♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

I'M YOUR HOST, KELSEY STARKS.

THIS WEEK WE TAKE TO YOU FRANKFORT AVENUE.

THIS AREA JUST EAST OF DOWNTOWN IS THE MAIN THOROUGHFARE IN LOUISVILLE'S CLIFTON AND CRESCENT HILL NEIGHBORHOODS.

LINED BY A WORKING RAILROAD, FRANKFORT AVENUE IS THEY PIT ME OF NEW URBANISM IN LOUISVILLE, A MIX OF OLD AND NEW BLENDED TOGETHER.

HERE YOU WILL OFTEN SEE PEOPLE WALKING OR CYCLING TO VISIT THE POPULAR SHOPPING DISTRICT AND ONE OF LOUISVILLE'S BEST RESTAURANT SCENES.

THE AVENUE, AS IT IS OFTEN REFERRED TO DATES BACK TO THE EARLY 1800S, THEN IT WAS CALLED THE LOUISVILLE SHELBYVILLE PIKE.

CHRISTIE DUTTON TAKES TO US FRANKFORT AVENUE TO EXPLORE THEN AND NOW.

>> FRANKFORT AVENUE.

WALK SIGN, FRANKFORT AVENUE.

>> A VIBRANT NEIGHBORHOOD AND BUSINESS DISTRICT OF LOUISVILLE, FRANKFORT AVENUE HAS A STORIED PAST, ORIGINALLY NAMED THE LOUISVILLE SHELBYVILLE TURNPIKE IN 1830, THIS WAS A TOLL ROAD TRAVELED BY HORSE AND BUGGY MULE CART OR USED TO TRANSFOR THE LIVESTOCK.

>> WHEN YOU HAVE ANIMALS, WHOS, CATTLE AND SHEEP, THEY WOULD KICK UP THE ROAD AND SOMEBODY HAS H TO MAINTAIN THAT.

>> THE TOLL HOUSE STILL STANDS TODAY LIKE MOST OF THE HISTORICAL STRUCTURES ALONG FRANKFORT AVENUE, IT HAS EVOLVED FOR DIFFERENT USES.

AT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY IT WAS PURCHASED BY THE CITY AND TOLLS WERE NO LONGER COLLECTED SO IT WAS REPURPOSED AS A POLICE STATION, JAIL AND SINCE THE 1930S, SEVERAL STRAWBTSZ.

TODAY IT IS A LOCAL I ITALIAN RESTAURANT.

BACKED WHEN TRAFFIC STOPPED AT THE TOLL GATE, IT WAS A NATURAL LOCATION TO OPEN SALOONS.

>> A LOT OF FOLKS THAT WAS THEIR ENTERTAINMENT WAS TO GO TO A SALOON.

IN THE DAY THERE WERE NO TELEVISIONS AND THE LIKE, SO SALOONS WERE AN IMPORTANT PART OF THE SOCIAL FABRIC OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD, AND THE LOUISVILLE STATUARY COMPANY AND THE IRISH ROVER.

SPECKS SALOON OPENED NEARBY LATER SERVING AS A POULTRY HOUSE AND REOPENED AS BOURBON'S BISTRO, A LOCAL FAVORITE.

THE INTRODUCTION OF A RAILWAY LINE AND STREET CARS IN THE 18 40S BROUGHT MORE PEOPLE HOMES AND BUSINESSES TO THE LOUISVILLE SHELL SHELBYVILLE TURNPIKE.

>> BECAUSE OF THE STREET CAR, THE HILLTOP THEATER WAS BUILT.

AND SO PEOPLE WERE ABLE TO TRAVEL UP HERE TO GO TO HILLTOP THEATER.

>> WHICH PEE IF YOU ARED VAUDEVILLE SHOWS AND MOVIES.

>> THE LIGHTS WE SEE THERE ARE THE ORIGINAL LIGHTS.

THE LIGHTS CONTINUE TO WORK.

>> WHERE HILLTOP TAVERN NOW STANDS.

>> USED TO BE AN A & P GROCERY STORE, BACK IN THE DAY WHEN PEOPLE WOULD BE ABLE TO WALK TO THE GROCERY STORE.

>> THE RAPID GROWTH ALSO INCREASED THE RISK OF FIRE SO A FIRE STATION BECAME A NECESSARY STAPLE OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ONCE THE FIRE STATION MOVED TO SPRING STREET, EVENTUALLY THE SILVER DOLLAR RESTAURANT OPENED IN ITS PLACE.

