Marina’s Mexican Restaurant will reopen at a new location at 6251 Perkins Road in the space most recently occupied by Souga Pizza Restaurant. Marina’s was located at 4608 Bennington Ave. for 12 years but closed in 2014 because of sluggish sales at that location, according to owner Pierre Barousalian, who has spent the past several months scouting for a new space.
“(Perkins) is a main road, and I was trying to find a location on the main road and this was it,” Barousalian says.
The Perkins Road space, which is in a strip center also occupied by Fleet Feet, is approximately 1,800 square feet and will accommodate at least 15 tables. Barousalian has spent the past two weeks painting and redecorating the interior. He plans to open by the end of this month or in early November.
Though Marina’s new site is located on one of the busiest thoroughfares in south Baton Rouge, the location hasn’t proven particularly good for local restaurants. John and George Kilpatrick, the owners of the building, opened Oscar’s Pizza and Ice Cream there in 2008. Three years later, they sold the restaurant to Nino’s owner and chef Elton Hyndman, who changed the menu but kept the same name. Last year, Hyndman pulled out, citing the challenges of running two restaurants, and restaurant newcomer Trey Matassa opened Souga. It closed after just four months.
The space adjacent to the restaurant, previously occupied by skateboard store Urban Nine, has also recently been vacated. According to the store’s Facebook page, Urban Nine closed in August.
—Stephanie Riegel
