NEW ORLEANS — Every indication was it would happen, but now it’s officially official
City Park on Saturday said it has signed a 10-year lease with Cafe du Monde to operate a beignet and coffee stand in its casino building where rival Morning Call has been since 2012.
The news came a day after Morning Call co-owner Bob Hennessey said he would close the 24-hour shop on Sunday, Jan. 20, with the expectation that Cafe du Monde would get the lease.
City Park said Saturday that Morning Call must be out of the building a week later, on Jan. 27.
Once Morning Call is out, Cafe du Monde will park a food truck near the casino building to begin serving customers while renovations to the casino building begin.
Cafe du Monde’s owners will have 90 days to finish the work, which was called for as part of the bidding process.
Cafe du Monde won the bid after it offered to pay the park $25,760 a month in rent. Morning Call had offered a lower amount, $23,800 a month.
The loss of its space in City Park now leaves Morning Call homeless.
Hennessey closed the Metairie store last May, citing slumping sales there and a more robust business in the park.
He said Friday night that he hopes to announce in the coming weeks a new location, but he could not yet say where that might be.
Danny Monteverde can be reached at danny@wwltv.com.