>> AND ON THE FRONT OF THE FIRE HOUSE IT'S GOT ALBERT A.I.

STAUB.

>> NAMED AFTER A FORMER STATE LEGISLATOR AND PRT IT LOOKS LIKE ALBERTA STALL.

>> ACROSS THE STREET WAS YOUNG'S PHARMACY AS SEEN IN THESE PHOTOS AND REMNANTS OF THE PAINTED SIGNS STILL VISIBLE ON THE SIDE OF THE BUILDING, IT'S NOW THE CHAMPAGNERY.

ALONG FRANKFORT AVENUE YOU CAN KIND RELICS FROM THE CAST LIKE THIS CAST IRON WATER TROUGH FILLED FROM INSIDE THIS BUILDING, ONCE A SALOON, NOW A BARBER SHOP RESTORED TO LOOK JUST AS IT DID BACK IN THE LATE 1800s.

GOT TO BE GOOD TO YOUR HORSES SO WHILE OUR NEIGHBORS ARE PATRONS TO THE SALOONS, KNOCKING ONE BACK IN THE 15 LOOK, THEY TOOK GOOD CARE OF THE HORSES WITH THE WATER TRUCK.

>> EACH BUILDING HAS IT'S UNIQUE HISTORY HOUSING VARIOUS BUSINESSES THROUGHOUT THE DECADES EXCEPT THIS BUILDING.

>> AFTER THE CIVIL WAR IS WHEN THIS WAS BUILT.

SO IT'S BEEN A LOT OF HAIR CUTTING HERE.

>> THAT'S BECAUSE IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NEIGHBORHOOD BARBER SHOP FOR THE LAST 16 YEARS OWNED BY MASTER BARBER JEFF NEUMAN.

WITH A FEW MEMENTO OF THE PAST DISCOVERED IN THIS OLD BARBER SHOP.

>> FOUND SOME STRAIGHT RAZORS, SCISSORS OBVIOUSLY.

THERE ARE SOME MUGS AND STUFF ON THE WALL THAT ARE FROM A LONG TIME AGO.

>> BLENDING THE PAST WITH THE PRESENT.

ALL ALONG FRANKFORT AVENUE IS PROOF OF REIMAGINED BUSINESSES KEEPING UP WITH THE TIMES WHILE PRESERVING BUILDINGS THAT REFLECT THE PAST.

>> JOHN TOOK AN OLD GAS STATION AND TURNED IT INTO THE RESTAURANT.

THE BEST STRUCTURE YOU CAN, THE MOST GREEN RENEWABLE STRUCTURE YOU CAN HAVE IS ONE THAT IS ALREADY BUILT.

SO WE TAKE INTO HEART OUR IDEA OF PRESERVING, REUSING AND REPURPOSING BUILDINGS AND STRUCTURES IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD.

AND WE HAVE BEEN VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH THAT.

>> SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST, PRESENT AND UNDOUBTEDLY THE FUTURE.

FROM FRANKFORT AVENUE, I'M CHRISTIE DUTTON FOR "INSIDE LOUISVILLE."

♪ ♪ MICHAELLE WARNER IS WITH THE FRANKFORT AVENUE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE AND WE JUST HEARD A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE REALLY COOL HISTORY OF FRANKFORT AVENUE.

AND YOU WERE PART OF THE GROUP... >> YES.

>> THAT REALLY BROUGHT FRANKFORT AVENUE INTO WHAT IT IS NOW KNOWN AS RESTAURANT ROW AND ALL THESE BUSINESSES.

>> RIGHT.

>> WHICH STARTS IN THE 90s.

SO TAKE US BACK TO THAT TIME AND WHAT IT WAS LIKE THEN WHEN YOU FIRST MOVED IN THIS AREA.

>> DIETRICHS HAD OPENED IN THE LATE 80s IN THE FORMER CRESCENT HILL THEATER WHICH WAS A BLUE MOVIE HOUSE AND SUPER CREATIVE AND THEN IMPORTANT CHENEYS CAME IN PORCHINES AND THEN ANOTHER SANDWICH SHOP TURNED INTO THE IRISH ROVER AND SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS ON THE STREET, A LOT OF THEM LIVED AND WORKED IN THAT AREA.

AND WE GOT TOGETHER TO TRY TO CLEAN UP THE STREET.

WE GOT INVOLVED WITH THE CRESCENT HILL NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND CLIFTON NEIGHBORHOOD ASSOCIATION AND ALL WORKED TOGETHER.

