Access Louisville

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 popu

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