Access Louisville

Hosted by Louisville Business First

BusinessExplicit

Website RSS feed

Episodes

355

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

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!

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 21, 2026Episode 35431 min

Restaurant news roundup

We serve up a packed restaurant roundup on the Access Louisville podcast this week, including some familiar names and new concepts entering the market. Reporter Michael L Jones starts us off with an update on Captain's Quarters' plans for a new event venue . The Boathouse, as the space will be called, will consist of a 1,700 square foot main hall and a 600-square-foot patio. The space will accommodate up to 100 guests for seated dinners and 140 guests for cocktail-style receptions. Additionally, we chat about the news that KingFish, one of Louisville's longtime and very recognizable restaurant brands, is up for sale. Senior Reporter Joel Stinnett notes that the business, as well as the riverfront real estate from its two locations (in Louisville and in Jeffersonville, Indiana), are on the market . We also chat about a new pan-Asian concept headed to the former Anoosh Bistro space , called Wasabi; the upcoming auction of the former Bakersfield space in the Highlands; and the opening of Magnolia Bakery in NuLu . Beyond restaurants, the discussion turns to real estate, including the collapse of the Meidinger Tower deal and what it could mean for Fourth Street Live . We also discuss the listing of the former Old National Bank office space on Main Street and talk about a long-awaited affordable housing development coming to the Merriwether neighborhood . Late in the show, Stinnett reflects on the passing of Charles Griffin Sr., a longtime downtown business owner who died recently at age 84 . And we chat about the upside to Publix signing a lease in the Highlands. Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

August 14, 2026Episode 35326 min

What's Hiding Beneath the Belvedere?

We discuss the latest look at Louisville’s Belvedere overhaul on this week's Access Louisville podcast. New renderings show a greener, more flexible public space designed to host everything from concerts to farmers markets. But, as Reporter Michael L. Jones explains, much of the project's budget will actually go toward repairing the aging parking garage beneath it. We also look at the latest addition to the Galt House’s ongoing makeover : a collection of luxury suites themed around Louisville traditions including U of L athletics and horse racing. Plus, we toss around a few other Louisville icons we think could inspire future suites. Later in the show, we chat about the recently opened Grand Lyric Theater in the Russell neighborhood , a venue that honors West Louisville's entertainment history while aiming to spark new economic development along the Muhammad Ali corridor. We also discuss Texas Roadhouse's purchase of the iconic Wright Tower on Dutchmans Lane and what the growing restaurant company might have planned for the 16-story building. Late in the show, Jones highlights his cover story on Dr. Mushtaque Juneja, the Louisville anesthesiologist whose had a remarkable career in medicine and real estate . Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy previews this fall's music festivals and I talk about Ford's ongoing overhaul of Louisville Assembly Plant. 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.

August 7, 2026Episode 35222 min

Louisville's convention problem

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.

July 31, 2026Episode 35153 min

How Louisville Lives

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

July 24, 2026Episode 35028 min

Restaurant news roundup

July 17, 2026Episode 34922 min

Downtown building sells for cheap

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.

July 10, 2026Episode 34831 min

News on an ousted executive + more

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.

July 3, 2026Episode 34735 min

Louisville's parks power play

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.

June 26, 2026Episode 34623 min

Trouble in the Highlands

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.

June 19, 2026Episode 34522 min

St. Matthews development drama

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.