Community fundraiser to benefit Area 337 planned for June 23
Published 12:03 pm Wednesday, June 7, 2023
- Area 337 restaurant owner and chef Gus Garden Rosado checks out fire damage at his 2500 Kirkman St. business May 22. Garden said he got a call at 2:24 a.m. Monday from his alarm service, and then a few minutes later he received another call from the fire department. The restaurant, which opened in February 2021, will be closed temporarily while repairs are made. (Donna Price / American Press Archives)
A team of local businesses and volunteers are teaming up to raise money in support of Area 337, an authentic Latino restaurant located at 2500 Kirkman St. in Lake Charles. An early morning fire damaged the restaurant on Monday, May 22.
A benefit is planned for Friday, June 23, from 5 to 9 p.m. at Crying Eagle Brewing, 1165 E. McNeese Street. The funds raised will help owner Gus Garden Rosado as well as staff impacted by the fire.
The benefit will feature back-to-back musical entertainment and a live auction led by Westlake Mayor Hal McMillin at 6 p.m. in the Beer Garden.
Big-ticket items include a crawfish boil for 40, Jake Owen concert tickets, a Smoke & Barrel VIP package for four, an all-day boat rental and dinner at the Terrace, jewelry, sports memorabilia, and a Bayou Rum bundle among other things.
Crying Eagle Brewing is also donating 100% of the proceeds from the sale of its Louisiana Lager, which will be named the “337 Lager” exclusively for the evening’s event.
General admission is free to the public, but a limited number of VIP tickets will be available for $100 at www.cryingeagle.com under the Tickets and Swag tab. The VIP ticket will give event-goers access to a private upstairs loft, a food tasting, and a custom t-shirt designed by local business owner Paige Vidrine. Shirts are available for $22 online at www.area337.net and will be available for pickup at the benefit on June 23.
Established in 2020, Area 337 has quickly become a local favorite. Its flavorful and authentic cuisine, carefully crafted cocktails, friendly service and live music add to the overall dining experience. Owner and Chef Garden Rosado is known for his personable demeanor and love for the culinary arts.
Despite the fire, Garden Rosado remains optimistic.
“We will remember this time not as the disaster that nearly destroyed Area 337 forever, but instead it is the moment that we realized that Area 337 was more than a restaurant. This fire proved that my family and I are a part of your heart and your culture. Out of the ashes, something beautiful was born. I see now what all of this hard work has been for. We truly are family.”
A GoFundMe has also been set up to benefit recovery efforts.
Those who cannot attend in-person are encouraged to give online at www.gofund.me/9c435624.
For more information or to donate an auction item, please email carlyp@johnsonfirmla.com.
Auction items will be accepted through June 17.
