September 15, 2025 • 8 mins
Louisville Downtown Partnership executive director Rebecca Fleischaker sat down to throw one back with Terry Meiners and talk about the city's bourbon trail magic!
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
She's back the Queen of Louisville, executive director of Louyville
Downtown Partnership. Her name's Rebecca Flyishaker. Good to see you again.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good to see you.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You always get a new title when you show up here,
don't you.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Oh, I forgot to get you a bottle of water.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'm good unless it's.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Oh, there is one there.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Your listeners want to know.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
I was rude. I like to treat my guests well.
But my other guests that were in here a little
while ago, I was a little disappointed that didn't crack
open a bottle of bourbon, because one of them was
Chris Morris.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I know, I saw him on the way out. I
love coming in here. I always follow whoever you had
before me.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Yeah, well he's he's got such a great history with
bourbon here. He was telling the story on the air
of starting when he was still a senior in high school,
starting at Brown.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Foreman is a chemist.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
No, he's a kid, he's a high school. Yeah he's
down there empty in trucks or yeah. Sure that ultimately
becomes a master to Stiller. I mean, that's pretty nice.
Climb up the left. That's the story of America it is.
You just never know what will happen. Yeah, but Bourbon,
obviously we celebrate that that massive festival last week. It's
(01:06):
bigger than ever.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
People are still recovering.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Bourbon and beyond.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
And it's perfect because it's National Bourbon Heritage months.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Oh I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yes, declared by the US Senate. I don't know ten years,
fifteen years ago.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Oh, Chris is getting a He's going into the Hall
of Fame tomorrow. That's one of the reasons he was here.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I heard. That's amazing. Yeah, it's important. That's that's just
going to be recognized for these things that make us important,
to make us land on the map.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
That's another thing we need to talk about is getting
the Bourbon Hall of Fame in this city. Because I'm
trying to he said, there's some movement going on now,
they're trying to put all that together.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I would say more, but I'm afraid to do it right.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
What about what about my backyard? Is that a spot
that we may pick? Probably not. Okay, that's all I'm
throwing out there.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
It doesn't come with Bourbon terry.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Oh it doesn't. It would just be fun to have
come on in we got the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
But Bourbon and beyond. Did you go out?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Did you go not? This year I did not make,
and I've made many other years.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
It was pretty it's pretty cool. It's very impressive. I'm
sure you'll hear all sorts of good and bad comments
about change. You know, people hate change, But how many
people are there having a great time. The grounds are
much bigger, so they sold more tickets and people just
hav't just you know, being dancing to music and being
togather in community.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Nothing but positive about the new arrangements.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Parking was a little bit of a pain for some people.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
But yeah, but the whole thing is about the equality
of the product, and people said it sounded great in
its new position.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It did, and apparently people in the nearby neighborhoods weren't
overpowered by the noise, and the two sets of stages
didn't conflict so that in previous years they were too
close together and they could conflict, and you just didn't
hear any of the other sound when you were in
either stage.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I did like that year that Sting left his stage
and went over and hit Bob Dylan upside the head
with his guitar because he was making too much noise.
I thought, this is awesome. It's like Monday night wrestling raw.
But now they've got it all work could take on
each other. There's a lot. I mean, this thing has
gotten so much bigger.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
It's amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
And then louder than Life's going to be none of them.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Life is even bigger. So between the two weekends, by
the way, they're expecting seventy thousand people a day this
next weekend. I know that Bourbon and Beyond is growing,
but it's been about sixty thousand people a day louder than.
I'm sorry at the Bourbon and Beyond the hotel room
nights that are being sold, the majority, I'm going to
say at least half are downtown. We already noticed an
(03:37):
uptick in just pedestrian activity, tourists walking around on Wednesday,
and there are some people that stay for both not
a ton. I mean, it is totally two distinct types
of music, but we benefit of having that street traffic,
that's foot traffic in downtown.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah. John Ramsey was here the other day talking about
the Bluegrass Festival New Loop. Yeah, and then how you
had transportation to go from that out to the expo.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It's kind of like Derby. If you're lucky enough, having
that transportation just makes your experience so much more seamless
and easier.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Yeah, and that's a nice bonding element too for downtown
Knulu in this case with the actual massive festival.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Yeah. Well, and it's you know, Derby's not in downtown either,
and downtown still benefits. I mean, it is very important.
