A year ago, I took over operations at St. Roch Market. I didn't come from the restaurant industry. I came from tech startups — years of building companies, raising capital, and solving problems that most people told me were too complicated. When I walked into this 150-year-old building on the corner of St. Roch and St. Claude, I saw the same thing I always see: a problem worth solving, and a building worth saving.
Why This Building
St. Roch Market has been part of New Orleans since 1875. That's not a marketing line — it's a fact. This building has survived fires, hurricanes, economic collapse, and decades of neglect. It was one of the original public markets that fed this city. When I signed a 30-year lease on the property, people asked me if I was sure. I was sure. You don't walk away from a building with this kind of history. You figure out how to take care of it.
The first thing I had to deal with was infrastructure. The building needed work — plumbing, electrical, the kinds of things customers never see but that keep everything running. That's not glamorous, but it's the foundation. You can't build something that lasts if the bones aren't right.
Filling the Hall
When I took over, several stalls were empty. Within the first year, we filled every one of them. That wasn't an accident. I spent a lot of time thinking about what kind of food hall St. Roch Market should be. My philosophy is simple: this place should feel like a coffee shop on steroids. A spot where you can come in the morning for a great cup of coffee and a pastry, stay for lunch, bring your family for dinner, and grab a drink at the bar on your way out. Every visit should feel different because there's always something new to try.
I used a pop-up model to test new vendors before giving them a permanent stall. It's a startup approach applied to food — let someone prove the concept, see how the neighborhood responds, and then make the commitment. It reduces risk for everyone and means the vendors who end up here are the ones the community actually wants.
What We Built
Today, St. Roch Market has a full roster of independent vendors. You can get fresh Gulf oysters at Salted Pearl, a Cuban sandwich at Aritza's Kitchen, a poke bowl at Lin's, charcuterie and wine at Olive & Co, craft cocktails at Roch's Reprieve, or a proper espresso at CR Coffee. Every vendor is independent. Every one of them brings something different. That's the whole point of a food hall — variety, quality, and community under one roof.
We also brought back happy hour — $1 oysters, $4 drafts, $7 cocktails, every weekday from 3 to 5. It's become one of the best deals in the city, and it's packed with locals. That's the crowd I want. This isn't a tourist attraction. It's a neighborhood spot that happens to be in a beautiful, historic building.
The Next 30 Years
I didn't sign a 30-year lease because I wanted a quick win. I signed it because I believe in what this building can be for the next generation. St. Roch Market turns 150 in 2025. That's a milestone worth honoring — not with a plaque, but by making sure this place is thriving, full of great food, and serving the people who live in this neighborhood.
Year one was about getting the foundation right. Filling the stalls, fixing the building, building relationships with the vendors and the neighborhood. Year two and beyond is about growth — more events, more community programming, and continuing to make St. Roch Market the kind of place where everybody feels welcome.
I'm grateful to every vendor who took a chance on this place, every neighbor who walks through the door, and every person who told someone else about us. That's how you build something real. One year down. Twenty-nine to go.
St. Roch Market is open daily at 2381 St. Claude Ave, New Orleans, LA 70117. Thirteen independent vendors serving the neighborhood since 1875.
