Category: Business Resources

Work Downtown, Play Downtown

Downtown employees: this one’s for you! Join us every week, Monday-Friday, from 4pm-7pm at the following downtown locations for specials just for you.
How to Participate:
1) Show a Downtown business card, LA State, or City-Parish badge to any participating business
2) Receive special Happy Hour menu or special pricing
  • BENGAL TAP ROOM: 20% Off All Food (Dine-In Only)
  • BLEND WINE BAR: 25% Off Cheese and Charcuterie Boards
  • BOUDREAUX & THIBODEAUX: $4 Abita Beer; $4 Fireball; $4 Jaeger; $4 Rumplemintz
  • BRICKYARD SOUTH: Free Shot of Jameson or Avion w/ Beer Purchase
  • CAPITAL CITY GRILL: Regular Happy Hour Extended to 7pm
  • CECELIA CREOLE BISTRO: 50% Off Select Bottles of Wine
  • COCHA: $10 Cocktail of the Day; 10% Off All Appetizers/Starters
  • COURTYARD BY MARRIOTT: 20% Off Entire Bill (Bistro & Bar)
  • GEORGE’S PLACE: $1 Off Premium Liquor
  • THE GREGORY (AT THE WATERMARK): $10 French 75; $10 Sazerac; $10 Gin/Vodka Martini; $15 Charcuterie Board
  • HAPPY’S IRISH PUB: $5 Moscow Mule; $5 Irish Mule
  • HILTON (KINGFISH LOUNGE): 50% Off All Appetizers
  • HOTEL INDIGO (KING BAR & BISTRO): Ask for special
  • JOLIE PEARL OYSTER BAR: 20% Off Entire Menu
  • OXBOW RUM DISTILLERY: $5 Frozens
  • PASTIME RESTAURANT: 10% All Food (Dine-In Only); 2-For-1 Draft; Regular Happy Hour Extended to 7pm
  • RIVER ROOM: 20% Entire Tab
  • SCHLITTZ & GIGGLES: Ask for special
  • SQUEAKY PETE’S: 20% Off Entire Tab
  • STROUBES: Regular Happy Hour Extended to 7pm
  • THE VINTAGE: 10% Off All Food & Drink *Secret Menu Upon Request*

Downtown Business Association Celebrates a New Board of Directors and Explores Downtown’s Potential

The new Downtown Business Association (DBA) Board of Directors is putting a priority on bringing downtown to its full potential. Not only does this new DBA board represent what the downtown area is, but most importantly, what it could be. The DBA is led by Senior VP of Administration for Visit Baton Rouge, Lauralyn Maranto and Lauren Lambert-Tompkins, who serve as the DBA board president and managing director, respectively.

 

“I’ve been involved with the DBA for a long time, and I’m honored the board elected me as president.” Maranto stated. “I hope to bring some institutional knowledge to the arena, but also hear and react to what some of the newcomers are saying.”

 

The DBA is a non-profit membership organization that produces the popular free concert series Live After Five. The association’s leadership launched the series in a defunct parking lot over 20 years ago with the intention to attract potential patrons and keep downtown workers downtown on Friday evenings, breathing life and commerce into the area. Today, Live After Five regularly attracts thousands of people to enjoy free live music, local food vendors, kids activities, and art vendors.

 

But the DBA wants to see more.

 

“You can drive 50 miles in any direction in Louisiana and have a new experience with unique culture, food, and music.” said Lambert-Tompkins, DBA managing director. “Where does downtown Baton Rouge fit into that? When people visit us, they expect to hear unique music, eat great food, and get a full and vibrant Louisiana experience. Let’s give it to them.”

 

The association is partnering with local business owners, BRASS by Circa 1857 and the Downtown Development District to launch a new initiative incentivizing downtown workers to enjoy perks at area bars and restaurants. The association will also continue to invest in digital marketing strategies to encourage downtown patronage (check out the association’s social media), but DBA is looking at the long-term effects that events and programming can have in a downtown space as evidenced by this study.

