A New York Times article about New Orleans with no political agenda? Strange but true. This piece on New Orleans’ developing beer industry is encouraging news for beer aficionados and for those of us who believe the city can become a magnet for entrepreneurs.

As a beer enthusiast I can vouch for the quality and variety of beer now available in the New Orleans area. And it is great to see entrepreneurs determined to succeed in a city not known for being business-friendly. A cautionary note does appear near the end of the article, however, as NOLA Brewing founder Kirk Coco describes the challenges of doing business in the Crescent City:

They had just finished meeting with a “political consultant,” Mr. Coco said, trying to speed the process of having the city connect their water line, a hurdle they cleared soon after.

“I can guarantee you we would have been brewing beer three months ago if we were on the north shore,” Mr. Coco said. “Or if we were in Kenner,” a nearby suburb, “which is where I was told we should open up when I went to get my permit.

“I stuck with New Orleans because I came back here to rebuild this city.”

Let’s hope that policy makers will address the many challenges to doing business here. Not everyone is willing to lose money for the sake of rebuilding New Orleans.