NEW ORLEANS – For the third year in a row, The Ruby Slipper Café was honored by Fortune and the Initiative for a Competitive Inner City (ICIC) as part of its 2018 Inner City 100 List. Ruby Slipper ranked 28 out of 100 based on revenue growth. This recognition places the restaurant in an exemplary lineage of fast-growing and innovative inner city businesses.
Five other New Orleans-based companies were honored as part of this group, including: Ruby Slipper’s own coffee provider French Truck Coffee; Scott, Vicknair, Hair & Checki, LLC; Ready Power, LLC; Colmex Construction, LLC; MDRG, Inc. and Lake Pontchartrain Properties, LLC/Pontchartrain Landing Marina & RV Resort.
“We are honored to once again be part of an inspiring group of businesses and organizations that are working to make New Orleans and the U.S. a more vibrant place to live and work,” said Ruby Sipper Café co-owner, Jennifer Weishaupt. “And we’re invigorated by the number of New Orleans businesses on the list, especially our long-time partners, French Truck!”
The Ruby Slipper Café’s five-year growth rate is 303%, with 2017 revenues climbing to more than $19 million. Owners Jennifer and Erich Weishaupt opened the first café in an effort to help draw people back to New Orleans’ Mid-City neighborhood in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Since then, they’ve created a beloved all-day brunch concept with ten locations across Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. The family-owned brand is slated to continue its growth in the southeastern region, in 2019.
“Inner City 100 companies are forces of economic opportunity, optimism and transformation in their communities. They lead the way in innovation, job creation and economic revitalization, and it’s an honor to shine the spotlight on their leadership and accomplishments," said ICIC CEO Steve Grossman. "In addition to excellence in business, these pioneering entrepreneurs have demonstrated a deep commitment to and passion for their communities, which significantly impact the wellbeing of their local economies.”
Now celebrating its 20th year, ICIC’s Inner City 100 list has honored urban entrepreneurship by recognizing 975 companies, that have seen average growth rates of more than 400% during a five-year period, and have collectively created more than 126,000 jobs in America’s distressed and underserved communities and neighborhoods.
