Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor

Stephon Lewis
  • 5.0 (4)
  • Places & Travel

Kentucky's Wandering Realtor is your guide to the neighborhoods that make the Bluegrass State feel like home. Hosted by a Louisville native with a passion for real estate and storytelling, this podcast explores the people, businesses, and history that give Kentucky communities their unique charm. From bustling local hotspots to hidden gems, each episode dives into the stories of neighbors, entrepreneurs, and traditions that make every corner special. Whether you're a local, newcomer, or just curious, join us as we wander through the places and faces that make Kentucky unforgettable.

  1. 1d ago

    More Than the Bottle with James Penny | Family, Ambition & Legacy

    More Than the Bottle: James Penny, Co-Founder of 2 Cents Inc. (The IX Bourbon and Audacitea), opens up about family, ambition, and legacy, and about building opportunities for Black spirits producers in Louisville, Kentucky. What does it mean to build something bigger than yourself? In this episode of Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor, we sit down with James Penny, Co-Founder and Vice President of the Louisville-based spirits company behind The IX Bourbon and the award-winning Audacitea, to explore the man behind the business. From growing up watching Star Trek in the 1980s to the lasting influence of his grandmother, James reflects on the people and ideas that shaped his view of leadership and what’s possible. We also talk about his partnership with his wife, Brittany Penny, CEO of 2 Cents Inc., and what it means to support a strong woman leader while navigating marriage, fatherhood, and entrepreneurship. James’s vision reaches well beyond his own success. He wants to see Black spirits producers compete on a global stage, and he’s committed to STEM education, empowering women leaders, and creating opportunities through culinary arts. For him, it’s about investing in the next generation. In this episode: The childhood influences that shaped James PennyHow Star Trek sparked his imaginationHis grandmother’s lasting impactMarriage, leadership, and building alongside Brittany PennyThe realities of entrepreneurship beyond the awardsCreating global opportunities for Black spirits producersInvesting in STEM education, women leaders, and culinary artsLouisville culture and the next generationFatherhood, ambition, and leaving a legacySometimes the most important part of someone’s story isn’t what they’ve accomplished. It’s who they’ve become along the way. Subscribe to Kentucky’s Wandering Realtor for conversations that go beyond the titles and businesses to the people behind the stories. Follow along on Instagram:@kentuckys_wandering_realtor@arc_ember_media #JamesPenny #MoreThanTheBottle #KentuckysWanderingRealtor #TheIXBourbon #LouisvilleKentucky #BlackEntrepreneurs #BourbonIndustry #Entrepreneurship #Leadership

    More Than the Bottle with James Penny | Family, Ambition & Legacy

  2. Oct 12

    From Law To Louisville with Nicole Fitzpatrick

    Nicole Fitzpatrick of Louisville Tourism went from planning a career in law to shaping how the world sees Louisville. How did that happen? In this episode of Kentucky's Wandering Realtor, Nicole Fitzpatrick shares how she ended up at Louisville Tourism, what nearly two decades of representing the city have taught her, and how the "Louisville experience" has changed over time. We talk about: The Louisville stories that still need to be told louderWhy communities should be genuinely valued, not included just for appearancesThe growth of bourbon tourism and hospitalityThe people behind the experiences visitors rememberWhat motivates Nicole, who made her feel seen, and the legacy she hopes her work leavesThis is also the first podcast ever recorded inside Louisville Tourism's brand-new content room. This is more than a conversation about tourism. It's about an unexpected career path, a changing city, and the woman who has spent years helping tell Louisville's story. Listen on your favorite platformApple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kentuckys-wandering-realtor/id1787075470Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0wk1w0xMdHl0oKIvC4sYFE Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping Louisville and Kentucky. #NicoleFitzpatrick #LouisvilleTourism #LouisvilleKY #KentuckysWanderingRealtor #LouisvillePodcast #KentuckyPodcast #BourbonTourism #Hospitality

