On Wednesday, July 31, 2019 there will be a first of a kind (at least in a while) business networking meeting at the Builder's Exchange Building, 2300 Meadow Drive.
It is an opportunity for local business people to come together and network. If you have a local business, this is your opportunity to tell others about your business, identify local suppliers and maybe identify common concerns that can be opportunities for collaboration, and help build the economy of the Bon Air Neighborhood.
In a sense every location has an economy. It is always a matter as to what kind of economic productivity occurs in the location. The three factors of production are land, labor and capital. Capital tends to chase opportunity in a suitable location with qualified and affordable labor.
An economy has sectors that produce different goods and services. A healthier local economy is diversified with multiple sectors so that when there are downturns in one sector, the other sectors can keep the economy from crashing and to keep goods and services flowing to the end consumers. The healthy economy also has transactions with the larger, regional economy.
In terms of Bon Air's economy, it looked historically to be an entertainment destination. The first Putt Putt in Louisville was here. The Bashford Manor Mall in its heyday was quite attractive (I remember going there a few times in my graduate school days in the early 1990's). The Showcase Cinemas location was where I saw Forrest Gump. There were multiple restaurants that included Chi-Chi's, Austins, Kingfish, Mr Gattis. Little by little, the entertainment sector diminished with the shift of the population.
Eventually, the entertainment sector seemed to lead to the decline of the Bon Air Core. There was a diversity of businesses that filled the Bon Air Manor. Now, there is only half of what used to be there.
I have to cite the Late, Metro Council member Jim King in that the Toy Tiger was the beginning of the decline of the entertainment sector. He grew up in the neighborhood, and I still remember the conversation and his angry tone of voice when talking about the bar that took over the restaurant of the former Brown Suburban. I had only heard about this particular establishment in radio commercials from 1992-1994 when I was a busy graduate student with barely time to breathe, but it appeared to be the last of a breed of establishment that had well drinks and theme nights. The place was a Thorntons when I came back Louisville after six years gaining job experience.
To cut to the chase the economic destination is now a nostalgic memory. While the Costco and Chik-fil-A are far better than I imagined, it seems to me that the economic development up and down Bardstown Road appears to be heading in the way of more and more storage facilities (two are being built between Old Bardstown Road and Breckinridge Lane) following the reconfiguration of the Bardstown Centre Building and the creation of the 502 , and that is not exactly aesthetically pleasing.
As residents, we have some ability and power to shape Bon Air's Economy. There is potential for economic growth where people from outside the neighborhood can come and spend money on goods and services. Bon Air is geographically central in Jefferson County and we are right on three major traffic arteries by which commerce can travel. The economy of Bon Air has potential grow, and good growth is not going to happen by accident.
No economy grows by accident, and economy development does not happen by accident. I was quite impressed to learn that the Louisville Medical Center (Jewish Hospital, Norton Hospital, Norton Children's Hospital, Frazier Rehab, University Hospital) was an intentional effort led by K.P. Vinsel and the Louisville Area Development Association in the late 1940's. When I have told people that, I get "I did not know that." Well, Bon Air will not redevelop by accident and BANA hopes to lead the way.
Our arts development plan with the goals of a 1) a stage in Farnsley Park, 2) an art hall in the Bon Air Library, and 3) multiple public art installations is one way of developing the economy to draw in traffic. The art development plan aims to improve the aesthetic and link with the larger art community and art economy sector.
The other way to improve the economy is to strengthen the local business community and improve its cohesion as a political voice. The event on July 31 at the Builders Exchange is a great step towards that end. If you are local business person in the Bon Air Neighborhood, I hope you show up.
It is an opportunity for local business people to come together and network. If you have a local business, this is your opportunity to tell others about your business, identify local suppliers and maybe identify common concerns that can be opportunities for collaboration, and help build the economy of the Bon Air Neighborhood.
In a sense every location has an economy. It is always a matter as to what kind of economic productivity occurs in the location. The three factors of production are land, labor and capital. Capital tends to chase opportunity in a suitable location with qualified and affordable labor.
An economy has sectors that produce different goods and services. A healthier local economy is diversified with multiple sectors so that when there are downturns in one sector, the other sectors can keep the economy from crashing and to keep goods and services flowing to the end consumers. The healthy economy also has transactions with the larger, regional economy.
In terms of Bon Air's economy, it looked historically to be an entertainment destination. The first Putt Putt in Louisville was here. The Bashford Manor Mall in its heyday was quite attractive (I remember going there a few times in my graduate school days in the early 1990's). The Showcase Cinemas location was where I saw Forrest Gump. There were multiple restaurants that included Chi-Chi's, Austins, Kingfish, Mr Gattis. Little by little, the entertainment sector diminished with the shift of the population.
Eventually, the entertainment sector seemed to lead to the decline of the Bon Air Core. There was a diversity of businesses that filled the Bon Air Manor. Now, there is only half of what used to be there.
I have to cite the Late, Metro Council member Jim King in that the Toy Tiger was the beginning of the decline of the entertainment sector. He grew up in the neighborhood, and I still remember the conversation and his angry tone of voice when talking about the bar that took over the restaurant of the former Brown Suburban. I had only heard about this particular establishment in radio commercials from 1992-1994 when I was a busy graduate student with barely time to breathe, but it appeared to be the last of a breed of establishment that had well drinks and theme nights. The place was a Thorntons when I came back Louisville after six years gaining job experience.
To cut to the chase the economic destination is now a nostalgic memory. While the Costco and Chik-fil-A are far better than I imagined, it seems to me that the economic development up and down Bardstown Road appears to be heading in the way of more and more storage facilities (two are being built between Old Bardstown Road and Breckinridge Lane) following the reconfiguration of the Bardstown Centre Building and the creation of the 502 , and that is not exactly aesthetically pleasing.
As residents, we have some ability and power to shape Bon Air's Economy. There is potential for economic growth where people from outside the neighborhood can come and spend money on goods and services. Bon Air is geographically central in Jefferson County and we are right on three major traffic arteries by which commerce can travel. The economy of Bon Air has potential grow, and good growth is not going to happen by accident.
No economy grows by accident, and economy development does not happen by accident. I was quite impressed to learn that the Louisville Medical Center (Jewish Hospital, Norton Hospital, Norton Children's Hospital, Frazier Rehab, University Hospital) was an intentional effort led by K.P. Vinsel and the Louisville Area Development Association in the late 1940's. When I have told people that, I get "I did not know that." Well, Bon Air will not redevelop by accident and BANA hopes to lead the way.
Our arts development plan with the goals of a 1) a stage in Farnsley Park, 2) an art hall in the Bon Air Library, and 3) multiple public art installations is one way of developing the economy to draw in traffic. The art development plan aims to improve the aesthetic and link with the larger art community and art economy sector.
The other way to improve the economy is to strengthen the local business community and improve its cohesion as a political voice. The event on July 31 at the Builders Exchange is a great step towards that end. If you are local business person in the Bon Air Neighborhood, I hope you show up.
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