The Bean Gallery
637 N Carrollton Ave, New Orleans
504-324-8176 // thebeangallery.net // facebook.com/TheBeanGallery // @thebeangallery
Consistency and innovation might seem like opposing forces, but this combination is the secret to the success of The Bean Gallery, a popular neighborhood coffee shop located at 637 North Carrollton Avenue in Mid-City.
On the consistency side, the business remains owned and operated by Emre Ergen, who opened it in March 2007.
“We were one of the first businesses to open after Katrina,” he recalled. “Now 80% of our business comes from regular customers.
“If you come in here two or three times, the people behind the counter are going to know what you drink,” Ergen noted.
Consistency in his products is due to the long-term relationships Ergen has established with most of his suppliers.
“We’ve been using the same coffee roasters since the beginning,” he said, “and the same chocolate, the same bakers.”
Some things have changed, however. Forced to cope with various challenges — the pandemic being the most recent — Ergen began thinking outside the bean.
“We limited our hours, but we never closed during COVID,” Ergen recounted. “We kept all our staff by mixing shifts. We sold toilet paper to our customers because we could get it from our suppliers, even when there wasn’t any in the grocery stores. Our customers were really loyal to us, and we tried to help them.”
Facing the universal staffing shortages plaguing the restaurant industry, Ergen said he’s relied mostly on word of mouth to fill positions. The majority of the shop’s 10-person staff are students who tell their friends about job openings when they occur.
On the plus side, Ergen noted that many of his employees are in nursing or medical school.
“I won’t have any health care issues when I retire,” he said with a laugh.
Ergen tackles rising costs in part by doing as much of the maintenance himself, from fixing equipment to cleaning clogged pipes.
Originally from Turkey, Ergen came to the University of New Orleans to get his master’s degree in civil engineering. However, his brother was the manager of Fellini’s — just down Carrollton Avenue where Blue Oak BBQ is today — and when the former City Perk building came up for sale, the brothers decided to seize the opportunity.
“I find myself doing something completely different than what I planned,” said Ergen. “It’s more work, but I have more fun working.”
This genial attitude is reflected in the staff and the casual atmosphere of the Bean Gallery. In addition to coffee and pastries, the menu includes made-to-order sandwiches and paninis, comfort food in a comfortable setting. The steady stream of local customers proves the value of Ergen’s approach.
