POSITION: Owner
COMPANY: Boutin’s Restaurant
WHAT THEY DO: Cajun cuisine and live music
REVENUE: $2 million
NEXT GOAL: To continue to improve the customer experience
Lynn Boutin is well acquainted with risk.
When Boutin’s Restaurant opened its doors in 2001 in the Bluebonnet Boulevard building previously occupied by Mulate’s, he was staking his livelihood on the marketability of Cajun food, music and ambiance in Baton Rouge—from pictures of the Atchafalaya Basin hanging on the wall to families crowding the dance floor on Saturday night. That’s quite a gamble when most independent restaurants fail in their first year.
But Boutin’s trick to building a successful business lies in the consistency of his products and his ability to quickly adapt to changes in the economy. His latest example is the renovation of additional waiting space into a Cajun storefront specializing in ready-made frozen and packaged foods as well as food-themed gifts. With construction slated to begin early next year, the concept will be another facet of the restaurant aimed at bringing in more customers.
The recession plays a major part in the project’s timing. Boutin says revenue is down by 12.5%, in part because of work on Perkins Road that limited access for much of this year. The addition of retail should boost profits if it becomes popular.
“When people cut back on eating out, you want to try to fill that void with something else,” Boutin says. “You are always looking for the next thing you can do that keeps your business unique but doesn’t change who you are.”
The renovation will transform existing space while creating little in terms of additional employment or customer service. Boutin subscribes to the philosophy of long-term growth, which makes the risk more palatable.
“I’m looking at not just a temporary fix, but at a long-term project,” he says. “I always saw this [business] as a thing to nurture, not just today and next year, but for many years to come.”
This isn’t the first time Boutin has thought outside of the box in order to grow. A private banquet hall, newly launched evening curbside service and short-lived breakfast concept are a few of the ideas that have drawn people to his establishment.
For Boutin, it comes back to the core concept of Cajun food and culture.
“The reward of seeing people eating, dancing and having a good time … it’s more than a restaurant. It’s an experience,” he says. “That really makes me feel good about what I do.”
