New Orleans enterprise house owners preserving metropolis’s tourism, reside music and meals industries alive

The stuff of New Orleans is a mixture of sound and taste, a feeling that can only be found in the city of Louisiana.

When you step into Lil Dizzy’s, you know you’ve found it.

“You haven’t tried fried chicken until you tried this fried chicken,” said Wayne Baquet.

Baquet has been a food town institution for more than half a century.

“When you say the name Baquet in New Orleans, everyone knows,” he said.

Lil Dizzy’s was one of the first to reopen after Hurricane Katrina, but 2020 brought a different kind of challenge.

“The moment all of this started, I made up my mind because I was wearing masks and my age and the time I put in is over, I’m done,” Baquet said.

Baquet decided to retire and close Lil Dizzy’s last March.

“We had a buffet beforehand. Those days are over, “he said.

Baquet’s son and daughter-in-law Arkesha reopened Lil Dizzy in February, ready for an era focused on social distancing.

“We decided to do everything in to-go bins. When a person finishes eating, their food is dumped, the table is refurbished, all chairs, whether someone is sitting on the chair or not,” said Arkesha.

When the pandemic hit Appreciate tourism guides New Orleans lost more than $ 200 million in visitor spend each week.

For Mardi Gras this year there were houses decorated like swimmers as COVID-19 has canceled the traditional celebrations.

In one of the city’s famous live music venues, TipitinaPay-per-view virtual shows have helped keep the lights on as personal concerts are not allowed.

“They say, ‘oh, maybe you can get a couple dozen people in here.’ That would be nice, but there’s no way such a big place could generate enough revenue to keep going, “said Tipitina’s general manager Tank Greenberg.

The venue has rented a space to a coffee shop, set up a record club, and relied on government money to get that point.

“In the long run we will look back and think that this was a very difficult time. If we can do that, we can do anything, “said Rich Vogel from Galactic, a band owned by Tipitina’s.

While the crisis is not over, it is not too early to start thinking about the journey that is being fueled by creativity and confidence.

“If you get it right, and have the experience and knowledge of someone who can tell you how to do it, you can’t lose,” said Arkesha.