Editor David Mann, also talk about what type of restaurants they would like to open if they had the chance.
Also, late in the show, we discuss whether schools should allow students to comeback in the fall considering the surge in cases of Covid-19 in the U.S.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

We cover several different topics on the Access Louisville podcast this week. First off, we note that Hopcat, a large bar and restaurant in the Highlands has closed. We discuss ideas for this now open space. And note some restaurants we've lost over the years that we're now sorely missing.
After that reporter Marty Finley gives us an update on a redevelopment project involving a 13-story building in Smoketown. Restaurant, retail and apartment uses are planned. And finally we talk about Gov. Andy Beshear's mask mandate. The governor is requiring masks for most people starting on July 10.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Finley and Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Digital Editor David A. Mann.

There's been lots of action taking place in Louisville's restaurant scene during the last few weeks. We chat about new spots to check out as well as reopenings on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Haley Cawthon, restaurant reporter for Louisville Business First, gives us the scoop on a new Cuban spot in NuLu, La Bodeguita de Mima. She tells about the group behind the eatery and some of its dishes. She also gives us an update on a new Spanish restaurant in Jeffersontown, Barcelona Bistro Bar, which was started by a Spanish voice actress. And we chat about some new places and reopenings downtown — an upscale restaurant called One Thirty Three, a new smokehouse called Smoked on Second, and updates on Whiskey Dry at Fourth Street Live and Walkers Exchange at the Galt House.
As usual we don't just talk about one topic on the show. We discuss favorite pizza spots and a new pie from Papa John's. And we chat about Louisville City FC's plan to bring soccer back to Louisville with fans.

Churchill Downs announced this week that the Kentucky Derby is coming back with fans in September.
That's a surprising development considering sports have been slow to comeback even without fans and cases of Covid-19 are surging across the U.S.
We've not been told how many fans would be allowed to attend the Derby, which was delayed from its usual May date because of the Covid-19 pandemic. Churchill Downs officials have said the crowd could be reduced by as much as 60 percent but that would still be tens of thousands of people at one venue — 45,000 to 60,000 even.
We chat about the plan on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Reporter Marty Finley, who closely follows Churchill Downs shares the details and editors David A. Mann and Brooke Timmons discuss whether this is a good idea. (It isn't, we conclude.)
As always we don't just talk about one topic. We also discuss the sale of Headliners Music Hall and share a few of our favorite memories from the storied venue. And we get an update on plans to bring soccer back to Louisville.

This week we’re talking about Oldham County and its future development plans. Oldham County is known as the educated and wealthy Kentucky county that empties out during the day. But a pair of blockbuster developments could change that narrative in the future. Reporter Marty Finley breaks down the proposed project at the Close Family Farm and discusses other recent projects in the county.
We also discuss the idea of the four day work week and a talk about a company that's shifting their workforce to permanent work from home status after many employees said they preferred the model. On top of moving to the work from home the company has also instituted the four day work week. We chat about this idea and whether we see more companies jumping on this idea.
We wrap up the discussion with big news out of Frankfort with Governor Beshear’s announcement to resurrect the online health insurance exchange, Kynect. Reporter Chris Larson gives some details on when we can expect the online portal to reopen as well as some cost figures in the revival and maintenance of this project.
This week's podcast is hosted by Design/multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Reporters Marty Finley and Chris Larson.

Surely this race discussion many of us have been taking part in during the last two weeks in America can lead to change.
That's what we talk about on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Uncomfortable as it can be, talking about race relations is a key part of fixing the problems that have festered in America and Louisville for far too long.
From a coverage standpoint, we realize that Louisville Metro Police and city government isn't our typical wheelhouse. We're focused on what's happening in the business community day to day.
That said, we do have a role to play in this moment, including with our recent cover story asking how does Louisville move forward?
We also cover recent developments that have come out of this discussion, including plans from Chef Edward Lee to help the West End with a new Main Street kitchen, the governor's pledge to work toward 100% health insurance coverage for the state's black population and Humana's plan to donate $11 million to help rebuild and unite Louisville.
This week's podcast is hosted by Digital Editor David A. Mann, Editor-in-chief Shea Van Hoy and Design/multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons.

A special guest joins the Access Louisville podcast this week. Kyle Henderson, of Angel's Envy Distillery, is on the show to talk about how his company has continued production during the Covid-19 outbreak.
During the discussion he tells us how the company was able to keep all of its staff even while big parts of the business (namely the tourism part) was shut down. And we talk about what the crisis has meant to sales for Angel's Envy. Obviously, not much bourbon has been sold at bars or restaurants in the last few months and that's an important channel for this Louisville brand.
As always, we don't just discuss one topic on this week's show. We also talk about Kentucky's economic reopening, including restaurants and barber shops.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's episode is hosted by Digital Editor David A. Mann and Reporter Sarah Shadburne.