I mean people come to Louisville to experience something, and
just like you go to any other city to experience
one thing, you're probably going to stay in downtown. So
for me, we just want downtown to keep stay on
the map, looking good, keeping up fresh.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Yeah. Well, in previous visits you've talked about companies that
are moving in. That's always good news. So that's the
whole idea, and more of these festivals, and the Young
Center is talking about what they're going to do for
the next fifteen years gen year anniversary.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Can you believe it's already been fifteen years.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
But the reimagining of the Young Center to be of
daily use some capacity would be brilliant. We talked about
this on the air earlier. Why not a bar in
a restaurant? I mean they do it for sure.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
They do it at the Baseball Bark, Yes, they do
well and there and the Young Center has a plaza
on front on Main Street that is underutilized, and it
should be something where we can connect and collect people
and have activations in something that would be a lot
of fun.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Should I go on on these meetings? Are you going
to do that?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I actually, uh, well, no, you should and I should too,
both of us. Okay, the more voices the better.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
I just gave you a good idea. And I've put
that restaurant and bar in there, tie it to the
Bourbon Trail and whatever.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
That's so easy. But you say that on the other
side of Main Street, and we've had like three openings
in the last I don't know, six months, that's true.
I mean we keep having uh well, Pursuit Spirits just
open their new Chickencow Whiskey I think soft opening today.
They're they're in newlu than the old Gurdy's space. Uh
Provo Spirits, I think they're on Liberty and Green River.
(05:59):
Green River is also down on West main Street. Yeah,
and so I think that anybody could take advantage of
there's just never enough. Do you want to be able
to walk one to one to one.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
That's the whole idea. When a group comes, they fly
in from California, they could fly in from somewhere because
they want to do the Bourbon Trail, which some make
as many stops as we can keep lighting them up.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
But they're all different. It's unique and we're on the
map for that reason. And because we're in downtown and
you can walk, it's so easy. It's just a nice
You can fit in a strip to the Slugger Museum
in between our Kentucky Science and er Frasier in between,
if you know, break when you need to hydrate in
between all the bourbon tasting exactly right.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
And in Bourbon, I thought you had beer on your
mind too, was that?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yes, I do have one thing I need to switch
to beer. As I've said before, I'm a beer drinker.
I do. I do love beer. We are having our
Signs on Main third annual Steins on Main event at
the repurpose site on Main Street. It is Downtown's October Fest.
That is October eighteenth. You should be there seven pm.
There will be all sorts of contests, best dressed, steinhoisting contests.
(07:05):
You got to be strong, you get to hold up
a full stein for about I don't know five minutes.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
You said the repurpose space. Is that sixth Street?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Is that it's on Main six fifteen West Main Street
to be exact?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
All right, I was on the right block. I've walked
by there many times.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Is there are so games food? Yes, we'll have sixteen
local brewers participating. I'm really excited about it.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
All right, October eighteenth, we'll make it our October first
here locally. Yes, Rebecca, A pleasure to see you.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Good to see you. Hey, if you want to go
see Mauana, it's showing at Downtown drive in this Friday.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Oh, forgot about that? Another one of those downtown movies.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
What time are we doing that? Right at sunset set?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
So I don't know, eight ish sunsetting earlier.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, I noticed look it up and I noticed that
the other day.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I know it's that.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
It's Thursday night, Friday.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Night, Friday night at Waterfront Park.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
All right, you bring the popcorn.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
I'll probably be be there. I'll be there all right, thanks,
Rebecca fly Shaker waiting in downtown Louisville right there. Back
in a minute on news radio WAD forty w h
s
She's back the Queen of Louisville, executive director of Louyville
Downtown Partnership. Her name's Rebecca Flyishaker. Good to see you again.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Good to see you.
Speaker 1 (00:07):
You always get a new title when you show up here,
don't you.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
I can't wait.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
Oh, I forgot to get you a bottle of water.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
I'm good unless it's.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
Oh, there is one there.
Speaker 2 (00:16):
Your listeners want to know.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
I was rude. I like to treat my guests well.
But my other guests that were in here a little
while ago, I was a little disappointed that didn't crack
open a bottle of bourbon, because one of them was
Chris Morris.