WE WOULD HAVE STREET CLEANUPS, YOU KNOW, DO PLANTINGS, THINK OF LIKE WAYS TO PROMOTE THE STREET AND THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS TRY TO PROMOTE THE HISTORICNESS OF THE STREET.

>> AND IT IS THAT HISTORY THAT MAKES IT SO UNIQUE BECAUSE SO MANY OF THESE BUILDINGS THAT WE TALKED ABOUT HAVE A VERY SPECIFIC HISTORY,.

>> YES.

>> AND WHAT WAS THE VISION WHEN YOU ALL ARE GETTING TOGETHER AND WANTING TO MAKE THIS AREA SOMETHING SPECIAL.

>> WE WANTED TO BRING MORE VISITORS TO THE STREET SO THE BUSINESSES COULD GET MORE PEOPLE TO BUY THEIR GOODS OR EAT AT THEIR RESTAURANTS.

THE FIRST THING WE DID WAS OLD TIME CHRISTMAS ON FRANKFORT AVENUE.

WE HAD HORSE DRAWN CARRIAGES ON THE STREET.

AND ENCOURAGED BUSINESSES TO HAVE PARTIES AND INVITE THEIR CLIENTS TO GET MORE FOOT TRAFFIC.

AND THAT WENT REALLY WELL.

AND THEN IN '93 WE CREATED THE FRANKFORT AVENUE EASTER PARADE AND IT IS A PARADE FOR THE NEIGHBORHOOD.

ANYBODY CAN BE IN IT.

YOUR KID CAN DRESS UP THEIR BIKE AND RIDE THE BIKE IN THE PARADE.

YOU CAN PUT BUNNY EARS ON THE DOG, CHURCH MAKE FLOATS.

ANTIQUE CARS AND TRUCKS AND WE ENCOURAGE BUSINESSES TO MAKE THEIR OWN FLOATS.

SO IT'S REALLY FUN.

IT'S FREE TO BE IN AND WE WANT TO DO THAT AS A SPRING EVENT TO BRING PEOPLE IN.

>> AND YOU ALL HAD-- THE VISION WAS THIS LIVE-WORK WHY WAS THAT IMPORTANT?

>> BECAUSE WHEN YOU LIVE AND WORK IN THE SAME AREA, IT'S MORE OF A NEIGHBORHOOD, SO YOU KNOW WHO OWNS THE STORE WHEN YOU GO IN.

HEY MICHELLE, HOW ARE YOU DOING OR YOU ARE RIDING YOUR BIKE DOWN STREET AND THEY WAVE AT YOU, AND IT'S MORE OLD FASHIONED BUS THE SUBURBAN SITUATION IS YOU ARE MORE ISOLATED, YOU KNOW.

YOU MIGHT KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS BUT YOU DON'T-- YOU GO TO KROGER AND YOU PROBABLY KNOW SOME OF THE PEOPLE THERE, BUT YOU DON'T KNOW THE OWNER, YOU KNOW, AND WE REALLY WANTED TO HAVE LIKE A MAYBERRY STYLE NEIGHBORHOOD AND WE CALLED OURSELVES URBAN PIONEERS.

>> I LOVE THAT WHAT IS IT LIKE FOR YOU NOW LOOKING BACK ON WHAT HAS BEEN CREATED AND WHAT FRANKFORT AVENUE HAS BECOME?

>> YEAH REALLY PROUD OF IT AND SOMETIMES YOU FORGET WHEN YOU SEE EVERYTHING AS IT IS NOW, AND I THINK ABOUT, LIKE I MEAN THERE WERE TUMBLE WEEDS OF TRASH ROLLING DOWN THE STREET.

THERE WERE BOARDED UP BUILDINGS, YOU KNOW, HAD KIND OF A BAD REPUTATION FOR VANDALISM.

I MEAN THAT'S ALWAYS ACTUALLY AN ISSUE AND MY PARENTS WERE LIKE, YOU KNOW, THEY WERE SCARY BECAUSE THEY CONSIDERED ANYTHING THAT WAS CLOSE TO THE CITY I'M PROUD OF LOUISVILLE AND I LOVE FRANKFORT AVENUE AND I LOVE HISTORIC ARCHITECTURE WE HAVE THE PRINTING HOUSE FOR THE BLIND WHICH IS DOING A MAJOR RENOVATION RIGHT NOW AND THAT IS LIKE AN INTERNATIONALLY KNOWN COMPANY, YOU KNOW, AND SPECIAL TO THE WHOLE WORLD.

