A South Louisville barbecue restaurant will open a second location in the Butchertown neighborhood later this year.<\p> Chan Nelson, the owner of Back Deck BBQ, opened his flagship barbecue restaurant at 801 W. Kenwood Dr. in 2021. He plans to open the Back Deck Bar & Lounge at 1601 Story Ave., next to Sergio's World Beers, by early November. <\p>

Shepherd Insurance will soon have a new Louisville office.<\p> The Carmel, Indiana-based firm is moving its local operations to the third floor of 9600 Brownsboro Road after renovations to the space are complete, Kentucky Region Chief Operating Officer Trent Hunt told Business First. <\p>

A Louisville-based pizza chain is anticipating a November opening of its second Southern Indiana location. <\p> Derby City Pizza Co. is opening a new store at 2976 E. 10th St. in Jeffersonville. <\p>

A spate of retail bankruptcies has opened up vacancy in shopping centers and malls across America.<\p> In some markets and centers, a retailer's store closures have been backfilled quickly and at a higher lease rate than what the previous occupant was paying. But in other places, a less positive story may be playing out, as the type of store that's closing — and its location — can make it difficult for some retail landlords to re-fill vacated spaces.<\p>

A well-known local TV news anchor says he’s signing off at the end of the month.<\p> WDRB in the Morning co-host Sterling Riggs announced on social media Wednesday morning he plans to leave the business to spend more time with family.<\p>

When it comes to growing a successful general contracting firm, Whittenberg Construction President Andy Mays likens it to the old Tortoise and the Hare fable — slow and steady wins the race.<\p> That's how Mays says he prefers to build the Louisville-based firm, which is celebrating its 100th birthday this month (more on that at the end of this article).<\p>

Matt Yates has no shortage of connections, and he's putting that network to use.<\p> Yates, president of Cordia Property Solutions, is well-known for hosting an “Economic Development Happy Hour” that serves as a networking event for professionals in the construction, real estate, health care and government sectors. <\p>

A record number of passengers took off from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport this summer, shattering the previous record set just one year ago.<\p> SDF logged 892,000 individual departures from late-May through late-July, a six percent increase from that same period in 2023, an airport spokesperson said in a statement. And 2023 was the airport’s busiest year in history. <\p>

When it comes to news about the bourbon industry, this region can never get its fill — especially during September, National Bourbon Month. <\p> That’s why we’ve come out with a new release, if you will, of our Bourbonomics event, which we've held several times over the years, but not for a few turns of the calendar.<\p>

A South End property is transitioning from chicken to engines.<\p> The Neil Huffman Auto Group has purchased the former Hooters restaurant at 4948 Dixie Highway, at the intersection of Upper Hunters Trace, according to a news release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. <\p>

A famed New Albany doughnut shop will remain in business while it waits for the highest bidder. <\p> Honey Créme Donut Shop and its mixers, fryers, display cases — even its name — are up for auction and will transfer with the sale. <\p>

You never know what you’ll find at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival — well, besides lots of distilleries and producers handing out samples of their products and selling bottles, that is. <\p> The layout of the festival, though, is always undergoing changes, which KBF President/COO Randy Prasse told me is a point of pride for his team. <\p>

Don't expect to move into any of the large remaining portions of the River Ridge Commerce Center without setting an appropriate wage. <\p> Voting unanimously Monday at its monthly meeting, the River Ridge Development Authority approved a resolution prohibiting the sale of available land to companies where wages are not greater than the current Clark County average wage. <\p>

A former Louisville health care executive has taken on a political role.<\p> Brian Caudill has been named treasurer for Unite Kentucky, a Louisville-based super PAC that promotes straight-ticket Democratic voting. <\p>

A new apartment complex near Louisville's most famous golf course tops the most recent Project Watch update.<\p> Project Watch is an online mapping tool Louisville Business First launched several years ago. The map tracks commercial real estate projects in the Louisville area of $3 million or more that have been proposed or are under construction.<\p>

Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg named Paul Humphrey Louisville Metro Police Department's permanent chief at a press conference Monday morning. <\p> Humphrey’s bump to permanent status comes three months after he was appointed to the role in an interim capacity following the suspension, and later resignation, of former chief Jacquelyn Gwinn-Villaroel.<\p>

A local visual communications, marketing technology and printing company is adding new faces and new facilities. <\p> Vivid Impact Co. LLC is a Louisville-based firm that designs and produces displays for clients for use in retail environments, convenience stores and doctors' offices. Think drink displays for liquor stores and product signs inside and outside of gas stations advertising slushies and cigarettes (some of its largest clients are Circle K and Thornton's). <\p>

USA Cares Inc., a Louisville-based national nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting military and veteran families in need, announced CEO Trace Chesser will retire at the end of this year.<\p> Under Chesser's leadership of about five years, USA Cares has increased total revenue from $1.7 million in 2020 to $2.9 million in 2023. Chesser also has grown the number of veterans and military families served from 605 in 2020 to 924 in 2023, an increase of more than 50%. <\p>

An unintended effect of the National Association of Realtor's settlement over real estate commissions may include higher home prices.<\p> Advocates of the settlement who spoke to The Business Journals argued that agreements made by trade groups, and incoming changes to purchasing, will lower home prices by lowering commissions. But a study by researchers at Stanford, Columbia and Northwestern universities found the opposite could end up being true. <\p>

Editor’s Note: Welcome to The Playbook Edition, a look at stories, trends and changes that could affect your business. Want more stories like this in your inbox? Sign up for The Playbook newsletter. <\p> The pandemic brought about widespread remote work, but those days are nearing an end as employers push for more in-office work. <\p>