Learn the History of Old Louisville Brewery’s Building Dec. 12
There’s an homage to the old grocery store on the OLB facade. Photo by Kevin Gibson
Well, Christmas approaches, followed by the turn of a new year, and my final book event of 2021 to talk about and sign This Used to be Louisville happens on Sunday, Dec. 12, 3 p.m., at Old Louisville Brewery.
One reason it will be held there is because I love beer. But the main reason is that it’s a place that is an entry in the book, and has a cool history of serving the neighborhood — much like it does now. The two-story building once operated as a grocery store, and when OLB co-owner Wade Mattingly was gutting the structure to convert it to his brewery, I got to take a look around with him as he worked. One thing that always fascinated me was that he found an invoice hidden in a wall that was related to the store.
Different, yet … not so different. Photo left courtesy of University of Louisville Photographic Archives; right by Kevin Gibson
Using a classic photo thanks to the University of Louisville Photographic Archives, I did a side-by-side to give you an idea of changes from then to now. Mattingly kept much of the interior structure, moving the arch from the back to behind the current bar. You can also see that the side door from the store remains in place.
Anyway, below is a teaser paragraph excerpt from the new book, as well as a few more photos, some taken by me, and some courtesy of U of L. Hope to see you Sunday!
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A few years ago as local construction professional and aspiring brewery owner Wade Mattingly was gutting a building he’d acquired in Old Louisville, he ran across an old invoice for a grocery store. On the invoice, the name merely said, “Nufer,” and the grocer on that day in May sometime in the 1940s (the exact date was left blank) had purchased seafood products from Fulton Fish Market on West Jefferson Street. On that day, the grocery, which was known as A. H. Nufer & Son Market, purchased eleven “froz filets,” ten “headless perch,” and a few other items. …
