Beloved New Orleans food hall calls for community support during tourism slump [Video]

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) – As some restaurants along St. Claude Avenue in New Orleans announce impending closures, a nearby food hall operator is calling for the community to support local businesses and restaurants amid the slow summer months.

As Fox 8 reported earlier this week, both Rosalita’s and Junction along St. Claude Avenue have announced coming closures in the next two weeks.

Nearby, the operator of St. Roch Market said he and other New Orleans restauranteurs are having added struggles during what is typically a slow season due to a lack of tourists.

“We are built for tourism,” said Kevin Pedeaux, who took over management of the entire market last year. “When tourism dries up, so does everything else.”

This is Pedeaux’s first full summer as operator, and he said unexpected repair costs associated with extreme heat have compounded an already-slow season.

“Repairs are up, sales are down, and it’s a scary kind of a situation,” …