Shelbyville, Kentucky- A Piece of Paradise Worth Visiting if You Can't Live There
- elleno1962
- 32 minutes ago
- 5 min read
Note: All underlined business names will take you directly to their websites or Facebook pages.
Yes, I'm biased. I grew up in Shelbyville, Kentucky; population approximately 5,000 when growing up in the 1960's and 70's. Today, that number has tripled thanks to an explosion of industry in the county and surrounding region. "My little town" is located mere minutes from the I-64 exits between Lexington and Louisville. While Walmart helped close many of the wonderful family run downtown businesses in the 90's, a recent trip "home" brought me big surprises and lots of joy. Once again, downtown Shelbyville is filled with wonderful shops, beautifully maintained historic buildings, a craft beer "stop", and several great restaurants most any traveler would enjoy.
Downtown Shelbyville, Kentucky (founded 1792) has much to offer.
Travelers Tip: Enjoy free parking on Main Street any day. Downtown Washington Street is free for two hours M-F, and all day on Saturday and Sunday. There are also plenty of additional parking lots scattered throughout town.
My husband Pete and I started our Saturday adventure at the historic Wakefield-Scearce Gallery. It's always fun to roam the gorgeous antique filled rooms that once housed Science Hill School for 114 years. We didn't get too far with our browsing though. Pete reminded me that we hadn't had much breakfast and he needed lunch - and soon!
But where to eat?
Downtown Shelbyville has many options. There are fantastic homemade soups and sandwiches at McKinleys on Main Street, made to order grilled cheese sandwiches and soup at the new Something Cheesy, fine dining Kentucky "home cooking" at the Bell House, and authentic Mexican in the heart of town.
My husband chose Mexican; which turned out to be a delightful choice.
Being the first of the two day Day of the Dead celebration of remembrance at La Cocina de Mama, Pete and I were treated to fabulous interior decorations installed for this beloved Mexican holiday. The colors and design made the ambiance incredible. Better yet, lunch tasted fantastic and portions were plentiful.
Travelers Tip: Our server said that during Day of the Dead, celebrated yearly on November 1st and 2nd, patrons are invited to bring in their own photographs of loved ones who have passed. The pictures are added to the beautiful remembrance tables; a gesture I will remember to do when visiting again during Day of the Dead
Pete and I polished off our fajitas before returning to Science Hill to finish our shopping. After placing our goodies in the trunk of our car, we took a bee line down Sixth Street. My father used to have his newspaper office at number 412 and I wanted to see if anyone had spruced up his place of business over the past 10 years.
What we discovered was a wonderful surprise! Dad's office is now a gift shop!
And who doesn't like a good gift shop?
Walking into Mid Mod Furnishings took me back to the days when gift shops offered unique items that truly enhanced the home. For me, Mid Mod felt like going into a candy store; so many different things that made me say, "Ooh, I need to have that!" This is no Walmart or Costco though everything is very reasonably priced. I walked out with four bags of treasures that I've not seen anywhere else in my recent travels.
After filling our trunk with more "Yes, dear we really need these" items, we ventured further west on Main Street. I browsed in the Paisley Pig and Impress Boutique and Printing. Both are delightful and have loads of great gift and clothing selections.
Traveler's Tip: Sherrie Head, the owner of Impress, can put practically any photo or inscription on many wonderful items to create that one of a kind gift. She said her turnaround is about two weeks.
Though we were too stuffed for another meal, we stopped in the new shop Something Cheesy to check out their Wisconsin cheese selection. The staff is delightful! We tried several flavors and couldn't pass up purchasing some Bourbon Gouda and Habanero Jack to take back to Pennsylvania.
Traveler's Tip: Something Cheesy's gourmet "pick your own cheese" grilled sandwiches get rave reviews. We saw Anthony put one on the griddle and it did indeed smell and look mouthwatering delicious.
From the cheese shop, we headed east toward antique row located on the south side of Main Street. Downtown Shelbyville's antique shops filled the empty storefronts when long time local businesses closed one after another starting in the mid 1980's. I've found many treasures in these shops in the past; but this time around, Pete reminded me of our already full trunk. We did after all have to get back to Pennsylvania with room for our luggage.
Next, it was time for a sweet treat. Chocolatier Becky Kimbler makes utterly divine chocolates of all kinds in her adorable shop Serendipity Kandy Kitchen. Her chocolate is some of the best I've ever tasted. Be sure to try her chocolate covered graham crackers and salted caramels. Wow!
And because Pete had been such a great sport, I let him pick out where to visit next. Of course he chose the new craft brewery Last Stop located next door to the sweet shop. Both of us enjoyed our hometown brewed beers and I can safely say that the Last Stop's own lager is better than anything I can find in Pennsylvania.
These are just a few of the shops in Shelbyville you can enjoy in town.
Now, if you want to have a fantastic old fashioned country meal or a cheeseburger grilled to perfection and served on a hot steamed bun, you'll have to leave town and head south a bit. Carriss' Grocery in Southville (eight miles south of Shelbyville on the corner of Hwy 53 and Highway 44) is a time capsule in of itself but it's the food that will have you hankering to return for another meal. The building dates back to around 1905 and like Cracker Barrel, the antique decor is real.
Traveler's Tip: I've heard that seating at Carriss's Grocery is at a premium with breakfast hours being quite popular. Reservations are not accepted that I know of; however, credit cards are.
I return at least twice a year to my hometown of Shelbyville, Kentucky because despite its immense growth over the last 40 years, it's still my happy place. I have so many wonderful childhood memories. The town continues to exude a laid back, non pretentious feel that lets you glimpse once again what it was like in "the good ole days". Industry literally surrounds Shelbyville in 2025, but on Main Street?
It's still my little town. And I will always call it "home".