WWOZ Street Talk-The Slow Road to Recovery in New Orleans East

Typically the opening of a grocery store is not big news, but last week New Orleans East received some national attention at the re-opening of the Winn-Dixie on Chef Menteur Highway. The NASDQ opening bell ceremony was held at the 50,000 square foot newly remodeled store which boasts a warmer color pallete and brighter lighting than the Winn-Dixie in its place before the storm. I took the bus to the new store on the outskirsts of New Orleans east. The long ride is an uncomfortable reminder of the extremely slow pace at which the city is being rebuilt. Row after row of delapidated trailor parks are followed by an endless string of boarded up business. The store sits at the edge of a huge parking lot filled with cars and stray shopping carts. I was greeted at the entrance by a pair of bubbly New Orleans saints cheerleaders autographing copies of their new swimsuit calendar. I strolled through the wide aisles and watched as gumbo the new Orleans saints mascot hugged childeren and danced his way through the long lines of weary shoppers waiting to check out. I wandered back to the parking lot to talk to people about the new store and what things are like in New Orleans East.