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The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

The Official Student News Media of Southeastern Louisiana University

The Lion's Roar

    The end of World’s End

    You may have noticed a quaint white and blue building where S.W. Railroad Avenue and N. Oak Street meet. This was World’s End Café, owned by English instructor Sherri Craig and her husband Jessie and now time has run its course for this mom and pop business. World’s End Café closed its doors at the start of August after three years in business due to building upkeep, family and economic troubles.  
    The very green business owners, Craig and her husband, bought out the previous tenant with the help of Sheri’s parents, but then they added their own menu of international cuisines. According to Sheri the point of the café was to bring all the foods of the world together under one roof. Sheppard’s pie, Welsh rarebit, Cuban sandwiches, chicken fried steaks, chicken tikka masala and ratatouille all made up part of a well-rounded menu.  
    The location was convenient for Sheri, as she could walk to and from the café to campus for classes, but after three years it was time for her and Jessie to close the doors for good.
    “You would think that having a business in this part of town would be just crazy busy, but its not,” Sheri said.
    Although the couple started the restaurant together, the business was Craig’s father developed the idea to have Jessie start a restaurant. Jessie trained at Le Cordon Bleu and apprenticed with Phil O’Donnel in Ponchatoula before moving onto World’s End.   
    “We were just coming into this. We didn’t get a business loan or anything,” said Sheri. “We came in with our savings and my folks helping out. If you’re going to start a business that’s not a good idea. Unless you have a large amount of savings or have a very rich family member. My parents have helped us out all the way through this, and that’s part of the reason we decided to close. It’s just not to where we need it to be to begin paying them back. Three years is enough.”
    Carter McFarland is the front man for The Telegraph Salesmen, an avant-garde jazz band, and he frequented the World’s End often. Either for a bucket of beer or a quick burger McFarland also had the chance to play a show there in 2012. He claims after the liquor license was revoked business began to dwindle.
    “They had a good run for a ghost town diner, and probably some of the best food that close to campus,” said McFarland. “I think the government kicked them a little too hard in the nuts when they jacked their license to sell beer. It’s a shame they couldn’t shoot back after that. After they lost their license, the business took a hit for the worse. I wish them luck with their future endeavors.”
    Now Sheri and her husband plan to focus on what lay ahead. Jessie puts his energy into drawing a graphic novel “Apocalypse Pizza,” and after the building is paid off and her parents are taken care of, Sheri and Jessie want to work on building a catering kitchen on their own property in Pumpkin Center.
    “The support has been awesome,” said Sheri. “The worst thing about closing is talking to the customers and how they are. It’s very sad. My favorite part about having this place was the people. Not just the English department, but all departments have been very supportive and the students as well have been very supportive.”

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