News › Commerce
Lakeview Leaders Track Return of Residents, Businesses
June 20, 2008
Tim Ryan, University of New Orleans chancellor and LCIA Economic Development Marketing Committee chairman, said 144 businesses have reopened in Lakeview, including 22 restaurants and coffee shops, 13 medical service providers and an assortment of other businesses.… continued ›
Firm Open to Selling Lindy Boggs Site
June 11, 2008
“There is interest from doctors and an investment group in putting medical care back there,” said Dr. Robert Kenny, the former president of Lindy Boggs’ medical staff and a member of a group of doctors who, he said, tried to… continued ›
Mudbug Media Named One of New Orleans' "Bests"
June 9, 2008
Mudbug Media, a New Orleans-based web development and graphic design firm was honored by local entertainment magazine Where Y’At in the annual “Best of the Big Easy” issue.… continued ›
Phase II of Louisiana Business Recovery Grant & Loan Program Introduced
May 27, 2008
Informational sessions will be held around South Louisiana beginning Wednesday, May 28. Business owners are urged to attend informational sessions to ensure their applications are accurate and complete before scheduling an intermediary interview to submit the application. It makes no… continued ›
Taxing Online Retail Sales is Only Fair
May 5, 2008
New York state is requiring online retailers to charge sales tax if they have marketing agreements with businesses in the state. It’s prompted an Amazon lawsuit. But commentator Michael Mazerov says Internet retailers should play by the same rules as… continued ›
Credit Problems Squeeze Retailers, Too
April 30, 2008
“Almost everybody closed because of too much competition,” he says. “What happened? Wal-Mart came along and closed them down. The consumer made a choice to choose Wal-Mart. The prices were lower, the stores were bigger….”… continued ›
How Will Rebate Checks Get Spent?
April 29, 2008
What is the likely economic effect of tax rebate checks that are now going out? Dollars spent on goods and services within the local economy will have a much greater impact, according to Mark Zandi, Chief Economist at Moody’s Economy.com… continued ›
New Orleans Restaurants, Still Limping, Lead City's Revival
April 15, 2008
The number of food-service establishments in the metropolitan area has dropped to 1,355 from 1,882 pre-Katrina, according to a March 2008 report by Jim Funk, president of the Louisiana Restaurant Association. Insurance costs have risen 95 percent, labor 31 percent,… continued ›
Retailing Chains Caught in a Wave of Bankruptcies
April 15, 2008
The surging cost of necessities has led to a national belt-tightening among consumers. Figures released on Monday showed that spending on food and gasoline is crowding out other purchases, leaving people with less to spend on furniture, clothing and electronics.… continued ›
Tourism Officials Bank on Weak Dollar's Silver Lining
April 14, 2008
The decline of the dollar against the euro and other currencies is making it increasingly expensive for Americans to travel abroad these days, but representatives of New Orleans hospitality and retail sectors see a silver lining. They are banking on… continued ›
PJ's Coffee Sold to New Orleans Group
March 25, 2008
The new owners say they intend to bring the chain’s headquarters back to New Orleans and focus on the Southeast.… continued ›
Nagin Family's Company Got Deal with Home Depot
March 24, 2008
News of the Nagin family’s venture has circulated among the small group of firms that install granite, to mostly unfavorable reviews.… continued ›
N.O. Food Cooperative Moves Closer to Opening
March 9, 2008
Calhoun described the cooperative as a “more affordable, locally based alternative” to Whole Foods Market and other national grocers.… continued ›
Capital One Targets Startups
March 9, 2008
“Most banks require a minimum of 18 months in business to extend credit to a startup,” Galloway said. “I don’t know of any other bank that’s targeted startups. Most banks run from them.”… continued ›
Online Sales Tax Front: ABA Responds to Governors
January 18, 2008
When states allow out-of-state businesses to pirate away dollars that normally would have been spent in state, they are helping to encumber their own state’s economy. In the end, the state’s citizens end up the big losers. Uncollected sales tax… continued ›
Ghost Malls: Is Retail Real Estate About to Crash?
