Saying goodbye to Bywater businesses: concerns raised over closure of two restaurants

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – Two restaurants along St. Claude Avenue are closing next month, leaving many worried and wondering what’s happening to Bywater businesses.

Residents, workers and business owners expressed concern and confusion over the closure of multiple Bywater businesses.

“What is going on in New Orleans,” Nicola Jagessar? “I’m just shocked and sad to hear about the amount of places that are closing.”

In a post on Instagram, Junction Bar & Grill announced it’ll serve its last burgers this Saturday, “at least for now” citing “many circumstances.”

The owner, Jim Monaghan, said during a phone call that the junction isn’t making any money and hasn’t since the pandemic.

He said it’s “amazing our politicians bring us to tears” and would like the “powers that be to tell us what’s happening on St. Claude Avenue.”

Monaghan went on to say they’re “not finished in the Bywater”. Rather, they are “closing in August to determine what the future will hold” with the hope of “eventually revamping.”

“It’s very alarming,” said Latroy Gracin. “Tomorrow’s my last day.”

Gracin said he’s worked at Junction for about two years and told Fox 8 at a meeting last month his hours were cut almost in half.

“They gonna try this new schedule to see if things pick back up and by August, we supposed to go back to our normal hours but instead of doing that you decide to just let everybody go,” Gracin said.

It’s something Gracin said he was just recently informed of.

“I have a son to take care of, but you know I’m gonna figure out something. Schools around the corner. Like I said, hurricane season. Gonna have to do something,” Gracin said.

According to a manager, come August 10th, Rosalita’s Backyard Tacos will be shutting its doors for good.

“Some of the best people work here, so it’s sad. And the greatest tacos. I’m like, what, how’re they closing,” said Jagessar. “It’s the end of an era basically.”

Nicola Jagessar said it’s a loss for the city.

“They said that there’s no business and stuff like that and I was like well maybe it’s the summer because usually they’re so full in the fall and winter,” Jagessar said

In May, the Green Room, which sold Slavic soul food, closed permanently, as well.

“I think there’s something bigger. I just don’t know what it is,” Jagessar said.

In a statement, president of the Bywater Neighborhood Association, John Guarnieri said, “We are disappointed to hear about the closing of these two neighborhood restaurants. However, we are encouraged to learn of the opening of new bars/restaurants; NightBloom on St. Claude, Moshiko Falafel on St. Claude, Origen Venezuelan Bistro on St. Claude and Acamaya on Dauphine. The restaurant business is very tough but I don’t believe these closings are an indication of a downward trend in Bywater.”

Guarnieri also mentioned the struggle to bounce back after Hurricane Ida and the difficulty of hiring workers.

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