Inside the Block

Behind every glamorous Pride festival is a lot of unglamorous work. Someone has to wrangle permits, manage budgets, and keep the food pantry stocked on a Tuesday. That someone is Jason Schubert, a Lexington community leader who helps steer the Lexington Pride Center and the Lexington Pride Festival, and we're so glad he finally sat down with us.  In this episode, we cover the Pride Center&apo...

A new breakfast and lunch spot in Versailles. A fine dining room nine floors above downtown Lexington. A members-only club with a rooftop pool that has to fight Kentucky weather. We sit down with restaurateur Cole Arimes to talk about what it really takes to build restaurants that last, from the first idea to the first menu pivot. Cole also takes us through his latest project, Black Squirrel, incl...

We're joined by Anne Livengood, the force behind a wildly popular Walk Club in the Warehouse Block, to talk about how she helped turn the National Avenue area into a weekly meetup for people who want connection without the intimidation factor of a run club. The result is simple, welcoming, and surprisingly powerful: show up, walk, talk, and actually get to know your city. From there, we zoom...

Lexington's Warehouse District used to be a stretch you drove past. Now it's a destination, and Kentucky Ballet Theatre is part of why. We sit down with Norbe Risco to trace how a small, determined ballet company helped shape the neighborhood's identity, and how the neighborhood helped the company grow into a year-round cultural anchor. We dig into what's on the horizon: Ballet...

A Lexington institution nearly disappeared when real estate math took over — but Chevy Chase Inn continues to survive. We sat down with CCI owners Bill Farmer of Farmers Jewelry and Kevin Heathcoat of Bourbon and Toulouse, the duo who bought one of the most iconic bars in Lexington to keep it from becoming a generic retail buildout. We dig into CCI's roots as a 1933 neighborhood dive, the leg...

Wellness shouldn't feel like a guilt trip. We sat down with Dr. Jill Collins of Lex Enhance in Lexington, Kentucky — a surgeon-turned-aesthetics specialist — to talk about practical, evidence-based approaches to looking and feeling better from the inside out. We cover Exomind (transcranial magnetic stimulation for sleep, anxiety, depression, and PTSD), Emsculpt Neo body contouring, and Emsell...

A drag persona can be a joke, a shield, a spotlight, or all three at once. We talk with Anthony Smallwood, director of development at LexArts, about what it means to build community through art and what happens when a character like Helena Handbasket grows into “someone” you have to manage, protect, and keep evolving. We start in the heart of Lexington, Kentucky with LexArts: an arts nonprofit wor...

What does it take to go from university career counselor to three-term city council member? We sat down with Lexington's Hannah LeGris to find out. Hannah walks us through the question that launched her campaign, how she built a values-first team, and what it really means to govern a district that stretches from downtown to UK's campus. We get into the nuts and bolts: how eight votes mov...

A farmers market can change a city. Josh England, who runs Lexington's 50-year-old member-owned market, walks us through how the city shifted from fearing "messy" agriculture to embracing a vibrant Saturday scene where coffee, flowers, and conversation sit beside corn, beans, and tomatoes. He walks us through the real variables shaping your shopping list, hyper-local weather, hoop h...

Kelli Gabat, owner of Wildfire Yoga and Wellness Studio, shares her journey from an 800-square-foot sublease to a thriving wellness sanctuary in the Warehouse Block. Discover how her studio blends hot yoga, slow flow, mat Pilates, and tone-and-flow classes to build strength, mobility, and calm. Kelli explains why yoga complements any fitness routine, how their four-week beginner series builds conf...

We sat down with Erin Goins, one of the spirited forces behind the Warehouse Block's The Willow, a women-led, adult-only space where wine and pop-ups make room for focus, friendship, and new ideas. Erin helped create The Willow as a place for connection and collaboration, hosting events that bring the community together in meaningful ways. Erin is also the founder of Bites of the Bluegrass, t...

