Real estate is one of the largest sectors of the Baton Rouge economy. In the world of Baton Rouge real estate you don’t get any bigger than Mike Wampold.

Over the past three decades Mike’s Wompald Companies has established itself as the premier developer in Baton Rouge, with a portfolio that includes an extraordinary list of apartments, hotels, office buildings and planned unit developments. Mike’s devleopment, Harveston, is transforming the landscape of the southeastern part of the parish. 

A few chronological years behind Wampold Companies but no less ambitiouls and exciting is another Mike – Mike Hogstrom  – and his development company Onsite Design and Development. Onsite has completed  two infill projects in the Mid City area that exemplify the principles of smart growth, and is in the process of developing three other developments in the Old Goodwood area – including Adelia at Goodwood, which will be built on the site of the old Goodwood Plantation. 

Talking of Goodwood,  Goodwood Hardware is something of an institution in the local market. Defying industry trends and competition from big box retailers like Home Depot and Lowe’s, business is booming at Goodwood. So much so that the next generation is coming up and taking over, in the person of Katelyn Comeaux. Katelyn explains the art of mom-and-popism in the 21st Century. 

Photos taken over lunch at Mansur’s on the Boulevard by Ken Stewart