ICYMI: Restaurant openings and shake-ups in Baton Rouge

Chelsea’s Cafe location to transform into new restaurant

The owners of Ivar’s have scooped up the prime Perkins Road real estate formerly occupied by Chelsea’s Cafe to open a slightly more upscale restaurant and bar, according to Daily Report. Though Ivar’s will remain open to its loyal clientele, partner on the new venture Brad Watts says the plan for the 7,000-square-foot space is a “whole new concept.”

Ivar’s owners Chad Hughes and Edwin Edwards are on the hunt for an established chef to join the team and will be releasing more details in coming weeks.

Gastropub to open in former Zee Zee Gardens location

After extensive renovation, Zee Zee Gardens’ former space reopened for a one-day St. Patrick’s Day parade event as The Merchant, a new gastropub concept with an outdoor beer patio. Owner Nick Hufft (of Curbside Burgers) and Lon Marchand spent $300,000 on refinishing the 85-year-old building, for now Baton Rouge’s exclusive home to Curbside Burgers with Hufft pulling out of both Barcadia locations.

The bar/restaurant will officially open later this month, offering house frozen drinks, 12 beers and house wines on tap, canned beers and house cocktails as well as brunch, lunch, dinner and a late-night menu.

Camelot Club served rule of eviction and lawsuit

The exclusive Camelot Club blamed rising rent prices and dropping membership for failing to pay months of rent for their Florida Street location, according to Daily Report, leading to an abrupt closure earlier this month.

The closure came two weeks after landlord Tower Real Estate LLC filed a $257,000 lawsuit against the club, also claiming an additional $11,383.08 of personal debt from owner Tom Tanner.

Online petition launched to save Dearman’s

Longtime Dearman’s patron Nancy Jo Craig has launched an online petition and Facebook page for community members to support historic soda shop Dearman’s. The Bocage Village Shopping Center terminated the Baton Rouge institution’s lease after a fire causing $500,000 of damage to the building.

Craig and supporters hope to encourage the shopping center’s management and owners to reconsider the decision to boot Dearman’s, similar to the 2014 movement to save Highland Coffees.