After many months of hard work, Vespa New Orleans will officially re-open at 10a.m. on Tuesday, February 21st at our new 901 Julia Street location in the Warehouse District. It will be North America's largest Vespa/Piaggio store with over 10,000 square feet under roof. This new store offers a beautiful modern showroom, covered off-street parking, and a superior service and parts department with New Orleans' only factory certified scooter technicians. Vespa New Orleans is leading the transportation revolution for the "new" New Orleans. At Vespa New Orleans our mission is great customer service. Come by and see what makes us special!

On Saturday morning, August 27th, 2005, the staff of Vespa New Orleans arrived to work having no idea that in the next 48 hours our lives would change forever. We turned on the television at 10a.m. and by noon we started our scooter evacuation plan. This plan involved moving every scooter - our inventory and our customer's bikes that were in for service - up to the third floor of a downtown parking garage. This being our fourth scooter evacuation since opening in July of 2003, we were well prepared. The seventy-five bikes took eight hours to move. By Sunday morning we had all left New Orleans having no idea we would not be returning to work in our city for another 6 months.

	Vespa New Orleans on Tuesday,August 30th sitting in 5 feet of water.

First reports out of the city on Monday were positive, but by Monday night everything changed. At that point we shifted into super-hyper speed. Our Mid-City store was sitting in 5 feet of water, and our downtown store, which escaped with only minimal roof damage, was still a least two months from completion. We had to think fast. We looked for retail space in both Lafayette and Baton Rouge. Through the internet we comunicated with customers, and by mid-September we were operating out of a house in Baton Rouge where we all lived together. We used the backyard as a showroom, the garage as a service department, and the dinning room table as a closing desk. We made daily trips to New Orleans for customer pickups and pulled what we could out of our flooded store. It took two months to get all 75 bikes from that parking garage in New Orleans to Baton Rouge, and on September 27th we sold our first bike since the storm.

The New Vespa New Orleans

On November 2nd, one day before the original date of our scheduled downtown Grand Opening party, we officially opened Vespa Baton Rouge. We renovated an old gas station on Airline Highway in 30 days. We operated both New Orleans and Baton Rouge sales and service out of this store, and made trips twice a week to New Orleans for sales and service.

Now, in the second week of February, we are putting the final touches on our New Orleans store while still operating by appointment in New Orleans. The Baton Rouge store will continue to operate after we reopen New Orleans. Stop by Vespa Baton Rouge and meet the newest member of our staff, Dana Hebert.

We would like to thank all of our customers who have been so patient and loyal through these incredible times. We promise there will be more great things to come! Together we will rebuild a GREATER New Orleans!

More and more Baton Rouge residents are being turned on to the scootering lifestyle. Everyday we are meeting and educating people who come into our store on just how much more fun and economical scooter riding can be.

If you're in Baton Rouge come by and say hello!

We have received our first shipment of Davida Helmets since the storm. Davida Helmets are handmade in England using original 1940s racing helmet designs. Vespa New Orleans and Baton Rouge are the exclusive retailers for Davida helmets.

Sixty years after introducing the first scooter in post-war Europe, Piaggio, the manufacturer of the world-famous Vespa scooter, has announced the release of the fastest and most technologically-advanced Vespa in history - the Granturismo Sport 250 i.e. With its commanding engine displacement and sleek design, the GTS 250 i.e. is the perfect choice for customers seeking both outstanding performance and style.

At the heart of the GTS 250 is a sophisticated 250cc four-stroke, liquid-cooled electronic injection engine, the largest engine displacement in the Vespa range. The new system considerably reduces both emissions and fuel consumption, and provides immediate throttle response and speed that dramatically increases precise handling.

One of the very first scooters in the 250cc category to exceed strict U.S. CARB emissions standards, the GTS 250 i.e. is built on a steel frame that echoes the design of the current popular Vespa Granturismo model. The GTS 250 i.e. features a redesigned tail light, instrument panel, and a vintage-style rear rack. Riders will also enjoy the streamlined engineering that simulates a racing scooter, along with new, thinner side panels that visually push the entire vehicle forward.

The GTS 250 i.e. provides ample storage under its double-stitched seat, a space large enough to hold two scooter helmets. Its precise ergonomic design and response system make the scooter both comfortable and easy to maneuver, whether touring or scooting through city traffic.

To further enhance its sporty look, the GTS 250 i.e. is available in two eye-catching colors - Dragon Red or Excalibur Gray, both with a black seat. Custom accessories for the GTS 250 i.e. include top cases, windscreens, chrome kits, and more.

Come see it in person!

See both ends of the parade route all in the same day! The Vespa Club of New Orleans presents the 4th Annual Mardi Gras ride. Meet for coffee at 9a.m. and see the new Vespa New Orleans store at 901 Julia Street. The ride will leave at 9:30a.m. sharp, and head down to St. Charles Ave. before any of the parades roll. We hope to see you there!