Serving it up: The Jambalaya Shoppe will open its eighth location, this time on O’Neal Lane, on Saturday with a grand opening celebration scheduled to start at 10 a.m. The event includes giveaways and door prizes. As 225 reports, the new Jambalaya Shoppe at 2565 O’Neal Lane will feature a drive-thru. The new shop will be the fast-casual restaurant’s flagship location and the prototype for future franchise locations, according to founder and CEO Cheryl Fontenot. “The demand to franchise is there,” Fontenot says. “We’ve been getting requests from Washington, California and Las Vegas.” The franchise strategy includes rebranding The Jambalaya Shoppe so that all stores will have the same look, feel and theme. Read the full story.
Eying Baton Rouge: Orange Beach, Alabama-based Shades Sunglasses and Casual Apparel will open a location in Perkins Rowe this fall, store owners announced today. The store will be located in a 2,432-square-foot space between the Kendra Scott and Francesca’s stores. The company, which sells men’s and women’s apparel, has eight locations in Alabama and Mississippi. A Lafayette location also is planned in the future, though specifics have yet to be announced. “We’re excited to bring our retail concept to Perkins Rowe, which we feel will be embraced by the Baton Rouge and LSU market because of the variety and quality of our lifestyle merchandise,” says Joe Jernigan, who founded the company with his wife, Mary.
Top honor: The Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board of Supervisors has awarded Gov. Bobby Jindal with an honorary associate degree of applied science in industrial maintenance technology. LCTCS officials say Jindal was awarded the honorary degree for his “outstanding commitment to career and technical education and workforce development in Louisiana as governor.” Jindal was presented the degree at the State Capitol by members of the LCTCS board and LCTCS System President Monty Sullivan on June 4.
