Access Louisville

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 districtWhat Louisville can learn from Boston's reduction in gun violenceBoston Longwood Collective is a model for LOUMED in Downtown LouisvilleChasing innovation might not be the best economic development strategyPartnership 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 Busines

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 Bus

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 — which is a bit of a local legend.After that, we talk about an entrepreneur who wants to distill the first bottle of bourbon in space. It's a bit of a walk — er, flight, I guess — but he believes he can age bourbon faster in orbit thus creating a 30-year flavor profile in a matter of months. The bottles, naturally, would fetch a high price among collectors of such things.Back on earth, we talk about Drake's new location, impressions on Pig Beach BBQ, a new office building and the price of flights at Muhammad Ali International Airport. Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can find it on popular podcast

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, S

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 par

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

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 AppHarves

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

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.