The silver lining during the Covid-19 outbreak has been that a lot of us have become pretty good at working remotely (that, and margarita deliveries.)
When things get back to normal, should we just keep on doing it?
We discuss on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Could it be possible that office workers split time between home and the office. Design and Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons makes the point that productivity is certainly increased by the fact that there's not as many distractions at home.
This discussion ties in with a report from CBRE which looks at how various sectors (including offices) will recover after the outbreak starts to ebb.
As always we don't just talk about one topic on the show. The panel also takes a quiz on Fortune 500 companies in Kentucky (we're down to just one these days.) And late in the show we get an update on what's opening up in Kentucky next.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Timmons, Reporter Marty Finley and Digital Editor David Mann.

The losses are starting to mount for Louisville's restaurant scene as the coronavirus shutdown lingers. We talk about that on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast.
During the last few weeks we've reported that Scarlett's Bakery and Verbena Cafe have closed as a result the social distancing measures put in place to stem the spread of the virus. There's also been a few others that have closed that weren't a direct result of the virus but it was a contributing factor.
Restaurant reporter Haley Cawthon tells us about all of the above.
As usual we don't just talk about one topic on this show.
We also discuss positive things we've seen come out of the outbreak. We've been trying to roll some of that news into a new feature for our website called Silver Linings. We also chat about our favorite distractions to break up the quarantine blues. There's a little bit of sports talk in there, including this recent report on the Louisville Bats.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Managing Editor Jason Thomas and Cawthon.

The economy is reopening — now is that a good thing or not?
We talk about it on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast. Reporters Marty Finley and Haley Cawthon are on the show this week. Finley has been closely following government restrictions and reopening plans in Kentucky and in Indiana. Cawthon has been keeping close tabs on our restaurant businesses, which have suffered a great deal during this crisis.
We go over when and how government restrictions are being lifted in each state and what retailers and restaurants think about it.
We also chat about how we feel personally about the restrictions being lifted. Will we be the first in line when restaurants finally open their doors?
Later in the show, Cawthon tells us how big restaurant chain earnings are looking, specifically those at Yum Brands Inc., Texas Roadhouse Inc. and Papa Johns International Inc. And we give some shoutouts to restaurants that have been crushing the delivery and takeaway game in recent weeks.
We also chat about our travel plans for the year. This might be the year that Digital Editor David Mann takes a short trip to Brown County Indiana for vacation. Better than taking a plane somewhere right?
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. If you like what you hear please consider subscribing on popular podcast services.

It's nearly the first Saturday in May, but alas no Kentucky Derby.
On this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast we chat about our favorite Kentucky Derby memories from over the years as well as what appears to be the slow return of sports.
Horse racing, sans the spectators, comes back on May 16. There's also talk about bringing back Major League Baseball and NBA basketball for this summer. We talk about the minor league Louisville Bats and it's prospects for a season.
As always, we don't just talk about one topic. We also go over Gov. Andy Beshear's plan to reopen many parts of the economy in May (and how restaurants were excluded from that action.)
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Reporter Marty Finley.

So when can Kentucky's economy reopen?
We talk about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast. Reporter Marty Finley, who covers government (among other things) for Business First, talks about the benchmarks that have been set and Gov. Andy Beshear's guiding philosophy on reopening. We already know that some health care facilities are going to reopen as soon as April 27. Statisticians from the University of Washington that have been monitoring the rate of new cases predict a June date relaxing of social distancing guidelines in Kentucky.
As always we don't just talk about one topic on this week's show. At the top of the program we discuss pieces of media we've really dived into amid the quarantine. Finley recommends ESPN's new documentary "The Last Dance," while Brooke Timmons has mostly tuned into TikTok and Instagram. Digital Editor David Mann is on a "Gears 5" kick over on Xbox.
In the last segment of the show, we talk about a recent cover story in which photographer Chris Fryer captured images of the city during quarantine. Be sure to check out those images either on our website or in the digital edition of Business First.
Here's some time stamps:
1:40 — Media that you're dialed in on
12:15 — Reopening Kentucky's economy
24:38 — Louisville's quarantine in pictures

There's still new construction developments being proposed, even as the coronavirus shutdown continues into its second month.
We talk about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Marty Finley tells us about one Louisville developer, LDG Development LLC, that has proposed 1,300 new apartments and an industrial building since quarantine really started in March. Finley talks about the company's philosophy behind these filings.
As always, we don't just focus on one topic, however. At the top of the show we talk about dream home features. We did just publish a list of the area's biggest residential real estate transactions, after all. We also check in with banking reporter Sarah Shadburne, who tells us what she's hearing from lenders who are trying to help businesses file for SBA loans. The program just ran out of money but there's talk of new funding.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast services. In addition to Finley and Shadburne, Business First Digital Editor David Mann host the show this week.

