Age: 31
Hometown: Greater New Orleans Region
Occupation: chemical operator; founder of @GeauxDowntownBR
By April Capochino Myers • Photos by Collin Richie
Five years ago, Dustin Sutton moved to one of Baton Rouge’s oldest neighborhoods, hoping to do his part to revitalize the Red Stick with a surge of young passion.
He rented a home in Beauregard Town, the more-than-100-year-old neighborhood that’s also home to the Old Governor’s Mansion and is anchored by Government Street.
Three years later, Sutton and his then-girlfriend, Brandy (now his wife), bought a home in the neighborhood and began growing roots in a city they loved.
But it wasn’t until he started sharing his passion for the city that he realized others shared it too.
Last summer, Sutton started taking pictures and posting them on Instagram. Using the handle @GeauxDowntownBR, he quickly built a following of more than 11,000 fans. His posts highlight downtown events, unique architecture and historical moments such as the LSU Tiger Band leading a parade down Third Street in 1956.
“My wife and I are city people, and we love it here,” Sutton says. “I came up with the idea to show what’s going on, because a lot of people live in the suburbs, and unless you live or work downtown, you don’t venture down here much.”
Sutton graduated from LSU in 2009 with a degree in architecture and landscaping. He traveled during college, both internationally to Thailand and Australia and domestically to New York City, and fell in love with design.
Unfortunately, the economy was suffering when he graduated college, making it difficult to find a job in his field. So he looked for a new career. He received an associate’s degree in applied sciences and technology from Baton Rouge Community College and began working as a chemical operator.
Creating @GeauxDowntownBR was a hobby for Sutton but also a way to express his creative side and use his LSU degree.
“I live here, so it’s very easy for me to capture these pictures,” he says. “And I like Instagram, because it’s just photos.”
Sutton’s smile stretches from cheek to cheek whenever he talks about Baton Rouge. He loves Live after Five—the spring and fall outdoor concert series that’s held at Galvez Plaza and draws 100,000 people each year. IPO is his favorite restaurant. He enjoys a beer at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar, a cocktail at The River Room and a coffee at Strands Café.
He is hoping Baton Rouge will one day have an authentic beer garden, and he has faith that more retail will make its way downtown as the population grows.
“I’ve traveled all over the world and been to amazing cities, and I know the potential that downtown has,” Sutton says. “There’s walkability, connectivity and so much convenience. I love it here. I can’t imagine living anywhere else.”
