Butchertown is getting a gastropub. The Blind Pig will open for business in late January or early February as renovations finish up on its new space on the corner of Buchanan and Washington Streets. Joe Frase’s concept calls for a traditional English pub with much better food than you would associate with pub fare. Frase assures us it won’t be too upscale to be comfortable.
Gastropubs have been catching on around the country for their traditional pub feel with restaurant quality food. Frase believes that with all the new construction in Butchertown and on nearby East Market Street, the time was right to open his business. He noted the Butchertown Pointe, among other developments, is only a block away and filling with many creative professionals.
The building that will house The Blind Pig is being renovated by Andy Blieden who has created the Butchertown Market in an old factory also a block away. Blieden says calling the Buchanan and Washington Street building in need of repair “could be the understatement of 2009.”
Previously a crumbling apartment house with a wooden front facade (see photo after the click), Blieden has installed a new charcoal colored brick facade and retail storefront. Exterior renovations have finished up (anyone want to send in a photo of the finished facade?) but work continues on the interior.
Blieden says there’s currently no place to grab a nice dinner in Butchertown and believes The Blind Pig will fill the void. There are no plans currently for the second floor, but Blieden says they could become future office space for the restaurant or even apartments some day. Metro Louisville awarded Frase a $60,000 METCO Small Business Loan to help with the project.
This is most excellent news.
AWESOME, looking forward to some good pub fare!
Guess even the Swift apologists must have caught a whiff of what's been making money that "other" meatpacking district. http://www.thespottedpig.com/
That is good news. My first thought was that maybe creating a German-styled pub would help tie into the history of the neighborhood, something like Hofbrauhaus in Newport (http://www.hofbrauhausnewport.com) on a smaller scale, but that probably doesn't align with the idea of a gastropub so much.
Im so happy for you guys you know im there. cant wait.
A New and Tasty Adventure for the mouth I’m sure!!
Joe makes any Restaurant ROCK!! And now this New One will
be his most Creative Dream come True!!
He will put Kentucky on The Map and The World will be
begging to get in there and Eat!!
This is down the street from us…so I’m thrilled1 Also, Jason Cohen (who did all the wood work for Basa and 732 Social) is involed, I think, so it will be beautiful. Hopefully, the smell won’t keep people away. Maybe B-town and NuLu will become that walkable neighborhood after all…with or without Swift moving…not closing, just moving…which I think every resident wants.
I know that this will be one of the premire places to eat in Louisville. In an down turn economy this will be a huge success. Best of luck guys!
Speak and I shall do it for you!!! I am just amazingly elated for you guys and I will do all I can to help it be a success!!!