Louisville's Waterfront Botanical Garden is growing.

Yeah, that's a pun — but it's also a true statement, considering the massive expansion project taking place there. This week Philip Koester, CEO at Waterfront Botanical Gardens, joins LBF's Access Louisville podcast to tells us about everything happening place there.

Waterfront Botanical Gardens, 1435 Frankfort Avenue, is an urban botanical garden just east of Downtown Louisville, built on the site of a former landfill that was closed in the 1970s. The project opened to the public in October 2019.

The first phase of a four-phase masterplan has been completed, representing the development of approximately five acres of the 23-acre site. Phase 2 will include the addition of the Bonsai House and Display Gardens, an approximately $8 million project.

The garden already has about 50 trees in its collection.

"Over the next several years we plan to have a total of 150 bonsai trees," Koester says on the show. One of the trees — found at the top of a mountain in Wyoming — is estimated to be 1,100 years old.

"That tree is gonna be the centerpiece of the fifth outdoor room [in the bonsai house exhibit]," he said. The five rooms will each hone in on one of the elements of Japanese Buddisst philosophy— fire, water, wind, earth and void (space).

"It's going to be a huge selling point, a huge curiosity," he said.

You can hear more from Koester in the interview, which is available in the player above.

Waterfront Botanical Gardens had 2024 revenue of $7.4 million, up from $5 million the year prior, according to federal tax filings. It had net assets approaching $25 million. It welcomed 64,000 visitors last year.

Waterfront Botanical Gardens is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $10.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

It's April in Louisville so plenty of restaurants are opening around town. We go over the latest on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

We start off the show with a conversation about Web and Honey. This deli is coming to the former ShopBar space at 950 Barret Ave. The deli is being launched by Melissa Ann Culton, the former co‑owner of Bluegrass Pizza & Pub in Danville, Kentucky.

ShopBar closed in June 2025 after six years in business.

After that, we chat about Harry's Taphouse, a Jeffersonville bar and restaurant that's coming to Georgetown. And we discuss Smoketown’s Trellis Brewing, which is launching an in-house kitchen to produce food designed specifically to pair with the brewery’s beers.

We also discuss a new soul food restaurant coming to Russell, called GiGi's Kitchen, a new location for Indi's Chicken in New Albany and the story behind My Brotha's BBQ, which opened recently in Jeffersonville.

Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

After the restaurant talk, we get to talking about residential real estate.

The Louisville region is projected to create jobs, but affordability remains a major concern with one-third of the workforce struggling to afford a one-bedroom apartment, as One Louisville CEO Trevor Pawl noted at a recent event. LBF Reporter Olivia Estright also just had an interview the president of Kentucky Realtors about the issue of affordability and more.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

What would a deal for Brown-Forman Corp. mean in Louisville? We chat about it on this week's Access Louisville podcast.

Louisville-based spirits giant Brown-Forman and Paris-based Pernod Ricard have confirmed they're in discussions about a potential merger. LBF Bourbon reporter Stephen P. Schmidt is on this week's show to talk about the size of the company this would create and how it would stack up in the industry.

Brown-Forman (BF.A, BF.B) is Greater Louisville’s fifth-largest public company, with most recent annual revenue of $3.98 billion. It's key brands include Jack Daniel's, Woodford Reserve and Old Forester. Meanwhile, Pernod Ricard, which had net sales of €10 959 million in fiscal 2025 (roughly $12.6 billion) has more than 200 brands, including Absolut Vodka, Jameson Irish Whiskey, Chivas Regal and The Glenlivet just to name a few.

We also talk about the philanthropic and sponsorship impact that Brown-Forman has around Louisville. And check in with how Wall Street is thinking about the news.

After the bourbon discussion we talk about the closure of Louisville-based Goodwood Brewing and Spirits local taprooms. The company is undergoing an ownership transition while grappling with mounting financial problems, including multiple lawsuits alleging nonpayment of rent, services and taxes, as LBF's Michael L. Jones reports.

Late in the show we also chat about a new speakeasy coming to Hotel Distil and the upcoming They're Off luncheon, which will feature University of Louisville alum and Detroit Lions backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater.

Access Louisville, sponsored by Baird, is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

The restaurant scene is ever evolving and we go over the latest on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

To start off the show, we chat about the future of Vincenzo's. With news of the potential redevelopment of the Humana Building and surrounding property, we've all been wondering what would happen to this venerable Louisville restaurant that's on the site. Reporter Michael L. Jones, who interviewed the brothers behind the restaurant, explains that a lot is still up in the air.

Brothers Agostino and Vincenzo Gabriele opened the authentic Northern Italian restaurant in May 1986 after David Jones Sr., then chairman of Humana, invited Vincenzo to take over the former Columns location in the Humana Conference Center at 150 S. Fifth St. in Downtown Louisville.

But they're now celebrating the restaurant's 40th anniversary at a time when the future of the Humana Building is in flux. LBF previously reported that Louisville-based Poe Cos. has signed a letter of intent to purchase the 26-story Humana Building at 500 W. Main St. and convert it into a 1,000-room hotel.

Later in the show this week, we chat about the closing of Sharetea, a family-owned business in Middletown. We talk about the latest with Akiko’s, a Karaoke bar on Bardstown Road.

