Hardin Local E40: Glow-O-Ween, Haycraft Closing, Money Moves

What We Covered This Week

Rachel Brantingham opened the show with a guest who is back for the second time: Sam Sansone of Malibu Jack's, who joined in three parts to tell us about Glow-O-Ween, a brand new Halloween night at the park on Friday, October 16. Rachel said Sam is the only guest Hardin Local has had come back twice.

Around Sam, the week had real news in it. Nate Bryan reported that the Haycraft event center downtown will close at the end of 2026, and that the old Towne Mall is now City Center. Jon O'Brien had the week ahead, built around two 5Ks and a Saturday full of Halloween events. Britten McDowell went looking for a good bowl of pho in Radcliff, Rachel brought the housing numbers, and Grafton Sizemore closed with a Money Move: your income is only part of the story.

In This Episode

Malibu Jack's Glow-O-Ween: An Indoor Halloween Night, Costume Contests and 25 Booths Wanted

Sam Sansone on Hardin Local

Sam Sansone on the first Glow-O-Ween at Malibu Jack's: an indoor trunk or treat on Friday, October 16, 6 to 10 PM, costume contests all night, tickets at $24.99, and a goal of 25 community booths from local businesses, schools, churches and clubs. Plus a four-ticket giveaway. Malibu Jack's is a paid Hardin Local sponsor for this feature.

The Haycraft Will Close at the End of 2026, and the Mall Is Now City Center

Nate's Business Buzz

Nate Bryan on the Haycraft event center closing December 31, 2026, the new City Center signs, and Twelve Ninja Gym's return at E-town Comics.

Two 5Ks, a Trunk or Treat and a Haunted House: Your Week in Hardin County

Hardin County This Week, with Jon O'Brien

Jon O'Brien's week of October 5 to 11: the free Faith & Blue 5K, the dog-friendly Tails and Tatas 5K, the EMS Trunk or Treat, the Masonic Haunted House and The Nightmare Before Christmas at the State Theater.

General Pho in Radcliff: A Food Truck Grows Up

The Experienced Eater, Britten & Michele McDowell

Britten McDowell had never had Vietnamese food before. He went to General Pho in Radcliff, which started as a food truck on Fort Knox, and tried the banh mi and spring rolls.

Only 17 Homes Went Under Contract, but Hardin County's Market Isn't Hitting a Wall

Hardin County Housing Market, with Rachel Brantingham

Over the last seven days: 29 new listings, 17 homes under contract, 29 families moving into new houses, and 428 active listings. Rachel breaks the market down by price range.

Money Moves with G: Your Income Isn't the Whole Story

Money Moves with G, with Grafton Sizemore

Two people can make the exact same amount and have completely different buying power. Grafton Sizemore explains how lenders look at income, debt and credit. Next week: pre-approval versus pre-qualification.

Episode Highlights

"We're transforming Malibu Jack's into an indoor Halloween experience with trick-or-treating, costumes, entertainment, and tons of family fun." - Sam Sansone, Malibu Jack's

"Etown's got the stuff if you just look." - Nate Bryan, Business Buzz

"I don't think we're looking at a market where buyers have disappeared. I think we're looking at a market where buyers are making sellers earn the sale." - Rachel Brantingham, Housing Market

"If we don't support them today, they won't be here for us tomorrow." - Britten McDowell, The Experienced Eater

"I can promise you that two people can make the exact same amount of money and have completely different buying power." - Grafton Sizemore, Money Moves with G

Keep Hardin Local Going

Tell Us What the Sports Portal Is Missing

If you have a high school athlete, the sports portal on the Hardin Local website is the place to check. Grafton closed the show with an ask, so here it is again: go look at it, and let us know any changes you can think of, how you are liking it, and what we can do for it.

This Week's Sponsor: philtaul.com

Phil Taul took the sponsor slot himself this week. "So this week's sponsor is me, which is a little like writing your own Yelp review," he said. He builds AI automation for local businesses: not robots, and not chatbots, but the boring stuff, the copy and paste and retyping into three different systems that quietly eats your whole week.

His example, kept anonymous: a multi-location auto group was spending 20 to 30 hours a week on title data entry. With a new automation he built for them, Phil said they are spending around two to three hours of review a week, and it catches mistakes the old way was missing.

"A person still checks everything. I don't build anything that makes the final call on its own." - Phil Taul

The way in is a paid Workflow Roadmap Session: 90 minutes walking through how you actually work, then a written roadmap within three business days covering what is worth automating, in what order, and what you should leave alone. It is $450, and if you have Phil build something within 30 days, the full $450 is credited to that project. There are no forms and no funnels. Get in touch through philtaul.com/consulting, where his email address is, tell him what is eating your time, and if he is not the right fit he will tell you before you have paid anything.

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