There's been some concern in the last few years of Mid-City becoming "too Metairie" as it adds more strip malls and drive-through coffee shops. Mid-City Market, the shopping development on N. Carrollton Avenue that includes such suburban staples as Panera Bread and Pei Wei, is being pushed by the city to include more local tenants.
Mid-City Market is expanding down Bienville Street, and Councilwoman Susan Guidry discussed at a recent neighborhood meeting how the developer of the project worked with the group Stay Local to include some Louisiana-based tenants. Orange Theory Fitness is one of them, and a dental office, dermatology practice, and a Jefferson Parish-based mechanical contractor business are one the way.
A "salon concept," small restaurant and an architecture firm could eventually join that number, too.
Last year around this time, the neighborhood galvanized over a CVS-anchored shopping development taking shape across the street where a Home Depot used to stand. The development planned to include fewer tenants in favor of more space for the Lafitte Greenway, but none of those tenants have been decided yet.
• City pushes Mid-City Market developers to open locally-owned businesses, councilwoman says [Mid-City Messenger]
• Mid-City Metairie?: Development on N. Carrollton Avenue [Gambit]
• Nick's Original Big Train Bar to Return, Will Include 24-Hr. Drive-Through Coffee Shop [Curbed NOLA]
• A CC's Drive-Through: Too Suburban for Mid-City? [Curbed NOLA]