This was the Eastlake shopping center anchored by Delchamps, Eastlake 8 cinemas, and several other retailers including Children's Palace and a small Sears after the Plaza Sears closed. There were also a few restaurants in the front such as Texas Roadhouse.
This Furinture Mart is the only piece of this shopping center left standing and in business. This was once a Delchamp's that was unfortunately closed overnight without any warning to the employees.
The next few pictures are the now empty lots that the shopping center, former Wal mart, and Sam's Club were on before Hurricane Katrina. Everything was demolished, but nothing has been rebuilt. If anyone from Wal mart is reading this article, please come back to New Orleans East!
What was the old service merchandise building originally ?
ReplyDeleteMost of the Service Merchandise buildings in this area were former H.J. Wilson's stores that were converted when they were taken over by Service Merchandise. I am not sure if it was anything prior to that or if Wilson's built the store.
DeleteIt was a Wilson's. I used to live at 9132 Bunkerhill Rd and could see the store from my window.
DeleteThanks for the clarification, Cooper
DeleteWal-Mart opened a new location just east of the former location at 6000 Bullard Avenue .
ReplyDeleteYeah, I really need to go back and update some of these older articles. I wish more retailers would come back to NO East.
DeleteNew Orleans East seems to be still really struggling compared to what they had. There was that other shopping center with both a Sears and Kmart that sat vacant for years until they demolished it, yet nothing has been built. Hopefully some brand new houses, new parks and community places come to the New Orleans East.
ReplyDeleteNew Orleans East has been very slow to come back after Katrina. It was already declining and many homeowners decided not to come back. A lot of the rental housing was decimated as well. There are few reasons to invest here right now, only 2 large grocery stores, few retail options, high crime, empty buildings and lots everywhere. If some areas are left to nature and the abandoned buildings are demolished it might help.
DeleteA few new developments and a hospital have come to the area, but it is still not attractive for new families to move to the area.
They need to put some malls back in the east and put fantastic Sam's fitness center
ReplyDeleteThe East needs a lot more retail and things to do. The East will come back, it will just continue to be a slow process.
DeleteI used to live in Bunkerhill in the 80s was convenient for myself and the neighborhood they need to make one back in the East
ReplyDeleteI haven't been down to New Orleans since 2019, how is the East doing in 2023?
DeleteSams should come back. Have to go out of the parish for Sams and other shopping trips It was promised that the Smoothie King would be put in the East and the Saints training facility would be in be East promises when approval was given by officials. You still have many homeowners invested in the East and will not leave.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you but the odds of getting new brick and mortar retailers is getting lower and lower as companies have scaled back expansion plans. The East is not alone in being promised big plans for redevelopment without coming through. It really sucks that the residents of New Orleans East can't get something better.
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