New restaurants and businesses opening in downtown Louisville, despite others leaving

Despite Humana and Fifth Third Bank deciding to downsize from their downtown Louisville office towers, many small businesses and restaurants are opening up shop. Rebecca Fleischaker, the executive director of the Louisville Downtown Partnership, said around a dozen businesses and restaurants have opened across downtown since the start of 2024, and there's more coming."We've had double or triple that announced that they're looking at downtown and getting ready to announce that they are moving downtown," Fleischaker said. "So we know there's confidence in downtown. We know there is excitement, belief and faith in a strong downtown and we will get there."Fleischaker said there are plenty of reasons to open a business in downtown, including incentives, low lease rates, and a high volume of tourists. "The city does have a $3 million revitalization fund for companies that are new to downtown. No matter if they are from out of the state or even within Louisville, but new to downtown who want to have office space in downtown," Fleischaker said. "It's for furniture, for construction of walls, offices, conference space, whatever it is that that makes it work for you to be able to be located in a downtown office tower."Fleischaker said the Louisville Downtown Partnership also offers incentives for businesses that are already located downtown and want to renovate or expand."We want existing restaurants to know that they are just as important to the economic vitality and health of downtown. If you're growing, if you need to improve your space, if there's anything that you're wanting to do to make your space more palatable and welcoming to to people, that this is money is for you," Fleischaker said.Two new restaurants that are taking advantage of all downtown has to offer are I Love Tacos, located in the Omni's Falls City Market, and Bearno's on Market.Ernesto Rivera, the owner of I Love Tacos, said he has four locations across the city, but he's been especially excited for his downtown location to open. "I mean, it's only been nine days and we've seen a lot of good response from local people, including from out-of-towners," Rivera said. Rivera said tourism has been huge for his business. George Timmering, the owner of Bearno's downtown, said tourism is the reason he moved locations. Bearno's has been located on Main Street next to the Clark Memorial Bridge for years. But, in December, Timmering made the decision to relocate to the corner of 3rd and Market streets."We're across the street from the convention center, we're not too far away from Derby City Gaming. We've already seen it in the past couple of weeks, being closer to the Convention Center is having a major impact and positive impact on us," Timmering said.While both business owners said they're happy that tourism is booming in downtown Louisville, they'd like to see more locals make it back downtown."Crime is an issue throughout the whole city. I grew up in Hikes Point, I now live in the Highlands. I see a lot of stuff in those neighborhoods that I don't like it all, but I'm seeing the same thing downtown," Timmering said. "We got to work together to get it under control. Everybody's got to be on the same page. Everybody's got to be committed, and downtown, in my opinion, would be a great place to start.""I know I can see it that the new mayor and as well as all the new police officers, I mean, they're working really hard to keep us safe in downtown," Rivera said. "Is it safe? absolutely. I mean, we get a little, you know, issues. We can see that. But I would tell all the restaurant people to keep coming to downtown."The Louisville Downtown Partnership is working on safety, including expanding its ambassador team. Ambassadors walk the streets of downtown Louisville from 7 a.m. to midnight. They are trained in de-escalation, outreach resources and to overall dissuading negative behavior.