Jimmy John’s will open its fifth location in Baton Rouge later this year, after agreeing to lease the restaurant space at 8190 Jefferson Highway that was formerly home to Mama Della’s.
The new location opens a whole new section of Baton Rouge for the national sandwich chain, allowing it to deliver in the Jefferson/Bocage area, as well as United Plaza on Essen Lane, says Alex Knight, a commercial real estate broker with Donnie Jarreau Real Estate who represented Jimmy John’s in the deal. The drive-thru capability of the location also enticed Jimmy John’s, which is based in Champaign, Illinois, and has grown to more than 2,000 locations across 43 states since being founded in 1983.
Renovation plans have been filed with the city-parish permit office. Knight says he expects renovations to take two to three months once the plans are approved. The renovations include an interior facelift to make the store look like a Jimmy John’s, as well as some repair work to the outside.
“It won’t resemble Mama Della’s. It’ll resemble a typical Jimmy John’s,” Knight says.
In Baton Rouge, Jimmy John’s has locations on West Lee Drive, Coursey Boulevard, Perkins Road and Third Street downtown. Knight says all the locations are strategically placed throughout the city to ensure quick service to certain high-volume areas of the city.
Knight says Jimmy John’s has no plans for further expansion right now, but they are always looking for available sites.
Mama Della’s, a New York-style pizzeria that opened in late 2011, closed in early 2015 as expenses outpaced revenues. The pizzeria’s closure came even after it appeared the Food Network’s Restaurant: Impossible, a reality show aimed at turning around struggling restaurants. Before Mama Della’s, the location was home to a Schlotzsky’s Deli.
Next door, Chef Don Bergeron is in the process of relocating his restaurant and catering company from its current location at 714 Jefferson Highway into the space that was formerly occupied by Pat’s Cajun Seafood & Steak, which closed in September last year.
—Ryan Broussard