>> IT IS AN INCREDIBLE PLACE THERE AND THAT BRINGS A BIT OF DIVERSITY TO THAT NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> AND YOU HAVE STEPPED INTO THAT, RIGHT?

>> A LOT OF THE SIDEWALKS ARE SET FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PEOPLE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE TALKING CROSSWALKS AND, YOU KNOW, YOU GET USED TO IT.

YOU WILL HEAR IT LIKE, YOU KNOW, FRANKFORT AVENUE, POPE STREET.

YOU CAN HEAR IT TALKING AND THAT'S KIND OF COOL.

AND YOU KNOW, YOU SEE PEOPLE WALKING WITH THEIR DOGS AND WE HAVE VERY MIXED LIKE ECONOMIC SITUATION.

SO YOU MIGHT HAVE LIKE HALF A MILLION DOLLAR HOUSE NEXT TO A 250,000 HOUSE.

SO I LIKE THAT PERSONALLY.

LIKE BEING INVOLVED WITH PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT JUST AT YOUR OWN ECONOMIC LEVEL OR WHATEVER.

I THINK IT'S BETTER FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE IN A MIXED NEIGHBORHOOD.

>> AS FAR AS THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, EXPLAIN A LITTLE BIT ABOUT YOUR ALLS MISSION AND WHAT YOU ALL STRIVE TO DO THERE FOR THE BUSINESS?

S. >> WE WANT TO MARKET FRANKFORT AVENUE TO HELP THE BUSINESSES GET MORE COMPLAINTS AND MORE FOOT TRAFFIC.

SO WE DO-- NOW THERE IS FA LA LA AFRANKFORT AVENUE.

IT'S A HOLIDAY THING AT THE BEGINNING OF DECEMBER TO GET PEOPLE TO COME IN BECAUSE WE HAVE A LOT OF GIFT SHOPS AND ART GALLERIES, A COUPLE CLOTHING PLACES WE ARE REALLY KNOWN FOR CONSIGNMENT CLOTHES LIKE MARGARET'S.

MARGARET AND HER SISTER MARY LOU DUKE WERE ONE OF THE ORIGINALS ON FRANKFORT AVENUE, SO WE WANT PEOPLE TO COME TO THE AVENUE.

WE WANT TO SUPPORT THE BUSINESSES AND WE USED TO DO A LITTLE BROCHURE, YOU KNOW EVERYTHING IS DIGITAL.

IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT THAN IT USED TO BE.

>> YOU GOT TO MOVE WITH THE TIMES, RIGHT?

BUT I THINK WHAT-- AND WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT FRANKFORT AVENUE IS THAT SO MANY OF THE BUSINESSES ARE LOCALLY OWNED.

>> YES.

>> AND IS THAT IMPORTANT TO YOU ALL?

>> YES, IT IS.

>> NOT TO BRING IN CHANGE OR-- NOT TO BRING IN CHAINS TO THE AREA?

>> YES, IF A McDONALD'S CAME TO THE AREA, I THINK WE WOULD GIVE IT THE BIG NO.

CLIFTON IS A PRESERVATION NEIGHBORHOOD AS WELL.

SO ANYTHING THAT IS DONE THERE HAS TO HAVE A REVIEW OF THE FACADE AND GET THROUGH A PROCESS BECAUSE WHEN YOU GO OUT OF TOWN, AND YOU GO TO A CITY LIKE CHARLESTON, YOU DON'T GO FOR THE SUBURBS.

YOU GO FOR THE HISTORIC PART, RIGHT?

AND THAT'S WHAT WE WANT TO CONTINUE IS, YOU KNOW, THE BEAUTIFUL ARCHITECTURE AND THE MAYBURY KIND OF FEEL FOR IT BY KNOWING WHO YOUR NEIGHBORS ARE AND HAVING THE STORE OWNERS IN THEIR STORE WHEN YOU GO IN, EVEN IF YOU ARE FROM OUT OF TOWN.

I'VE MET PEOPLE THAT WAY, LIKE COMING IN, STAYING AT AN AIRBNB, THEY GO TO THE WINE RACK AND JOHN SAYS, AND THEY'RE LIKE WE LIKE TO BUY A CONDO HERE AND I'M A REAL ESTATE BROKER, OH GO TO MICHELLE.

SO THE NETWORKING IS REALLY GREAT, TOO.

>> WHAT HAS BEEN SORT OF, AFTER ALL THIS TIME THAT YOU HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN THE BUSINESS ASSOCIATION, WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES THAT YOU ALL HAVE FACED?