 

“It’s all about the experience,” Maranto said. “From arrival to departure, we want a downtown guest, whether a local community member or an out-of-town visitor, to feel like they experienced something special; something unique.”

 

It’s a tall order for a small organization with limited means operated solely by volunteers and contractors, but this board is up for the challenge.

 

“With very few resources, we’ve created a free event series that rivals major paid festivals,” said Lambert-Tompkins. “This diverse and committed board of directors along with partner organizations is set to make a meaningful impact in our capital city’s downtown, but we need more buy-in and support from large corporations, local agencies, and community members.”

 

To submit your suggestions on downtown initiatives, click here.

 

To join the DBA, click here.

 

To donate to Live After Five, click here.

 

The full list of the DBA team is here and as follows:

 

Lauralyn Maranto

DBA President, Senior VP of Administration for Visit Baton Rouge

 

Jay Gaudet

DBA Vice President, Owner of Gaudet Realty

 

Johanna Fini

DBA Secretary, Owner and Partner of Fini Firm

 

Ashley Ledet

DBA Treasurer, VP Director of Human Resources for b1BANK

 

Parker Kilgore

DBA Legal Chair, Partner at Jones Walker

 

Gordy Rush

DBA Immediate Past President, Vice President and Marketing Manager of Guaranty Media

 

Kelly Anderson

DBA Board Member, Financial Advisor with Northwestern Mutual Wealth Management Co.

 

John Jackson

DBA Board Member, CEO and Executive Producer of Launch Media and Managing Partner of Creative Bloc

 

Luke Lognion

DBA Board Member, Owner of BRASS by Circa 1857

 

Joe Martin

DBA Board Member, Co-Owner and Creative Director of Red Six Media and Owner of Brickyard South

 

Jason Roberts

DBA Board Member, Director of the BR African American Museum and Night Manager at Hotel Indigo

 

Dwayne Sanburn

DBA Board Member, Owner of 13th Gate Haunted House and 13th Gate Escape

 

John Snow

DBA Board Member, Partner of Emergent Method

 

Casey Tate

DBA Board Member, Assistant Executive Director of the Downtown Development District

 

Lauren Lambert-Tompkins

DBA Managing Director, Business Development Director for STUN Design

 

Downtown Business Association of Baton Rouge is a membership organization that represents businesses in the downtown area. We foster a thriving downtown economy based on cooperation between local businesses, governmental agencies, and the residential community. We are committed to achieving pragmatic growth and lasting opportunity.

SBA Disaster Loans Available in EBR

Low-interest federal disaster loans are now available to Louisiana businesses in East Baton Rouge and a number of other parishes in South Louisiana as a result of Hurricane Ida.

Have an SBA Connect Login.gov account already? Apply now: https://secure.login.gov/?request_id=78313049-13a6-486f-a149-5937ab5de6a1

 

Businesses of all sizes and private nonprofit organizations may borrow up to $2 million to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery and equipment, inventory and other business assets. SBA can also lend additional funds to businesses and homeowners to help with the cost of improvements to protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

 

For small businesses, small agricultural cooperatives, small businesses engaged in aquaculture and most private nonprofit organizations of any size, SBA offers Economic Injury Disaster Loans to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster. Economic injury assistance is available to businesses regardless of any property damage.

 

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property.

 

Interest rates can be as low as 2.855 percent for businesses, 2 percent for private nonprofit organizations and 1.563 percent for homeowners and renters with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by SBA and are based on each applicant’s financial condition.

 

To be considered for all forms of disaster assistance, survivors must first contact the Federal Emergency Management Agency at www.disasterassistance.gov. Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information and download applications at https://disasterloanassistance.sba.gov/. Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance. Individuals who are deaf or hard‑of‑hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, Fort Worth, TX  76155.