Behind the bright blue door that gives Blue Door Smokehouse its name is a story of culinary passion and community connection. Owner Jeff Newman never planned to open a barbecue joint—he originally wanted an upscale sandwich concept but pivoted when constraints made that impossible. Drawing on his culinary school background and smoking techniques from restaurants across Lexington, New York, and Atl...

"The easiest thing for a reader to do is to stop reading." This wisdom from veteran journalist Tom Eblen perfectly captures his approach to storytelling throughout a remarkable career that has spanned the golden age of print journalism to today's digital revolution. Eblen's journey begins in his hometown of Lexington, where he discovered journalism at Lafayette High School befo...

You've likely heard of bourbon in Kentucky, but what about sake? We got to sit down with Justin LeVaughn, co-owner and head brewer of Void, to dive into the unexpected world of Kentucky's first and only sake brewery. Justin reveals how three science-loving friends turned their pandemic experiment into a thriving business that bridges Japanese brewing traditions with Kentucky craft cultur...

The sweet journey from West Africa to the Warehouse Block unfolds as Mamadou Savane, known affectionately as "Sav," shares the remarkable story behind Sav's Chill. What began as a restaurant venture in 2008 transformed when Sav purchased an ice cream freezer with his space and later learned to make his own frozen treats out of necessity. Now, he's crafting some of Lexington&apo...

The John G. Epping Building is more than just a structure; it's a beloved part of Lexington's history. In this episode, we unravel the remarkable transformation from a bustling bottling factory to a culinary landmark. Listeners will learn about the history of the soft drink industry, as we recount how Epping's played a pivotal role in shaping local consumer culture. Imagining the bu...

Join "The Lexington Podcast" duo as we explore the remarkable transformation of Lexington, Kentucky's Warehouse Block. From its humble beginnings as an overlooked industrial area to today's vibrant community hub, we trace this district's fascinating evolution through personal stories and historic records. We journey from the land's earliest inhabitants through Europea...

Join us as Lara Levine, owner of the Salt Cave of Lexington, shares her serendipitous journey from a chance visit to an Asheville salt sanctuary to creating her own healing haven in Lexington, KY! Uncover the mysteries of salt therapy, from its roots in Poland to its potential benefits for respiratory and skin health, all within the beautiful confines of Lara's cave.  We loved hearing how pat...

Get ready to experience the world of brewing like never before with Derek DeFranco, the head master brewer at Mirror Twin Brewing who takes up behind the scenes! From humble beginnings with a three-barrel system to a thriving 15-barrel setup, Derek shares the brewery's evolution and resilience through challenges like keeping the beer flowing while navigating a pandemic. You'll gain a dee...

From homebrewer to head brewer, Mirror Twin's Derek DeFranco turned his beer passion into something extraordinary. Armed with a law degree and brewing knowledge from both his neighbor and the Siebel Institute, he transformed his hobby into a thriving business -- and certainly a Warehouse Block staple! Listen as Derek recounts Mirror Twin's launch in 2016 when it faced all the usual start...

Join us as we sit down with Chad Walker, owner and pioneer of the Warehouse Block, as he shares the remarkable journey of transforming this once-industrial hub into a vibrant community space. Discover how his father, Randy, a visionary commercial electrician, spearheaded the area's revitalization, blending historical preservation with modern-day retail, breweries, and restaurants. Chad takes...

From undercover police building to elegant bridal boutique, step into the charming world of The White Dress of Lexington, nestled in the historic Warehouse Block. Join the dynamic team—Julia, Beverly, and Daniel—as they share their journey in the bridal industry, reveal current wedding dress trends, and offer insider tips on assembling the perfect crew for your dress shopping adventure. Warehouse...

From Indonesia to Lexington, Sylviana Herrin’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. We enjoyed chatting with Sylviana, the creative force behind the beloved bakery, La Petite Delicat, and hearing how she swapped her corporate shoes for a baker’s apron. Hear how a serendipitous encounter with macarons in Egypt led her to transform her newfound baking passion into a thriving local enterprise. Sylv...