>> I WOULD SAY FOR US, IT'S THE VOLUNTEERS BECAUSE EVERYBODY IS SO BUSY WITH THEIR OWN LIVES, THEIR FAMILIES AND STUFF, AND TRYING TO GET VOLUNTEERS TO WORK WITH THE ASSOCIATION TO ACTUALLY PHYSICALLY DO THINGS.

AND IT'S HARD, AND I THINK ANY GROUP THAT IS A VOLUNTEER GROUP, HAS ISSUES WITH THAT.

ESPECIALLY IN THIS AGE WHEN EVERYTHING IS ONLINE AND PEOPLE ARE USED TO DOING EVERYTHING ON YOUR PHONE WHEN YOU PHYSICALLY TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO A MEETING OR TRY TO GET THEM TO DO THINGS, IT'S REALLY DIFFICULT SO WE WOULD LOVE TO GET MORE YOUNGER PEOPLE INVOLVED.

BECAUSE I HAVE BEEN DOING IT SINCE 91.

I'M TIRED.

>> THAT'S A LONG TIME.

NOW, WHAT ABOUT SOME OF THE-- I MEAN FRANKFORT AVENUE IS UNIQUE IN ITS OWN RIGHT, BUT THERE ARE KIND OF COMPETING NEIGHBORHOODS.

>> YES.

>> YOU'VE GOT BARDSTOWN ROAD.

AND OTHER AREAS IN LOUISVILLE.

IS THAT A CHALLENGE TO KIND OF SET IT APART?

>> YEAH, BECAUSE WELL BARDSTOWN ROAD WAS REALLY THE FIRST KIND OF AREA LIKE THAT AND THEN-- URBAN DESTINATION.

AND THEN WE CONSIDER BARDSTOWN ROAD TO BE LIKE-- IT'S MORE TRAFFICKY BECAUSE WE HAVE THE RAILROAD TRACKS SO IT'S A LITTLE BIT SLOWER PACED.

IT TENDS TO BE YOUNGER, YOU KNOW, YOUNGER SKATEBOARDERS AND STUFF LIKE THAT.

WE REALLY DON'T HAVE A LOT OF THAT.

BUT OUR BICKEST CHALLENGE HAS COME UP WITH NEW LOU BECAUSE THEY'RE CLOSE TO US AND IT SEEMS LIKE THEY JUST GOT, LIKE GOING TO NASHVILLE ALMOST TO ME WHEN YOU GO THERE.

IT'S LIKE WHERE DID-- WHAT?

LIKE HOTELS AND ALL THAT KIND OF STUFF BUT WE TRY TO PROMOTE OURSELVES AS A LITTLE MORE DOWN HOME, A LITTLE SLOWER PACED, YOU KNOW, THAN NEW LOU.

>> WHAT DO YOU SEE AS THE VISION FOR FRANKFORT AVENUE.

>> I WOULD LIKE TO SEE IT KEEP GOING AND HONESTLY WOULD I LOVE A LITTLE BOUTIQUE HOTEL TO COME TO FRANKFORT AVENUE.

IF ANYBODY IS LOOKING?

AND I THINK THERE IS SOME TALK ABOUT IT BECAUSE HADLEY POTTERY HAS A BIG LOT ON STORY AND FRANKFORT AVENUE AND I HEARD THAT MIGHT BE WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE AND WE WOULD LOVE THAT.

>> YEAH, THAT WOULD BE GREAT AND THERE ARE SO MANY BUSINESSES THAT HAVE BEEN THERE A REALLY LONG TIME AND I THINK THAT IS QUITE A FEAT, PARTICULARLY FOR LOCALLY OWNED RESTAURANTS TO BE ABLE TO STAY.

>> PORCHINE'S, IMOWSH'S BISTRO AND JASON WAS THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF CLIFTON PIZZA WHICH WAS LITERAL LIIC, FRANKFORT AVENUE WAS DARK AND THERE WAS CLIFTON PIZZA AND THEN YOU WENT ON.

HE HAS BEEN AROUND A LONG TIME, TOO.

HE LIVES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD KIND OF PERSON, TOO.

>> WELL, BOURBON'S BISTRO IS AN ANCHOR ON FRANKFORT AVENUE AND WAS ONE OF THE FIRST RESTAURANTS TO USE LOUISVILLE'S BOURBON SCENE AS A RESTAURANT CONCEPT.

