Bourbon's biggest buyer | 15 restaurants open late | 5 kitchen renovation tips

Dahlia Ghabour, Louisville Courier Journal
·2 min read

Hello and welcome back to foodie Friday! You know that 24-hour doughnut shop in Jeffersonville, Indiana? Jeff's Donuts is opening two more Louisville locations. Seems to be doing pretty well.

Lots of bourbon news for you this week, which counts as food, right?

Kroger bourbon buyer (and aficionado) Chris Blandford at the Kroger liquor store in Prospect. From the big names like Makers Mark to more boutique brands, curating a diverse selection of Kentucky bourbon (and those from, gasp, Indiana or Illinois) is one of Blandford's goals.
Kroger bourbon buyer (and aficionado) Chris Blandford at the Kroger liquor store in Prospect. From the big names like Makers Mark to more boutique brands, curating a diverse selection of Kentucky bourbon (and those from, gasp, Indiana or Illinois) is one of Blandford's goals.

 Bourbon's biggest buyer — Kroger buys more bourbon than anyone else in Kentucky, and more often than not it's bought by one dude: Kroger adult beverage field specialist Chris Blandford. He and his team are responsible for stocking all 53 Kroger Wine & Spirits locations in Kentucky, and he's the guy who makes sure the right liquor is at the right stores for the right prices.

About that Pappy raffle — Chris Blandford is also the guy who started the famous holiday season Pappy Van Winkle lottery. It didn't used to be this way. But he believes bourbon should go to everybody in a fair way. Here's five things you didn't know about how he pulls it off.

5 spirits to drink instead of bourbon — When it's hot the last thing you want is a Kentucky hug. But there's tons of Kentucky vodka, rum, brandy and moonshine to refresh your home bar during the summer heat. Here's five non-bourbon drink ideas.

15 restaurants open late — If you're out late at an event, chances are it's been a minute since you've eaten. Unfortunately, most Louisville restaurants close by 10 p.m. But not these. Here's a bunch of places with kitchens open late to swing by on your next night out.

5 tips to renovate your kitchen — Kitchen remodels are famously expensive, but they don't have to be. There are minor kitchen refreshes you can do without picking up a single hammer or power tool. Here's five ideas that don't break the bank, from peel-and-stick wallpaper to painting a ceiling for a room lift.

Ashley's Potato Skins at Blind Squirrel restaurant in Louisville.
Ashley's Potato Skins at Blind Squirrel restaurant in Louisville.

Check out this bar's outdoor patio and game set up — Blind Squirrel is a bar, music venue and sports destination. It wasn't originally planned to be a restaurant, but it's seeing lots of success with a menu that includes half-pound burgers, a mountain of nachos and popular buffalo chicken dip. Take a look.

Thanks for reading, and stay safe! And don't forget to share this newsletter with a friend!

Dahlia Ghabour

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Bourbon's biggest buyer | 15 restaurants open late | Kitchen reno tips