August 2023: The Summer That Devastated Small Businesses in New Orleans

Small businesses in New Orleans are currently in need of your support more than ever. This past summer was the slowest summer that New Orleans businesses have experienced in the last 20 years. The dry spell caused a lot of businesses to close.

If you book a bicycle tour with Flambeaux Bicycle Tours we appreciate you booking directly through our website. Third party sites take a 26-30% commission when you buy a tour ticket through their page. We really appreciate you buying the ticket through us. It’s still going to be a flat $50 because we pay the taxes and booking fee. Even after paying the tax and booking fee we make more then when booking through a third party. That’s also more money staying in the New Orleans economy…and right now every dollar counts.

August in New Orleans is always a hard pill to swallow if you work in the service industry. Whether you're a tour guide, bar tender, server, musician or whatever job you're working in the French Quarter area…August makes you sweat both literally and figuratively. You’re broke, bills pill up, rent is due, and it’s so hot it feels like you're in the 9th circle of Dante’s Inferno…and there’s no Beatrice in sight! It’s definitely a time of reflection and questioning if you're making the best choices in life.

This past August the French Quarter was a ghost town. With temperatures reaching over 115 degrees daily, you really can’t blame people for seeking shelter. If you're feeling isolated and lonely from the effects of August 2023 just know that you’re not alone. We are all feeling it right now. Twelfth Night Coffee has the best cold brew, espresso, and iced latte’s in New Orleans. Stop in and have a coffee with us. There’s nothing like a shot of espresso to alleviate the blues.

I tried to capture all of these sentiments in a reel I made and posted to Twelfth Night Coffee’s instagram. Check it out here.

If your not on IG you can also watch it here on our site:

The sound track to the video is Ghost Town by The Specials.

I’ve been jamming to Ghost Town by the Specials a lot lately. The song inspired me to create a short parody of the music video. If you dig the song here’s a link to it on Spotify:

Our very own Hot 8 Brass Band did a fire cover of it too. It’s one of my favorites…

We appreciate ya’ll and look forward to fueling you up to maximize business in the fall and winter. See ya around!

-Eric Gabourel founder of Flambeaux Bicycle Tours and Twelfth Night Coffee