Nashville-based Captain D’s plans to have two more locations open in the greater Baton Rouge market in the coming months, as the fast-casual seafood chain eyes around 10 to 15 more locations in the area.
Construction is well underway on a Mid City location at 5131 Government St. near South Foster Drive. The 2,800-square-foot location is set to open within the next 30 days, says Captain D’s Chief Development Officer Michael Arrowsmith.
The Government Street location will be the second Captain D’s restaurant to open in the area after a location opened in Zachary last week. Construction on a third restaurant in Denham Springs is set to begin in the coming weeks, and the chain is in negotiations for a Hammond location as well.
“I see Louisiana being a very penetrative state for us and a popular state for Captain D’s,” Arrowsmith says. “Even though you have a lot of great fish you don’t have a lot of what Captain D’s offers.”
Captain D’s serves Alaskan cod and other fried or grilled seafood items in a fast-casual setting. Arrowsmith says many of the meals are available for around $5, and each location has drive through service.
When the company announced its expansion into the Baton Rouge market in 2015, it said the first locations would be open within a year. And though the first location opened later than anticipated, Arrowsmith says the company is not backing off its initial plan to have 10 to 15 restaurants throughout the region.
Captain D’s already has locations in Alexandria, Leesville and Monroe, and negotiations are ongoing for six other sites in the greater Baton Rouge area. Arrowsmith declined to specify where.
The Baton Rouge area locations will be corporate owned, but Arrowsmith says the company is open to franchising in the region. About 53% of the chain’s more than 500 locations are corporate owned. Captain D’s has locations in 21 states.
—Sam Karlin
