Tom Clemons lived a full and rich life, and localism was at his very core. Clemons opened and operated bars, and mercifully did it the old-school way, drawing inspiration from his own heart, mind and soul, while mercifully sparing us references to “concepts” and “hospitality groups.”
For this alone, Clemons would deserve a memorial toast, and maybe two, but as one might expect, there is far more to the story of a life well lived. At the Louisville Courier-Journal, Maggie Menderski offers an excellent tribute.
In lieu of flowers, patronize a bar: Founder of some of Louisville’s favorite bars dies
In lieu of flowers, Tom Clemons’ family asks you to consider patronizing a local bar or restaurant in his honor.
Really, there’s no better tribute.
The serial entrepreneur was the meticulous mastermind behind some of the most successful watering holes on Louisville’s famed Bardstown Road in the second half of the 20th century. Clemons, 71, died on Aug. 20 from complications with pancreatic cancer, but his legacy lives on in the many, many projects he took on in his life. There isn’t a neon sign bearing his name, and he wasn’t the type of businessman who...Read more
