By Ian Neubauer
Johnny White’s Sports Bar — the only bar in New Orleans that stayed open during Hurricane Katrina in 2005 — has once again tempted fate, serving more than 2000 customers in the lead-up to Hurricane Gustav this week.
“We’re very happy to report that the Gustav adventure went very smoothly,” said proprietor JD Landrum of the Category 2 storm that battered the US city on Tuesday (September 4).
“Electricity went out about 6:00am… Our electricity came back on at 6 pm. We never even got a chance to serve warm beer.”
Perched on the corner of Bourbon and Orleans Streets, Johnny White’s sits on the highest point in the city and is not susceptible to flooding. The venue’s doors have never closed since it began trading in 1989 and the wall bears a sign that says ‘We never close’.
“Heck, I couldn’t close the place if I wanted to," Landrum said. “More importantly though, the sports bar is the local’s living room. It’s a place where people that live here have been coming for years, to have a cocktail after work, to meet up with other locals, and just relax.”
Johnny White’s is now offering all-inclusive holidays for future hurricane alerts in New Orleans. The package includes accommodation on authentic army cots, candlelit dinners with self-heating MREs (Meals Ready to Eat), and the opportunity to interact with members of the National Guard and Johnny White’s regulars.