Parkway Tavern & Bakery
Alright, friends, let me transport y’all back over a century to the humble origin story of New Orleans icon - Parkway Bakery & Tavern. We followin’ the righteous, gravy-soaked legacy of the O.G. home cooking up history’s tastiest accident - them mouthwaterin’ poor boy sandwiches!
So settle in, grab some Zapp’s chips, and let the salty stories of this classic Crescent City community hub wash over you...’cause the good times here overflow like a full pot of Parkway’s beefy debris gravy, baby!
That Ol’ Time Neighborhood Bakery Life
Long before ghost pepper hot sauce or Dalgona coffee shook up food scenes, practically every corner in the early 1900s, NOLA had some German breadsmith firing up brick ovens daily. And that warm, yeasty smell of fresh po’boy loaves wafted out to lure in locals startin’ about four in the A.M.
Well, back in 1911, one Charles Goering threw open the original doors at Parkway’s current spot between Hagan and Toulouse. The scrumptious scents of his oven must’ve snaked halfway across the parish, enticin’ new regulars by the minute. For over a decade, Charles stuffed locals silly with plump donuts, sticky sweet rolls, and loaves still hot from his ovens.
Until an ambitious young gent named Henry Timothy, Sr showed up in 1922. Now, Henry already eyed Parkway as his go-to spot for morning muffins on the way to work. So once Charles looked to offload his modest white corner bakery to retire in Bavaria, Henry saw his chance to assume the oven mitts. And lord, did he get those mitts dirty crankin’ out bread!
Game Changer Incoming: The Poor Boy Has Arrived!
Now Henry kicks things up a notch as soon as he takes over - getting creative with glazes, cramming new sweet and savory fillings into flaky croissants. Lines ‘round the corner every weekend for his now famous Seven Sisters rolls - even with dozens of other bakeries still pumping out goods nearby!
But 1929 came crashing in - and with it, the Great Depression about to change Parkway’s fate in tasty fashion thanks to Henry’s giant heart...and take the national sandwich game by storm years later!
See, New Orleans trolley workers started picketing for livable wages that year - all 1,800 union guys striking and turning away scab replacements. So, while other companies demonized or ignored them, Henry whipped up free spud-loaded po’ boys for his struggling neighbors, keeping the streetcars at a standstill.
Inspired by Henry’s solidarity, some former trolley conductors, the Martin Brothers, invented the shorthand “poor boy” for their own free-fried shrimp sandwiches. And when the strike ended months later with the union busted? Every rail worker may have lost their job - but they’d gained a wholesome, hearty meal forever christened the “poor boy sandwich” from that kindness shown in trying times.
And oh baby, did Parkway run with it! Henry fires up special sandwich counters for factory workers to swing by on lunch breaks and grabs first dibs on Leidenheimer bread company’s new extra-long, skinny loaves. Suddenly, Parkway becomes the go-to for filling 22-inch “poor boys” with everything from plump oysters to peppery brisket dripping down wrists daily!
Attitude Mandatory: The Timothy Bros Take Charge
Once Henry’s sons came up - Jake & Henry Jr, better known as the salty Timothy Bros - took over Parkway decades later. Things got turned up to 11 in terms of old-time service with a Cayenne kick! See, the boys kept their dad’s recipes but kicked niceties to the curb.
You come in timidly eyeing 15 filling combinations on the menu board? Too bad, so sad! They’d bark ”NEXT!” to keep the line moving for regulars. And god forbid asking for a fork. Forget G.F. bread options either - you got white or wheat, then deal with it!
Now, that brusque style didn’t work these days. But the Mid-City locals and old-time longshoremen loved it back then! Schlepping in daily for salty sustenance, trading jabs with the boys between bites. And as upkeep lagged over the years, turning Parkway into a ramshackle fire hazard. The kitschy vibes just fueled the legendary status for locals as THE po’ boy dive destination!
R.I.P. Parkway? NEVER! Hail a Superfan Turned Savior!
But even iconic joints falter eventually - by the 90s, the Timothy brothers threw in the towel once loyal businesses bailing post-Katrina tanked sales the last few years. And Parkway sat vacant, gathering dust while rumors of soulless redevelopment plans swirled...
Until local hero, Jay Nix strutted onto the scene - a true warrior for preserving community touchstones! See, he’d just bought a house right by Parkway. And when old timers kept whimpering for their po’ boy fix, Jay decided to grab the baton himself.
In 2005, after Hurricane Katrina nearly scrubbed Parkway’s comeback chances, Jay dipped into his savings to restore this shabby legacy to its former glory - funky memorabilia blanketed walls and all!
Servin’ Up the Past While Keepin’ Tradition Alive
With his nephew Justin manning the kitchen cranking out mouthwatering roast beef and gravy from sacred family recipes? Lines were wrapped ‘round the block opening day! Soon enough, college kids were askin’ their grandparents, “Wait, y’all were holding out on us about this place?!”
And two generations disconnected by time could connect again at the same sticky Formica counters - grooving on the Motown piping through speakers while chewing the fat over debris sandwiches. Justin masterfully mimicked the old breads and sandwiches to deja vu levels while welcoming modern twists.
So, in this era of $20 smash burgers and ghost pepper donuts, Parkway stays deliciously defiant - steadfast in honoring heritage while continuing traditions for generations, new and old. Every day, the ever-growing walls capture fresh moments as new regulars trade laughs and bites at the bar. First-timers worldwide make lifelong memories over humble roast beef served on cheap wax paper but rich with the authentic NOLA spirit.
Parkway perseveres after floods, economic turmoil, and scathing Yelp reviews about “meh customer service.” Jay summarizes perfectly that it is almost 12 decades strong, thanks to a steadfast culture.
”Parkway is for anybody that walks through the door as long as they know what they want.” Can I get an Amen?! Now, let’s eat!
Contact & Location
538 Hagan Ave, New Orleans, LA 70119
Dine-in · Takeout / Delivery
Open 10:00 AM - Close 6:00 PM
