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Hardin Local S2026E11: Ruffle Girl Closes, 2B Thai Scores 9.6/10

Ruffle Girl is retiring. Party Plus is closing after 30 years. 2B Thai earned a 9.6/10. The spring housing market is moving. Here is everything from Hardin Local Weekly S2026E11.

What We Covered This Week

Episode 11 had the kind of energy that shows up when a community is genuinely paying attention. Nate Bryan was back live at the table for the first time since last week's pre-recorded segment, and his return brought both warmth and weight — because the business news he carried in was a mix of chapter endings and a fresh start.

Two long-running Hardin County businesses announced closings this week. Ruffle Girl in Radcliff — where owner Wendy built a national brand starting from her home — is closing as she retires. Party Plus — thirty years of birthday banners and graduation balloons and helium for every celebration in the county — is wrapping up as Janine heads for a camper and the open road. Both are going-out-of-business sales, no official end date. If you have history with either of these shops, now is the time to go say goodbye and grab something while you still can.

On the other side of the ledger: Britten McDowell gave 2B Thai a 9.6 out of 10. His highest rating ever in Hardin County. The spring housing market is picking up fast. Jon O'Brien covered one of the most stacked event weekends of the year. And the whole show wrapped with a shoutout to Sean Taylor — kidney transplant recipient, home and doing well — the kind of community update that reminds you why Hardin Local shows up every week.

In This Episode

Hardin County Events: March 11–15

Hardin County This Week — with Jon O'Brien

Jon O'Brien covered five days of Hardin County events — a genuinely loaded week. Highlights include the Lincoln Trail Home Builders Show at Phillips Grove in Radcliff this weekend ($5 admission, $500 cash drawing), Neal McCoy at the Historic State Theater Friday night, Flywheel Brewing's chili cook-off Saturday at 1 PM (free to compete and free to eat), the St. Pat Downtown Crawl Saturday evening, and a short-window Florida Strawberry Sale at Strike & Spare Friday at 12:30 PM. Jon himself is competing in the chili cook-off this year.

Read the full Events article

Nate's Business Buzz — Retirements, Closings, and a Big New Space

Nate's Business Buzz

Ruffle Girl in Radcliff is closing — owner Wendy is retiring after building a national brand from her home. Party Plus is closing after thirty years — Janine has a camper and she's earned every mile. Bath & Body Works is temporarily closing for mall renovations and will come back bigger and visible from Dixie. Wishing Well Nutrition is consolidating, not closing. And Etown Comics is now open in a larger location next to Xtreme with more tables, gaming space, and card tournaments already running.

Read the full Business Buzz article

Hardin County Housing Market Update — March 2026

Hardin County Housing Market — with Rachel Brantingham

Rachel brought the latest from the Heart of Kentucky MLS: 361 active homes, 25 went under contract last week, days on market dropped to 91, and months of inventory fell to 4.6 from 4.8. Conventional rates are in the low 6s; FHA, VA, and USDA are in the high 5s. Buyers still have negotiating power — closing costs, repairs, and seller concessions are still on the table — but Rachel was clear that the spring shift is underway and that window is narrowing.

Read the full Housing Market article

The Experienced Eater: 2B Thai — 9.6/10

The Experienced Eater — Britten & Michele McDowell

Britten and Michele McDowell reviewed 2B Thai on Ring Road in Elizabethtown and came away with a 9.6 out of 10 — Britten's highest score ever given to any restaurant in Hardin County. They covered the sampler for two (the peach dipping sauce is its own experience), the spicy crispy chicken special, the pineapple fried rice ("better than pizza"), and the panang curry at level 3 — which Britten described as burning your face off in the best way. Owner Patrick immigrated from Thailand, started in Louisville, and built this family-run restaurant in Elizabethtown. "They don't have bad days."

Read the full Experienced Eater article

Event Spotlight: Lincoln Trail Home Design & Remodeling Show

Event Spotlight — Lincoln Trail Home Builders Association

Rachel gave a dedicated spotlight to the Lincoln Trail Home Builders Association Home Design & Remodeling Show happening this weekend at Phillips Grove in Radcliff. Saturday 9 AM to 4 PM, Sunday noon to 4 PM. $5 admission, kids 12 and under free. Nearly 40 vendors covering the full range of building, remodeling, and home improvement. Kids Zone with a bounce house, food and coffee trucks, door prizes throughout, and a $500 cash grand prize drawing at the end of Sunday. Rachel and her team will be there.

Read the full Event Spotlight article

Episode Highlights

"We've eaten Thai food all over the country — East Coast, West Coast, Florida, Chinatown Chicago — and I'm gonna tell you, we are spoiled here in Elizabethtown to have a place like 2B Thai. They don't have bad days."
— Britten, The Experienced Eater

"She started in her house, became a national brand with thousands of followers. She did it the right way."
— Nate, Business Buzz Host, on Ruffle Girl owner Wendy

"Right now we're seeing our buyers get closing costs covered, repairs being made — things we can work into the deal that as this market picks up, you're not going to see so much of."
— Rachel, Host and Housing Market Expert

"There's really something for everybody. I haven't had a week yet where I'm like, oh, there's not really that much going on."
— Rachel, Host, on the Hardin County events calendar

"My good friend Sean Taylor, who had the kidney transplant, is home and he's doing really well. His donor has made it home as well and is also doing well. So lots of answered prayers there."
— Rachel, Host, closing segment