Old Forester’s Paristown Hall to open this summer as part of neighborhood revival

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Bill Darling has owned Brooke and Billy's restaurant on Vine Street in Paristown for the last twenty years.

He's watched the Paristown neighborhood evolve, and business has always fluctuated with the times.

“This place has been here since 1937,” Darling said.

Lunch slowed down after the Urban Government Center on Baxter Avenue closed, but dinner picked up when he said young families found interest in the homes around the neighborhood.

“It's a whole new neighborhood,” he said.

Now, Paristown is the middle of a change that’s bigger than any other in its long history.

The Café, which sat at the corner of Brent and Vine Streets for the last 12 years, will move into the Stoneware & Company building, which was built in the 1800s. The move will give The Café more seating.

Office and event space will also open inside the Stoneware & Company building, and the building where The Café is now will become another restaurant.

“They're going to be renovating this space after we move out,” said Sal Rubino, owner of The Café.

Old Forester’s Paristown Hall, which is part of the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts, will open next door this summer and will bring a completely new concept to Louisville.

“Louisville and this market doesn't have a 2,000 standing room venue,” said Kim Baker, president and CEO of The Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts. “This is the first of that size in this market.”

Musicians and performers come to Louisville for arena tours at the KFC Yum! Center and for small tours held at venues like Headliners Music Hall, but according to Baker, there isn’t a venue for shows in between those sizes.

The Old Forester's Paristown Hall will anchor this new Paristown Point on its quest to become an epicenter for entertainment. Developers say open container laws on the soon-to-be all brick street outside the venue will allow people to wander the block during outdoor parties and performances.

The Urban Government Center up the street on Baxter Avenue will also soon be developed.

Darling said the $30 million dollar development called Paristown Point will bring the once sleepy neighborhood to life.

“We have to seize the moment here,” Darling said.

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