NEW ORLEANS — Much like the Saints on game day, The Original Italian Pie on S. Rampart Street must be prepared on game day.
“We upped our staff for the game, but it pretty much produced the same as we normally get,” said owner Severan Jones.
Sunday’s Saints game didn’t leave Jones doing a celebratory end zone dance.
“With a 1 o’clock game we don’t have lunch because they’re all trying to make it to the game and if we lose, they’re gone,” said Jones. “They’re just not going to come in.”
Jones was hoping the preseason home game, just two blocks away, would cook up business, already slowed by the summer season. Nine years as owner, he says pre-season games aren’t usually money makers.
“Typically during Saints season, we do double sales on games, which is phenomenal. It helps us bridge gaps,” said Jones.
Just down the street, Head Quarters by Nice Guys New Orleans is the new kid on the block. It opened just a few months ago and lured in some business Sunday.
“Pre-game we had some people coming in and then post-game we had a nice rush of people coming in enjoying our food, couple of drinks,” said corporate chef Christian Chaussat.
Chaussat says opening a new restaurant isn’t easy. He hopes the Saints' regular season, big concerts like Taylor Swift, and the Super Bowl serve up more customers.
“New Orleans is a destiny spot,” said Chaussat. “All destiny spots live out of these little events like the Saints season, the concerts that we’re going to be having.”
Jones is ready for it all as well.
“I wish we had more events still,” said Jones. “As a business owner, you want more events. It’s what draws everybody in.”
Jones says one thing currently keeping people out is all the road construction. It’s all being done ahead of the Super Bowl. Jones just wishes progress didn’t cut into profit.
“It’s great that we’re moving forward on it but all at once, we’re doing everything all at once,” said Jones.
Chaussat isn’t a fan of it either but looks forward to the end result.
“I’m happy it’s happening because it’s going to bump up this area of the city,” said Chaussat.
Both businesses just hope it means much-needed bumps in business.
