rendering by Tucker Booker Donhoff and Partners

The busy Highlands corridor at Bardstown Road will soon get its own brewpub with a historic flavor.

Sterling Beer Co., owned by Ken and Todd Jackson, bought two historic structures at 1300 and 1306 Bardstown Road from the city for $425,000. Their plan is to build a tasting room and brewing operation in the space. The buildings offer about 15,000 square feet of commercial space. Sterling will have offices there as well.

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W. O. Head, who served as Mayor from 1909-1913, is recognized on this marker at 1306 Bardstown Road.

“Whenever we can return vacant and historic properties to productive reuse and beautiful restoration, the community wins on many levels,” said Mayor Greg Fischer, in a news release. “These buildings will once again house an active use and bring people together on an already active commercial corridor.”

Located next door to the recently opened Eagle Food and Beer Hall, the buildings were declared surplus properties by the city in 2015. Most recently, the buildings were used by the Communications division of Louisville Metro’s Emergency Management Administration. 

The Jacksons acquired the Sterling Brand in 2012, and have brewed the beer at Stevens Points Brewery in Wisconsin, according to a story in Business First. It’s available throughout Kentucky and Southern Indiana.

The brand dates to 1863, and was once known as the “Beer of the South.” Eventually, the Jacksons expect to move production home to Louisville.

The release provided no details on the timing of the construction and renovations.