January 13, 2008
Malls aren’t turning into haunted houses just yet, but they may be on their way, thanks to the recent wholesale shuttering of national retail chains.… continued ›
Victory Real Estate Wins Demo Permit in Mid-City
January 2, 2008
Demolition is expected to begin in two to three months on the former hospital, which has been shuttered since Hurricane Katrina flooded its basement with water. But it could take two to three years, or longer, before Victory Real Estate… continued ›
Magazine Street Shines as Example
December 1, 2007
The challenges occasioned by our nascent recovery also provide us with an attractive opportunity. Could we not use Magazine Street as a model to create mixed-use, commercial corridors in some of the neighborhoods that are struggling to return to viability?… continued ›
Developer Wants to Tear Down Mid-City Hospital
November 28, 2007
“You will now see some of the tenants that would be commonplace in suburban shopping centers for the first time have the ability to go into that market,” Schwarcz said. But that is exactly what many Mid-City residents fear. They… continued ›
Fizzled Frenzy
November 15, 2007
Candebat, Dombourian and other retailers say they don’t want to sound an alarm about business on Magazine Street, yet revenue is less robust than in 2006. “People have said there are just too many situations with the city such as… continued ›
Festivus Market Has Good (Social) Values
November 8, 2007
Its goal once again is to provide the perfect relief from the loneliness of on-line shopping, a fun and relaxing experience and to avoid the futility of trawling suburban lots searching for a space to park.… continued ›
Filing Deadline Nears for Second Business Recovery Grant Payments
October 19, 2007
Louisiana Economic Development (LED) officials urge Business Recovery Grant & Loan program recipients to submit documentation for the second half of their grants before the October 31st deadline.… continued ›
Katrina Gives Retailers Rare Window
October 18, 2007
“Barnes & Noble has to be asking itself, ‘What does Borders know that we don’t know?’” Kercheval said. “Retailers want to go in herds.”… continued ›
Historic Funeral Home to Be Reborn as a Bookstore
October 4, 2007
“It’s a deliberate, predatory move against independent bookstores,” said Tom Lowenburg, owner of Octavia Books. “They’re a 500-pound gorilla, and it’s not an accident” that Borders is situating itself between Octavia and the Garden District Book Shop, another well-established local… continued ›
Market Makers
September 18, 2007
The sense of community that blooms between the farmers’ tents and vendors’ tables is a key dynamic to outdoor markets, and in post-Katrina New Orleans, its appeal has proven positively magnetic.… continued ›
Rouses Buying 18 Local Stores
September 15, 2007
Rouses plans to stay true to its roots. The grocery chain puts an emphasis on stocking fresh local produce and seafood and carries its own line of specialty Cajun meats and sausages. “We understand what people from Louisiana eat, we… continued ›
Outdoor Freret Market Makes its Debut Today
September 10, 2007
A 2006 survey of customers at the two Crescent City Farmer’s Markets furnished evidence that spending by crowds during shopping trips — before, during and after visits to the actual markets — resulted in a $6.7 million yearly economic impact.… continued ›
Group Wants Insurance Lawsuit Deadline Pushed Back Again
August 12, 2007
The deadline for filing insurance lawsuits is tantamount to the deadline for resolving insurance claims, because once the deadline for initiating legal action has passed, there is no incentive for companies to pay any more money because their obligation cannot… continued ›
Vitality Puts Local Flavor into Health Food
July 31, 2007
“Savor our local flavor,” she said. “But for people who are here every day, there has to be something else. We can’t eat like tourists every day and live to tell about it.”… continued ›
Big Boxes Bad Choice for New Orleans, Says Blakely
July 9, 2007
“The city’s been so anxious to get development, it’s made poor choices,” he said. “You don’t bring big boxes into the middle of the city and expect your neighborhoods to survive.”… continued ›
The Future May Just Be Local...
June 11, 2007
Far from being chauvinistic nationalist movements, (STILL) MADE HERE and (STILL) SOLD HERE will increasingly be about supporting one’s neighborhood, one’s city, one’s region, to regain a sense of place and belonging and to safeguard future access to the special… continued ›
Grants Aim to Cure Exodus of Doctors
June 11, 2007
The secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last month that the federal agency would provide another $35 million to help the state recruit and retain health care workers. The state will use this latest infusion… continued ›
Check Distribution Begins for Business Recovery Grant Recipients
April 20, 2007
For Round 2 of the Business Recovery Grant & Loan Program, the State is in the process of reallocating $68 million, plus funds remaining from Round 1. The allocation between grants and loans will be determined during the program design… continued ›
Doerr Furniture Reopens After $1M Expansion Renovation
April 13, 2007
“Small, family-operated and locally-owned businesses like Doerr have marked the progression of New Orleans as a city. After Hurricane Katrina we wanted to demonstrate that better and bigger than ever,” said David Mutter, vice president of Doerr.… continued ›
Stanford Students Help Small New Orleans Firms Recover
April 9, 2007
The storm physically destroyed or financially hurt more than 80 percent of the 12,695 small businesses that were in Orleans Parish, according to local business officials. The few that have reopened are struggling to stay afloat with fewer customers, reduced… continued ›
LRA Announces Plans to Push Additional $68 Million to Small Businesses
March 17, 2007
“Perhaps no sector suffered more than the small businesses that are the underpinning of Louisiana’s economy,” said Governor Blanco. “Many small businesses that survived the storms have been hanging on by a shoestring - or even less. They struggle on… continued ›
Protecting New Orleans' Tax Base: Which PILOTs Should Fly?
