Vera is closing Red Gravy?????
From Roseann's FaceBook post an hour ago.
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Family, friends, meatball lovers, Lou and I have to tell you the hardest thing we could possibly say. Red Gravy is going to close permanently on Saturday, April 30. For 10 years, we were just rolling along on Camp St, doing a fabulous brunch business and just living our lives. When Covid hit, we reevaluated our situation, and knowing we'd never last the forecasted 2 year business disruption, decided to move to Magazine St. Sinking ourselves into debt for the first time in 10 years, we turned an empty restaurant into a newer version of Red Gravy, gritted our teeth, and hoped for the best. During every new incarnation of Covid, every new shutdown, every new mandate, every new policy, we just kept pushing and digging deeper and deeper; trying to keep going and keep our magnificent staff employed. Hurricane Ida didn't help; and instead made a bad situation worse. Life has become a death by a thousand cuts for us. What was once the joy of my life, following a dream I had since I was 10 years old, was becoming an albatross around our necks. Lou and I decided to get married on Mardi Gras right around the time of the hurricane. Trying to plan our small wedding while dealing with equipment repairs and failures, leaks, supply shortages, staffing shortages, financial shortages was almost impossible. The joy of Mardi Gras, after 2 long years was almost lost. Many of you know Lou and I decided to move here after falling in love with the city back when he took me here for my 41st birthday. That was 19 years ago. We finally moved here in 2010 with the idea of following my lifelong dream of cooking for people as though they were eating at my table at home. To tell you now that I can no longer physically do it without the support of a full staff breaks my heart. When we have to turn away business because I can't cook it all by myself; when I tell you I have to cut corners because it's the only way I can get a plate out, you know this is no longer the dream of that little Italian girl from New Jersey. The support of the staff I have has meant the world to me. Celebrating holidays, birthdays, helping each other when it was needed, being a force unto ourselves, will always be a feather in my cap. Finding such a warm reception on Magazine Street by all the local neighbors makes me feel loved. Having spent 10 spectacular years on Camp street, knowing that visitors to this city came to see us, year after year, will always be a cherished memory. To everyone that posts here or simply clicks the 'like' button, year after year, you will never ever know what your support and encouragement has meant to me. Lou and I didn't know a soul when we moved here. You all, those in person, and those virtually, have made us feel like family. I don't see this closing of Red Gravy as a failure, or any kind of shortcoming. It was just bad timing and a series of circumstances I couldn't control. We did a great thing, Lou and I, a really great thing; something we are both so very proud of. This is not the end for us. We're not leaving New Orleans. We'll find another path, here. Hopefully, ours will all continue to cross. I love you all. Thank you for all the wonderful memories. Namaste.