Winn-Dixie remodels Slidell, Prairieville stores
Winn-Dixie has completed remodeling two of its Louisiana stores, located at 2985 E. Gause Blvd. in Slidell and 17682 Airline Highway in Prairieville.
The completions mark 15 Louisiana store investments made in less than four years by Southeastern Grocers, Winn-Dixie’s parent company.
The remodeled Louisiana stores are designed to provide a wider selection of homegrown products, with additional jobs and opportunities. Improvements include new façade signage, color palette and modern store signage inside; updated farm-fresh produce department, including organic varieties; a deli with expanded grab-and-go meal options; updated full-service seafood department; in-store pharmacy; and an expanded wine and craft beer selection.
Winn-Dixie has operated in Louisiana since 1956 and now has 29 stores, employing more than 3,000.
NexusLA holding marketing seminar
Entrepreneur support organization NexusLA in Baton Rouge is holding a Tech Park Academy virtual lesson on marketing at 11:30 a.m. June 17.
Topics for “Why Buy? A Marketing Lesson” will include identifying marketing disruptors; developing a marketing strategy and consistent message; measuring the impact of marketing and deciding whether to keep it in-house or leverage an agency; and understanding the importance of digital key performance indicators.
Tips are being shared by Holly Hingle, vice president of operations at Click Here Digital. Registration is at www.crowdcast.io/e/tech-park-academy-why/register.
BRCC division plans job training summit
Baton Rouge Community College’s Workforce Solutions Division will host the “Get Ready to Skill Up” summit for job seekers interested in learning about short-term training programs offered by the college, along with potential scholarship opportunities.
The event will be from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. June 15 at the BRCC Acadian Campus, 3250 N. Acadian Thruway, in Baton Rouge. The summit is open to the public, and people can register online at mybrcc.edu/skillsummit.
Attendees will be able to observe workforce training opportunities, participate in hands-on and virtual demonstrations, tour the college’s workforce labs, talk with BRCC skills experts and industry leaders about career pathways and meet graduates working in the industry.
Some of the short-term training programs featured include medical billing and coding; certified clinical medical assistant; pharmacy technician; pipefitting level 1; welding, painting and refinishing collision repair; HVAC; and certified diesel engines.
Lit Pizza opens restaurant in Central
Lit Pizza has opened at 9850 Sullivan Road in Central.
The restaurant is its 11th location. Lit offers online ordering and pick-up or dine-in options for personal size and customizable pizzas that are “blasted” for three minutes in a 600-degree oven and ready to serve. The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
Waste Pro opens Flannery Road facility
Waste Pro has opened a new 6-acre facility at 1774 N. Flannery Road.
The facility employs 60. More than 30 trucks in the division serve more than 25,000 customers, according to Waste Pro divisional Vice President Jesse Murphy.
Waste Pro also operates in Kenner, Covington and Houma.
Waste Pro, headquartered in Longwood, Florida, is a privately owned waste collection, recycling, processing and disposal company operating in 10 southeastern states. It maintains about 300 exclusive municipal contracts and franchises, with revenue exceeding $790 million, from serving more than two million residential and 40,000 commercial customers from over 75 operating locations.
Nine startups complete accelerator program
Nine startup companies recently completed The Idea Village’s accelerator program, raising over $9.5 million in capital while generating over $2.5 million in annual revenue and enabling the creation of more than 80 jobs.
The Idea Village also announced that the nonprofit has completed a $1.8 million campaign supported by local and national philanthropists to fund the VILLAGEx program for three years.
VILLAGEx is a 16-week cohort-based accelerator program for high-growth startups with innovative, technology-focused business models that are building scalable new enterprises in New Orleans and its surrounding regions.
The recent cohort included Bloks, a no-code software for building app-based marketplaces; Something Borrowed Blooms, a rent-and-return online floral shop specializing in silk wedding flowers; Skilltype, a talent management software for library professionals; and hampr, an app-based marketplace for on-demand laundry; Kinemagic, which decreases costs for heavy industrial projects through virtual reality environments; El Guapo Bitters, which creates cocktail bitters, syrups and mixers; BypassLines, an on-site mobile ordering platform for food, hospitality and retail; HookM Solutions, a fishing charter booking and management app; and Spot2Night, a platform for finding and booking an RV camping spot.
The mentor-driven accelerator program concluded with over 325 hours of mentorship provided by a network of entrepreneurs, investors and industry leaders. Ventures in the VILLAGEx program also raised capital from angel investors, seed funds and venture capital funds to drive growth.
“The founders from these nine companies are true representations of the possibilities within our region, as we’ve seen them grow tremendously over such a short period of time and raise the kind of capital that is often overlooked in the Gulf South,” said Soumitra Sengupta, lead entrepreneur-in-residence for VILLAGEx 2021.
Information on The Idea Village and its VILLAGEx program can be found at www.ideavillage.org.
Regions opens in Clearview City Center
Regions Bank has opened a branch on Veterans Boulevard at the northeast end of the Clearview City Center, the former Clearview Mall site that is being redeveloped into a mixed-use shopping, residential and medical hub.
The branch, which replaces Regions’ former Cleary and Veterans boulevard facilities, houses financial professionals offering customized advice, guidance and education, along with updated technology and digital services.
“Regions believes in an ‘omni-channel’ approach to banking. That is, we’re offering innovative digital services — while still placing a premium on local service from local professionals who take the time to understand our customers’ needs,” said Graham Ralston, Regions Bank’s market executive for Greater New Orleans.
Among its technology features, the branch offers drive-up and walk-up two-way video banking ATM services that offer expanded hours, including evenings, weekends and holidays. The location also includes drive-up and walk-up DepositSmart ATMs that can be used to withdraw cash or make deposits of checks or cash at any time.
