Buechel - Louisville, KY

The neighborhood gets its name from a man named John Buechel, a Swiss carpenter and tavern owner. Buechel was established in 1883 when he established a post office in his tavern. In 2003, the city annexed the Buechel neighborhood, which now lies within the city limits.

Close to the neighborhood and down on Bardstown Road lies the Farmington Historic Home. This house, originally a center of the 19th century hemp plantations, lets visitors discover old Federal architecture, then shop at the gift store and blacksmith shop.

Although Buechel does not have annual events, nearby Louisville has many. The popular Taste of Louisville invites restaurants to compete in a food and drink competition. The ticket price gives locals an opportunity to taste some of the cuisine.

The Buechel dining scene has many locally owned restaurants and a relatively quiet nightlife. Residents can always kick back with a beer at one of these restaurants. If you prefer going to a bar or club, you need to drive a little outside of Buechel's borders.

Despite the Buechel neighborhood's Kentucky roots, residents have no trouble finding cuisine from around the world. DakShin Indian restaurant, one of several restaurants off of Bardstown Road, serves authentic Indian lunch and dinner. Locals obsess over the tangy, soft garlic naan and the two-table buffet brimming with seafood, chicken, lamb and spicy sides. A regular menu has individual dishes for those who do not want to eat from the buffet, including vegetarian and vegan options to consider.

Visit Dasha Barbours Southern Bistro for Southern home cooking and soul food. The family-owned restaurant serves all of your favorite traditional meals, including fried chicken with collard greens and sweet potato casserole. Locals order the fried green tomatoes as an appetizer and crisp, sweet fried corn on the cob. Dasha's gets its produce from local farms, choosing fresh veggies over frozen ones.

Navigating Buechel rarely poses a problem because its convenient location has access to Interstate 64, Interstate 264 and multiple state routes. Most residents choose to drive to their destinations, and public parking is easy to find at most destinations. Sidewalks line most of the streets for people who enjoy walking or riding a bike.

For residents who prefer public transportation or do not own a vehicle, the Transit Authority of River City helps get them to wherever they need to go. The bus system serves the greater Louisville area and allows children under the age of five to ride for free. Locals can travel cheaply by buying a My TARC smartcard for a reduced fare.

Other transportation options include Uber, which serves the majority of Louisville, and taxis. Call the Yellow Cab Company or the Green & Orange Cab Company of Louisville for a quick ride downtown to your favorites destinations.

Buechel has an excellent neighborhood park that expends to cover 16 acres of land. Known simply as Buechel Park, this location on Alpha Avenue has enough space for hundreds of residents to enjoy. If you love to picnic on a nice summer day, the park has a picnic shelter fully equipped with tables and a grill. Kids love to play on the playground or on the baseball field, while adults enjoy the tennis court for some singles and doubles play.

Although Petersburg Park sits just outside of Buechel, locals can quickly access it on nearby Exeter Avenue. Like Buechel Park, Petersburg Park has tennis courts, picnic shelters and playgrounds. Its 28 acres also feature a basketball court and a short walking path. Kids love the sprayground with its sprinklers that shoot water from the ground.

Families who want to work out and feel closer to the community can take advantage of the Southeast Family YMCA. The club has kid-friendly activities throughout the year.

Compared to the cost of living in the center of Louisville, Buechel's cost of living is about 8 percent lower. For a one-bedroom residence, the median rental price per month equals $568. However, residents never have trouble finding slightly cheaper or more high-end living options.

Traveling into the city by bus costs about $1.75 for a one-way ride. For $3.50, you can ride all day long. If you prefer to drive, gas costs about 3 percent more than the national average price. You can purchase a beer for about $5.

You can find most of the Buechel shops off of Bardstown Road. The neighborhood has a selection of small stores, but you must make a trip outside of Buechel to shop at large department stores with a larger offering of some of the neighborhood's best shopping.

Buechel has several antiques stores, including the popular Derby City Antique Mall & Cafe. The store has three floors of affordably priced trinkets and furniture, as well as glassware, accessories and clothing. After a long day of shopping, stop in at the attached cafe. The employees at Framing Express helps you find the perfect custom frame for your photos, and Steilburg String Instruments caters to those who love music.

Residents get their groceries from Aldi and Kroger, as well as from a few international grocery stores. Golden Key International sells Russian goods. The weekly Original Bardstown Road Farmers Market has about 30 vendors selling fresh, locally grown produce and products from local artisans and chefs.