The downtown restaurant that closed in a hurry last week when a historic three-story building across the street partially collapsed is now set to reopen the day after Christmas.
Maypop, an upscale eatery with Asian, Italian and Louisiana cuisine, was forced to evacuate its space in the Paramount Building quickly on Dec. 14, when the façade of the nearby Louisiana Endowment Building began falling to the sidewalk.
Maypop had to remain shuttered while the streets were closed and the endowment building was assessed, and there was concern about the restaurant's future because the holidays are its busiest time of year, Maypop co-owner Michael Gulotta said.
Gulotta said Maypop will still face challenges despite being able to reopen. Authorities have since added a protective barrier around Maypop's block to protect pedestrians and the buildings that line the street, making it difficult to get to the restaurant.
"We're reopening, but the street's closed up," Gulotta said Saturday. "It's not optimal."
Maypop, which opened in 2016, also had difficulty when it nearly closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gulotta said.
"If we don't get the support, we're in a bad spot," he said.