There are a couple of destination streets that everyone knows and frequents. Each place has its own unique vibe due to the businesses, the clientele that frequents them, and the residents of the area. Frenchman is good for nightlife, Magazine is full of boutiques, restaurants and bars, Oak has a real laid back neighborhood feel that is making its mark with Po-boy Fest and Bourbon Street…well, do locals really go to Bourbon Street?
One neighborhood that is fresh and a real up and comer is the Freret Street corridor between Jefferson and Napoleon Avenues. Back when people drove cool cars (I’m talking Model Ts, not Hum Vees) this street was a merchant mecca, pulling in all sorts of artisans from metal smiths to bakers. Then a nasty thing called segregation happened and with it the landscape changed drastically. Business owners started to leave, crime rates went up and buildings sat blighted making for an unsightly strip. The area suffered extensive damage after Hurricane Katrina flooded the area, forcing many of the remaining businesses to close up shop for good. But something funny happened not too long after the storm. People started giving a damn and really started to invest time, money, and effort into their neighborhood. Investors, property and business owners saw potential here and fast forward to today and this is possibly the edgiest, most authentic neighborhood revival happening in the Crescent City. Even the New York Times called it the “newly trendy scene” in NOLA.
What makes this area so appealing is the corridor is a mile long, making it easy to walk and very bike friendly. It is also recognized as an arts and cultural district, meaning you can purchase art tax-free. There’s also an element of fun thanks to the community events that happen on a regular basis. The Freret Market is a monthly fair of sorts that brings live music, crafts, food, and just a good time the first Saturday of each month. (Note: They take a break in July and August) Friday Night Fight is one of the most colorful and wonderfully random events taking place in the city. Where else can you watch amateur boxing, which have included a priest duking it out and girl vs. girls bouts? In addition to the fights local rappers, burlesque acts, drag performers, and dance troupes have performed and food from restaurants just a few blocks down are for sale.
Speaking of restaurants Freret Street is rapidly growing into a promising food destination. There’s been a slew of new restaurants opening within the past few months including the latest Ancora and High Hat, both co-owned by Adolfo Garcia of Rio Mar fame. Southern food and authentic Neapolitan style pizzas share one roof in two completely different eateries, respectively. They join the already existing Sarita’s, Freret Poboy & Donut and the ever crowded Dat Dog, recently listed as one of the best new places to get a hot dog in the nation by the Wall Street Journal. What, you want more options? Three more restaurants are slated to open this summer, including Company Burger, Midway, and a TBD Japanese fusion restaurant in the old Friar Tuck’s building. Of course you can wash it all down with an iced coffee from Village Coffee, an organic snoball from Beaucoup or a handcrafted cocktail from Cure, ranked one of the best bars in the nation by countless publications.
All this aside the coolest thing about this growth is the level of excitement that fills the air. People not only want change but they are embracing it. From families that have lived in the neighborhood for decades to college students that leave when the semester is over and come right back, people are stoked about their new neighborhood and it is only going to get better.
Places to check out:
Culture & Community
DuMois art gallery
Crescent City Comics
La Nuit Comedy Theater
Freret Neighborhood Center
Neighborhood Housing Services
Eats & Drinks
Ancora
High Hat
Cure
Freret Street Poboys
Beaucoup Juice
Dat Dog
Sarita’s
Village Coffee
Goods & Services
Ollie on Freret
The Beauty Lab
Zeus’ Place
Freret Landscaping
Bean’s Formal Wear
The Bike Shop
This is in no way a comprehensive list of all the businesses on Freret! Check out The New Freret for more.
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Christy Lorio is a New Orleans area native that literally grew up with a swamp for a backyard. She is a freelance writer, founder of SlowSouthernStyle.com, and a manager of a popular Magazine Street shop. Her work has been featured in New Orleans Magazine, Gift Shop magazine, and numerous online publications. When she’s not spending time discovering new Southern-based fashion designers, she maintains bragging rights about hiking to the bottom of the Grand Canyon 10 times.
