Co-owners Avena Kiehly, Dani Dunmire and Erin Goins (l-r) opened the multi-tiered Warehouse Block concept Willow: A Blooming Collective earlier this year. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
Lexington is brimming with unique new spots to eat, drink and be merry, and in looking at a few of our favorites we noticed a common thread: all are owned by incredible Lexington women! As the days get longer and the weather pulls us out of hibernation, we thought it would be a great opportunity to highlight a handful of cool new female-owned businesses, each unique in their own way.
Book Club. Photo furnished
Book Club
1170 Manchester St. (located inside District 7 Social Bar)
Thurs.-Sun., 4 p.m.-close
Book Club, a cozy new speakeasy-style bar located inside the Distillery District’s District 7 Social Bar, is billing itself as Lexington’s first “women-focused speakeasy.”
Designer Rebecca Burnworth describes the space as “a feminine vibe wine bar,” and says the title is a nod to the joke about women who go to book clubs but are really just going for the wine.
With dark, moody lighting and elegant furnishings, the space offers a different food menu than D7, which boasts more of a casual, sporty ambiance. Burnworth said it was designed as a quiet place to escape the lively atmosphere of the other bar, which she also designed, and was built by her husband.
Book Club offers wines by the glass or bottle from a list curated by Burnworth as well as a menu of wine-based cocktails.
“The wines we carry are from small vineyards and small producers and are ‘lower intervention’ focused,” she said. “We try to seek out wines with innovative stories.”
Speaking of stories, it has unironically become a popular space for local book clubs. And don’t worry, no one will judge if you’re just there to drink the wine.
“We expect to have classes, book signings by local authors, and book readings; there are also some books for sale,” Burnworth said. The space can be rented as a private room; email info@district7social.com for details.
To find the room, folks can walk into District 7 and ask any bartender how to get to Book Club.
Poppy's Flower Bar. Photo furnished
Poppy's Flower Bar
210 Old Mount Tabor Road, Ste. A
Tues. & Thurs., 11 a.m.-8 p.m. • Wed., 11 a.m.-6 p.m. • Fri.-Sat., 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
The idea came naturally to owner Shelby Lang, a longtime Lexington resident and floral designer who spent years in the wedding industry with her planning company, White Cat Weddings & Events. After welcoming her daughter to the world, she found herself seeking a professional shift that would offer a better work/life balance, while still encompassing the beauty to which she had become accustomed in her career. Drawing on her love of dive bars and floral design, the idea of Poppy’s came into focus.
“I wanted to create something completely unique — a space where everyone feels safe, seen, and celebrated,” she says. Much of the space’s design elements came together organically, often based on the structural elements of the space she was moving into. The result is an eclectic yet welcoming atmosphere that provides a beloved and welcome patch in the tapestry of the surrounding the Landsowne-Merrick neighborhood.
Lexington Tea & Brie. Photo furnished
Lexington Tea & Brie
219 North Limestone
Wed.-Sun., 11 a.m.-3 p.m.
After over two decades in corporate America, Elizabeth King was ready for a change. A natural entrepreneur and seasoned traveler, she found inspiration in her countless visits to tea houses across the United States and Europe. One thing struck her: Lexington didn’t have anything quite like the traditional and charming tearooms she loved so much. Lexington Tea & Brie was born from that idea.
King officially retired in February 2024, and opened Lexington Tea & Brie that same month. “I specifically wanted to be downtown,” she says. “I wanted it to be in a historic building that would give the space the right ambiance.”
Lexington Tea & Brie offers a traditional tea service, served on elegant three-tiered trays filled with delicate finger sandwiches, house-made scones with clotted cream and lemon curd, and petite sweets on top. Their tea is sourced regionally from Elmwood Inn Fine Teas in Danville, with over 20 varieties in regular rotation, including black, green, white, and oolong teas, plus caffeine-free herbal blends.
The tearoom also hosts private events, from baby and bridal showers to graduations and birthday celebrations. Catering options are available, including sandwich platters, charcuterie boards, fruit and pastry trays, and full afternoon tea service.
