Morning Call Is Eyeing New Beignet Locations, Including the Fair Grounds

Now that Morning Call’s last remaining location, at the “casino building” in City Park, is officially closing on January 20, the owners of the 150-year old coffee and beignet shop are determined to maintain a presence in the city.

Co-owners Bob and Mike Hennessey tell Midcitymessenger.com that they are considering various options to revive Morning Call following its last day, including locations in Kenner, Slidell, on Magazine Street, and on Esplanade Avenue. The brothers have also begun preliminary talks with officials at the Fair Grounds about opening a stand there, which would be a first for the racetrack. While the five-month limited season of the track is a concern, they are considering opening more than one location.

Morning Call lost its City Park location to Cafe du Monde after a 10-month back-and-forth battle over the site’s lease after occupying the building since 2012. The cafe closed it’s only other remaining location in the spring of 2018, just before bidding for the City Park stand initially opened.

Morning Call has until January 27 to vacate City Park. Cafe du Monde has 90 days to renovate the building, and will start out by serving its beignets and coffee from a food truck in the meantime.

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• It’s Official: Morning Call Loses City Park Beignet Battle to Cafe du Monde [ENOLA]
• Fair Grounds among potential locations for Morning Call after it leaves City Park [MIDCITYMESSENGER.COM]
• Tracking What’s Going With the Beignet Stand at City Park [ENOLA]
• After 40 Years, Morning Call Shutters in Metairie [ENOLA]