Anyone who follows urban development in Louisville knows how difficult it is to get anything built, but that’s exactly what Dave Christopher, President and Founder of AMPED, did in November, with the opening of the new tech and learning center, an impressive nearly $10 million and 13,000 square-foot-three-story building taking over the block at 17th and Market Street.
Author: Elijah Humble
elijah.humble@portlandanchor.com
Ithmah Coffee Roasters Moves Across Town to Portland Avenue
Donovan Talbott of Ithmah Coffee Roasters is continuing to fulfill wholesale orders of his flavor-optimized coffee from around the world from 2525 Portland Ave.
World Traveler Joins PNI Board and Makes Local Mark with Hand in Hand Ministries
Accepting a position on the Portland Now Inc. (PNI) board is just the next adventure for Caleb Brooks, a Portland resident of ten years and recent addition to the team at Hand in Hand Ministries at 518 North 26th Street in Portland.
Award-Winning Gin Distillery Coming to West Main Street
The 1300 block of West Main Street will get another boost when it becomes home to West End Gin by the end of 2026 into early 2027, according to business co-founder Dr. Dawn Wade. “The goal is to be producing everything in-house and employ West End residents,” she added.
Louisville Outreach for the Unsheltered (L.O.U.) Ready to Continue Serving Community in New Building
L.O.U. Executive Director David Smillie has been a veteran of street outreach in Louisville for about eight years, meeting people where they are, connecting them with resources and providing a variety of support. L.O.U. has a new home right across the street from The Table at 1801 Portland Avenue with a mini clinic as well as a meeting room, kitchen space, and shower facility.
Nardie Enters the Workforce at Crittenden Drive International Harvester Plant
“We were making parts for John Deere, tractor parts, manifold parts. That’s when International Harvester had…remember the Scout? And they had Cub Cadet. So basically, in the foundry, it’s hot metal, you know, and we would do these molds. You add all these components to make the manifold. Once it goes down to the line, it goes down to the pour section. And then you got these guys that are basically pushing a dolly. It’s like a scooter, and it has a ladle. It’s got a ladle full of molten metal.”
FMS Leader Promotes Good Business with Canopy
For FMS president Scott Koloms, profitability and purpose don’t have to be opposing forces. During a leadership retreat he and his team determined that they wanted to formalize the idea that they truly cared about the people they work with and wanted to be more intentional about being mission and values driven.
Good Brothers Pharmacy Opens on West Market
After several years of obstacles and fundraising and multiple locations, lifelong friends Isiah Jones and DeShawn King – both of whom graduated from Central High School as well as Northern Kentucky University – finally achieved their goal of opening a pharmacy at 2306 West Market Street, with the intention of serving and providing care for West Louisville residents, including their own family members.
sonaBLAST! Record Label Embraces Local Talent, Has Roots In Portland
Jaxon Lee Swain has been a Portland resident since 2015, but he’s been working with sonaBLAST! Records since 2011, after a stint managing the local music section at beloved and departed Louisville record store Ear-X-Tacy for many years. When the shop closed, he asked if the label needed any help, and he’s been there ever since.
Rosetta Chapel Opens Its Doors to Spread Gospel of Music in Portland
For the past couple years, fans of independent and underground music from all over Louisville have discovered a hidden treasure near 20th and Main Street in Portland: the Rosetta Chapel, a performance space which has hosted dozens of bands of all varieties, and also happens to be the home of Daniel Barber, a multi-media sculpture artist. He started out having dance parties with his friends, and the scene organically expanded into serving as a home for live music. The home’s namesake, Sister Rosetta Tharpe, is the “godmother of rock and roll,” the gospel blues singer and guitar innovator from the 1930s and ‘40s who influenced the likes of Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Tina Turner and Elvis Presley. The striking mural on the side of the church was created by prominent local artist Damon Thompson, whose work can be found on urban spaces all over Louisville.