WHEN WE COME BACK WE'LL TALK TO THE CO-FOUNDERS OF BOURBON'S BISTRO NOW CELEBRATING 20 YEARS ON THE AVENUE.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ WELL, JASON BRAUNER AND JOHN MORRISON ARE THE CO-FOUNDERS OF BOURBON'S BISTRO NOW CELEBRATING 20 YEARS.

LOUISVILLE'S NEIGHBORHOOD BAR AND RESTAURANT, AS YOU ALL LIKE TOE SAY.

SO TELL US, ABOUT 20 YEARS AGO THE VISION HERE BECAUSE IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST TO REALLY FOCUS ON THIS BOURBON CONCEPT, WHICH WAS SORT OF OUTLANDISH AT THE TIME, RIGHT?

>> SURE, ABSOLUTELY.

>> YES, IT WAS.

I HAD BEEN IN THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS PREVIOUSLY, AND JOHN AND I WERE SITTING AROUND, HAVING A BOURBON AND HAD THIS KIND OF CONCEPT ABOUT A NEW RESTAURANT AND WHAT A BACKDROP OF BOURBON WOULD BE AND HAVING A NICE BOURBON BAR BECAUSE WE BOTH ENJOYED BOURBON AND IT KIND OF WENT FROM THERE, REALLY WAS ON A COCKTAIL NAPKIN PRETTY MUCH.

THE BUSINESS PLAN.

>> AT THE TIME, AS FAR AS BOURBON, YOU HAD THE GOLF HOUSE, SEAL HOUSE AND THE BROWN.

THEY FOCUSED ON BOURBON BUT NOBODY ELSE DID THAT LOCALLY OR NATIONALLY THERE.

WERE WHISKEY BARS FOCUSING ON SCOTCH, IRISH, NOT BOURBON.

WE ARE THE FIRST ONES TO DO IT OUTSIDE OF THE HOTELS.

>> YEAH, AND NOW TO SEE ALL OF THESE RESTAURANTS.

>> IT'S CRAZY.

>> AND THE HOTELS AND THE BARS AND THE FESTIVALS THAT ARE SO BOURBON FOCUSED.

HOW DID YOU HAVE THAT VISION?

>> YOU KNOW, I DON'T EVEN-- I GUESS IT WAS A VISION, BUT, YOU KNOW, BOURBON, LIKE WE SAID, 95% OF THE WORLD'S BOURBON COMES FROM KENTUCKY AND WE BOTH THOUGHT IT WAS UNDER MARKETED FOR A GREAT PRODUCT THAT IT WAS AND WE WANTED TO SHOWCASE KENTUCKY'S, YOU KNOW, NATURAL PRODUCT BASICALLY.

WE WANTED TO SHOWCASE THAT.

AND YOU KNOW, ONE OF OUR FIRST T-SHIRTS SAID BRINGING BOURBON BACK ONE SIP AT A TIME.

IT WAS REALLY ABOUT EDUCATING THE WORLD ABOUT BOURBON.

>> THERE WERE ONLY 10 BASIC DISTILLERIES IN THE UNITED STATES AND BOURBON WAS JUST ON THE REBOUND WITH SMALL BATCHES AND, YOU KNOW, WHAT JIM BEAM WAS DOING, FOUR ROSES WAS DOING, AND WE WERE JUST TAILING ON THAT.

>> YEAH, AND LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FRANKFORT AVENUE AREA.

WHY WAS IT-- WHY DID THIS BELONG ON FRANKFORT AVENUE?

>> WELL, I THINK WE WERE LOOKING FOR A FREE STANDING BUILDING AND THEN WHEN WE FOUND THAT BUILDING, THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING, IT KIND OF BEING A PREVIOUS ROADHOUSE AND THE BUILDING FROM THE 1880S AND SO TO ME, KIND OF THE HISTORY OF THE BUILDING KIND OF WENT ALONG WITH THE HISTORY OF BOURBON AND WHAT A BETTER SPOT TO PUT OUR RESTAURANT IN.

>> YEAH, BUT YOU'VE OWNED PLACES ON FRANKFORT AVENUE BEFORE.

>> THAT'S CORRECT.

HAD A PLACE CALLED CLIFTON'S PIZZA THAT WAS THERE FOR 28 YEARS AND IT WAS IN AN OLD HARDWARE BUILDING.

AND SO I GUESS I HAVE A FONDNESS FOR OLD BUILDINGS.

>> IT'S A UNIQUE NEIGHBORHOOD, RIGHT?

