Poppy Tooker: Letter to the Editor

Only in very fortunate American communities can you find enterprising entrepreneurs who couple for-profit business with civic nonprofit philanthropy. Luckily, New Orleans has been blessed with a man who personifies the best of these qualities in Dickie Brennan.

In his quiet, non-self aggrandizing way, Mr. Brennan supports our local food system by scrupulously purchasing from Louisiana farmers and fishers and continuously caring for the architectural gems where he places his restaurant businesses (for example, the historic Werlein building on Canal Street).

Since making the generous offer to, in essence, save the oldest community theater in the United States from the debt burden that caused the cancellation of last season and threatens to end its very existence, in Lord of the Flies fashion, the Le Petit Theatre Guild has chosen to villainize Mr. Brennan, casting him in an undeserved and unflattering light.

The facts behind Mr. Brennan’s offer include eliminating the $700,000 mortgage and the $150,000 currently owed to Le Petit’s vendors; repairing, restoring and providing ongoing maintenance for the building and providing the first ever endowment. Le Petit also would be introduced to a new group of patrons who will be able to dine in a first class restaurant next to a first class theater.

In light of these truths, I have to ask – where’s the real beef?

Poppy Tooker

New Orleans

Via: NOLA.com