Members of the Kern family, the owners of Kern Studios and Mardi Gras World, have acquired an interest in Galatoire’s Restaurant, one of the handful of “grand dame” restaurants that have been in operation for more than a century in the heart of New Orleans’ French Quarter.
The deal, announced Tuesday, brings members of one of the city’s most recognizable families — Carnival float builders who have promoted Mardi Gras culture internationally through various business endeavors — into a small ownership group that includes Louisiana businessmen John Georges, Todd Trosclair, former shipbuilder Boysie Bollinger and Melvin Rodrigue, who serves as president and CEO of the Galatoire’s leadership team.
Georges, who has been Galatoire’s largest shareholder since 2009, owns the convenience-store distributor Imperial Trading Company and with his wife Dathel is the owner of The Times-Picayune and several other print and digital publications across south Louisiana through Georges Media Group.
Georges said the Kerns made a “substantial” investment to buy into the group when a former member decided to divest for personal reasons. The current owners declined to provide specific valuation details of the private company…