"We were above Ernesto's in a space we didn't even have a ribbon cutting for because we just kind of were making it work," Tiera Barr said on September 24, standing in front of her new storefront at 113 E. Main Street. Her salon is now Lily on Main, and this time there was a ribbon to cut.
That story matches the rest of Oldham County's summer. Between May and late September, six small businesses opened around La Grange and Buckner. Each one was started by a named owner or a family, and each is open now. The two projects that come up most in conversation are a national coffee chain on Highway 53 and a grocery-anchored retail center in Buckner. As of the most recent reporting, neither had a firm opening date. You can already visit everything that's new this fall, and none of it is a chain.
Main Street Gained a Storefront and a Place to Stay
Lily on Main is a full-service salon, spa and boutique. It offers haircuts, color, waxing, facials, professional makeup and wedding services, along with gifts and retail items. Magistrate Kevin Jeffries and La Grange Tourism Assistant Rhonda Richins presented proclamations to Barr on behalf of Oldham County Fiscal Court and the City of La Grange. Barr and her mother, Pamela Turner, also own Lily & Leaf Bridal Boutique on East Washington Street. That gives the same family two businesses in downtown La Grange.
A month earlier, on August 13, the Alley Loop gained a short-term rental. Sugarbeet's Suites sits at 100 East Poplar Alley and is owned by Brad and Pam Leveritt. It's offered for vacations and special celebrations. The ribbon cutting brought out both city and county leaders. La Grange Main Street Executive Director Sarah Garrett read a proclamation on behalf of Mayor Joe Davenport, and Oldham County Judge Executive David Voegele presented one of his own. If you need somewhere to stay for the holidays, there's now a place right in La Grange Main Street's Alley Loop.
Cherrywood Place Got a Dessert Counter
On Tuesday, September 1, the Oldham Chamber and Economic Development cut the ribbon at Rosita Fresita Postres, 1000 Cherrywood Place, Suite 400. Owners Gregorio Hernandez and Rossy Rexes serve freshly made crepes, ice cream and other sweets. It was the only new food business the Oldham Era reported in September, so if you want something new to try after dinner this fall, this is it.
One Address on W. Griffith Lane, Two Kinds of Keepsake
Two of the summer's ribbon cuttings were at the same address, 1060 D W. Griffith Lane.
Glass River Artworks went first, on July 1. It's a women-owned studio that specializes in commemorative glass. The studio also deep-etches and hand-paints wood, marble and glass, and personalized bourbon bottles are among its popular pieces. In a county this close to bourbon country, an engraved bottle is an easy gift for a retirement, a wedding party or a housewarming.
Pet Passages Dignified Pet Cremations followed on July 16. Owners Scott and Katie Lathrop cut the ribbon. Scott served in the U.S. Marine Corps before a career in business leadership. He then returned to Kentucky and made Oldham County home. The facility offers private, semi-private and communal cremation, memorial products, private family farewells and bereavement support. It tracks each pet with a stainless-steel identification system and returns remains within three business days. The business can be reached at 502-793-5154.
Scott Lathrop has said that after losing his own pets, he knew saying goodbye at the veterinary clinic could be handled better, and that's the experience Pet Passages was built to change.
Buckner's Newest Shop Started Across the Street
The earliest of the summer's openings is in Buckner, and it came out of a neighborly connection. Kim Hunter opened Bag of Bones in May at 4726 Highway 146, Unit 10. The store sells natural pet food and supplies for dogs and cats, all sourced in the U.S. When Hunter first moved back to the area, she worked at Uptown Country, a home decor and furniture boutique across the road. Owner Angelica Coker knew Hunter wanted to run a store again. When construction started on the building across the street, Coker walked her outside and told her, "there's your future."
