After Hurricane Katrina pushed the reset button on New Orleans, some commercial streets have come roaring back. Others remain decimated. And then there’s Claiborne Avenue. Despite drainage repairs and beautification, the street remains a mismatched mix of new development and old New Orleans. A combination of both these elements can be found at Le Boxeur gym….

Here’s a business decision to ponder. Suppose on any given night there’s 10,000 people listening to music in New Orleans. If you open a new music venue, will 10% of those people come to your place? Or do you have to offer something different that will attract a new audience? That’s one of the issues…

Even in New Orleans it’s hard to imagine what Professor Longhair, oysters, streetcars, and hardware might have in common. The answer is, Rampart Street. Professor Longhair lived there. P&J Oysters have been there for about a century. Mary’s Hardware store has been there for about 5 years. And the streetcar has just made a return,…

We talk a lot on this show about how the New Orleans economy is changing. Entrepreneurs are starting up companies that do everything from build apps to 3D printers. Meanwhile, our traditional industries of hospitality and tourism are rolling right along on a parallel track. On this edition of Out to Lunch Peter’s talking about…

Just 135 miles apart, a 2 hour sprint on the interstate or a scenic ramble on the 90, New Orleans and Lafayette are two of America’s most culturally interesting cities.  Economically, though, they’re different. New Orleans is booming and growing while Lafayette is facing headwinds from a depressed oil economy and the continuing after-effects of floods…