The coronavirus outbreak has given us plenty of reasons to drink. But that doesn't mean that it has been kind to local breweries.
We talk about that on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast. Reporter Haley Cawthon recently penned a story on how breweries have been hurt by the outbreak, primarily as a result of restaurants, bars and tap houses being closed to encourage social distancing. Those on premise sales are a huge part of the business that breweries do. Some pivoted to retail sales but that can only offset the loss so much.
As always, we discuss a couple of different topics on the show. At the top of the program we talk about how our shopping habits have changed. We also discuss the best advice we've heard from local leaders during the outbreak. And — for a little noncoronavirus news — we talk about Papa John's relationship with Shaquille O'Neil during the last year.
Time stamps are below:
• How shopping habits changed —1:00
• How breweries are handling quarantine — 6:28
• Best advice from local business leaders — 18:08
• Papa John's relationship with Shaquille O'Neil — 23:51
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. In addition to Cawthon, this week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David A. Mann and Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy.

News about the coronavirus outbreak is seemingly inescapable but we've stumbled upon a few good distractions over the last few weeks. We talk about those and more during this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast.
Everything from catching up on sports movies, discovering TikTok and playing "Animal Crossings: New Horizon" comes up.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons, Data Editor Allison Stines; and Reporter Sarah Shadburne.
Apologies for the audio quality on this episode. The coronavirus outbreak has shutoff access to our studio and we're still experimenting with the right setup for online recording — this one isn't it.
Here's this week's timestamps:
1:17 — What have you been doing to take your mind off coronavirus
7:00 — How manufacturers are responding to coronavirus
10:31 — How online orders are going
15:07 — What its like to visit health care facilities
20:20 — What we've learned about ourselves working at home

The new novel coronavirus again dominates our Access Louisville podcast this week. We chat with health care reporter Chris Larson about what is possibly the scariest aspect of this pandemic: Hospital readiness.
Larson recently penned a story about how the Louisville area's three largest health care systems are getting ready for the outbreak, which you can read here. On the show he talks about some of the figures from that story including daily hospital census counts.
It's a difficult topic but one we feel like we should discuss, considering the strange times in which we're all living.
As always, we don't just address one topic, however.
We also talk about our plans for after the quarantine ends. And we chat about the different language states are using in this situation. Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, for instance, doesn't like the phrase "shelter in place."
Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons, Digital Editor David Mann and Reporter Marty Finley join Larson on this week's show.
Here's the time stamps:• 1:05 — What we're gonna do when the quarantine ends
• 8:05 — Hospital readiness
• 15:28 — "Shelter in place" orders

Much has changed during the last week or so as the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak has expanded across the U.S.
We talk about Kentucky's move to shut down restaurants, bars, movie theaters and other places in order to slow it down. This is obviously taking a huge toll on business with many restaurants having to layoff their entire staff so they could collect unemployment benefits. Restaurant Reporter Haley Cawthon tells us what she's been hearing from restaurateurs and we also talk about a few local relief efforts.
After that we talk about the government's response, including national praise for Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear.
These are difficult times in Louisville and around the country. Our hope is that the show can help provide a little levity.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. In addition to Cawthon, this week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David A. Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Reporter Marty Finley.

AUDIO QUALITY WARNING
Like everything during the second week of March 2020, this week's podcast is a weird one. A panel of Louisville Business First employees talks about working remotely and living through the massive coronavirus effort of 2020.
The audio quality isn't all here. Because coronavirus has many people working from home we decided to record online instead of in our usual studio. If you're new to the show we're happy to have you but this probably isn't the one to judge us on.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. This week's show is hosted by David A. Mann, Zak Owens, Jason Thomas, Haley Cawthon, Allison Stines, Brooke Timmons and Marty Finley.

We cover everything from Toy Tiger to Topgolf in this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast.
Topgolf has been back in the local news during the last week as a legal appeal appears set to move forward this summer. A group of residents had sued the company over its plans to build one of its signature driving range/bar hybrids at Oxmoor Center.
The Kentucky Court of Appeals has assigned a panel of judges to the appeal, which is expected to take up the case in June.
As usual we cover a couple different topics on this week's show. Early on we talk about media coverage of coronavirus — including some local angles we've pursued and whether or not media coverage has been over the top.
And then we get into a little Super Tuesday talk — was it surprising that Biden made such a comeback?
Here are the timestamps:
• 1:02 — Toy Tiger and old bar stories
• 7:44 — Coronavirus media coverage
• 16:36 — The latest on Topgolf
• 23:15— Was Super Tuesday a surprise?

