In 1969, Mercedes Gibson arrived in New Orleans with little more than determination, a car full of children, and a dream. Little did she know, she was planting the seeds for a neighborhood institution. Today, Mercedes Place, the barroom she’s nurtured for over three decades in the Lower 9th Ward’s Holy Cross neighborhood, stands as a testament to her resilience and a vibrant hub for the community. Sitting down with Mercedes at Mercedes Place, her eyes light up as she shares stories from her remarkable journey from Franklin, Louisiana, to becoming a beloved fixture in New Orleans.
The Holy Cross neighborhood, named after the once-prestigious Catholic high school that now stands as a poignant reminder of Hurricane Katrina’s devastation, is showing signs of revival. A nearby flower shop signals new growth in an area that has often been overlooked. While well-intentioned revitalization projects have sometimes faltered, Mercedes Place has remained a constant beacon – a welcoming space for forging connections, enjoying a cold beer amidst the lively second line parades, and savoring comforting bowls of red beans and rice every Monday. For over thirty years, Mercedes Gibson has poured drinks and built a legacy at Mercedes Place. Now, a new chapter is brewing, quite literally, as her granddaughter, Lichelle Gibson, introduces a morning coffee service, adding another layer to this already rich community space.
“I quickly realized coffee is such an intricate and unifying beverage,” explains Lichelle. “It brings people together. When the pandemic hit in 2020, it sparked an idea. I thought, ‘My grandmother has this bar in the Lower Ninth Ward, maybe I can do something there.’”
From Thursday to Saturday, before Mercedes Place opens its doors as a bar at noon, Lichelle operates 2NP, a café offering a delightful array of coffee, tea, fresh juices, fruit bowls, breakfast tacos, and daily specials like the popular shrimp and grits. The name 2NP, short for “To Invest Purpose,” carries deep personal significance for Lichelle. Having endured the harrowing experience of being trapped on her rooftop for three days after Katrina, witnessing her lifelong neighborhood ravaged, she felt a strong calling to reinvest in her home.
“This is home,” Lichelle states with conviction. “I was born and raised in the Ninth Ward. Thirty-eight years. I learned everything right here in this bar, watching my grandma. After Katrina, the Ninth Ward felt forgotten, and I wanted to contribute to its resurgence.”
Coffee is woven into the fabric of New Orleans culture, and Lichelle Gibson is tapping into this rich heritage. On crisp mornings, the aroma of freshly roasted coffee drifts across the city from the roasting plants along the Industrial Canal and the Mississippi River. The Port of New Orleans handles more green coffee beans than any other port in the United States, destined for roasters both near and far. New Orleans’ signature chicory coffee, with its bold and slightly bitter edge, emerged from necessity during the Civil War blockades, when chicory was used to stretch scarce coffee supplies. While New Orleans is famed for its cocktails, coffee could easily be argued as its equally significant drink. As the city’s demographics evolve, so do its tastes, and coffee serves as a common ground, a unifying thread.
Coffee has deep roots in New Orleans; Lichelle Gisbon is counting on that.
Brandi Charlot, owner of the nearby flower shop and another Lower 9th Ward native reinvesting in her community, excitedly recommended 2NP, urging us to experience Lichelle Gibson’s venture firsthand. We heeded her advice and discovered a true neighborhood gem at Mercedes Place.
From the outside, the corner bar exudes a Caribbean charm with its white stucco and green trim. Small sandwich boards fashioned from reclaimed glass windows announce 2NP, yet the weathered sign above proudly proclaims Mercedes Place. Along the Lizardi Street side, a patron enjoys the unusually mild New Orleans summer weather.
Stepping inside, the bar-turned-coffee-shop is dimly lit, a mix of natural light and string lights creating a cozy, slightly bohemian ambiance. This atmosphere perfectly complements the diverse clientele – a blend of longtime neighborhood residents and newer faces. Behind the bar, Lichelle Gibson and her partner, Chad, are busy crafting drinks and engaging in warm conversation with each person who enters. It feels less like a commercial coffee shop and more like the heart of the community. Ms. Mary, a devoted local patron, savors a quiet moment before Gibson enthusiastically announces, “Ms. Mary loves my fresh fruit oatmeal bowl – she’s another pillar of this community!”
This invitation sparks a conversation. Ms. Mary White smiles warmly. Like Ms. Mercedes, she also migrated to New Orleans, not from Franklin, but from New Iberia, Louisiana. She spent most of her life uptown before fate led her to the Ninth Ward.
“I moved here three years ago, knowing nothing about the Ninth Ward,” Ms. White shares, enjoying her fruit bowl. “Growing up uptown, the Ninth Ward felt like another world. Little did I know, Miss Mercedes is from Franklin, and I’m from New Iberia, only 30, no, 20 miles apart! I knew her family, she knew mine. We’ve become family. You just don’t find that connection everywhere.”
Chad Whitman, Lichelle Gibson’s business partner, echoes this sentiment of belonging.
“Ms. Mercedes accepted me instantly,” Whitman remarks. “In a way that some of my own family hasn’t.”
Gibson and Whitman’s partnership blossomed while working at Hey Café on the Lafitte Greenway, where Gibson still works part-time, refining her culinary skills.
“Chad, oh man, what can I say about Chad?” Gibson gushes. “Such a good friend. Truly a good friend.”
Friendship is indeed a defining characteristic of both 2NP and Mercedes Place. A small sign above the bar reads, “Enter as strangers, leave as friends.” It could just as easily say, “Enter as friends, leave as family.”
As we sat at the bar, Gibson greeted a man at the door with a complimentary bowl of steaming shrimp and grits and a glass of water. No money exchanged hands, just genuine hospitality. This spirit of generosity runs deep in the family.
“Everyone in the Ninth Ward knows about my grandmother,” Gibson explains. “My grandmother has welcomed strangers into her home, people come from everywhere just to sit, talk, and be with my grandmother.”
And of course, they come for her legendary red beans and rice, a staple at Mercedes Place “for as long as I can remember,” Gibson says. When asked about the recipe, Gibson playfully demurs.
“Oh, red beans, that’s a family secret,” she chuckles. “But I can promise you this: every grandchild of Mercedes knows how to make those red beans. Guarantee. Guarantee. Guarantee.”
With the red beans shrouded in mystery, our attention shifted to the tantalizing aroma of shrimp and grits. The buttery grits and rich brown sauce mingled beautifully with the coffee scent. Gibson generously offered us a bowl to sample, explaining her cooking philosophy.
“If you’re going to cook, don’t play with food,” Gibson asserts. “If you don’t know what you’re doing, don’t play around.”
One taste confirmed Gibson’s serious approach to cooking. The luscious shellfish stock, perfectly balanced, enveloped the creamy grits and tender shrimp – a dish that felt like a warm embrace from a grandmother’s kitchen, utterly comforting and satisfying. It paired wonderfully with Gibson’s “Powerhouse Tea,” a pandemic creation designed to boost immunity, infused with ginger, honey, raw sugar, vanilla, and bright orange juice notes.
Just before noon, Ms. Mercedes herself entered the barroom, returning with supplies. A doorway connects her house directly to Mercedes Place – like many traditional proprietors, she lives where she works. This bar is her life, and within it, she’s given her granddaughter the space to cultivate something new while preserving the familiar essence of community.
“From the start, I told Chad, I want to serve this community,” Gibson emphasizes. “I want to know our neighbors. I want to go old school, hand out flyers, walk around, meet people. We’re building this one cup at a time. It will take time, but we’re here for the long haul. Mercedes Place is still standing strong, and she’s still here.”
By James Cullen, photos by James Cullen
Published on August 18, 2022
