By Marty Finley Reporter, Louisville Business First
A Colorado-based bar and entertainment company will stake its claim on Louisville’s Whiskey Row with a new venue offering a mix of entertainment and food and beverage options.
The Numbers Holding Co. LLC this week purchased The W.L. Weller building at 121 West Main St. in Downtown Louisville. The company said it will open the Number Fifteen concept inside the multi-story building, which is roughly 20,000 square feet. The concept is backed by both local and national investors.
The purchase price was $3.65 million, and the seller was RDKJ Properties LLC, said Spencer Fronk, CEO of The Numbers Holding Co. Scott Howe of Louisville’s Howe Real Estate was the broker on the deal.
The venue’s name is a nod to Kentucky’s spot as the 15th state to join the union and will celebrate both the state’s history and its future by combining offerings from Kentucky musicians, distillers, brewers, chefs and others.
“We’ve been looking for a place to call home in Kentucky for more than a year. Opening Number Fifteen on historic Whiskey Row allows us to pay homage to the founding fathers of Kentucky spirits, while also providing a space to uniquely showcase those following in their footsteps,” Fronk said. “From up-and-coming producers to centuries-old institutions, Number Fifteen will present multiple branded tasting rooms set beside an iconic two-story music venue. We look forward to working with beverage suppliers and chefs from across the state to curate an experience embodying Kentucky’s rich history, while complementing Louisville’s lively downtown.”
This is the second concept to come forth from The Numbers Holding Co. after it launched the $15 million Number Thirty Eight venue in Denver, Colorado’s River North Art District, which opened in October. Fronk said it made “too much sense” to establish this concept on Whiskey Row to celebrate Kentucky as the bourbon capital of the world. The venue is slated to open sometime in 2023, but construction costs have not been finalized, he said.
The company said it plans to open other similar locations across the country in markets such as Columbus, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia; Austin, Texas; and Portland, Oregon.
“The development team is currently looking for expansive and unique locations offering a combination of indoor and outdoor space,” the company said in a news release.
This deal comes after LBF reported in early 2020 that Sun Tan City Co-Founder and Planet Fitness franchisee Rick Kueber purchased the property and was considering the relocation of offices for Sun Tan City, the local Planet Fitness franchise and other brands into the building while also looking to attract restaurants.
Whiskey Row has taken off in the past few years with investments from a series of mostly local developers and investors. Major venues there now include Hotel Distil and Moxy Louisville Downtown, Old Forester Distilling Co., 111 Whiskey Row and Whiskey Row Lofts.