    From Law To Louisville with Nicole Fitzpatrick

  3. Oct 5

    Built His Own Way with Troy King

    Troy King went from police officer to hot dog cart owner to challenging Louisville Metro in court over food truck regulations, then to working alongside the city to help other Louisville food truck operators. On this episode of Kentucky's Wandering Realtor, the founder of Velvet Couch Hospitality Group and leader of the Louisville Food Truck Association shares how betting on himself, and knowing when to pivot, shaped his career. Troy has been a police officer, a food truck builder, and a restaurateur. His career has never followed a straight line. In this conversation, Troy talks about: The early experiences that shaped his work ethicHow his wife Selena helped turn ideas into sustainable businessesWhy food trucks open doors for people without a traditional path into entrepreneurshipChallenging Louisville Metro over food truck regulations, and how that fight became a partnership with local governmentWhy he closed Six Forks Burger Company even after building a loyal followingHow fatherhood changed his definition of successWhat he has learned from business ideas that had to evolveWhy creating opportunities for the next entrepreneur is central to his workThis conversation is about much more than food. It's about independence, family, risk, adaptation, access, and building something that can outlive you. Before he leaves, Troy becomes the first guest to "Pass the Key," shining a light on another Louisville or Kentucky story that deserves more attention. Subscribe to Kentucky's Wandering Realtor for more conversations with the people, businesses, and stories that make Kentucky worth wandering. Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0wk1w0xMdHl0oKIvC4sYFEListen on Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/kentuckys-wandering-realtor/id1787075470 #TroyKing #KentuckysWanderingRealtor #LouisvilleFoodTrucks #LouisvilleKY #Entrepreneurship #VelvetCouchHospitality #KentuckyBusiness #SmallBusiness #FoodTruckBusiness

    Built His Own Way with Troy King

  4. Sep 28

    More Than Good Taste with Peggy Noe Stevens

    Peggy Noe Stevens: The First Female Master Bourbon Taster on Belonging, Reinvention, and Legacy | Kentucky's Wandering Realtor Peggy Noe Stevens is known around the world for bourbon, hospitality, etiquette, and shaping how people experience Kentucky, but this conversation goes far beyond the résumé. In this episode of Kentucky's Wandering Realtor, Peggy opens up about who she was before the titles: learning under Lincoln Henderson, becoming the first female Master Bourbon Taster, and helping shape the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. We talk about the rooms where she didn't always feel like she belonged, what it meant to bet on herself at 40, the advice that carried her through hard seasons, and what she understands about herself now that took years to learn. And of course, there's fun along the way, bourbon culture, hospitality, etiquette, Louisville, and a rapid-fire round that brings out a different side of Peggy. This isn't just a conversation about bourbon. It's a conversation about presence, confidence, belonging, hospitality, reinvention, and legacy. More Than Good Taste with Peggy Noe Stevens Subscribe for more conversations with the people shaping Kentucky's culture, food, business, bourbon, and communities. #PeggyNoeStevens #KentuckyBourbonTrail #KentuckysWanderingRealtor #LouisvilleKY #BourbonPodcast #ArcAndEmber

    More Than Good Taste with Peggy Noe Stevens

  5. Sep 21

    Behind Louisville's Tables with Tom Enyeart & Kimberlie Thompson

    Behind Louisville's Tables | The People Powering the Taste of Louisville Taste of Louisville 2026: the people behind Louisville's restaurant community, on and off camera. What does it take to keep this scene thriving? Tom Enyeart of Gordon Food Service and Kimberlie Thompson of US Foods represent competing companies, but they come to the same table as co-chairs of the 52nd annual Taste of Louisville. We filmed this conversation inside the empty Mellwood Art Center, the same space that comes alive on October 14 with more than 40 chefs, 20-plus beverage purveyors, signature tastings, drinks, live music, and people from across Louisville. Tom and Kimberlie share their personal journeys, what diners never see behind the restaurant industry, and what has kept this Louisville food tradition going for more than five decades. We also explore how the event supports Feed Louisville and the Chase Gavin Coat-a-Kid initiative. This conversation is about more than one night of food. It's about service, sacrifice, community, and the people behind Louisville's tables. THE TASTE OF LOUISVILLEWednesday, October 14 | 6–9 p.m.Mellwood Art Center1860 Mellwood Avenue, Louisville, KY21+ event Tickets and more information: https://www.thetasteoflouisville.com/ Subscribe to Kentucky's Wandering Realtor for more conversations highlighting the people, businesses, and stories that make Kentucky worth wandering. New episodes feature Louisville food, bourbon, business, and nonprofit leaders every week. Also available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts. #KentuckysWanderingRealtor #TasteOfLouisville #LouisvilleFood #LouisvilleKY #FeedLouisville #LouisvilleRestaurants #SupportLocal #LouisvilleEvents #KentuckyFood

