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Provisions on Perkins permanently closes in Acadian Village after 15 months

Provisions on Perkins, located in the former Galatoire’s space in the Acadian Village Shopping Center on Perkins Road, has permanently closed its doors after less than 15 months in operation.

Signs outside the restaurant notified customers Monday of the closure, as did a Facebook post that said, “Unfortunately, we must say goodbye and close our doors. We thank you all. Remember, Wants vs. Needs—and always, good food! Geaux Tigers!”

A manager on-site yesterday at the shuttered facility, where employees were already packing up and removing some items, attributed the closure to sluggish sales. “I guess the volume didn’t sustain the business model,” says manager Marcus Cain, declining further comment.

Owner Paul McGoey says in a text message he cannot comment at this time.

McGoey, a New Orleans restaurateur with several successful restaurant concepts under his belt, opened Provisions just before the first LSU home football game in September 2018, after assuming the lease for the 6,000-square-foot outparcel from Galatoire’s owner John Georges. Galatoire’s had shut down abruptly in July 2018, after struggling for months.

McGoey spent more than $250,000 redecorating the restaurant, closing in its signature patio and introducing a new menu concept.

It’s unclear at this point what specifically went wrong, and McGoey is declining comment. But when Galatoire’s operated in the space, it had one of the steepest lease rates in the area. According to documents previously reported by Daily Report, Galatoire’s was paying $40 per square foot for the space—including base rent and an amortized capital reimbursement payment to cover the cost of the $945,000 build out of the restaurant, originally developed by Commercial Properties Realty Trust.

McGoey and Georges did not disclose the terms of their 2018 deal so it’s unclear if McGoey also was paying as much as $40 per square foot. But most restaurants in the neighborhood of popular eateries pay just somewhere between $20 and $30 per square foot in rent.

Also unknown is what the closure of Provisions might mean for a second restaurant concept—The Vintage—McGoey has planned for the ground floor space in The Commerce Building downtown, previously occupied by Magpie Café.

This story originally appeared in Daily Report Nov. 11. Read on for the rest of the story.