The Halal Guys closes Lee Drive location after two years of business

The Halal Guys has closed its doors on Lee Drive after two years of business.

While the Middle Eastern restaurant ceased operations several weeks ago, property leasing agent Brent Struthers of Beau Box Commercial Real Estate is hesitant to call The Halal Guys’ closure a permanent one and declines to comment on why the restaurant closed. He’s having discussions with the New York chain’s corporate headquarters and local franchisees about what to do with the 2,200-square-foot space, he says, adding “there’s a chance of it reopening.”

“They still have six years left on their lease, so we’re doing everything we can do to keep them,” Struthers says. “We’re seeing what they want to do. Ultimately, they might try to sublease it.”

Either way, The Halal Guys marks the third concept to vacate one of two small, side-by-side Lee Drive retail centers in less than a year, preceded by Mooyah Burgers and Fries last December and Piccadilly To Go in May.

Struthers insists the spate of closures is not a reflection of the LSU-area location—a high-traffic corridor he says remains strong for retailers. He says he’s received multiple letters of intent from undisclosed parties interested in the former Mooyah and Piccadilly spaces.

“With these LOIs we’re looking over, we think the centers will start to turn around in three months,” Struthers says. “Retail is picking up everywhere, so hopefully that’ll reflect here.”

The now-shuttered location—which opened in 2017—marked the chain’s first Baton Rouge restaurant, offering a simple menu of chicken, beef gyros and falafel, served either in a sandwich or platter and with an assortment of toppings, sauces and sides.

This story first appeared in Daily Report Oct. 21, 2019.