    Behind Louisville's Tables with Tom Enyeart & Kimberlie Thompson

  6. Sep 14

    More Than Pizza with Birch Bragg

    A Kentucky farm kid, a portable pizza oven, and a mission to fix food access in Louisville, this is the story behind Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub. Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub is more than a place to grab a wood-fired pizza. It's a business built around a much larger mission: supporting Kentucky farmers and bringing fresh, nutrient-rich food into communities where access has historically been limited. In this episode, Stephon sits down with Locals co-owner Birch Bragg to trace the personal journey behind that mission, from growing up on a small farm in Metcalfe County, to working in Hawaii and Lake Tahoe, to hauling a portable pizza oven around with his wife Michelle, to living alone in a camper while helping build West Sixth Farm. Birch opens up about the sacrifices his family made, the difference between following a calling and chasing ambition. He also digs into the hard math of paying farmers fairly while keeping quality food affordable, entering Smoketown with humility, and earning the trust of the community Locals was built to serve. This conversation goes beyond entrepreneurship. It's about food access, family, purpose, community, and what it actually costs to build something you believe needs to exist. We also put Birch's strongest Kentucky opinions on trial, from seasonal eating to pizza's place in the farm-to-table conversation to building the most Kentucky pizza imaginable. Support Locals Food Hub & Pizza Pub:Frankfort — 863 Wilkinson Boulevard, Frankfort, KY 40601Louisville — 822 E. Broadway, Louisville, KY 40204 Watch the full conversation, subscribe to Kentucky's Wandering Realtor, and share this episode with someone who believes local businesses can create meaningful change. #KentuckysWanderingRealtor #LocalsFoodHub #BirchBragg #LouisvilleKY #KentuckyFarmers #FoodAccess #SmoketownLouisville #FarmToTable

    More Than Pizza with Birch Bragg

  7. Sep 7

    Raised Hand, Raised Voice with Hannah Drake

    Hannah Drake on Finding Her Voice, Louisville, and The (Un)Known Project | Raised Hand, Raised Voice Before Hannah Drake became a nationally recognized poet, author, and voice for the unheard, she was a little girl in a fifth-grade classroom with her hand raised, waiting to be chosen. In this episode of Kentucky's Wandering Realtor, Hannah opens up about how that moment shaped her voice, why seeing Maya Angelou helped her recognize her own worth, and what Louisville pulled out of the young woman who arrived here from Colorado. We go beneath the public accomplishments to talk about the weight of being "the strong one," the influence of her mother, what uncovering forgotten names through The (Un)Known Project changed inside her, and why she stays invested in a city that has both embraced and hurt her. There's also plenty of laughter as Hannah defends her love for Hot Browns, Louisville tap water, pizza, and cooking, and reveals the person her family and closest friends get to see when the microphone is off. This isn't just a conversation about Hannah Drake's work. It's the story of a little girl who fought to have her voice heard, and the woman who now uses that voice to make sure others are never forgotten. Special thanks to Our Place at Ben Washer Park for welcoming us into their space for this conversation and providing a great lunch afterward. Subscribe for more real conversations with the people shaping Louisville and Kentucky. #HannahDrake #KentuckysWanderingRealtor #RaisedHandRaisedVoice #LouisvilleStories #TheUnknownProject #LouisvilleKY #LouisvillePodcast #KentuckyStories #BlackVoicesLouisville

    Raised Hand, Raised Voice with Hannah Drake

  8. Aug 31

    She Moves Different with Nachand Trabue

    Nachand Trabue doesn't just talk about resilience, she lives it. In this episode of Kentucky's Wandering Realtor, she opens up about growing up in Smoketown, building multiple businesses, and advocating for Black entrepreneurs in Louisville. "I didn't stop moving. I just started moving different." This conversation goes far beyond entrepreneurship. Nachand reflects on loss, leadership, community, and purpose, including how the memory of her son Makel continues to shape the work she does today. We talk about Louisville's relationship with Black entrepreneurship, the real difference between access and investment, and what it means to have a seat at the table and use it. This is a conversation about what happens when life changes the plan, but not the purpose. She Moves Different with Nachand Trabue If you enjoy conversations that go beyond the résumé and get into the person behind the work, subscribe and follow Kentucky's Wandering Realtor for more stories from across Louisville and Kentucky. #NachandTrabue #KentuckysWanderingRealtor #LouisvilleKY #BlackEntrepreneurship #Smoketown #LouisvillePodcast #Resilience #Leadership

    She Moves Different with Nachand Trabue
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
4 Ratings

About

Kentucky's Wandering Realtor is your guide to the neighborhoods that make the Bluegrass State feel like home. Hosted by a Louisville native with a passion for real estate and storytelling, this podcast explores the people, businesses, and history that give Kentucky communities their unique charm. From bustling local hotspots to hidden gems, each episode dives into the stories of neighbors, entrepreneurs, and traditions that make every corner special. Whether you're a local, newcomer, or just curious, join us as we wander through the places and faces that make Kentucky unforgettable.

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