Speaker 2 (00:27):
I know, I saw him on the way out. I
love coming in here. I always follow whoever you had
before me.
Speaker 1 (00:32):
Yeah, well he's he's got such a great history with
bourbon here. He was telling the story on the air
of starting when he was still a senior in high school,
starting at Brown.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
Foreman is a chemist.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
No, he's a kid, he's a high school. Yeah he's
down there empty in trucks or yeah. Sure that ultimately
becomes a master to Stiller. I mean, that's pretty nice.
Climb up the left. That's the story of America it is.
You just never know what will happen. Yeah, but Bourbon,
obviously we celebrate that that massive festival last week. It's
(01:06):
bigger than ever.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
People are still recovering.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
Bourbon and beyond.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
And it's perfect because it's National Bourbon Heritage months.
Speaker 1 (01:12):
Oh I didn't know that.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
Yes, declared by the US Senate. I don't know ten years,
fifteen years ago.
Speaker 1 (01:17):
Oh, Chris is getting a He's going into the Hall
of Fame tomorrow. That's one of the reasons he was here.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
I heard. That's amazing. Yeah, it's important. That's that's just
going to be recognized for these things that make us important,
to make us land on the map.
Speaker 1 (01:30):
That's another thing we need to talk about is getting
the Bourbon Hall of Fame in this city. Because I'm
trying to he said, there's some movement going on now,
they're trying to put all that together.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
I would say more, but I'm afraid to do it right.
Speaker 1 (01:44):
What about what about my backyard? Is that a spot
that we may pick? Probably not. Okay, that's all I'm
throwing out there.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
It doesn't come with Bourbon terry.
Speaker 1 (01:52):
Oh it doesn't. It would just be fun to have
come on in we got the Hall of Fame.
Speaker 2 (01:57):
But Bourbon and beyond. Did you go out?
Speaker 1 (02:00):
Did you go not? This year I did not make,
and I've made many other years.
Speaker 2 (02:03):
It was pretty it's pretty cool. It's very impressive. I'm
sure you'll hear all sorts of good and bad comments
about change. You know, people hate change, But how many
people are there having a great time. The grounds are
much bigger, so they sold more tickets and people just
hav't just you know, being dancing to music and being
togather in community.
Speaker 1 (02:24):
Nothing but positive about the new arrangements.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
Parking was a little bit of a pain for some people.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
But yeah, but the whole thing is about the equality
of the product, and people said it sounded great in
its new position.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
It did, and apparently people in the nearby neighborhoods weren't
overpowered by the noise, and the two sets of stages
didn't conflict so that in previous years they were too
close together and they could conflict, and you just didn't
hear any of the other sound when you were in
either stage.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
I did like that year that Sting left his stage
and went over and hit Bob Dylan upside the head
with his guitar because he was making too much noise.
I thought, this is awesome. It's like Monday night wrestling raw.
But now they've got it all work could take on
each other. There's a lot. I mean, this thing has
gotten so much bigger.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
It's amazing.
Speaker 1 (03:12):
And then louder than Life's going to be none of them.
Speaker 2 (03:14):
Life is even bigger. So between the two weekends, by
the way, they're expecting seventy thousand people a day this
next weekend. I know that Bourbon and Beyond is growing,
but it's been about sixty thousand people a day louder than.
I'm sorry at the Bourbon and Beyond the hotel room
nights that are being sold, the majority, I'm going to
say at least half are downtown. We already noticed an
(03:37):
uptick in just pedestrian activity, tourists walking around on Wednesday,
and there are some people that stay for both not
a ton. I mean, it is totally two distinct types
of music, but we benefit of having that street traffic,
that's foot traffic in downtown.
Speaker 1 (03:53):
Yeah. John Ramsey was here the other day talking about
the Bluegrass Festival New Loop. Yeah, and then how you
had transportation to go from that out to the expo.
Speaker 2 (04:02):
It's kind of like Derby. If you're lucky enough, having
that transportation just makes your experience so much more seamless
and easier.
Speaker 1 (04:11):
Yeah, and that's a nice bonding element too for downtown
Knulu in this case with the actual massive festival.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Yeah. Well, and it's you know, Derby's not in downtown either,
and downtown still benefits. I mean, it is very important.