You could probably call this the bourbon edition of the Access Louisville podcast.
On the show we talk about Louisville area bourbon attractions — distilleries, visitors centers and so on.
This discussion is timely considering Business First recently published its list of local bourbon attractions.
Digital Editor David A. Mann and Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons talk about the best and worst area bourbon visitors centers and provide some recommendations. Data Editor Allison Stines also gives us some numbers on several attractions.
We also talk about and rate some of the products we keep on hand at the Business First bourbon bar.
And we speak with Reporter Sarah Shadburne about some of the people she's met since taking on the bourbon beat late last year.
Here's the timestamps, if you're the skipping around type:
1:06 — What bourbon are you sampling
4:32 — Rating bourbons on the Business First bar
11:43 — Ranking bourbon distillery attractions
27:55 — Local bourbon people, including Brent Elliott and Peggy Noe Stevens

Plans are in the works to add a new 11-story tower at the Seelbach Hotel in Downtown Louisville. Business First reporter Marty Finley tells us all about the project on this week's episode of the Access Louisville podcast. This is a major addition for a historic downtown hotel.
While we're talking about hotels, we have a little fun by ranking Downtown Louisville hotel lobbies. No, this is not an official Business First list.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Finley, Digital Editor David Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy.
As always we cover a lot of different topics on the show. Here's the timestamps:
• Fantasy Louisville Orchestra collaborations — 0:55
• Upcoming music festival lineups (Forecastle, Railbird, Hometown Rising) — 3:40
• Seelbach's new tower — 8:28
• Ranking hotel lobbies — 12:31
• Restaurant taxes/City revenue — 21:01

A special guest joins the Access Louisville podcast panel this week: Louisville City Football Club President Brad Estes.
We cover a lot of different topics with Estes, including favorite sports venues and the team's soon-to-be open stadium in Butchertown. He also chats with us about how he got into his current role and the recent kerfuffle over the team's logo.
We've had a lot of news about the team recently. Reporter Marty Finley just finished a profile story on Lou City FC coach John Hackworth, for instance.
As always we didn't only cover one topic. At the end of the show we also discuss some recent restaurant and retail news (Estes was nice enough to stick around for that too.) We note that eyeglasses retailer Warby Parker is coming to town soon. And Lexington's Goodfellas Pizzeria is finally opening a Louisville location.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. In addition to Estes and Finley, Digital Editor David Mann and Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons are on the show.

We've had a flurry of restaurant news in Louisville during the last week or so, including the closure of an East Louisville Italian eatery.
On this week's Access Louisville podcast Reporter Haley Cawthon gives us on update and several comings and goings, including a new concept called Doc's Bourbon Room on Main Street; a new location for Carali's Rotisserie Chicken; a new concept from the owners of New Wave Burritos; and a new menu item from Papa John's.
Outside of restaurant news we talk to reporter Chris Larson about government ratings of Louisville hospitals. There's not a lot of bright spots, to put it mildly.
We also talk about a sunglasses manufacturer and retailer expanding its operations locally. That leads to a lot of general sunglasses talk.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. This week's show is hosted by Business First editors David Mann and Zak Owens as well as Cawthon and Larson.

As usual we cover a bevy of topics on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Reporter Haley Cawthon gives us an update on a St. Matthews shopping center that has been closed for months following a roof collapse last summer.
The latest news is that a contract is pending on the building, meaning it could change hands soon. What happens next is still the subject of speculation. We also talk about the restaurants that were in that building and where they've gone.
On other parts of the show we talk about a new esports tournament coming to town as well as favorite video games past and present. And we talk about a bizarre fraud scheme targeting a new local beer festival. Time stamps are below.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. In addition to Cawthon, this week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David A. Mann, Associate Editor Zak Owens and Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons.
• 0:52 New esports tournament/favorite video games
• 5:21 Troubled St. Matthews shopping center
• 13:12 Bizarre fraud targets Louisville Winter BeerFest

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we talk about a couple of different housing developments that have been announced in the last week. The largest is a $100 million mixed housing development planned off Hurstbourne Parkway.
This will be a mix of different types of housing — from apartments to single family homes large and small — that's coming in near the Jeffersontown Meijer.
We sorta wander into some interior design talk after that.
We also talk about a new destination coming to Downtown Louisville, called Whiskey Alley. Finally, we chat about a new bourbon brand that's coming to the market called Brough Brothers Bourbon (love that name.)
Time stamps are below, if you're one of those skipping around types.
• Whiskey Alley/Downtown talk: 1:00
• Residential real estate/interior design: 3:52
• Brough Brothers/favorite new bourbons: 12:35
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Reporters Marty Finley and Sarah Shadburne.

