Football season is officially back, and with it comes renewed hope for a business boost in New Orleans after a slow summer.
Mikey Kernion, a bartender at The Rusty Nail and Sidecar in the Warehouse District, said daily summer sales are typically thousands of dollars less than in the fall.
“This summer, the World Cup really has helped us out a lot,” Kernion said. “Just bringing something else in to just get people out, get people moving, get people going to the bars.”
To attract more customers, the owners of The Rusty Nail and Sidecar have made upgrades, including covering their patio, adding outdoor TVs, and installing air conditioning and fans outside.
“I know the tourism industry here will rebound and the restaurant industry here will rebound,” Kernion said. “Like that’s one thing about New Orleans is everybody here is going to just give their best effort, and we’re going to figure it out, and we’re going to let the good times roll.”
Even sports bars in the normally bustling French Quarter have felt the pinch. Like Vieux Sports Saloon on Decatur Street, where manager Joe Pace said they are ready to get back to football season.
“July and August is tough,” Pace said. “These couple of weeks in September after Decadence can be really, really hard on us.”
Pace said his bar will now focus on building a loyal local customer base rather than relying mostly on tourism.
“We have a lot of specials,” Pace said. “As a matter of fact, we call them game day specials, and that’s really a big thing. During the World Cup, people really enjoyed that, and we’re going to offer that continually during the football season.”
Even eateries just off Bourbon Street have felt the heat this summer.
“During the summertime, our sales are about 10 to 15% less than normal, like the fall or the wintertime,” said Rami Bader, owner of Oceana Grill in the heart of the city’s tourism mecca.
Bader said high leasing costs can be a significant challenge for businesses in the city.
“If you have an understanding landlord, they will work with you,” Bader said. “But if you don’t have an understanding landlord, that’s why a lot of businesses are shutting down, because the rent has become so high and so expensive and people just can’t afford it.”
As we’ve previously reported, several fan-favorite New Orleans restaurants, including Gris-Gris in the Lower Garden District and Habana Outpost in the Marigny, closed their doors this summer. As the city transitions into football season, several local businesses are looking forward to better days ahead.
READ MORE: New Orleans bar, restaurant workers hope for football season recovery after summer slump