>> I THINK SO, YEAH IT'S A LOT OF INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS, IT'S , YOU KNOW, BARDSTOWN ROAD WHICH WAS RESTAURANT ROAD, FRANKFORT AVENUE IS RESTAURANT ROW EXTENDING TO CRESCENT HILL.

SO JUST A LOT OF INDEPENDENT RESTAURANTS, NO CHAINS BASICALLY.

>> SO AN INDEPENDENT RESTAURANT, LOCALLY OWNED FOR 20 YEARS IN THE SAME SPOT, THAT IS NO SMALL FEAT.

>> WE ARE STUBBORN.

>> IS THAT IT?

>> PROBABLY.

>> WHAT HAS KEPT YOU GOING?

>> JUST SHOWING UP.

WE JUST SHOW UP EVERY DAY AND KEEP IT GOING.

THERE HAS BEEN TOUGH TIMES, COVID, DID 0 0 8,-- 2008 BUT WE KEPT GOING THROUGH AND SHOWING UP.

>> AND OUR EMPLOYEES, HAVE YOU TO HAVE EMPLOYEES YOU CAN RELY ON AND THAT'S A BIG THING WITH US AND HOPEFULLY WE TREAT THEM WELL AND THEY TREAT US WELL AND IT'S, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LIKE A TEAM, YOU KNOW, LIKE A FAMILY.

THEY HELP QUITE A BIT BY KEEPING US GOING.

THEY KIND OF PUSH US AND WE PUSH THEM.

>> WE HAVE A LOT OF LONG-TERM EMPLOYEES SO RESTAURANTS ARE KNOWN FOR HIGH TURNOVER, RELATIVELY SPEAKING WE HAVE A PRETTY LOW TURNOVER.

SO IT HAS BEEN WHAT WE LEAN ON AND PROBABLY WHAT GOT TO US 20 YEARS.

>> ONE OF THE THINGS THAT IS UNIQUE TO BOURBON'S BISTRO YOU CAN COME IN THERE NOT KNOWING MUCH ABOUT BOURBON AT ALL.

YOU GUYS TRY EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT BOURBON.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

OUR STAFF IS WELL VERSED IN ALL DIFFERENT BOURBONS SO IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU WANT, ALL HAVE YOU TO DO IS TALK TO THEM AND WE'LL TRY TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH IT.

WE DO PUT OUR STAFF THROUGH EXTENSIVE TRAINING AND IT SHOULDN'T BE ANYTHING TO BE INTIMIDATED ABOUT BECAUSE WE CAN WALK YOU RIGHT THROUGH IT.

>> WE ARE NOT PRETENTIOUS ABOUT IT.

YOU LIKE WHAT YOU LIKE.

WE ARE NOT GOING TO TELL YOU WHAT TO LIKE.

>> THERE ARE NO WRONG ANSWERS.

YOU CAN COME IN AND WE'LL TRY TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH IT.

>> YOU MENTIONED, TOO, SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT YOU ALL HAVE FACED.

AND YOU KNOW, THERE HAS GOT TO BE A LOT THAT YOU ALL HAVE OVERCOME TO STILL BE HERE AT 20 YEARS.

>> I THINK SO.

IT'S CONTINUAL.

IT'S A RESTAURANT BUSINESS SO CHALLENGES ARE THERE EVERY DAY.

IN?

FOR IN SOME FORM, THE BIG ONES WITH COVID AND THINGS, I'M NOT SURE HOW WE GOT THROUGH IT.

AS JASON SAID, WE ARE STUBBORN AND JUST KEPT SHOWING UP AND WE ARE ABLE TO RETAIN A LOT OF EMPLOYEES THAT WE NEEDED AND IF THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN, WHO KNOWS WHERE WE WOULD BE.

>> I JUST GOT TO SECOND THAT.

JUST SHOWING UP.

THAT'S A BIG PART OF IT.

>> AND SO TELL ME A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT THE UNIQUENESS OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND SOME OF THE OTHER RESTAURANTS.

I KNOW YOU GUYS ALSO PARTNER WITH AND ARE BIG SUPPORTERS OF EACH OTHER AND HOW THAT RESTAURANT COMMUNITY THERE REALLY WORKS TOGETHER.

>> .

A LOT OF THEM HAVE BEEN HERE LONGER THAN WE V. IT'S A GREAT COMMUNITY TO SERVE OFF OF.

YOU CAN GET ON FRANKFORT AVENUE AND PRETTY MUCH EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT.

THERE IS SOMETHING FOR EVERYBODY.

