A number of Louisville-based businesses announced their decision to close in late 2024 and early 2025.
The Courier Journal reported on a number of these announcements as they came throughout the year, speaking to a number of business owners and residents in the process to learn more about how these closures will impact the community.
Here are some of the iconic companies that the city is leaving behind:
Brown-Forman Cooperage
Brown-Forman Cooperage, where the company made its bourbon barrels since 1945, closed its Louisville facility in April and later sold it for nearly $14 million in June, according to previous reporting by The Courier Journal.
The company announced the decision as part of a “series of strategic initiatives to position the company for continued growth” in a Jan. 14 release, and part of an overall workforce reduction of 12%. According to the release, Brown-Forman expects to save $70 million to $80 million in annual cost savings.
Brown-Forman is the company behind bourbon brands such as Jack Daniel’s, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester and el Jimador tequila. The company will now source barrels from an external supplier.
KFC’s U.S. headquarters
Kentucky Fried Chicken’s United States headquarters will be moving out of the commonwealth.
According to a Feb. 18 announcement, KFC U.S. would join the KFC and Pizza Hut global teams in Plano, Texas, while parent company Yum Brands and the KFC Foundation would remain in Louisville.
“I am disappointed to learn that Yum Brands will move its KFC employees to Texas — especially since the brand was born here and is synonymous with Kentucky,” Mayor Craig Greenberg said in a statement.
Greenberg said he was “heartened” that Yum would retain its corporate headquarters and 560 employees in Louisville, adding he would work with leadership to continue to grow the company’s local presence.
The company estimated the move would result in a loss of about 100 jobs in Louisville and force 90 employees to relocate. Throughout the process, estimated to take about 18 months, employees would receive relocation and transition support, according to the release.
“Ultimately, bringing more of our people together on a consistent basis will maximize our unrivaled culture and talent as a competitive advantage,” Yum Brands Chief Executive Officer David Gibbs said in the release. “I’m confident this is another important step in growing our iconic restaurant brands globally.”
Nearly New Shop
Mid City Mall, a shopping center in the Highlands, has spent one year on the market waiting for a new owner to purchase and re-imagine the property, according to previous reporting by The Courier Journal.
Nearly New Shop, a consignment store in the mall’s basement, officially closed in September after almost 40 years in the location. Run by the National Council of Jewish Women, Nearly New provided additional funding for the organization and a variety of gently-used clothes for the Louisville community.
The NCJW decided to close the shop due to an increasingly-competitive resale market as well as the uncertainty of Mid City Mall’s future. NCJW Louisville Executive Director Sarah Harlan told The Courier Journal the store had to close in order for the organization to continue serving the community.
In the store’s absence, a shop with a very similar name has opened up in the same location. Nearly New 2 U is an indoor vintage vendor mall with booths run by a variety of Louisville-based sellers.
Baxter Avenue Theatres
After nearly 30 years at the rear entrance of Mid City Mall, a spokesperson for Apex Entertainment, Baxter’s parent company, announced Dec. 31 would be the theater’s last day open.
“The future of Mid City Mall is uncertain. While Apex Entertainment would prefer to continue operations and serve its loyal patrons, that is not possible at the present time,” a spokesperson said in a Dec. 22 release. “We have not received any indication that the developers wish to incorporate Baxter Avenue Theatres into their plans. We disagree but respect their decision.”
Best known for showing foreign and independent films, the eight-screened theater has been a Highlands staple since it opened in 1996 on Bardstown Road. Baxter also hosted the red carpet premiere for the 2023 “White Men Can’t Jump” remake starring Jack Harlow, who grew up in the area.
Though the closure sparked public upset and a change.org petition signed by almost 6,000 people, owner Leslie Aberson previously told The Courier Journal he had no plans of relocating from Mid City Mall.
The “Little Kroger”
In June, Kroger announced the decision to close Louisville’s South Third Street store. South End residents have said a food desert has been created in its absence.
The store, known as the “little Kroger” by members of the community, was in a residential neighborhood and easy to access on foot, an important feature in an area with a number of older people without cars or the ability to drive, residents said. Though a different Kroger is less than a mile down the street, residents have said it is much harder to reach.
“It’s telling that the closing of little Kroger amplifies the increasing size of Louisville’s food desert while the East End enjoys a grocery on every corner,” Debra Harlan wrote in a letter to the editor July 9.
Executive Strike and Spare
For years, Executive Strike and Spare welcomed locals and visitors to the bowling alley space near the Kentucky Exposition Center at 911 Phillips Lane.
More notably, the alley hosted the annual Lebowski Fest, a festival honoring the 1998 cult bowling film “The Big Lebowski” since 2002. The festival, a pilgrimage of sorts for bowling fans, included a screening of the movie as well as a costume party. The last Lebowski Fest hosted at Executive Strike and Spare in Louisville was in 2019.
In October 2024, Executive Strike and Spare announced that the bowling alley would close after a decision from the Kentucky State Fair Board, according to a Facebook post. After officially closing January 2025, Strike and Spare JTown officially opened at 3500 South Hurstbourne Parkway.
“We can’t thank you guys enough for allowing us to be a place for you to create everlasting memories! We will miss seeing all of your faces here at Executive,” an owner said in a Jan. 13 post. “With that being said, we do hope that you all will join us over at Strike and Spare JTown to continue making memories there!”
Olivia Evans and Matthew Glowicki contributed to this report.
