LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Toward the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, caterer LaToya Cook-Bradley "pivoted and pivoted fast" into a new model.
The Louisville chef transformed 400 square feet of her business's space at 3800 Shepherdsville Road in the city's Buechel neighborhood and opened Brew and Sip Coffee Bar.
Now two years into the pandemic, her business is expanding. Brew and Sip Coffee Bar opened its second location in late April at 505 W. Broadway, right next to The Courier Journal building and less than a block from the federal courthouse.
Originally, when showed the location in summer 2021 by her commercial Realtor, Cook-Bradley was not a fan: "I was like, 'nobody is downtown — that's not what we're going to do.' "
But the Realtor remained persistent, and a visit changed her mind.
"We actually looked at it on the inside, and I thought, 'Whoa, this is way different than I thought it was going to be,' " she said.
More: Human burial remains found at site of future Ford battery plant project in Kentucky
Cook-Bradley said a couple of things made her more optimistic about the vibrancy of downtown this spring. First, she had hope about the return of downtown office workers with Humana, downtown Louisville's largest employer, fully reopening its offices to employees in March.
Additionally, Cook-Bradley said she signed the lease the day The Courier Journal broke the news that LDG Development is building 186 apartment units, a clubhouse and green space on the 1.29-acre site on the former Brown Bros. Cadillac property on Broadway between Fourth and Fifth streets.
Brew and Sip Coffee Bar offers a variety of coffee options and flavors. The store also offers many food options, from bagels to yogurts to sandwiches.
And the menus between locations slightly differ. For example, two sandwiches exclusively offered at the downtown location include "The Culture" — a chicken sandwich with garlic aioli — and "Yard Work" — a vegetarian sandwich with zucchini, squash, avocado, swiss cheese, dijon mustard and vegan mayonnaise.
"You can get a little bit of everything," Cook-Bradley said. "We have plenty of sweets and combos downtown."
The downtown location is open Mondays through Fridays from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. The store currently has four employees and is looking to expand — Cook-Bradley will be hosting open interviews at the location Thursday. Those interested can send their resumes to bsquare3802@gmail.com or fill out applications in-house.