>> I LIVE IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND DON'T GET OUT OF THE NEIGHBORHOOD MUCH, REALLY BECAUSE WE SUPPORT ALL THE RESTAURANTS THERE AND ALL THE SMALL BUSINESSES.

YOU KNOW, WITH THE FRANKFORT BUSINESS ASSOCIATION-- SMALL BUSINESS ASSOCIATION AND WE DON'T HAVE A RESTAURANT ASSOCIATION FOR FRANKFORT AVENUE, BUT WE KIND OF SHOULD.

WE ARE ALL FRIENDS AND IF THEY NEED SOMETHING, WE GIVE THEM THAT AND WE BORROW STUFF ALL THE TIME.

IT'S A SYMBIOTIC RELATIONSHIP FOR SURE.

>> AND STILL TODAY WE HAVE PEOPLE CALLING SAYING WHERE ARE YOU EXACTLY?

DO YOU KNOW WHERE THE IRISH ROVER IS?

OR VOLARI IS?

WE USE OUR FRIENDS AS THE LANDMARK.

>> EVEN THOUGH YOU HAVE BEEN HERE 20 YEARS.

SO WHAT DO YOU SEE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

WHAT IS YOUR VISION FOR THE FUTURE?

>> I THINK CONTINUE, SUPPORT THE BOURBON INDUSTRY, TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT THE LFT OF THE BOURBON INDUSTRY.

THE BOURBON INDUSTRY IS EVOLVING AND CHANGING IN A CRAZY WAY AND WE JUST WANT TO RIDE THAT AND SEE WHERE IT GOES.

>> AND WE LOVE BEING A PART OF THE COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, I WOULDN'T DREAM OF MOVING.

I LOVE THAT BUILDING AND LOVE THE NEIGHBORHOOD AND ALL OF OUR NEIGHBORS AND AS THE, OVER THE 20 YEARS, OBVIOUSLY THE NEIGHBORHOOD HAS GROWN WITH US AND THERE IS ALSO SHOPS HERE AND THERE THAT WEREN'T THERE BEFORE, YOU KNOW, THAT WERE VACANCIES SO I WOULD LOVE TO SEE THE NEIGHBORHOOD THRIVE AND US WITH IT AND BE ABLE TO A GOOD PART OF IT.

WE LOVE THAT LACE.

>> I CONSIDER THE BUILDING LIKE ANOTHER EMPLOYEE.

IT KIND OF MAKES WHAT WE DO, IT'S PART OF WHAT WE DO.

WE HAVE TO WRITE CHECKS EVERY COUPLE OF WEEKS FOR IT.

SO IT'S ALL OF IT.

>> IT'S ITS OWN ENTITY, YOU MENTIONED SOME OF THE CHANGES COMING TO THE BOURBON INDUSTRY.

>> SURE.

>> WHEN IT COMES TO TARIFFS AND EVERYTHING THAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW.

EVERYTHING IS A LITTLE BIT IN FLUX.

HOW DO YOU SEE THAT IMPACTING YOU ALL?

>> I WOULD SAY BY THE TIME IT HITS US, IT MIGHT HOPEFULLY WILL HAVE SETTLED DOWN AND RESOLVED A LOT OF ITSELF.

SO... >> I THINK THERE IS MORE-- OBVIOUSLY THERE ARE MORE PEOPLE DRINKING BOURBON NOW THAN EVER BEFORE.

AND I DON'T SEE THAT EVER STOPPING.

I MEAN AT LEAST NOT FOR ANOTHER 20 YEARS.

YOU KNOW, WE TALK ABOUT THE CONVENTION BUREAU WITH ALL THE TOURISM COMING IN.

I MEAN EVERYBODY REFERS TO IT, BUT YOU CAN CALL IT KIND OF THE LITTLE NAPA VALLEY, I THINK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE TOURISM IS NOT GOING TO GO AWAY FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.

SO HOPEFULLY WE CAN BE A PART OF THAT AND TEACH PEOPLE ABOUT BOURBON.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ YOU CAN SEE MORE OF THE HISTORIC PHOTOS FROM FRANKFORT AVENUE ON OUR INSTAGRAM PLUS WE'VE GOT A TOP FIVE THINGS TO SEE ON FRANKFORT AFTER FEW RIGHT THERE ON INSTAGRAM AT KET IN LOU.

YOU CAN WATCH AND SHARE THIS EPISODE ANY TIME ONLINE AT ket.org/"INSIDE LOUISVILLE."

THANKS FOR SPENDING A LITTLE TIME GETTING TO KNOW LOUISVILLE.

HOPE TO SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