Popular Lexington beer garden damaged in Hurricane Helene. Are they still open?
The rain and wind that swept through Lexington this month from Hurricane Helene heavily damaged part of a popular beer garden behind a longtime local florist.
Michler’s Florist said in a social media post its largest Hackberry tree was blown down, crushing the vine-covered framings of two of its oldest greenhouses. One of the greenhouses that was struck was the outdoor Kentucky Native Cafe kitchen and serving area.
The hidden cafe is known for craft beer and food while you enjoy a quiet oasis in Lexington. At night, lights strung throughout the trees, turning it into an urban woodland garden.
“Our priority is to clean up, sort through the pieces and salvage what we can,” owner Robin Michler said in an email. “When and what will be built back are long term discussions that we will not be prepared to answer for some time.”
The flower shop and cafe are open for regular business hours. Michler said the cafe is using its winter service window inside its largest glass greenhouse. They still plan on having authors Silas House and David Arnold for its Last Monday Reading Series.
A post to the florists’ website said the main structure for the cafe dates to the 1920s and was the larger of the two greenhouses hit by the tree. The second structure was built in 1907 and most recently was used for native perennials.
“Bear with us as we feel our way through these spaces. We’ll be picking up the pieces of our history, and missing the shade from the old Hackberry,” the online post said.
Michler’s is a fifth generation florist shop, opening in 1901. Kentucky Native Cafe opened in spring 2015 and recently got approval to remodel a two-story office building on High Street for a bakery that will serve the restaurant.
This story was originally published September 30, 2024 at 3:33 PM.
