What’s Next for Lex?

Like many cities in the southeast, Lexington, Kentucky, has a seen a rebirth over the last decade. Withering metro areas following the economic collapse, these spots have become culinary, artistic and musical capitals of their respective states.

And following in the cosmopolitan revival footsteps of places like Asheville, Greenville and Chattanooga, Lexington (pop: 325,000) is reinventing itself, where it’s not just a “one-horse town” anymore, despite its long and storied equestrian history. 

Pivot Brewing 

Though Lexington is known as the Bourbon Capital of the World, a new corner of the Kentucky beverage market is quickly emerging—hard cider.

“We’ve kind of reviving this lost art. Cider was one of the original beverages of America. It’s American as apple pie, as they say,” said Bevan Morgan, director of sales and marketing at Pivot Brewing. “It’s taken about 200 years for cider to come back as an idea.” 

Entering its second year of operation, Pivot is the first official cidery of its kind in the state. With flavors titled “Strawberry Magic,” “Grand Mimosa,” “Santa Rosa Plum” and “Smokey the Pear,” Pivot is rapidly overtaking taprooms and store shelves around Lexington. 

“Because we’re the ‘Bourbon Capital of the World,’ I feel like you already standout doing craft beer, and being a cider brewery, we stand out even more,” Morgan said. “I think people who enjoy craft beer are always looking for something else, and this is something else. We’re that next thing that people want to learn and explore. And with so many people being gluten-free these days, cider is naturally gluten-free, so it’s a great alternative to cocktails and wine.” 

An avid rock climber, Morgan fell in love with Lexington on a chance visit that included a venture into the nearby Red River Gorge. With outdoor recreation opportunities galore just beyond the city limits, Morgan knew Lexington was where she wanted to put roots down.

“There’s a lot of pride in this town,” Morgan said. “We’re close to this gorgeous outdoor oasis, everyone is so welcoming, with this small-town vibe for a well-known city, but with so much culture and history—there’s always something happening here.” 

The Local Taco

With a hungry line constantly streaming off its front porch and snaking down the hustle and bustle of South Limestone, The Local Taco is a culinary haven for downtown Lexington. 

“We stay true to what we believe in; do what we think is the right thing,” said owner Kevin Lewis. “Most of our ingredients are grown here from local farmers. It’s about doing local food, made from scratch, in-house, every day.”

The independently run restaurant attracts a mix of college students, local residents and curious tourists. Folks pack into the establishment in search of quality Tex-Mex dishes, where tacos reign supreme, with flavors ranging from tequila lime to Korean barbecue, southern fried chicken and smoked brisket.

“In a taco, you can eat everything in one bite—sweet, salty, smooth, crunchy, and so on. You hit all those senses,” Lewis said. “We’re consistent, and that’s the main thing. You go somewhere because they have something you like, and we try to offer a lot of options and to have that same quality every single time.”

Lewis sees the changing demographics of the city, where graduates of the University of Kentucky and Transylvania University are staying and reviving downtown. 

“It’s about embracing the community, giving back profits to the community, buying local food, selling to the local community, employing the community. My employees live here, and they’re the next generation of Lexington.” Lewis said. “The culinary scene in the city is growing. I don’t look at anybody as competition. Do the best that you can do, try to make people happy and put forth great service—there’s room for everybody here.” 

Bluegrass Distillers 

Tucked behind the popular West 6th Brewing, Bluegrass Distillers has made a prominent name for itself over the past five years as a brand of bourbon that encompasses the class and style of Lexington.

“We wanted a business that people really liked, something we could make by hand, be proud of, and that was very Kentucky,” said co-owner Sam Rock. “Every bourbon is different, and people either like your bourbon or they don’t. With our blue corn style of bourbon, it’s more expensive to make. It’s unique, and what matters is that we’re authentic and we make it all ourselves in this one room.”

And the company also represents the millennial swagger that’s quickly repopulating the city. 

“The explosion of younger people interested in bourbon is just amazing,” Rock said. “And nobody is coming in here and taking this bottle out and drinking it all that day. They’re coming here to truly enjoy the craft of what we’re doing. We’re not in the booze business—we’re in the entertainment business.”

Aside from his distillery, Rock is also a lawyer and real estate agent who is seeing the rapid change in Lexington.

“It used to be a one-horse town, where the one horse was the thoroughbred industry. So, it didn’t really have anything for me back then. But, it’s now a big tourist town,” Rock said. “Lexington is changing neighborhoods” that saw the transformation from “30-percent vacant houses into boutique single-family homes. And there are just entrepreneurs everywhere. I attribute a lot of it to the economic crash. People stopped wanting cookie-cutter jobs and products. People lost their jobs and now use their hands and put something together, something of value, working with what they have and molding it into a product that’s appealing.”

Grayson Jenkins 

It’s late Saturday night. And in the depths of The Burl, local singer-songwriter Grayson Jenkins stands in front of a microphone. A raucous crowd fills the train depot-turned-music venue in anticipation of the popular Americana artist. In a state where Louisville has reigned supreme as the music mecca, Lexington is making a strong case for itself.

“Lexington’s music scene is in the midst of a big resurgence at the moment. The current scene is allowing bands and artists from all of those scenes, and others, to thrive at the same time,” Jenkins said. “It’s been a night-and-day difference from when I started playing at bars here five years ago to where we are now. Venues are able to host shows seven nights a week and draw crowds. That didn’t happen a few years ago.” 

Talented musicians are not only flocking to the Lexington’s numerous venues, but relocating to it, too.

“The city’s location, size, and cost of living have a lot to do with the growth of our music scene and my appreciation for it. We’re within five or six hours of several large music markets—Cincinnati, Louisville, Nashville, Chicago, Knoxville, Atlanta, Asheville. The cost of living is much less expensive than most of those cities, and musicians can play music full-time here because of that,” Jenkins said. “Our city is large enough to support a scene, but not too overwhelming for people moving in from small towns. Lexington is the closest city for a lot of rural Kentuckians. Many of the fans and patrons that promote our scene don’t live in the city—they’re coming in from eastern and central Kentucky.” 

Following his performance Jenkins packs up his gear outside. He pauses several times to shake hands with friends and fans exiting The Burl. It’s all one stop in a night of undiscovered adventures in Lexington. 

“Lexington has always been a haven for the arts, referred to as the ‘Athens of the West’ in the 1800s because of the support for arts and culture,” Jenkins said. “We have two great universities located near downtown. Like me, many graduates from those schools decide to stay in Lexington after they graduate. You have all of the convenience of a large city, but you can be in the middle of the woods or a horse farm within about 15 minutes of downtown—what more could you want?”