Reflections of Baton Rouge

Reflections of Baton Rouge Louisiana
 

I can’t think of any place better than Baton Rouge to grow up in. In the late 40’s and early 50’s it was a small town who’s claim to fame was that it was the capital of Louisiana and it was just 70 miles from New Orleans. We were on the edge of Cajun Country, our western parish line was the Mississippi River, we were in the center of  the state and the brand new Interstate 10 was being built directly through our town. My mother owned a locally famous Donut shop and it felt good to be popular.

My earliest culinary memories were the afternoons we would take a family ride in our gray 46 Plymouth station wagon to Park Boulevard and buy hot tamales from Muffuelatto’s tamale cart located on the grass median at Government Street. Other favorite trips included hot and salty curly cue burgers from Alessi’s Drive Inn and the delicious crispy chicken box from Bernard's Chicken Shack. The Fleur de leis made their square Roman style pizza considered by most to be the best in town and the creamy Coke floats from Hopper’s drive in was one of my favorite sweet treats.

Like most people, I suppose, life changed towards adulthood and so did my town. My industrial sales job let me experience martini lunches at Leon’s Italian kitchen and white tablecloth food and service at Mike and Tony’s Restaurant. Sammy’s lounge, The Star Mist and Rip’s Huddle were my choices for night life and for dinning it was Dajonel’s for continental cuisine, Jubans for New Orleans Creole and Mike Anderson’s for the fried seafood. After that period of life, Baton Rouge grew beyond the plant worker’s town I had known all my life and the chain restaurants and night clubs more or less set the pace for entertainment and dining...

[Used by permission]

Mr. Lynn Anselmo

Tony's Donuts

Tony's Restaurant

Tony’s Donut Shop Chippewa Street at Plank Road

Served Baton Rouge from 1946 to 2004 and was considered by most to be the Best Donut in Town. The shop was created by my father, Anthony Anselmo (TONY). After his death in 1950, my mother, Grace, was in charge until we took over in 1974.

 An interview with Mr. Anselmo

Fleur de lis Roman Style Pizza, began in 1946

The an artist depiction of the Fleur de lis when it was a Cocktail Lounge,it is rumored that it was a Speakeasy* during prohibition under a previous ownership.

*a place where alcoholic drink was sold illicitly during Prohibition. Prohibition was from 1920 to 1933.

From a very good source: This was a service station, then grocery, the cocktail lounge, and now pizzeria. Also, from same source: There used to be a motel behind the cocktail lounge.

Fleur de lis, as it is today, very little has changed.

Fleur de lis Roman Style Pizza,
a family restaurant since 1946

5655 Government St. at Lovers Lane

Quote: "We try to keep everything the same as it always has been. Most importantly the recipe, style and quality of the pizza. We also try to maintain the traditional look of the building both inside and out." -Fleur de lis

Review: "The Fleur De leis made their square Roman style pizza considered by most to be the best in town..." 

Mr. Lynn Anselmo, formerly owner of Tony's Restaurant

Author: I love the fact that the neon on the front is exactly the way it was from the cocktail lounge time, except for the addition of "Roman Pizza". The top neon say "Air Conditioning" which was "new" technology in the day. Even the Jax Beer sign hanging off a poll to the right is still there, but broke out.


Interestingly, the bar inside was brought over from the Dixie Brewery in New Orleans in the 1940's.


Other reviews:

Fleur de lis Pizza Homepage
 

The Fleur de lis story

Fleur de lis Roman Style Pizza

5655 Government St.

Drive-thru window and take out

Call Fleur de lis at (225) 924-2904

[My blog is non-commercial, that is, business' who let me post their history data I try to help them out a little, it a favor for a favor, I do not benefit from those favors I give.]

Baton Rouge Department Stores, now defunct

Department Stores mentioned in this post are: Reymond's, Dalton's, Rosenfield's, Rubensteins, and Son.


Originally opened in 1915 as Reymond's Department Store but in 1929, it changed hands and became the Dalton Co. In 1955, it housed a branch of D.H. Holmes where it remained until they closed the 3rd Street location in February 1963. The building became the new home of I.H. Rubenstein's in 1965, the fourth department store firm to operate in the structure. in 1965, the fourth department store firm to operate in the structure. Source

RUBENSTEINS

The store, I.H. Rubenstein and Son, was a part of the musical chairs which affected Baton Rouge retailing throughout the last century. Mr. Rubenstein had been a manager of Rosenfield's, which dates back to 1853. Rosenfield's was the first store in Louisiana to be completely air conditioned, have elevators and eventually, moving stairs. In 1964, his son, I.H. Rubenstein Jr., left Rosenfield's to found the I.H. Rubenstein & Son store in the Broadmoor Shopping Center. Soon after, Rubenstein took over space on 3rd St. downtown that was first occupied by Reymond's, then Dalton's and finally a former downtown branch of New Orleans-based DH Holmes. Holmes had left downtown in 1963. I.H. Rubenstein was not a complete department store but carried medium-to-better clothing and accesories for the home. When I.H. Rubenstein, Jr. passed away in 1975, Rubenstein's locations included Broadmoor, Westmoreland, the Corporate Mall and a store in Hammond, LA. The downtown Rubenstein store closed in 1973. In April 1979, I.H. Rubenstein's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and the Corporate Mall store on College Dr. was immediately closed. However, after changing its format to that of 'value-pricing', Rubenstein would announce the closure of its business in November 1979.


Source: Unknown, I came across this in a thread  on a message board.