Citing a sluggish financial system and fewer patrons spending cash on meals and drinks, a longtime Journal Road bar and restaurant is closing its doorways for good.

Tracey’s Unique Irish Channel Bar, which has been a staple on the Irish Channel stretch of Journal Road for 15 years, can have its final day on Could 31, the day the bar’s liquor license expires.

Proprietor Jeffrey Carreras stated the restaurant had been struggling because the starting of the yr, however the closing blow was the cancellation of the annual Irish Channel St. Patrick’s Parade in March as a result of climate.

Tracey’s has lengthy thrown an enormous block celebration and had patrons shoulder-to-shoulder.

“The cancellation of the parade was a dagger to the center,” Carreras stated.

The closing marks a 26-year run for Carreras working bars and eating places within the space by way of long-term leases. Carreras stated 16 workers might be impacted.

In 1998, he first ran Parasol’s at 2533 Constance St. for 13 years earlier than shifting a block away and opening Tracey’s Unique Channel Bar in 2010 at 2604 Journal St.

He adorned the eating room with parasol umbrellas hanging the other way up from the ceiling, added a New Orleans-friendly menu of po-boys, wings and boiled crawfish and drew a rowdy Saints sport crowd.

In 2023, as a result of rising hire prices, Carreras moved Tracey’s a number of blocks away to 3226 Journal St. on the nook of Nice Road and spent 5 months closed whereas renovating the house. There was additionally a authorized battle over using the bar identify from its unique location. As soon as the brand new house opened, it in the end lasted nearly a yr.

“I feel it’s the financial system and tourism—folks aren’t spending as a lot cash as they usually do,” Carreras stated. “They’re not going out consuming or going out consuming. I feel it’s snowballed into one thing the place we’re simply not doing the enterprise we thought we’d be doing.”

Carreras stated he hopes patrons outdated and new will go to over the subsequent two weeks to share reminiscences and a beverage. Carreras posted a heartfelt message on the Tracey’s Unique Irish Channel Bar Fb web page underneath the title “A Love letter to Tracey’s Supporters.”

As for his subsequent enterprise?

“I’m going take a break for a minute,” Carreras stated. “It was an excellent run. It’s not a straightforward enterprise to be in. I don’t learn about my ‘Plan B’ profession…I by no means wanted one earlier than.”