This could be the travel episode of the Access Louisville podcast.
This week we talk about new hotels coming to Bardstown Road in the Highlands. We also talk about a new hotel and a new AirBnb development planned downtown.
After that we talk about a new flight coming out of Muhammad Ali Airport in Louisville.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David A. Mann, Associate Editor Zak Owens, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Reporter Marty Finley.
Here's the timestamps:
0:50 — Our favorite local sports memories
4:30 — New hotels in Louisville
15:42 — New flight out of Muhammad Ali airport

This week on the Access Louisville podcast we discuss the news that Apellis Pharmaceuticals is leaving town. This was a promising pharmaceuticals company that’s been growing here for the last decade or so. At the beginning of 2020 it moved its operations to Boston — another hit to Louisville’s public company scene.

Reporter Chris Larson tells us about the move and the recent history of local public companies — at least, those traded on the New York Stock Exchange and the NASDAQ — disappearing in mergers or other moves.

We also discuss a new flavor of Girl Scout cookies, which are made here in Louisville. And Reporter Haley Cawthon tells us about a recent acquisition for Yum Brands Inc.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Digital Editor David A. Mann and Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons also host the show this week. Here’s a rundown of the show:

:55 — A new Girl Scout cookie flavor is here.

5:05 — Apellis Pharmaceuticals is leaving Louisville

12:54 — Yum Brands makes an acquisition

This week's episode of Access Louisville is all about predictions for 2020.
One standout prediction that a few of us make is that the Louisville Topgolf facility, proposed at Oxmoor Center, won't actually get built. We also have predictions on the proposed One Park project at Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive. And we lighten it up a bit to talk about former U of L standout Lamar Jackson's progress this year.
Access Louisville is a podcast from LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. This is the second of two shows we pre-recorded for the holiday break. Access Louisville should be back to its regular script — which is focused on news of the week — in early January.
This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Associate Editor Zak Owens, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Reporter Chris Larson.

Since the holidays are here we figured we would take a break from the usual Louisville news script and talk about something a little more festive. Here's how this week's Access Louisville episode breaks down:
1:10 — Our favorite Louisville holiday traditions
5:15 — Our favorite holiday movies
11:05 — Our least favorite holiday movies
Access Louisville is a weekly show from LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. This week's episode is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Associate Editor Zak Owens, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Reporter Sarah Shadburne.

The Access Louisville podcast is back to talking about the One Park project this week (as if we ever stop talking about it.)
The massive mixed use development, planned at the corner of Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive, recently was the subject of a feature in the New York Times (see — we're not the only ones talking about it.)
Here's what we cover this week:
0:55 — Louisville City Football Club's brand new logo;
5:57 — One Park makes the New York Times;
12:44 — Restaurant news round up featuring Biscuit Belly
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Associate Editor Zak Owens and Reporters Haley Cawthon and Marty Finley.

We cover a range of topics on Access Louisville this week.
First, around the 3:07 mark, we talk about our favorite pieces of local real estate. This is something we asked a handful of real estate experts recently and thought it would be fun to weigh in on the topic ourselves.
After that, around the 6:48 mark, we hear Brown-Forman's plans for a new distillery and a new flavor of Jack Daniel's. That leads to a discussion about whether we like flavored whiskey.
After that, at the 10:51, we talk about the latest with Papa John's founder John Schnatter including an allegation of blackmail.
Lastly, at the 17:45 mark, we talk about news of Louisville's first food hall, located on Brent Street at Paristown Pointe.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Managing Editor Jason Thomas and reporters Haley Cawthon and Sarah Shadburne.

Several topics get covered on this week's episode of Access Louisville.
Around the 1:04 mark, we talk about the future commuter technology we're excited for including self-driving cars, trains and hover boards.
Then around the 5:50 mark, we speak about the One Park development, planned near the intersection of Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive. Reporter Marty Finley, who's been following this project for four years now, tells us what happens next. We also discuss the fact that this development has a long way to go, even if it is approved by Louisville Metro Council in the coming week.
We switch gears at the 10:28 mark, to talk about the latest in the Louisville entrepreneurial scene, including a high profile exit by LEAP CEO Patrick Henshaw. It's the latest bit of controversy we've seen in this sector of the business community.
Lastly, at the 17:40 mark, we talk about the "IgLOUs" at 8up Elevated Drinkery and Kitchen.
Access Louisville is a podcast from LouisvilleBuisnessFirst.com. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons and Reporters Haley Cawthon and Marty Finley.

This episode of Access Louisville is different than most. Instead of the usual script, we talk about stories we're thankful to have told in 2019. We decided talking about some of our favorites from this year was the best way to keep the show thanksgiving focused this week.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, as well as reporters Marty Finley, Chris Larson and Haley Cawthon.

