LOUISVILLE, Ky. — If the COVID-19 pandemic didn’t happen, then What The LOU, a new vintage and resale shop in Louisville’s Germantown neighborhood, may not have happened either.

Kris King opened the doors to his new business on Dec. 27, 2020 after being let go from his job in March.

“A lot of people who lose their job wait for that moment to say, ‘I needed to be let go or I needed that kick in the pants to like really take a leap of faith,'” King said.

The 37-year-old said he was fired from his previous employer at the end of March last year because he and other employees raised concerns about COVID-19 safety protocols. He said he has a lawsuit that is currently pending.

At that point, King applied — and then waited — for unemployment insurance. He said he even went to Frankfort to check his status. 

“I would sit down, and they would be like, ‘Okay, well, yep, you’re in the system. It shouldn’t be long,'” he recalled. “And, that’s all that they would say, and I’d drive back to Louisville and just wait.”

King said his partner helped him financially, and as time went on he also drove for food delivery services, Uber Eats and DoorDash. Then, in October last year, his wait was over. 

“Definitely remember the day it came in. I just opened my bank app, and it was just like, ‘Oh my gosh, what is this, and I’m just like, ‘Thank you, Kentucky, for coming through, finally,’" King said.

With the lump sum of unemployment insurance, King decided to create a job versus looking for one.

“I just figured, like, I might as well invest it rather than, you know, just kind of sit in the bank and let it constantly flow out, paying for Netflix or nights out or whatever,” King told Spectrum News 1.

He wanted to start a business that had a low start-up cost so he felt that vintage and resale was the way to go.

"It's in my blood/ My dad‘s always been a collector of old toys and things, and I just kind of realized I think I was into it way more than I knew,” King said.

Before he had the storefront, King said he started collecting items to sell. The items — vinyl records, toys, glassware, shoes, purses, clothes, and the like — come from places such as Facebook Marketplace, Peddlers Malls, and thrift stores. 

“Just like me going out somewhere, I hope somebody comes here and finds a treasure, something that they didn’t expect to find, something that they remember from their childhood. Yeah, it will be a journey,” King said.

This isn’t King’s first foray into entrepreneurship. In 2017, he started a media company, also called What The LOU, to blog and podcast. His plan is to continue with that company in the back of his shop. 

King also plans to sell locally-made or owned products in the front of his shop, and when gatherings are a thing again, he said he wants to host live music and comedy shows.

King said opening during the pandemic has been a double-edged sword. On the one hand, he said rent for his store was reduced. However, he also admitted that business is slow, having opened between Christmas and New Year’s, during the winter, and in the middle of the pandemic. However, he’s optimistic about his shop’s future, especially once everyone is vaccinated. 

“I think the next three years are going to be definitely a blossoming time for this area and for business owners.”

What The LOU is located at 1101 Goss Ave., Louisville, KY 40217. Find the store on Facebook for business hours and more information.