Louisville's grocery needs

Access Louisville

Louisville is getting a new international grocery store — which got us talking about the market's needs on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

LBF Reporter Joel Stinnett joins the show this week to tell us about Saraga International Grocery, which has signed a lease and will open its first area store at 200 N. Hurstbourne Parkway inside The Forum Center. This was formerly the site of Lucky's Market, which closed amid a company bankruptcy in 2020.

This gets us talking about what we'd like to see in the grocery market in Louisville — a second Trader Joe's and more options inside the Watterson Expressway are on our wishlist.

In other grocery news, Stinnett also tells us about the latest with Hy-Vee. In spite of delays, the Des Moines, Iowa-based grocery retailer says it is still planning to open a location in Kentucky. It initially announced plans to build in the Fern Creek area in 2021 but it has yet to happen.

Bourbon and restaurant news

Later in the show, we discuss some bourbon industry news with LBF reporter Stephen P. Schmidt, including the auction of a distillery in Downtown Louisville. This auction includes aging bourbon, equipment as well as real estate and other assets. We also talk about a new downtown tasting room for Green River Distilling Co., which sounds different than some of the other tasting rooms you can find in that it'll have a more sports bar like atmosphere.

Finally we wrap up the show with a bit of restaurant and bar news, including the news that Baxters 942 is losing its liquor license. And we discuss a new grab-and-go bar coming to Oxmoor Center that will allow customers to drink while they shop this holiday season.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. It's available on popular podcast services, including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.