Louisville's NuLu neighborhood has come a long way in the last decade or so. But what does it need now?
We talked about that on this week's Access Louisville podcast.
Our panel got to thinking about NuLu needs after a nearby structure, the Joe Ley Antiques building, recently got a new owner. We came up with a few different suggestions: Condos, a movie theater, a grocery store and so on. The NuLu talk starts at the 5:20 mark.
As usual, we went over a couple of different topics on the show.
At the top of the show we talked about the name of Louisville's new women's soccer team: Proof Louisville FC. We go over what we like and don't like, what people are saying nationwide, etc.
We also talk about a proposal to refresh Broadway with some new ideas — safety features for bikes and scooters, dedicated transit lanes and so on. That discussion starts at the 10:40 mark.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. This week's show is hosted by Digital Editor David Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons, Associate Editor Zak Owens and Reporter Marty Finley.

We wade into political waters on this week’s Access Louisville podcast — but don’t worry there’s plenty of lighthearted stuff too.

The show starts with a discussion of our favorite Louisville area bars. We got to thinking about bars after seeing the news earlier this week that the Brown Hotel’s Lobby bar recently was expanded. The bar talk starts at the 00:53 mark.

After that, at the 4:06 mark, we start talking about sports betting. Our northern neighbors in Indiana reported earlier this week that Hoosiers made $93 million in gambling wagers during the month of October. This gave Indiana more than $1 million in tax revenue just in that month alone. We could be making similar money in Kentucky but sports betting is illegal here. We talk about whether that should change.

Finally at the 11:00 mark, we talk about Matt Bevin, who finally conceded the governor's race this week following a close tally on election night. Bevin was defeated by Andy Beshear, who is now governor-elect. We talk about what defined Bevin's term in office, including his often combative behavior.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First and LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. This week the show is hosted by Digital Editor David A. Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons, Associate Editor Zak Owens and Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy.

We talk about out-of-date logos, restaurants and NBA to Louisville efforts on this week’s Access Louisville podcast.

The branding discussion was kicked off by the fact that Kroger recently refreshed its logo . We talk about what we think of the new look, then dive into some local places that could use a branding refresh. Fourth Street Live, you’re on notice. The branding talk starts at the 00:57 mark.

After that, we go over some restaurant comings and goings, including a new restaurant at The Galt House. Restaurant reporter Haley Cawthon tells us about the concept. That discussion starts at the 6:42 mark.

Finally, at the14:16 mark, we talk about a new effort from NBA to Louisville. The group just launched a three-tiered ambassador program to raise new support. We talk about the likelihood of landing an NBA team in Louisville. Associate editor Zak Owens said he wants to see it happen but believes Louisville will be hard press to do so, especially considering a $1.4 billion expansion fee.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First and LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. This week the show is hosted by Digital Editor David A. Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons, Owens and Cawthon.

This week’s Access Louisville podcast includes the usual mix of business news and cheeky commentary.

We start the show with a discussion of Louisville hotels: Where have we stayed and what did we think. The Sealbach Hotel and the Galt House both come up. The hotel discussion starts at the 00:56 mark.

After that we have a discussion about Churchill Downs Racetrack and it’s huge plans for a trackside hotel. That evolves into a discussion about whether casino gambling and sports betting should be legal in Kentucky. That discussion starts at the 6:00 mark.

Finally, we talk about restaurant food code violations. We just posted our quarterly list of these restaurants. We talk about the process of putting that story together and what inspectors our looking for when checking out local restaurants. That discussion starts at the 19:00 mark.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First and LouisvilleBusinessFirst.com. This week the show is hosted by Digital Editor David A. Mann, Design/Multimedia Editor Brooke Timmons, Managing Editor Jason Thomas and Reporter Marty Finley.

We cover a lot of ground on this week’s episode of Access Louisville.
First, we introduce a new panelist, Zak Owens, who just became the associate editor of Louisville Business First last month.
After that we talk about our favorite local breweries. News about a new brewery in town earlier this week got us thinking about it. The breweries discussion starts at the 2:29 mark.
The biggest topic of this show is Kevin Cogan's One Park development, which starts at the 4:27 mark. One Park is a huge mixed use apartment that's planned near the intersection of Grinstead Drive and Lexington Road. The plan was given approval recently by the Louisville Metro Planning Commission and now heads to Louisville Metro Council.
After that, at the 11:21 mark, we talk about news that Louisville is getting a National Women's Soccer League team.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

On the Access Louisville podcast this week we dive into a few very different topics.
As always, we start the show with a light topic. I ask the panel what their favorite local music venue is and get some interesting answers. A recent story about a new music venue coming to town got me thinking about this.
After that, at the 4:08 mark, Reporter Chris Larson tells us about University of Louisville’s $379M plan to expand University Hospital. This is a contingency plan if its deal to buy Jewish Hospital doesn’t work out.
After that, at the 9:08 mark, Reporter Haley Cawthon gives us an update on some restaurant news including renovations at BoomBozz, new NuLu restaurants and SOU on Louisville’s East End.
Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. Business First editors David A. Mann and Brooke Timmons are also on the show.

