Signs of the Times

3/20/2020

FQJ's Hunkering Down blog

As tourism in the French Quarter slowly ground to a stand-still during the past week, some businesses struggled to adapt. Others threw in the towel temporarily. The signage tells the tale.

- photographs by Ellis Anderson

Road Kill costume shop on Decatur Street posted this sign on a bustier outfit hanging right inside the door where no one would miss it.

Sidewalk chalk "graffiti" began appearing.

Few locals have ever seen Café Dumonde completely empty.

We're reckoning that this sign is not a new one. The resident probably posted it because hundreds of ghost tour participants typically passed down St. Philip Street each night. Less than a week ago, dozens of fully booked tours were still plying the streets of the Quarter. With ghost-town streets now, this resident should be getting sound sleep at last.

We've seen this sign before. It's not new, but it was too engaging to pass up. It hangs in the Pontalba building establishment of veteran Quarter photographer and gallery owner Louis Sahuc.

Glitterbox on lower Royal Street has a heart.

In the window of local favorite Mona Lisa's.

Upscale Doris Metropolitan on Chartres Street apparently was the only place in the Quarter offering butchering services.

It's a rare evening when these green doors on St. Peter Street are closed.

The Abbey on Decatur Street was in mourning.

I used to work as a bartender in the Abbey in the early 80s. The most interesting shift was 9pm to 5am.

Rouse's on the corner of St. Peter and Royal streets wasn't crowded, but customers tried to avoid each other in the narrow aisles.

Apocalypse specials.

Blue and her dog Minnie are homeless. I've been friends with them for two years, since Minnie was a pup. Blue often sells used books on the streets of the French Quarter. This very at-risk woman wishes "Be Safe" to all passersby.

This isn't new either, it's a classic at the corner of St. Philip and Royal. But it's taken on additional meaning this week.

Decatur Street sidewalk en-courage-ment.

Check out earlier entries on FQJ's Hunkering Down blog: just click and scroll down.

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