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Renderings of culinary options soon to open at The Summit's all-local food hall, The Barn.
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Renderings of culinary options soon to open at The Summit's all-local food hall, The Barn.
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Renderings of culinary options soon to open at The Summit's all-local food hall, The Barn.
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Renderings of culinary options soon to open at The Summit's all-local food hall, The Barn.
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Whiskey Bear at The Barn Food Hall at Fritz Farm - Rendering
Renderings of culinary options soon to open at The Summit's all-local food hall, The Barn.
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Crank and Boom - The Barn Food Hall at Fritz Farm - Rendering -
Renderings of culinary options soon to open at The Summit's all-local food hall, The Barn.
Since April’s “First Look,” the south Lexington mixed-use development The Summit at Fritz Farm has conducted a rolling opening of new retailers and restaurants, including trendy local and national brands. And now, the new premier dining and shopping destination is preparing to unveil its most recent big debut: The Barn at Fritz Farm, an all-local food hall. Currently in "soft opening" phase, The Barn is expected to open to the public in September. According to the Birmingham-based Bayer Properties, the concept will serve as “the crown-jewel of the development.”
While food halls are a national trend in many urban cities, The Summit’s food hall is the first of its kind in the Bluegrass. Unlike traditional food courts, which typically assemble large restaurant chains with little attention given to atmosphere, The Barn is intended to pay tribute to products and culinary traditions that are uniquely Kentucky.
“Food halls are increasingly popular because they are experiential dining destinations,” says Lindsay Bayer Shipp, retail brand strategist for Bayer Properties. “People come for the food, but they stay for the experience of eating in a communal environment with a special sense of place. The Barn at Fritz Farm is a place where people from across the region can really enjoy Lexington’s culture and delightful culinary creations.”
The design and branding of The Barn was inspired by the history of the Fritz Farm property, which was marked for decades by several iconic tobacco barns. When it came to curating tenants, Bayer Properties took an intentional, disciplined approach that sought to honor these roots by committing to all local businesses.
“We were looking for really talented hometown heroes who had excellent food offerings and were also committed to our vision for making The Barn at Fritz Farm a community gathering spot,” Shipp said.
To create the aesthetic for The Barn, Bayer Properties partnered with award-winning landscape designer Jon Carloftis, who is responsible for the “farm chic” design throughout the property. Carloftis also introduced the team to Old World Timber, a local barn wood preservationist in Lexington, who will outfit the interior, and the attached courtyard, with furniture made of reclaimed and refurbished wood.
Dallas-based real estate firm Rebees partnered with Bayer Properties to execute the food and beverage strategy for The Summit, including development of The Barn concept and curation of its tenants.
“From the outset, Bayer wanted The Summit at Fritz Farm to add something meaningful to the local food conversation, and The Barn is a key realization of that goal,” said Tristan Simon, a partner in Rebees.
The Barn’s lineup of local restaurants will include the following:
• Athenian Grill and Deli – Ilias Pappas partners with local farms and businesses to create fresh, authentic Greek street food at his two Chevy Chase and Richmond Road area locations. Expect more spit-roasted meats and old family recipes in this third location of this Lexington staple.
• Atomic Ramen – This “super-powered noodle shop” is the brainchild of local chef Dan Wu. The former “MasterChef” competitor combines his love of pop culture and comic books with his passion for comfort foods into a superhero-themed ramen shop.
• Crank & Boom – Since 2013, they’ve been hand-crafting all-natural ice cream infused with eclectic flavor combinations, available at several retail outlets and restaurants as well as at the brick-and-mortar “dessert lounge” owners opened in the Distillery District. This will make the second site for Mike and Toa Green, the masters behind these melt-in-your-mouth creations.
• Pasture by Marksbury Farm – The second restaurant concept by Marksbury Farm will focus on pasture-raised chicken and grass-fed burgers, served fresh from local farmers (the other location is in Lancaster, Kentucky). After leaving Lexington in 2006, managing partner Josiah Correll felt a need to “come back and serve the community here.”
• Smithtown Seafood – Jonathan Sanning will feature as executive chef at this Ouita Michel-owned seafood joint, which also features a location inside West Sixth Brewing. The Smithtown Seafood stall will offer a collection of affordable, farm-to-table seafood dishes and fresh salads with creative twists.
• Whiskey Bear – The only bar within the all-local food hall, Whiskey Bear will feature an extensive selection of bourbon and other whiskeys that celebrate Kentucky’s true heritage, along with classic cocktails, a curated beer and wine list, and specialty drinks that will complement The Barn’s variety of food menus. Whiskey Bear hopes to be a neighborhood watering hole for the community and visitors alike to savor some of the best local spirits.
In addition, eclectic local retail shop Kentucky for Kentucky will sell quirky, one-of-a-kind products that celebrate the commonwealth at a site within The Barn. The stall will serve as a pop-up shop featuring local artisans and dry-goods makers.
“I personally feel like I’ve won the lottery in regard to awesome neighbors,” said Correll of Pasture. “The food that everyone is serving is fantastic, and I genuinely enjoy the camaraderie of the other Barn tenants.”
Florence and Daniel Marlowe, the duo behind Whiskey Bear, agree.
“We’re super stoked to be under the same roof,” they say, referring to their fellow tenants as “neighbors.”
In addition to the variety of culinary options and the chance to support local businesses, tenants like the Marlowes are so optimistic about the project because of this , which will also function as a community space for family-friendly events, potentially including chef demonstrations, lecture series and live music.
“It’s a neighborhood that celebrates everything good about Kentucky and community,” said Florence Marlowe.