The old Louie’s Cafe building on State Street is getting a new tenant.
A quick-service boiled seafood spot called Krab Queenz—which already has one location in north Baton Rouge—will open in the coming months just outside the North Gates of LSU’s campus.
The building was home to Louie’s Cafe for years before the iconic restaurant moved to a larger home down the street. The building has been vacant since June, when State Bar & Grub closed after less than a year in operation. Shane Courrege, owner of State Bar & Grub, says slumping summer sales was a big reason for the closure.
The new spot will open in the coming months, says Jimmy Wetherford, who owns Louie’s Cafe and co-owns the building with Frank Duvic through their company, Wetherford & Duvic Holdings. The restaurant owners signed a lease last week for the space.
“It’s a good fit for the neighborhood,” he says. The restaurant offers boiled shrimp and crab with a variety of sides.
The restaurant owners didn’t return calls seeking comment, but Wetherford says they will do some light renovations to the space before opening.
—Sam Karlin