Hunter isn't new to the business. She ran a Bag of Bones store in Reno, Nevada, for 12 years before relocating to be near her sister. She says her best-selling item is goat's milk. Shelves also carry raw, freeze-dried and high-protein foods at a range of price points, and some candles, beds, feeders and seasonal bandannas are made locally. Plan your visit around her schedule, because the store is closed Sundays and Mondays.
The Summer's Openings at a Glance
| Business | Address | What it is | Ribbon cutting or opening |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bag of Bones | 4726 Highway 146, Unit 10, Buckner | Natural pet food and supplies | Opened in May |
| Glass River Artworks | 1060 D W. Griffith Lane, La Grange | Commemorative and etched glass studio | July 1 |
| Pet Passages | 1060 D W. Griffith Lane, La Grange | Pet cremation and memorial services | July 16 |
| Sugarbeet's Suites | 100 East Poplar Alley, La Grange | Short-term rental in the Alley Loop | August 13 |
| Rosita Fresita Postres | 1000 Cherrywood Place, Suite 400, La Grange | Crepes, ice cream and desserts | September 1 |
| Lily on Main | 113 E. Main Street, La Grange | Salon, spa and gift boutique | September 24 |
All six are owner-run, and the Oldham Era covered every one of them by name this summer. The two larger projects are on much longer timelines.
The Two Projects Still Waiting on Dates
7 Brew Drive Thru Coffee, Highway 53 next to Walgreens. The building went up fast. It's a modular structure from Creative Modular Construction of Springfield, Missouri, delivered pre-inspected in four pieces. Dave Miller, the project superintendent for 7 Brew's Kentucky stores, told the Oldham Era on August 31 that it should open in six to eight weeks. That would put the opening around mid-to-late October. Free-drink days and a friends-and-family period are planned before the full launch. Miller said the store expects to hire about 50 people, mostly part-time. USA TODAY's list of October openings, published September 29, still showed La Grange as "opening date TBD." The same list gave the Shelbyville stand at 500 Hill-N-Dale Drive an opening date of October 5. Neighbors in Shelby County will likely be in that drive-thru line before La Grange's opens.
Buckner Commons, KY 393 at Commerce Parkway. On June 23, the Oldham County Planning Commission approved a retail development of more than 30 acres. Plans include a 101,504-square-foot home-improvement store, a 55,453-square-foot grocery with an attached liquor store and six commercial outparcels. In July, the developers told WLKY they hoped to begin construction at the end of 2026. The Courier Journal's October 2 update reported a 10-1 vote for developer Prime Property Development Co. It also said neither anchor tenant has been publicly named and that both are aiming for a first-quarter 2028 opening. The site is directly across Commerce Parkway from the Kroger at 2835 S. Highway 393. That store opened in late 2023 and shares its lot with a fuel center, a bank, a Starbucks and a McDonald's. The outparcels add up to about nine acres, so more small businesses could eventually join the big stores there. Even so, the grocery and the hardware store are more than a year away, and nobody has publicly said which companies they are.
A Fall Saturday Using Only What's Open Now
You don't need either pending project to plan a new kind of Saturday this season. Here's one route that uses only this summer's openings:
- Start in Buckner at Bag of Bones for dog food or a seasonal bandanna, then cross the road to Uptown Country, where the store's story began.
- Drive into La Grange and order a commemorative piece or an engraved bourbon bottle at Glass River Artworks on W. Griffith Lane. That gives you a head start on holiday gifts.
- Book a cut or color at Lily on Main, then browse its gift shelves on E. Main Street.
- Finish at Rosita Fresita Postres on Cherrywood Place with a crepe.
Before you go, check hours with each business directly. Bag of Bones is the only one on this list whose weekly closed days have been published.
At Dee Amber Anderson, we keep a close eye on what opens and what's coming along Highway 53 and KY 393, because those changes shape daily life for the families we work with. If you've started to wonder what Buckner Commons or a busier Main Street could mean for your home's value, we'd be glad to talk it over with you. Request a Complimentary Home Valuation and we'll give you an honest, neighborly read on your home and your part of the county.
