When Darryl Reginelli decided to open a Baton Rouge location of his New Orleans pizzeria in 2008, the site on West Chimes Street in the LSU North Gates neighborhood seemed like a no-brainer. With popular restaurants including Highland Coffees and The Chimes nearby and tens of thousands prospective customers on the bustling LSU campus, Reginelli tells Business Report he penciled in a slam dunk for his growing pizza chain.
But, as detailed in a recent edition of Business Report, making a go of it on West Chimes Street has been far more challenging than Reginelli expected. Sales slow to a trickle for nearly one-third of the year when LSU is on break. Employee turnover is high among a student-based labor pool. Then there’s the dearth of parking for all but a few business owners who have private lots.
“I’m glad we’re there, but seven years later we’re still trying to learn the students’ needs, LSU’s needs and how to get the most out of the location,” Reginelli says. “Would I go into that type of market again? I’m not sure. It’s certainly different than I would have anticipated.”
Reginelli is not alone. The historic North Gates neighborhood, bounded by Highland Road, West State Street, Lake Street and Chimes Street, is Baton Rouge’s second-oldest commercial neighborhood. It dates back to the 1920s, when the university was developed. Generations of people who bleed purple and gold love the area—formerly known as Tiger Town—for the establishments they frequented back in their day.
But for retailers and restaurateurs, LSU North Gates is something of a double-edged sword. Proximity to the campus and its thousands of students, faculty and professionals is attractive. But students come and go with the seasons, and have limited incomes. Being nestled near the campus makes parking nearly impossible. Even the explosion of people in the area on LSU game days can be as much of a headache as a market for merchants.
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