Hardin County Business News — Nate's Bizz Buzz S2026E12

Key Takeaways

• LTADD named one of Kentucky's 2026 Best Places to Work — small business category, 22nd year of the award program
• Quilted Elephant Studio wins 2026 Creative Hub Award from ByAnnie — located across from Hardin Memorial Hospital
• El Guadalajaras banner is up at Lincoln Center in the former Tequila House spot — same ownership as Mi Jalisco, no opening date yet
• Auntie Anne's Food Truck in Elizabethtown is shutting down — go show them love while they are still running
• Song's Kitchen closed March 23–27, reopens March 30 under new management after approximately ten years under the current family

Summary

Nate Bryan brought five business items to S2026E12, and it was a wide-ranging Bizz Buzz — two community award wins to celebrate, one exciting restaurant announcement to follow, and two businesses going through significant transitions that deserve acknowledgment.

LTADD and Quilted Elephant Studio each picked up major 2026 recognitions. A new Mexican restaurant is quietly getting ready to open at Lincoln Center. And Hardin County says a bittersweet goodbye to Auntie Anne's Food Truck while Song's Kitchen enters a new chapter under new ownership.

Full Article

Nate Bryan came to S2026E12 with a full docket. Five business items — two wins, one coming soon, two farewells in their own way — and he covered all of them with the community-first perspective that makes the Bizz Buzz worth tuning in for every week.

Awards This Week

The Lincoln Trail Area Development District — LTADD — was named one of Kentucky's 2026 Best Places to Work, recognized in the small business category covering organizations with 15 to 149 employees. The designation comes from the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Kentucky SHRM State Council and is now in its 22nd year.

If you have spent any time working in economic development or business support in this region, you know LTADD. They do important, often behind-the-scenes work helping not just Hardin County but the surrounding counties that lean on them for resources and regional support. Nate was quick to point out what a Best Place to Work designation actually means in practice: "The employees respect it. I mean, they're proud to work there. They're not there just because they're getting a paycheck. I'm there because I want to be there, I like what I do, I like the people I work with." The recognition reflects the culture of an organization doing work that matters.

Quilted Elephant Studio was named a 2026 Creative Hub Award winner by ByAnnie — a recognition based on community comments about creativity, inspiration, and the personal experience of the shop. Owner Michelle and Alan accepted the award with a message that captures what the place is about: "It is about people, friendships, learning, and creativity — more than just a store, it is a community."

Nate has been to the shop and described it well. It is not just quilting. They have classes, creative inspiration, a wide range of products, and a loyal community of people who keep coming back. They are located across from Hardin Memorial Hospital — easy to find if you come in from the south side, a little trickier from the north, but worth the turn. If you have not been, add it to the list.

Coming Soon

The banner is up. El Guadalajaras is coming to Lincoln Center in Elizabethtown, taking over the former Tequila House location — the same building as Toasted Yolk, Daboba, and several other Lincoln Center tenants.

It is coming from the same ownership team behind Mi Jalisco on Ring Road near Cool Springs — a restaurant Nate described as well-respected and well-reviewed. There is no opening date confirmed yet and no hiring information available, but the banner being up is a meaningful signal. This location has high traffic and good visibility.

Nate also teased that Lincoln Center has more announcements coming — first contracts have been signed for two additional buildings in the complex. More news on that as it develops.

Closures and Transitions

Auntie Anne's Food Truck in Elizabethtown is closing. This is the local food truck operation — not the chain — and their parting message said it all: "Don't make our crew cry — they're out here pouring their hearts and a lot of butter into every twist."

Nate noted they are often parked near Walmart in Elizabethtown. If you are an Auntie Anne's fan — and there are plenty in Hardin County — now is the time to go find them. No final date was given. Track their Facebook page for location updates.

Song's Kitchen at 611 Knox Boulevard will be closed from March 23 through March 27. They reopen on March 30 under new management.

This one warranted a little more context, and Britten McDowell provided it. The owner of Song's Kitchen previously ran Song's Korean Restaurant — the original spot on the hill across from Walmart — before selling it, retiring briefly, and then opening Song's Kitchen about a decade ago. The business has been listed for sale in recent months as the family works toward retirement. Britten, who has long been a regular, put it plainly: "It is one of our favorite places to go. So the fact that there are some changes — it is always unsettling. But you can always hope that they are for the best."

Song's Kitchen is a Korean restaurant offering a lunch buffet of Korean mains at 611 Knox Boulevard in Elizabethtown (270-351-8080). If you have been meaning to go, consider this week before the March 23 closure. When they reopen March 30, it will be a new chapter for a long-running Hardin County institution.

New Hours

Ena's Essentials of Radcliff has updated their store hours, effective now:

• Sunday: 12 PM to 4 PM
• Monday through Friday: 9 AM to 5 PM
• Saturday: 11 AM to 5 PM

Ena's makes their own soaps and carries products focused on skin care and natural essentials. More hours means more chances to stop in. If you are in Radcliff, they are worth a visit.