On Access Louisville this week we talk about Rivera Group, a tech company with a huge opportunity for growth. The company currently operates in Sellersburg but just launched a product that's demanding expansion. We talk about what the company is planning and where it might be going locally. But we also talk about why it might actually leave the area as well.
Might this end up being the one that got away?
We lighten things up a bit after that with a discussion about a local hotel offering a $75,000 VIP bourbon package. Who would buy that? We have some theories.

Music festivals and commercial real estate are the topics of discussion on this week's episode of Access Louisville.
Reporter Haley Cawthon and Digital Editor David Mann attended the metal-focused Louder than Life music festival— the last of three September music festivals in Louisville. (Country music focused Hometown Rising and rock festival Bourbon & Beyond took place in the proceeding weeks.) On the show we talk about what we liked and didn't like with Louder than Life. (It's the venue. We didn't like the venue.) And we discuss the promotor's vision to make these three festivals into something huge for Louisville.
After that we talk about developer Kevin Cogan's One Park project, proposed at the intersection of Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive. Reporter Marty Finley recently attended a six-hour long meeting on the project, where its zoning was debated. This meeting evolved into a discussion about Louisville's future and whether we're building the amenities we need to grow properly. The Commercial real estate discussion starts at the 9:20 mark.

We go over a few topics on the Access Louisville podcast this week. Of course, we gotta talk food (we ALWAYS talk food.) This time our favorite local pizza places are debated. Host David A. Mann accidentally slips into an ad for Chubby Ray's in Jeffersontown (sorry about that listeners.)
The show gets a bit more serious after that and we talk about the return of SCALA — a controversial committee of CEOs that wants to tackle local issues. Reporter Marty Finley tells us about the organization's new name and expanded mission.
And lastly, we talk about apartments. Another high-end apartment complex is on its way in. There's been a lot of them lately, so we ask: How many is too many. Design and Multimedia editor Brooke Timmons tells us about her struggles finding single family homes. And managing editor Jason Thomas explains how luxury is in the eye of the beholder. Enjoy!

On Access Louisville this week we talk with Business First's brand new managing editor, Jason Thomas. We discuss his journalism experience, years in the industry, favorite stories over the years and so on. Our panel also shares some of their favorites stories too.
Adding Thomas is one of a few recent additions to the Business First staff of late.
After that, we switch gears to talk about Papa John's International Inc.
The Louisville-based pizza chain was in the news recently after a donation it was trying to make to Simmons College of Kentucky became embroiled in controversy. Reporter Chris Larson talks about what happened and the panel weighs in on how it all looks when the business is trying to improve its image.

On Access Louisville this week the panel discusses the new Roots 101 African-American Museum at 819 W. Main St. on Museum Row. The museum is still raising funds for a renovation project. There's a tentative opening date set for January 2020. That discussion starts at the 5:21 mark.
At the 11:46 mark, Reporter Chris Larson also tells us about his tense trip to Frankfort where legislators grilled U of L about a $50 million loan for its takeover of Jewish Hospital.

So who are the fastest growing companies in town? We talk about that this week on the Access Louisville podcast. We recently released our Fast 50 list, which recognizes growing companies in our area. During the show we talk about the criteria for getting on this list as well as some stats about the companies on the list this year.
In a separate discussion, we also talk about Papa John's founder John Schnatter making a big donation to a local college.
And, of course, some fast food and pop culture nonsense makes its way into the show too.

On the Access Louisville podcast this week, we talk about two projects from well-known Louisville developer Kevin Cogan. His latest is a huge mixed use development next to Slugger Field, which Reporter Marty Finley tells us about.
His other big project, the controversial One Park development near Lexington Road and Grinstead Drive, was also in the news lately as a public hearing is coming up soon. In talking about that we raise the question: Is this project too big?
The project was downsized earlier this year, taken from 34 stories tall to 18 stories tall.
Finley said he heard from people on Twitter who've told him that downsizing that much was a bridge too far.
Later in the show, we talk to reporter Haley Cawthon about all the latest news with Papa John's International Inc. The Louisville-based pizza chain recently named a new CEO. And its controversial founder, John Schnatter, sold a huge stake in the company.
Design and multimedia editor Brooke Timmons is also on this week's show.

This week on Access Louisville reporter Haley Cawthon tells us about a startup that had to leave town to find success. It's called Kodable and Louisville investors were weary of making an investment in the educational startup.

We also talk about the sale of Industrial Services of America and what this loss of this public company means for Louisville and the employees who work there. Louisville has 16 public companies meanwhile our peers have a lot more. Minneapolis for instance has more than 75.

Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport is getting a new direct flight! Sounds exciting, right? Maybe not so much. The new flight is to Sarasota, Fla. Don't get us wrong, Sarasota is a fine destination. But Louisville already has direct flights to eight different airports in Florida. Wouldn't it have been nice to pick up a new direct flight to another state instead?
We talk about that on this week's episode of Access Louisville.
That's one of just a few topics of discussion this week. We also dive into the huge news about University of Louisville buying Jewish Hospital. And we talk about the recent rumor that Louisville could be in line for a new soccer team.

Compensation for CEOs and executives at public companies in Louisville is frequently a subject of stories for Louisville Business First. In this week's episode, we talk about why these figures matter in terms of return on investment.
In a related conversation, we also discuss the lack of female CEOs at local public companies. And publisher Lisa Benson updates us on her effort to meet 100 CEOs in 100 days.
Finally, we discuss the name of the Louisville City FC's soccer stadium: Lynn Family Stadium. Digital editor David Mann shares a funny story about the namesake behind the stadium, Dr. Mark Lynn. Reporter Chris Larson and design/multimedia editor Brooke Timmons also on the episode.

This week on Access Louisville we talk about the loss of Insider Louisville. The nonprofit news organization announced it would cease publication on Aug. 7.
While Insider was a competitor to Business First, we talk about why this closure is bad news for the city. Fewer news organizations mean fewer eyes and ears keeping tabs on businesses and public officials.
While we're on the topic, we also discuss the journalism business as a whole — everything from paywalls to what keeps young people interested in the business.

The Topgolf saga continues in Louisville.

The Dallas-based company has been facing a challenge from neighbors on its plan to build one of its driving range venues at Oxmoor Center. Earlier this week we reported that the neighbors would appeal a legal decision that would have allowed the construction to go forward.

So now what? That's one subject of discussion on this week's Access Louisville.

There's a lot of excitement around Louisville's startup scene — but also a lot of questions.

That was punctuated this week after we began digging into the quiet merger of the Louisville Entrepreneur Acceleration Partnership, called LEAP, and EnterpriseCorp, the entrepreneurial arm of Greater Louisville Inc. On this week's Access Louisville podcast we spoke to reporter Haley Cawthon about the unusual sourcing of a story about this merger. And we chat about her impressions of the startup scene in Louisville.

Louisville has gained more restaurants than it has lost in 2019. But people seem to care more about the losses than the wins. Restaurant reporter Haley Cawthon is on the show to talk about the interesting trends she's seen in the first half of the year.
We also talk with Business First's new editor about leading the newsroom. And we chat with reporter Marty Finley about Whiskey Row and the latest with Topgolf.
Catchup on all the Louisville business news here.

Hotels are going up fast in Louisville. But is this boom a bubble?
We talk about it with commercial real estate reporter Marty Finley on the latest episode of Access Louisville.
We also discuss power breakfasts and how many business people are choosing them over lunch meetings. And we round out the show with a discussion on Louisville's two new rage room businesses. They're all the rage.

On this episode we're joined by the new publisher of Louisville Business First. She tells us about goals and initiatives she'll lead in her new office. She also shares with us some of the funniest things she's ever edited out of our print stories.
We also talk Topgolf getting approved by a judge. What happens next? When will it be built?
And finally we talk about University of Louisville potentially joining forces with Norton Healthcare on pediatrics in the city.

Shaquille O'Neal has parlayed his legendary presence on the basketball court into a career as a well-liked pitchman. But is he charming enough to help Papa John's International Inc. bounce back after a turbulent 2018?
That's what we discuss on this week's Access Louisville. We also talk about Bellarmine University becoming a NCAA Division I school. Bellarmine University was formally accepted as the 10th member of the ASUN Conference on Tuesday morning — a big step.
Finally, we spoke about Rabbit Hole selling a share to Paris-based Pernod Ricard.

On Episode 3 of the Access Louisville podcast we talk about big changes coming to Louisville's airport. Do we like the new name and logo? What's the airport missing? Should it be replaced. We also talk Pride Month: Which Louisville companies are doing it right and which are doing it wrong?
Listen. Enjoy. Marvel as I screw up both the intro and the outro.

We take on two topics this week: First, is Louisville keeping up in the race for tech talent? Spoilers — it's not. Then we get into the restaurant business in Louisville, our favorite PR buzzwords and how chefs are shifting away from fine dining. Reporter David A. Mann hosts (and manages to not bang on his chair this time) and he's joined by reporters Haley Cawthon and Chris Larson.

Episode One: On this week's show we talk about Top Golf, Carvana and the state of development in Louisville. Is Louisville too quick to protest a new development? Is this an East End problem or an all over town problem?
Reporters David A. Mann and Marty Finley, as well as presentation editor Brooke Timmons are your hosts. We get to know the panel by asking: What's one thing you want to see developed in Louisville.