Access Louisville

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.