And we wrap up the restaurant talk with a chat about a new Cuban Italian restaurant, Prado 264, which is coming to the former Mark’s Feed store space.

Following the restaurant talk, we go over some local media news, including a recent deal that saw WHAS-11 change hands. And we talk about the University of Louisville women's basketball team advancing to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Anne Shadle of Mayan Cafe and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

Greater Louisville Inc. is out and One Louisville is in.

We go over the new economic development strategy on this week's Access Louisville podcast. The creation of One Louisville follows the merger of GLI and the short-lived Louisville Economic Development Alliance last month.

The new economic development agency debuted at GLI's final annual meeting on Wednesday. And LBF Reporter Michael L. Jones recently did an interview with One Louisville Board Chairman Matt Thornton.

On the show this week, we talk about what led up to the change and what to expect next.

After that we chat about some recent Southern Indiana news, including the sale of the former Hardee's in Jeffersonville — a high-profile location right at the entrance of that city. We also discuss a major reuse project in New Albany that could bring in new residential and retail as well as a potential roadblock for a solar power project in New Washington.

After a break, we get into some local soccer news, including the departure of Lou City FC's Danny Cruz. Cruz is taking a job in the MLS, leaving Louisville with an opening right as the season begins. We also talk about a recent report that estimates the value of National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) franchises, including Racing Louisville FC.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

Hollywood is shining a spotlight on Louisville with HBO's true crime documentary "Murder in Glitterball City."

The doc, which released a few weeks ago, was based on the book "A Dark Room in Glitterball City" by local author David Dominé. And he joins us on this week's show. Dominé is also the owner of Louisville Historic Tours, which gives architectural and ghost tours in the city.

We give our impressions on the 2-part series, which — in spite of the heinous crime at the center of it — somehow manages to paint Louisville in a charming light. That was core to the book as Dominé explains, as he wanted the Old Louisville neighborhood to feature like a character in the book.

As Dominé notes on the show, the book and the documentary are two different things. But he was very happy with HBO's take on it. It's not everyday an author gets his work translated to the screen in such a way.

"Just a fact that it attracted attention and made it to the screen was very gratifying," he said. "It's great that Louisville still gets it time in the spotlight. I love the fact that people are talking about Louisville."

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify

Join us live: Our next live podcast, "Access Louisville: The State of Dining Out," is set for 4 p.m. April 21 at 500 West Jefferson. Three local chefs are coming on: Noam Bilitzer, of MeeshMeesh, Brittany Kelly of North of Bourbon and Lawrence Weeks of Murray’s Creole Pub. We’ll talk about issues facing the industry, including food costs, changing neighborhood dynamics and more. Tickets are available here.

New apartment and single family home developments around town top this week's Access Louisville podcast.

We start off talking about plans to renovate the Hubbuch & Co. Architecture building at 320-324 W. Main Sts. into 14 apartment units. Developers for the project include Lee Weyland, partner at CORE Real Estate Partners, Dean Wilkinson, president of Wilkinson Builders, and Bobby Bailey, founder of Louisville Geek.

After that, we chat about plans for new apartments at 11501 Schlatter Road, which is the former site of Valor Traditional Academy. Six permits were filed detailing the construction of five apartment buildings and one clubhouse building at the site. The Valor building looks like a castle, which of course gets us joking around about this actual castle being listed for sale in Charlestown, Indiana.

We also talk about a new 61-home development near Downtown Jeffersonville, Indiana and plans for an AirBnB development in Downtown Louisville, called the Colt Club.

After a break, we chat about restaurant news, including Papa John's plans to close 300 underperforming locations around the country. We talk about some new bars around Louisville Slugger Field — that gets us on a tangent about speakeasies. And we wrap up the show with a chat about Bristol Bar & Grille, which is closing its Highlands location after nearly 50 years.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify, which are linked above. You can also listen in the player above.

McDonald’s owner-operator John Salls joins us on the Access Louisville podcast this week.

Salls, who has more than 10 years of experience in the fast-food restaurant industry, talks about leading the restaurant group, having an impact on his young employees and carrying on his mother's legacy.

John Salls is the son of Ira Salls, who in 1991 became the first Black female McDonald's franchisee in Kentucky and Indiana. She passed away in 2024 at the age of 70 and John talked about how she inspired him.

“It's the reason why I do what I do," he tells LBF Editor-in-Chief Shea Van Hoy. "It's the reason why I'm so dedicated to the brand, just watching my mother — all the sacrifices and strides that she made as a trailblazer.

"I'm really proud to carry on her legacy and continue to be a staple in the community for everyone, and just try to exemplify some of the things that she believed in.”

He also spoke about the challenges of operating in a price-competitive market, including rising food costs — something that's plaguing many in the industry.

“Those pressures are definitely real," he said. "I think over the last year, we may have seen base food [cost] go up about a percent."

In order to counter that he talked about growing marketshare and reaching new customers — "whether it be through the delivery platforms or through the McDonald's mobile app, or just doing some local store marketing or community engagement.”

Salls holds a bachelor of science degree from The University of Kentucky. He's an Eagle Scout and a member of First Baptist Church of Jeffersontown.

Access Louisville is a weekly podcast from Louisville Business First. You can follow it on popular podcast services including Apple Podcasts and Spotify.