Photo by Theresa Stanley
Jim Akers, chief operations officer of Bluegrass Stockyards, said the opportunity to expand the facility's retail, technological and educational offerings was one that couldn't be passed up.
In a few hours on the afternoon of January 30, 2016, one of the largest fires in Lexington’s history consumed the Bluegrass Stockyards facility, which had stood for more than a half-century near downtown Lexington.
The nearly five-acre barn on Lisle Industrial Drive was a total loss, but it didn’t take long for Stockyards’ owners to seize on the opportunities that emerged from their company’s misfortune.
Eighteen months later, Stockyards officials opened a new, state-of-the-art facility on Iron Works Pike in late September, designed not only to serve their cattle-sale clientele, but also to welcome and educate the larger community on the state’s vital and vibrant beef industry.
The new 192,000-square-foot barn is made to move thousands of cattle smoothly and efficiently through the sale process, with ease for farmers and minimal stress on the animals. In addition, an adjacent building offers 40,000 square feet of office, retail and event space, aimed at welcoming not only cattle buyers and sellers but anyone else in the community who would like a window into how local beef progresses from pasture to plate.
“It was an opportunity we couldn’t pass up,” said Jim Akers, chief operations officer of Bluegrass Stockyards. “We’ve gotten so many generations away from the farm, that people don’t understand where their food is coming from and what it takes to get it to them.”
“We’ve gotten so many generations away from the farm, that people don’t understand where their food is coming from and what it takes to get it to them.” —Jim Akers, Bluegrass Stockyards COO
Akers credits the vision for the new facility to Gene Barber, a second-generation owner of the Stockyards, along with his brother, Larry Barber. Additional partners include Eric Barber, Scott Bucher, Austin Paul, David Holt, Jim Dause, Brian Horn and Johnny Lakes.
Gene Barber had lobbied for more than two decades for cutting-edge improvements targeted at the needs of the Stockyards’ cattle industry customers, Akers said, and the development of a one-stop shop where farmers and the community could come together grew from there.
A modern marketplace
The Stockyards’ Regional Marketplace harkens back to the market days of old, when farmers in town on business would browse and shop with their families. The open, modern interior incorporates ag-inspired art pieces, weathered wood accents and flooring made with bricks salvaged from the former facility.
Businesses housed at the marketplace include those targeted for cattle farmers, with goods and services ranging from agri-marketing to animal pharmaceuticals, as well as retail shops that appeal to a larger audience, such as local meat market The Chop Shop and apparel retailer RT Outfitters. A pop-up market provides booth space for additional vendors as well.
Photo by Theresa Stanley
Photo by Theresa Stanley
Photo by Theresa Stanley
Photo by Theresa Stanley
Photo by Theresa Stanley
Doug Watkins moved his business, Breeders Farrier Supply, from its former location on Versailles Road to one of the larger retail storefronts at the new Stockyards. Roughly 85 percent of his business comes from the local Thoroughbred horse industry, Watkins said. Cattle don’t need horseshoes, but when Stockyards officials approached him with the opportunity to lease space at the new facility, Watkins was among the first to sign up. The location near I-75 has made it an easy drive for his rural customers, even those coming from Winchester and Nicholasville, he said.
“It’s a lot more convenient,” he said. “It’s just a much nicer shop — open, airy and new — and there’s no downtown traffic to get here.”
Well-connected
Many technology upgrades have been incorporated into the new facility to improve efficiencies, Akers said. Improved animal-tracking technologies, for example, help to streamline the data-collection process, avoid redundancy and reduce costly errors.
The improved technology also affords new opportunities for farmers, who sold more than 150,000 animals through the Lexington market (including both on-site and online sales) in 2015 alone. Kentucky ranks fifth nationally in the total number of farms and is the largest cattle-producing state east of the Mississippi River, according to the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association.
Photo by Theresa Stanley
The chutes are empty following another successful sale.
Those figures stand to increase as, in the past year, Chinese officials have announced plans to lift a 13-year ban on U.S. beef imports, a move that will give Kentucky beef producers access to China’s estimated 1.4 billion consumers. The Bluegrass Stockyards is currently working to get the necessary approvals and verification systems in place to enable Kentucky farmers to capitalize on the opportunity, Akers said, and the facility’s more advanced systems have made it easier.
“A lot of our technology is behind the scenes,” Akers said. “[Our customers] may never see it or know about it, but it’s creating value that puts money in the farmers’ pockets.”
From the cattleman’s perspective, the facility is made to feel very familiar, said Lauralee Estill, Bluegrass Stockyards event coordinator. The new sales arena shares the same basic blueprint as the former facility but with improved acoustics, theater-style seating and wheelchair-accessible observation decks. The new barn has also incorporated sustainability features, such as a rainwater harvesting system that collects run-off from the roof and funnels it back into drinking water for the cattle.
Rolling out the welcome mat
But smoother, more efficient cattle auctions are only part of the story. With ample parking and convenient interstate access, the location has evolved into the perfect venue for inviting the public and showcasing a historically insular and often misunderstood industry.
“One of the frustrations we deal with as an industry is that we don’t do a good job of telling our story,” Akers said. “This was an opportunity — at least in our small piece of the world — to make a difference there.”
That welcoming effort begins with the onsite restaurant. Operated by DaRae & Friends Catering, Hayden’s Stockyard Eatery offers fast-casual, sit-down service from 7:30 a.m. through the lunch hour, with popular lunch entrees including hamburgers and shrimp and grits. Glass bell jars on the counter display tempting desserts like old-fashioned jam cake, sold by the slice. Options for additional dinner hours are currently being explored, Estill said.
Photo by Theresa Stanley
Fresh-baked cakes and pies are a favorite at Hayden's Stockyard Eatery, which is open to the public.
The restaurant offers an appealing dining option not only for cattle folks but also visitors to the nearby Kentucky Horse Park, Estill added. The restaurant also caters on-site events and private functions. The space has already been booked for engagements held by Commerce Lexington, the Kentucky Farm Bureau and multiple local law offices, Estill said.
The new Bluegrass Stockyards is equipped to accommodate groups of up to 400. The marketplace’s expansive grand hall can seat up to 150 people for dinner. The sales arena is available for theater-style demonstrations, and classroom/conference space throughout the building can be used for private meetings.
“It’s a neat alternative space, and it’s been very well received,” Akers said.
Learning opportunities
For those looking to learn more during their visit, the Kentucky Cattlemen’s Foundation recently opened its new beef education center, The Y.A.R.D.S., in space donated by the Stockyards. The name is an acronym for the center’s ample list of educational priorities: youth, agricultural advocacy, research, demonstration and scientific learning.
Funded by additional partners, including Farm Credit Mid-America and Tarter Farm and Ranch Equipment, the Y.A.R.D.S. educates students from kindergarten through college on all aspects of the business, while also serving as a convenient location for industry seminars, workshops and events.
“It has the opportunity to utilize every facet of the beef industry, all under one roof,” said Katelyn Hawkins, director of product marketing for the Kentucky Beef Council.
Photo by Theresa Stanley
Niki Ellis, the Kentucky Beef Council's director of education, debuts the new Y.A.R.D.S beef education center.
A large window in the back of the classroom provides a bird’s-eye view of the movement of cattle through the adjacent holding pens. Instructive display boards lining the walls are made to move, too, so they can be used in traveling exhibits. A museum showcasing Kentucky’s rich agricultural history is also in the works.
“No one’s ever done anything like this before,” said Niki Ellis, the Kentucky Beef Council’s director of education. “There’s nothing else like this in the world, that connects to the actual industry like this, with so many pieces and parts. It’s really exciting.”