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.