NEW ORLEANS — Tujague's Restaurant is the second oldest restaurant in New Orleans, opening on Decatur Street in 1856. The restaurant has since moved down the street, but the historic Tujague's sign is still in its original location. There's recently been talk of altering the sign, but that likely won't happen, at least for now.
There are 35 historic signs across New Orleans that are protected by city rules that prevent new property owners from altering them. The list includes Angelo Brocato's, Buds Broiler, Casamento’s, Commander’s Palace, and Tujague's.
A proposal would have allowed the original Tujague's sign to be altered. The restaurant moved three blocks down Decatur in 2020 and had to leave the sign so the owners created a replica.
"They wanted to take the sign with them, but the landlord wouldn't let them," said Nathan Chapman, President of the Vieux Carre Property Owners, Residents, and Associates (VCPORA).
Mike Motwani owns the property that now sits empty. His lawyer pushed to change the original Tujague's sign to reflect future tenants in the space, saying last month in a meeting, 'We're now in a unique situation where we have two Tujague's signs four to five blocks from one another, which also creates confusion.'
A rendering from Motwani's permit application showed the sign altered to say 'Voodoo Doughnut,' an Oregon-based business that may move in.
"If we paint over it, we're destroying the thing were trying to save and we don't want that," Chapman said.
Last month, the City Planning Commission unanimously denied the proposal to allow changes to classic signs. Ultimately though it's up to the city council. Council member Freddie King would have to file a motion within 60 days of the City Planning Commission filing their recommendation in order for the issue to go before the council, but he told us that hasn't happened and amid the planning commission's denial of the idea, it likely won’t.
"That would be terrific," Chapman said.
This means classic signs will likely have to remain untouched, at least for now.
"We are America's most historic neighborhood, we're fighting hard to keep it like that," said Glade Bilby, President of the French Quarter Citizens.
The Tujague's team did not want to comment on the matter.
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