Perfect for a cozy day-date or catching up with friends, Lexington Tea & Brie offers a warm, elegant and traditional escape from the contemporary hustle.
Penny’s at Pomegranate: A Holly Hill Spot. Photo furnished
Penny’s at Pomegranate: A Holly Hill Spot
700 E. Main
Tues.-Sat., 11 a.m.-5:30 p.m.
With a walk-up window located just outside the doors of the new flagship store for the local textile company Pomegranate, a unique new concept from chef Ouita Michel is now serving lunch and afternoon snacks. The latest addition to Michel’s diverse and ever-expanding culinary portfolio, Penny’s was named in honor of the late Pamela Sexton (“Penny,” to her friends), who was an artist, writer, civic leader, and advocate for healthy eating — oh, and she also happened to be Chef Michel's mother.
True to form, the concept is uniquely Michels’ own. Inspired by Japanese convenience stores that offer neatly packaged sandwiches, salads, and snacks for busy professionals on the go, Penny’s offers a seasonally rotating selection of “gourmet grab-and-go” items, such as soups, salads, snack boxes, and bakery items — elevated tearoom fare designed to nourish without slowing you down. It’s a bold and thoughtful approach, and exactly the kind of inventive dining experience diners have come to expect from Chef Michel’s growing family of restaurants throughout the region.
As is customary with her other restaurants, Penny’s proudly sources ingredients from the region, including Elmwood Stock Farm in Scott County, Eggleston Farm in Berry, Midway Bakery, Salad Days in Woodford County, and the gardens of Holly Hill Inn in Midway. A limited wine list featuring selections from the Oregon vineyard of Pomegranate owner Angela Beck is also available.
Lunch can be pre-ordered online for individuals, small groups of co-workers, or larger take-out luncheons (48 hours of advance notice is requested for larger parties, though individual and small group orders can be placed on the same day).
The Willow: A Blooming Collective. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
The Willow: A Blooming Collective
825 National Ave.
Mon.-Wed., 9 a.m.- 9 p.m. • Thurs.-Sat., 9 a.m.-10 p.m.
The Willow is a new Warehouse Block business combining the talents and contributions of a variety of local female entrepreneurs in a unique and dynamic new concept that owners describe as “wellness by day, wine bar by night.”
Located in an industrial brick building near the corner of National and Ashland avenues, the highly Instagrammable space is designed to feel like a conservatory, brimming with plants and natural touches. Earthy furnishings in velvet, rattan, and hardwood are arranged into cozy conversation nooks, and natural light floods in through the skylights and glass-paneled garage doors. Two of the large interior brick walls are covered with murals by local artist Wylie Caudill, in soft shades of green.
In the mornings and early afternoons, the space offers a peaceful coffee shop vibe, with local coffee, tea, kombucha, and juices. At 3 p.m., the bar menu becomes available, with a wine list curated by sommelier and former Wine + Market owner Renee Brewer and a cocktail menu crafted by Evan Akers and Erin Cox of Harvey’s Bar, with a theme based on the stories of Lexington’s most well-known women.
Food offerings include small bites from other local female-owned businesses, including Fable Charcuterie + Wine and Natalia’s Pastry Shop, such as chia pudding, snack-sized charcuterie boxes, feta-and-kale salad, and overnight oats.
Up a short flight of stairs from the main space, a second, customizable room hosts low-impact fitness classes and wellness workshops, transforming into an overflow seating area or small event space at other times.
Willow co-owner Avena Kiehly, who also owns the downtown business collective The Grove, said she is excited to provide opportunities for people to enjoy a drink with their fitness classmates, rather than rushing out the door after a workout class as we commonly tend to do.
Willow’s other two co-owners also have other businesses that complement the concept — Erin Goins runs the local food tour company Bites of the Bluegrass, and Dani Dunmire is a dance and fitness instructor. But at the heart of the business is the opportunity to provide a collective platform for a variety of female business owners and a truly special new destination to work, socialize and work out in the Warehouse Block.