Support Us Button Widget
Business

4 small business hidden gems in LOU

It’s National Small Business Week, and Louisville is full of them, including a few you might not know.

May 1, 2024 • 
Declan Lowthian
downtown Louisville's whiskey row

Mochi Dog is just one of the many restaurants in the Louisville StrEatery

Photo via WHAS

Over the weekend, we asked you to share your favorite LOU small business on Instagram — and you had a lot to share.

We’ve rounded up a handful of hidden-gem businesses, each with fewer than 5,000 Instagram followers, so you can find your new favorite.

Food + drink

Louisville StrEatery, 304 W. Woodlawn Ave.
This collective kitchen hosts multiple local vendors + chefs, including Anko, Mochi Dog, and Str8 Drop Wings.

Ditto’s Grill, 1114 Bardstown Rd.
Founded in 1990 by two upscale chefs who met in Rhode Island, Ditto’s serves everything from Thai wings to the Kentucky pork burger.

Shop

Set & Setting, 1512 Portland Ave.
This “teeny-tiny bookstore” started as an online shop but now has a brick-and-mortar location with new + used books.

Chunk, 113 S. Charlton St.
Part working studio, part furniture showroom, Chunk is available for photoshoots + events in its curated, vintage space.

More from LOUtoday
Louisville, Kentucky in winter.
Live
Winter 2024-2025 weather forecast for Louisville
Prepare for winter weather in Derby City with these seasonal temperature and precipitation outlooks.
December 20, 2024
 · 
Staff
A church steeple rises above a quiet city street. The red brick church is lit with purple light, and features stained glass windows.
Culture
5 Bob Dylan connections to Louisville
With “A Complete Unknown” hitting theaters, we thought we’d round up Dylan’s connections to Derby City.
December 17, 2024
 · 
Jeff Milby
LOUtoday KyCAD admin
Culture
KyCAD becomes first independent art college to earn accreditation in decades
Kentucky College of Art & Design was awarded institutional accreditation through the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
December 16, 2024
 · 
Mitch Hooper
Hands are holding two books about wrestling.
Play
Books written by authors with ties to Derby City
From fiction to memoirs and everything in between.
December 16, 2024
 · 
Katie Molck
A 23-ft-long, 6-ft-wide rowboat displayed on a tilt inside a museum. The rowboat is white, blue, and red and has various sponsor logos as part of its design.
Culture
Unwrap these 4 gifts given to the city of Louisville
These city gifts are way better than a Jelly of the Month Club membership.
December 13, 2024
 · 
Katie Molck
A baseball stadium sits covered in snow, with a downtown skyline in the background.
City
The history of snow in Louisville
We’ve had our fair share of the white stuff over the years.
December 13, 2024
 · 
Staff
A black and white photo of a skyscraper in the 1920s.
City
Learn the history behind Louisville’s first skyscraper
The Columbia Building was an iconic Louisville feature for ~75 years.
December 11, 2024
 · 
Jeff Milby
The photo shows the exterior of a restaurant or establishment at night. It has large black-framed glass doors and windows. The name "Byrdie's" is visible on the window, along with the text "Joie de Vivre" and "Louisville, Kentucky." Inside, a warmly lit reception area features a person standing at a counter with plants and decorative items around. Two large potted plants are placed outside the entrance, adding to the welcoming aesthetic.
Food
French bistro Byrdie’s opens in NuLu
The restaurant comes from the acclaimed restaurateurs behind a Michelin star spot in Chicago.
December 11, 2024
 · 
Jeff Milby
a shot of downtown Louisville from the Ohio River
City
Vacant office buildings downtown are set to become housing units
A new initiative aims to renovate downtown Louisville buildings into residential, hospitality, and mixed-uses spaces.
December 10, 2024
 · 
Declan Lowthian
An artists rendering of a planned park shows park benches amid trees, with a public pavilion in the background.
City
See renderings of LOUMed Commons
A park is breaking out of the site of a decommissioned city jail.
December 9, 2024
 · 
Jeff Milby