This building in the 4500 block (photographed in October) will become the home of Wayfare restaurant. (UptownMessenger.com file photo by Marta Jewson)
Wayfare will offer “artisan meats and cheeses” and include a selection of high-end groceries inside the former location of the Freret Gym, and intends to open next weekend, according to a post at nola.eater.com.
Also next week, Martinique will begin hosting its down-the-bayou sibling restaurant, Cristiano Ristorante in Houma, for Italian cuisine on Mondays, when the Magazine Street restaurant is normally closed, according to a post by Ian McNulty of Gambit.
Finally, Elizabeth and Greg Firneno have bought Cafe Luna at Magazine and Nashville from former owners Ernesto Montano and Sara Mayeux, according to another report by Gwendolyn Knapp of Eater.
Nothing but positivity in this area. Freret and Oak are booming. I would like to thank all the neighbors who allowed this to happen in this area. This could have been Maple Street, but the neighbors have scared buisness away permanently
A big welcome to Wayfare- for all the positives we still have Barreca family blight.
http://www.wwltv.com/news/Neighborhood-leaders-say-Freret-St-property-owners-still-a-drag-to-recovery-114845689.html
and
http://www.wwltv.com/news/crime/Freret-neighbors-said-crime-is–153384255.html
Years of public pressure and embarrassment may have helped, as they finally sold what today is High Hat, Ancora, and now Wayfare, but they still own large tracks of blighted or white washed commercial and residential properties on and around Freret, but pay little in property tax so…
We also have well respected owners of blight like Dr. Zeller (Freret Vet building)- many would love see re-open (if you know him please ask… if and how we could help?), but alas “Rome was not built in a day” and I’m excited to have Wayfare as a neighbor.
VIVA DAYLA FRERETIA!!!!
AB