Bacon’s helped families get ready for school for over a century. | Photo courtesy of ASC, UofL
August is here, and it’s time for students to do their back-to-school shopping. If you grew up in the Louisville area, this time of year is familiar — but also different. You may have memories of doing your school shopping, but they likely include visits to these five former local department + mall anchor stores.
Ayr-Way
When the Bashford Manor Mall opened in 1973, it included this department store as one of its anchors. It sold general merchandise, including children’s clothing + school supplies, but it rebranded as a Target in 1981. That Target location lasted until the mall closed in 2003.
Bacon’s
This department store began as a smaller shop in Louisville in 1845, but it later expanded into a chain with multiple Louisville locations — including a flagship store on 4th + Market streets that opened in 1901. If you shopped at Bacon’s in the 1990s you may remember the “Midnight Madness” sales, but the chain was bought by Dillard’s in 1998.
Louisville Jazz Fest 2025 | 7 p.m. | Iroquois Amphitheater | $78+ | It’s night one of this annual concert, featuring Victor Wooten + the Wooten Brothers, Najee, and Brian Simpson.
Anchors Away Fridays: The Mary’s 1985 Birthday | 8 p.m. | Belle of Louisville | $19 | The Mary M. Miller riverboat is celebrating her 1985 launch date with this cruise on the Ohio that includes trivia + 1980s tunes.
Saturday, Aug. 2
Watermelon Festival | 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | East End Farmer’s Market | Free | Watermelon takes center stage at this market featuring local food, crafts, music, and activities.
Fox Fest 2025 | 1-11:30 p.m. | The Fox Den | $24 | Rap group Nappy Roots headlines this music-filled day with two stages, 11 performers, and plenty of food to dig into.
The Pat Benatar Experience | 7 p.m. | Zanzabar | $15 | Shadows of Passion hits Benatar’s tunes with their best shot at this tribute show featuring Electric Barbarella.
Lou City vs. North Carolina FC | 8 p.m. | Lynn Family Stadium | $19+ | It’s Salute to Heroes Night: Active military, veterans, and first responders will receive discounted tickets on a night featuring recognitions of those who commit their lives to our safety and freedoms.*
Sunday, Aug. 3
Artists with Ties to Louisville’s Black Avant-Garde | 2-3:30 p.m. | Speed Art Museum | Free | Celebrate the legacies of Old Walnut Street and the impact of Louisville’s Black artistic community from the 20th century.
Nathan King | 6:30-11:30 p.m. | Gerstle’s | $14 | See this country musician from West Virginia perform in an intimate speakeasy setting.
The US Army Corps of Engineers Louisville District signed a deal to lease 16 floors of downtown’s 23-story LG&E Center. The Army Corps are expected to bring 750 employees into the space, and while details aren’t finalized, the move is expected in 2026. (Louisville Business First)
Outdoors
The Louisville Zoo shared eggciting news — two Baer’s pochard ducklings hatched at the end of May. This species is typically native to East Asia and is considered rare and critically endangered. The ducklings can be seen at the Steller’s Sea Eagle aviary at Glacier Run.
Pets
Dog grooming company Sparkle Dog Care is hoping to give a new look to the grooming industry in Louisville + Indiana. The business announced plans to open 20 locations in the area over the next seven years. Its first Louisville store is expected to open in a year or two, but its location is not yet known. (Courier Journal)
Stat
2.2%. That’s the percentage of income Louisvillians should expect to spend on clothing, based on a study by WalletHub. This outfits Derby City at No. 17 on the site’s list of cities where people spend the most to get dressed (when comparing the 100 largest US cities).
History
Lelands Auctions has placed pieces of local history for sale at its 2025 Summer Classic Auction — including a 1985 Kentucky Derby Jockey Cup trophy won by Angel Cordero Jr. with a starting bid of $10,000. Other listings include historic Louisville Sluggers, and bidding is open through Saturday, Aug. 16. (WDRB)
Watch
"Hallelujah,” the Speed Art Museum will host four screenings of “It’s Never Over, Jeff Buckley” from Friday, Aug. 8 to Sunday, Aug. 10. Tickets are now available for the documentary about the singer who died suddenly in 1997, followed by newly remastered footage of a 1994 performance by Buckley.
Sports
The Miami Hurricanes + Clemson Tigers are making pre-season waves, what could this mean for the Cardinals? Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews, and more from local experts of the ACC with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Job
Are you the one we’re looking for? We’re on the hunt for a sales-driven leader to help us land significant brand partnerships at a national scale as a Sales Executive. From a competitive benefits package to 401k matching, we’re a pretty amazing company to work for. Join our team and apply today.
Edu
For those seeking out loan options for upcoming semester expenses, check out College Ave. They offer private education loans starting at 3.19% APR — plus a simple application process, flexible options, and highly-rated customer service.*
The Buy
There are just a few days left to shop Nordstrom’s Anniversary Sale. Don’t miss these five deals before they disappear on Monday, Aug. 4.
The fun doesn’t have to end here. After reading the newsletter, head over to our games page. Games refresh with new challenges every day at 6 a.m. from crossword puzzle to Sudoku to themed word search.
Phew, it seems we’ll get some relief from the heat this weekend. Temperatures are only forecast to hit the mid-80s through Sunday, so this might be an opportunity to get outside and do something — perhaps you could explore one of the city’s local parks.
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