Don’t eat the cheese” was one of former Saints head coach Sean Payton’s go-to expressions (borrowed from his mentor Bill Parcells). It meant “don’t buy into the hype.” His former quarterback might beg to differ. NFL legend and Saint for life Drew Brees is one of the franchise partners bringing the Smalls Sliders cheeseburger drive-thru concept to Metairie. The new quick service restaurant chain is “hyper focused” on made-to-order cheeseburgers — and only cheeseburgers. The first Smalls Sliders opened in September 2019 in Baton Rouge. A second Baton Rouge location followed and another in Thibodaux. Current locations planned for Greater New Orleans include Metairie, Marrero and Slidell. Brees will be the franchisee of the Metairie store (location to be announced).
“After the infrastructure bill passed, we knew the federal government was going to be putting a lot of money into the economy all along the Gulf Coast, so why don’t we have something that can get companies together to hear about those opportunities?”
Al Petrie, Senior Partner at Al Petrie Advisors, speaking about his decision to host the first Southern Industrial Conference on May 31 and June 1 at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel. Companies gathered to network while gaining knowledge about trends and developments to help them grow their business.
Biz Talks Podcast
Episode 106
Curtis Doucette Unveils the New BonVi Apartments in the Bywater
Real estate developer and CEO of Iris Development, Curtis Doucette celebrated the grand opening of the $20 million BonVi apartment complex on June 16. The mixed-use project was developed in partnership with Green Coast Enterprises.
Episode 105
Homebuilding on the Northshore
In the wake of the amended homebuilding moratorium, what is the next step in addressing the Northshore’s growth challenges? Jules Guidry, CEO of Highland Homes and a former leader of the Northshore Home Builders Association, talks about the new committee he’s a part of that’s dedicated to finding “Simple Solutions.”
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