LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Business owners in downtown Louisville said they're seeing a shift in customers, some of which say their customers now include a heavy mix of locals and tourist.
With two businesses and LG&E moving out of their long-time locations, some are now wondering where to focus: on tourism or an attempt to bring back locals?
"I personally know several people who have moved on from several corporations like Kindred and Humana. They are now working from their offices at home," Jeff Kopple, co-owner of Sicilian Pizza & Pasta, said.
Kopple said after 15 years in business, he's starting to notice more tourists than locals walking through the door.
"It's definitely a mix," he said. "The locals and the business crowds and the foot traffic has definitely died down since COVID-19 and since all the corporations have started closing up shop in some of the tower buildings."
Just this week alone, Humana and Fifth Third Bank announced their employees were leaving their longtime downtown offices. This has given the area a heavy tourist destination feeling.
"There's reasons for folks to want to come and enjoy this community," Cleo Battle, president and CEO of Louisville Tourism, said. "This is their city, this is Louisvillian's city, but we get a lot of visitors."
That number of visitors is expected to skyrocket this year with several major events coming to Louisville.
Specifically the 150th Kentucky Derby and the PGA Championship, giving downtown businesses the perfect opportunity to show people why they should book a return visit.
"I know all of our locals have family and friends come and visit," Battle said. "I hope when friends and family come visit they bring them downtown to enjoy the distillery experience and come downtown to enjoy some of our great restaurants."
But even with a shift in focus to tourists, local business owners are still holding out hope that their local customer base will return to what it once was.
"Before everything started changing downtown, the lunch crowds were phenomenal," Kopple said. "You would have people out here on 4th Street, tables full outside, all the local restaurants here including Sicilian's, us, and Safier's would have lines coming out the door to the transition has now shifted our focus to deliveries and such to keep our business still up and running."
The president of Louisville Tourism also mentioned that the mayor has put together a committee of people to come up with a plan and future vision for downtown.
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