Have you ever walked past a building or location in your city and thought, “I wonder what that used to be?” Well, if you live in Louisville, you’re about to get some answers to that question in This Used to Be Louisville. Local author Kevin Gibson turned his natural interest in comparing present to past into a book that looks into a wide variety of locales that contribute to the city’s legacy. From “the old Sears building” that continues to be used as a directional touchpoint to a downtown theater that has been frozen in time, you’ll get a tour of these places paired with stories that will inform and sometimes surprise. In the process, it may just get you wondering about the many people a hundred years ago that traversed those places in a completely different context. And when it’s all said and done, you’ll walk away with a better understanding of Louisville’s history and culture, from major historical landmarks to neighborhood businesses to the Louisvillians who made these places important.

Where would you find a professional recording studio that doubles as a funeral parlor? That would be Louisville. Or a hidden set of steps that connects two key parts of an historic neighborhood? Also Louisville. Or even the last ruins of a once-elite neighborhood of mansions owned by New Orleans millionaires? That would be Louisville as well. From a long lost cave to a hidden underground sex club, Louisville has its share of secrets and oddities. Secret Louisville: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure is a book that answers questions you didn’t even realize you had about the city that stands proudly along the Ohio River. A tree that seems to magically sprout shoes? It’s here. Mummified Saints on display in a local cathedral? That’s Louisville, too. You get the picture: Think of this book as a scavenger hunt of sorts for Kentucky’s largest city, covering the strange, the surprising, and sometimes the silly locales, history and facts. From the legendary birthplace of the cheeseburger (or so the story goes) to the home of the “Happy Birthday” song, Secret Louisville will serve as the hometown tour guide you didn’t even know you needed.

It's no secret that Louisville is one of America's bourbon capitals, but the Derby City once thrived as a brewing mecca as well, rivaling even St. Louis and Milwaukee with its crisp lagers and Kentucky Common Ale. German settlers arrived with centuries-old brewing traditions and beer gardens, cementing beer and barrooms in Louisville's culture. Following Prohibition, the "big three"--Falls City, Fehr's and Oertel's--kept traditions alive while ingraining iconic brands into the city's fabric and heritage. More recently, craft brewers like BBC, Apocalypse Brew Works and New Albanian Brewing Company have drawn on this rich history. Kick back with Louisville food and beverage journalist Kevin Gibson as he traces Louisville's beer history with stories from the past, interviews and plenty of photos that bring this intoxicating story to life.