Shreveport’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has issued a public statement in response to the closure announcement of Dripp Donut, a beloved pastry shop in the area.
Initially established by a husband-and-wife team, Dripp Donuts gained popularity for its ‘craft sourdough donuts’ sold out of a food truck and through pop-up events at farmers’ markets and various city locations.
The pastry shop celebrated its grand opening on March 4, 2022, welcoming the community into its store. However, almost a year later, on February 29th, Dripp Donuts was compelled to cease operations due to necessary building repairs, with hopes of eventual reopening.
Yesterday, Dripp Donuts took to social media to share, “We were forced to shut our doors just one day shy of our first anniversary,” underscoring weeks of challenging negotiations and attempts to reach out to Shreveport’s DDA.
Janie Landry, serving as the Interim Director of both Shreveport Downtown Development Authority (DDA) and Downtown Shreveport Development Corporation ‘DSDC2’, clarified, “The DSDC2, Inc. is the owner of 421 Market (Dees Building/Dripp Donuts). The DDA does not own and has no control over that property.”
Landry further disclosed that a significant crack suddenly appeared, prompting DSDC2 to conduct an inspection of the building.
According to the statement from Shreveport’s DDA, “The structural engineer reported that it was structurally unsound, was at risk of collapsing at any time without warning, and recommended that it be demolished as soon as possible.”
Dripp Donuts conveyed, “We were able to have most of our equipment removed but were required to leave a lot behind due to the risk the building would collapse.”
While Landry acknowledged communication with Dripp owner Caleb King, Dripp’s social media post indicated attempts to contact Landry for over two months, “but she has refused to meet and has yet to address our concerns.”
Dripp expressed frustration, stating, “We have given DSDC nearly two months to address our concerns, but it seems they are more interested in their own agenda than in helping their tenants.”
Landry emphasized the distinction, stating, “DDA has no connection whatsoever to Dripp Donuts or the 421 Market property. In fact, the DDA is a political subdivision created by an act of the Louisiana Legislature in 1978.”
The DDA conveyed its sympathy and acknowledged the challenges posed by the unexpected structural issues with the building, both for Dripp Donuts and its patrons.
In response, Dripp thanked the community for its support and confirmed that they have yet to secure a new location. However, they will continue their operations with Dripp Hot Chicken inside Great Raft Brewing.