The burgeoning central Lexington business district branded as Warehouse Block is home to about 60 businesses, many located in former warehouses that have been repurposed for offices, retail and service-based businesses. Located along National Avenue and its border streets, Walton and North Ashland avenues, the diverse business district offers everything from fabric and fashion to food and fitness, automotive repair to audio production.
The area will see some changes over the next several months with nearly a dozen businesses moving into and out of the district – here’s a rundown of some changes to expect.
OPENING SOON:
B Salon at Warehouse Block
250 Walton Ave.
The High Street hair salon B in Chevy Chase will soon become B Salon at Warehouse Block when owner Bob Sweeney takes over the Walton Avenue suite formerly occupied by House in June. Welcoming the L’Oréal Professionnel salon to the building will be neighboring businesses Breathe Pilates, Dapple, Personal Best, Rag Peddler and Video Pro.
Two new businesses are set to open this summer at 740 National Ave., a multi-tenant space that currently houses Kentucky Ballet Theatre, florist Rose & Thistle and an artist community called Latitude Arts.
The White Dress of Lexington
740 National Ave.
After three and a half years on Southview Drive, bridal boutique White Dress of Lexington will relocate to more industrial digs this June. After visiting one of their manufacturers in an industrial setting while at a wedding industry conference earlier this year, store owners Julia Reese and Beverly Coleman were inspired to bring an “industrial chic” approach to the Lexington’s bridal industry. The new space will blend rustic woods, metal piping and tall ceilings with various textures of fabrics that will soften the space; the new 3,000-square-foot warehouse space will also feature a stage for brides-to-be to try on dresses and for fashion shows.
Maple & Murphy
740 National Ave.
Inspired by the youthful energy and urban feel of the Warehouse Block, Hannah Maple and Jamie Murphy are eager to open the studio doors to their interior design and personal services business in June, when renovations to the 1,200-square-foot space are expected to be completed. The co-founders of Maple & Murphy plan to host the occasional cocktail reception at the studio.
Two businesses are occupying the building at the corner of North Ashland and National avenues formerly occupied by Post Time Studios, which left in 2016 for a Newtown Circle location, where it rebranded in 2017 as Wrigley Media Group.
Lex Fitness
332 N. Ashland Ave.
In early March, Jeff Brown relocated his business Lex Fitness to the space from Old Todd’s Road. The fitness business offers boot camp classes for small groups, private personal training, physical therapy and massage therapy.
Feather & Blade
332 N. Ashland Ave.
Also joining the former Post Time Studios location is Feather & Blade, a cosmetic tattoo boutique owned by Holly Meredith that’s moving from North Limestone to North Ashland Avenue. Expected to open in early May, the new space will feature larger stations to accommodate clients for lash extensions, microblading and bespoke brows, and a private room for areola restorative tattooing, a cosmetic process designed to follow mastectomy and other breast surgeries.
Leaving the warehouse block:
Albeit reluctantly, according to owner Jessica Jay Johnson, Sora Aerial Arts is leaving the area for a larger space. Johnson opened the business on National Avenue in 2014 as Bella Forza Fitness Lexington, changing the name to Sora Aerial Arts last summer. She will move her business to a historic church on the corner of Short and Deweese in June for a bigger space with taller ceilings, where her 30 instructors will continue to teach aerial yoga, pole fitness, dance and group fitness.
The popular full-service interior design company and retail showroom House moved to Walton Avenue in 2011, in the 21,000-square-foot shopping center that is home to six businesses. Having simply outgrown the space, co-owners J. Stuart Hurt, Dwayne Anderson and Jeremy Rice moved House to Industry Road in the former Casual Living and Patio spot in early April.
National Avenue music venue Cosmic Charlie's announced in March that it will be relocating from its National Avenue location to a new spot this summer, following a series of noise complaints from neighbors on adjacent residential streets. Click here for a more in-depth story about the move.