Sunday, July 29, 2012

Hubig's Pies bakery destroyed by fire in Faubourg Marigny

From the New Orleans Times-Picayune:

Firefighters were on the scene at 2417 Dauphine Street within five minutes of the call and sounded the second alarm at 4:35 a.m., according to Williams. He said it was raised to a five-alarm fire about an hour after that.

Assistant Superintendent Tim McConnell said the building was an entire loss. He said thirty-five units were on the scene with 95 firefighters. He added that the units parked in front of the building had to be moved as they anticipated the collapse of the front of the building.

No one was injured in the blaze, McConnell said.


And

Andrew Ramsey, a member of one of the two families which own the company, watched the scene from across Dauphine Street. He was visibly upset about the loss and expressed concern for the firm's 40 employees. But he vowed: "We'll be back."

The company has been an integral part of the Faubourg Marigny since its founding. Simon Hubig expanded his pie business from Texas to New Orleans in May 1921 when he leased the Dauphine Street property. He bought the property in 1924 for $16,000 and settled in for good.


More here.

Well, drat.

This isn't of much significance, I suppose, in terms of what I usually write about. I mean, it's culture, in that Hubig's Pies is local and cool, and I've written about the company before, getting its shit together after Katrina, but it's not Republicans and Democrats, or Jesus, or sex, or rock and roll. But so what? This is a drag, and worth mentioning. And their pies are good, with weird flavors, like pineapple or coconut or strawberry, that Hostess doesn't do. I'm bummed.

I imagine that store supplies are gone by today, or dwindling at least. In fact, I've got to get some cat food; I'm looking to see if the drug store has any Hubig's left.

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