March 15, 2007
In December, the Industrial Development Board of the City of New Orleans approved a 20-year tax break in connection with the construction of a Home Depot store in Central City. It currently has pending 11 other applications containing requests for… continued ›
Comprehensive New Study Examines Impact of Katrina and Rita on Louisiana Businesses
March 12, 2007
Researchers studied the change in the total number of firms by parish and industry in Louisiana to measure and analyze the number of firms could be “verified open.” This report captures data for about 96 percent of companies in the… continued ›
LED Encourages Businesses to Weigh in on Regional Vision
February 7, 2007
Your input will be used to develop a regional vision that helps local, state and federal public agencies, including Louisiana Recovery Authority, guide policies and set spending priorities.… continued ›
Louisiana Business Recovery Grant, Loan Program to Begin Taking Applications Tuesday
January 23, 2007
The $138 million program is designed to provide grants of up to $20,000 and zero-interest loans of up to $250,000 to sustain and restart small businesses in the areas most severely impacted by hurricanes Katrina and Rita.… continued ›
LSU Football Corporate Sponsorship Giveaway
January 18, 2007
“Louisiana’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy and form a cultural network in many neighborhoods. Our intention is to highlight how their success is moving Louisiana forward,” said Michael J. Olivier, secretary of LED.… continued ›
Small Businesses Teeter on Edge
December 27, 2006
Louis Sahuc, who owns Photo Works, a photography shop in the French Quarter, called the belief that conventions generate a great deal of business for retailers in the French Quarter and surrounding areas “a myth.” “It’s just about the very… continued ›
Freret Street Business Revival: A True Cinderella Story
December 22, 2006
“When you drive by or walk the corridor and talk to business owners and see them opening up new businesses, you start to realize what they envision for the Freret Street neighborhood,” Eness said. “What people are talking about is… continued ›
Bayou Road Shops Receive $400,000 to Reopen
December 19, 2006
The self-proclaimed “Belles of Bayou Road” have worked tirelessly to revitalize the 2500 block of Bayou Road since Hurricane Katrina tore the roofs off several buildings and left more than 3 feet of floodwater in the street.… continued ›
Aid Program Targets Small Businesses
December 16, 2006
Michael Hecht, who is handling the program for the state’s economic development department, said he expects 5,000 to 7,000 businesses to get grants during a two- to three-month period. The money could be used by the businesses to pay such… continued ›
Your City is a Gift
December 6, 2006
This holiday season, just 16 months after Hurricane Katrina, there’s probably no one on your list that needs a gift more than your own hometown. Still wobbly after taking the worst hit in its history, the local economy could use… continued ›
Big Chains Hesitate in Returning to N.O.
November 20, 2006
The metro area is riddled with boarded-up remnants of McDonald’s, Walgreens, Rite Aid, Burger King and Wendy’s locations while their locally owned counterparts are open for business. Why are national chains — with deep pockets to pull from — still… continued ›
Twice Battered
October 26, 2006
Starting over seems to be a recurring theme at McHardy’s, even from its origins five years ago. A native of New Orleans, Mogilles had a long career as a commercial banker, and part of his job was helping other people… continued ›
Twice Battered
October 26, 2006
Starting over seems to be a recurring theme at McHardy’s, even from its origins five years ago. A native of New Orleans, Mogilles had a long career as a commercial banker, and part of his job was helping other people… continued ›
Governor Blanco Announces Enhanced Bridge Loan Program
October 12, 2006
“Many of our business owners still need capital to move their companies and Louisiana’s economy forward,” said Governor Blanco. “This third phase of the Bridge Loan program continues to put cash into the hands of businesses working toward recovery. The… continued ›
Grants to Foster Main Streets
October 12, 2006
Four commercial districts will be awarded a total of $1.5 million in redevelopment grants from the National Trust for Historic Preservation today. The Main Street Program gives neighborhood districts cash as well as technical assistance, such as architects and interior… continued ›
Healthy Sales Help Buoy New Orleans
September 25, 2006
At Magic Box Toys, where monthly sales have been as much as 50 percent higher than last year, owner Betsy Mouk said she’s welcoming customers who used to do most of their shopping at Toys-R-Us and Wal-Mart. “There are a… continued ›
World, Interrupted
September 17, 2006
Business interruption claims from Katrina are expected to cost about half of the $20.8 billion in commercial losses. The figure is all the more stunning when one considers that flooding does not trigger business interruption coverage, so the thousands of… continued ›
Camellia Grill to Spread Its Roots
September 10, 2006
Local restaurateur Hicham Khodr recently bought the Camellia Grill from the family that opened it 60 years ago, and he plans to reopen it sometime before the end of the year. Further, he has a plan to expand the Camellia… continued ›
Brocato's to Reopen Famed N.O. Gelato Shop
September 7, 2006
Angelo Brocato’s, the 101-year-old Italian bakery and gelato shop on North Carrollton Avenue, will reopen the weekend of Sept. 23-24 after being closed nearly 13 months by hurricane damage estimated to total between $750,000 to $900,000.… continued ›
A Bank Survives Katrina. Now, the Hard Part.
September 4, 2006
By some measurements, Liberty is doing astonishingly well. After posting losses of $3.4 million in 2005, its worst performance since opening its doors 34 years ago, Liberty reported a $2 million profit in the first half of 2006. “We’re feeling… continued ›
Forbes List Blasts Louisiana Business Climate
August 20, 2006
Is New Orleans putting the horse before the cart in attempting to lure corporations to set up shop here? In a Forbes Magazine ranking of Best States for Business, Louisiana came in dead last, due mainly to low rankings in… continued ›