Chef Gabriel Balderas and LSBDC at SUSLA Bring The Brine to Bossier City
Chef Gabriel Balderas partnered with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) at Southern University at Shreveport to turn his vision for The Brine into a market-ready concept. Scheduled to open in late summer 2026 on the Louisiana Boardwalk in Bossier City, The Brine is a contemporary Southern restaurant and bar inside an indoor pickleball and health club, offering cocktails, smoothies, fresh crudo, oysters, prime meats, and panoramic Red River views.
Although Balderas brought years of restaurant experience, launching a new brand required rigorous business planning and investor-ready materials. The LSBDC, led by Director Amanda Flynn, worked directly with Balderas to refine the business proposal, produce detailed financial projections, conduct industry research, and assemble a professional investor package. That guidance validated the concept, strengthened financial assumptions, and bolstered investor confidence.
The Brine represents a 1 million dollar investment in the local economy and is expected to create 21 jobs, underscoring the LSBDC’s role in supporting small business growth and regional economic development. By providing practical research, financing strategies, and planning support, the LSBDC at SUSLA helps entrepreneurs move from concept to reality and strengthens the broader Shreveport-Bossier business ecosystem.