From 1985 to 1997, the corner of Centenary and Stoner was home to one of the hottest food and entertainment destinations in Shreveport.

Centenary Oyster House, opened and operated by the Cush brothers (Bryan, Joey and Greg), offered fun and food in the local market.

Also creators of Chicky’s Boom Boom Room, Cafe Shreveport, City Bar and the still iconic restaurant, The Village, the group shuttered Centenary Oyster House in 1997 but retained ownership of the property. None of the establishments that followed the Oyster House were able to equal the original’s success. Having witnessed one closure after another, the property will once again be a Cush enterprise and is set to open soon.

“Last year, Bryan and I decided to take the property back and do a lot of upgrading in décor and food,” Greg Cush said.

Unfortunately, during that process Bryan Cush passed away following a battle with cancer.

“When we lost Bryan, then Joey decided to jump in on the project with me. We’ve put a lot of money in to getting the property back up to standards,” Greg Cush said.

Now, Joey and Greg Cush have undertaken extensive renovations to the property and are projecting to open the new venue within the next few weeks. The new business, located at 1309 Centenary Blvd., is being dubbed Bryan’s Centenary Oyster House in honor of the late Bryan Cush.

“Bryan was always such a key element of our success, that it seemed appropriate to put his name on the new club,” Joey Cush said.

Most of the popular Centenary Oyster House menu will return accompanied by several new culinary innovations. Reynaldo Jandres has been chef at the The Village since it opened in 1988. Though Jandres will remain at The Village, he will also do double duty and oversee the menu and kitchen operation at Bryan’s Centenary Oyster House.

“We will be going to back to many of the menu items that made the original Centenary Oyster House so popular. At lunch we will be offering our famous home made burgers with a new twist,” Jandres said.

There will also be a menu of salads such as the spinach salad with house-made raspberry vinaigrette.

Particularly at night, there will be seafood entrees and always, of course, oyster-fried, grilled and raw.

Live music was always an important component of the Oyster House success and it will remain a large draw in the new venue. Bands will perform on a stage in front of a newly created mural recently completed by acclaimed local artist Christopher Moore.

Moore has also created urinals for the men’s bathroom constructed from hollowed out beer kegs.

The eclectic décor will also feature Joey Cush’s collection of New Orleans Jazz Festival prints and a collage of famed artist Vargas work featuring World War II bomber girls.

The décor will also feature an electric guitar used by rock legend Eddie Van Halen on his groups landmark “5150” tour.

“In addition to the fresh décor, we want to offer some new twists in entertainment

too, not just the usual bands that may be overexposed in the market,” Joey Cush said.

“We will be bringing in other bands from out of town as well as local popular groups,” Greg Cush said.

In the northernmost end of the facility on the side which fronts Centenary Avenue there are garage doors which, when weather permits, can easily turn that room into an open air area.

“With the new club we want to cater to the customers who still go out at night. Since the original club was a few years back, we will be welcoming multigenerational customers,” Joey Cush said.