I mean people come to Louisville to experience something, and
just like you go to any other city to experience
one thing, you're probably going to stay in downtown. So
for me, we just want downtown to keep stay on
the map, looking good, keeping up fresh.
Speaker 1 (04:39):
Yeah. Well, in previous visits you've talked about companies that
are moving in. That's always good news. So that's the
whole idea, and more of these festivals, and the Young
Center is talking about what they're going to do for
the next fifteen years gen year anniversary.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Can you believe it's already been fifteen years.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
But the reimagining of the Young Center to be of
daily use some capacity would be brilliant. We talked about
this on the air earlier. Why not a bar in
a restaurant? I mean they do it for sure.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
They do it at the Baseball Bark, Yes, they do
well and there and the Young Center has a plaza
on front on Main Street that is underutilized, and it
should be something where we can connect and collect people
and have activations in something that would be a lot
of fun.
Speaker 1 (05:23):
Should I go on on these meetings? Are you going
to do that?
Speaker 2 (05:26):
I actually, uh, well, no, you should and I should too,
both of us. Okay, the more voices the better.
Speaker 1 (05:31):
I just gave you a good idea. And I've put
that restaurant and bar in there, tie it to the
Bourbon Trail and whatever.
Speaker 2 (05:37):
That's so easy. But you say that on the other
side of Main Street, and we've had like three openings
in the last I don't know, six months, that's true.
I mean we keep having uh well, Pursuit Spirits just
open their new Chickencow Whiskey I think soft opening today.
They're they're in newlu than the old Gurdy's space. Uh
Provo Spirits, I think they're on Liberty and Green River.
(05:59):
Green River is also down on West main Street. Yeah,
and so I think that anybody could take advantage of
there's just never enough. Do you want to be able
to walk one to one to one.
Speaker 1 (06:09):
That's the whole idea. When a group comes, they fly
in from California, they could fly in from somewhere because
they want to do the Bourbon Trail, which some make
as many stops as we can keep lighting them up.
Speaker 2 (06:18):
But they're all different. It's unique and we're on the
map for that reason. And because we're in downtown and
you can walk, it's so easy. It's just a nice
You can fit in a strip to the Slugger Museum
in between our Kentucky Science and er Frasier in between,
if you know, break when you need to hydrate in
between all the bourbon tasting exactly right.
Speaker 1 (06:38):
And in Bourbon, I thought you had beer on your
mind too, was that?
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Yes, I do have one thing I need to switch
to beer. As I've said before, I'm a beer drinker.
I do. I do love beer. We are having our
Signs on Main third annual Steins on Main event at
the repurpose site on Main Street. It is Downtown's October Fest.
That is October eighteenth. You should be there seven pm.
There will be all sorts of contests, best dressed, steinhoisting contests.
(07:05):
You got to be strong, you get to hold up
a full stein for about I don't know five minutes.
Speaker 1 (07:10):
You said the repurpose space. Is that sixth Street?
Speaker 2 (07:13):
Is that it's on Main six fifteen West Main Street
to be exact?
Speaker 1 (07:18):
All right, I was on the right block. I've walked
by there many times.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
Is there are so games food? Yes, we'll have sixteen
local brewers participating. I'm really excited about it.
Speaker 1 (07:31):
All right, October eighteenth, we'll make it our October first
here locally. Yes, Rebecca, A pleasure to see you.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
Good to see you. Hey, if you want to go
see Mauana, it's showing at Downtown drive in this Friday.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
Oh, forgot about that? Another one of those downtown movies.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
Yep, yep.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
What time are we doing that? Right at sunset set?
Speaker 2 (07:47):
So I don't know, eight ish sunsetting earlier.
Speaker 1 (07:51):
Yeah, I noticed look it up and I noticed that
the other day.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
I know it's that.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
It's Thursday night, Friday.
Speaker 2 (07:55):
Night, Friday night at Waterfront Park.
Speaker 1 (07:57):
All right, you bring the popcorn.
Speaker 2 (07:58):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (07:59):
I'll probably be be there. I'll be there all right, thanks,
Rebecca fly Shaker waiting in downtown Louisville right there. Back
in a minute on news radio WAD forty w h
s
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