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BR Business Report: Walk-On’s new Atlanta office serves as warning for Baton Rouge

Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:52 pm
Posted by ragincajun03
Member since Nov 2007
21273 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:52 pm
quote:

Sure, Brandon Landry, the company’s founder and CEO, put a wonderful spin on the news. Sounding like a politician stumping for votes, the former LSU basketball walk-on turned All-America entrepreneur made it clear the company will remain based in Baton Rouge, adding, “Louisiana will always be the heartbeat and home of our brand.”

However, the most telling words he said—at least from the Baton Rouge point of view—were these: “… but our incredible growth and vision to be more than a restaurant demands that we do everything possible to field a best-in-class team across all areas of business.”

Translation: Baton Rouge is great if you’re looking for tap-pulling bartenders, midriff-bearing waitresses and clever marketing folks, but when it comes to high-level, brainiac executives with franchise-building credentials then Atlanta is the place you want to be.


quote:

From the broader Baton Rouge perspective, however, the Walk-On’s announcement is simply the latest example of talented, highly educated people either not moving here or—as has been the case for years—leaving the area for a hotspot destination shortly after earning their TOPS-funded degree from LSU or Southern University.

This outmigration is a problem with far-reaching and long-term impacts on the quality of life and economy of Baton Rouge
, Ball writes.


LINK
Posted by Tigeralum2008
Yankees Fan
Member since Apr 2012
17138 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:54 pm to
quote:

Translation: Baton Rouge is great if you’re looking for tap-pulling bartenders, midriff-bearing waitresses and clever marketing folks, but when it comes to high-level, brainiac executives with franchise-building credentials then Atlanta is the place you want to be.


Same justification Canes used when they moved to DFW. I honestly agree with them. At some point your business outgrows BTR
Posted by VolsOut4Harambe
Atlanta, GA
Member since Sep 2017
12856 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:56 pm to
But this board told me that Atlanta was just a bigger version of Baton Rouge.
Posted by LouisianaLady
Member since Mar 2009
81210 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:57 pm to
I read this article the other day, and at first I thought it was going to just be an article bashing Walk-Ons for the decision. But as a pleasant surprise, it was bashing BR for not being good enough for successful companies to want to stay.

I don't disagree with pretty much anything the author said.
Posted by fastedLSU
BR
Member since Sep 2007
4477 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:57 pm to
Can’t blame them.
Posted by SlowFlowPro
Simple Solutions to Complex Probs
Member since Jan 2004
422585 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:58 pm to
If a major company can't send its employee's children to safe, well-rated public schools, then it's not going to consider your location.

There are lots of issues with BR but that will always be the killer that inhibits any growth.
Posted by Wally Sparks
Atlanta
Member since Feb 2013
29174 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:59 pm to
quote:

But this board told me that Atlanta was just a bigger version of Baton Rouge.


Someone actually said this?
Posted by H2O Tiger
Delta Sky Club
Member since May 2021
6614 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:59 pm to
quote:

From the broader Baton Rouge perspective, however, the Walk-On’s announcement is simply the latest example of talented, highly educated people either not moving here or—as has been the case for years—leaving the area for a hotspot destination shortly after earning their TOPS-funded degree from LSU or Southern University.

I feel attacked.
Posted by Saskwatch
Member since Feb 2016
16571 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 12:59 pm to
quote:

our incredible growth and vision to be more than a restaurant


WTF else are they going to be?
Posted by sawtooth
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2017
3588 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:00 pm to
There are two Canes in Anchorage, AK

quote:

Canes used when they moved to DFW
Posted by OysterPoBoy
City of St. George
Member since Jul 2013
35179 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:00 pm to
quote:

Baton Rouge is great if you’re looking for tap-pulling bartenders, midriff-bearing waitresses


Just so happens that I am.
Posted by wadewilson
Member since Sep 2009
36563 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:00 pm to
You can knock business climate, but I have a hard time understanding why Walk-On's relocating to Atlanta is a bad omen. They're not relocating to Birmingham. Cane's didn't relocate to Corpus Christi.
Theyre moving to much bigger markets.
Posted by Im4datigers
Northern Virginia
Member since Oct 2003
4465 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:02 pm to
I want JR Balls job. He literally had to pull up an article he wrote from 10 years back, change a name or two and republish said article. He’s made a living off stating the obvious for many, many years. As has the entire Baton Rouge business report.
Posted by Ronaldo Burgundiaz
NWA
Member since Jan 2012
6551 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:04 pm to
quote:

But this board told me that Atlanta was just a bigger version of Baton Rouge.
Atlanta is a dump.
Posted by fallguy_1978
Best States #50
Member since Feb 2018
48575 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:04 pm to
See Smoothie King, Amedisys, Shell, CB&I, Canes, Century Link etc...

It's the whole state. Big businesses that don't have something tying them to the area leave (proximity to plants, river, government contracts etc)
This post was edited on 2/7/22 at 1:06 pm
Posted by teke184
Zachary, LA
Member since Jan 2007
95749 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:04 pm to
You want the city to grow with the business, not get left behind by it.

Can you tell me what city Delta was originally from? It wasn’t Atlanta.
Posted by leftyloosey
Member since Jan 2022
574 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:04 pm to
quote:

I feel attacked.


By basic facts?
Posted by ThatTahoeOverThere
Member since Nov 2021
3624 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:04 pm to
Havent eaten at walkons since they screwed that dude over the Halloween thieves
Posted by GumboPot
Member since Mar 2009
118847 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:05 pm to
quote:

This outmigration is a problem with far-reaching and long-term impacts on the quality of life and economy of Baton Rouge, Ball writes.


This is the politicians fault for making it more difficult to do business in Louisiana than other states. This may not be the case with restaurants but it certainly is for other businesses. This problem didn't start yesterday. The biggest example was when Edward Edwards chased out all the oil companies out of NOLA and they left for Houston. But it goes back further than that. Huey Long would shakedown businesses too.
Posted by loogaroo
Welsh
Member since Dec 2005
30713 posts
Posted on 2/7/22 at 1:05 pm to
Copied The Chimes and never looked back.
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