Kevin Atwill | https://www.theshelbyreport.com/
Already a household name in Lafayette, Louisiana, Rouses Markets opened its fourth store in the parish Jan. 25 to much fanfare.
Located at 1810 Camellia Blvd., the 55,000-square-foot supermarket – the company’s 65th overall – anchors a 15-acre retail center adjacent to the Village of River Ranch, one of Lafayette’s largest communities.
It joins three other locations in the area. The store on East Milton Avenue in Youngsville – Rouses’ initial venture into the parish – opened in early 2009. It was followed by markets on Bertrand Drive and Johnston Street in Lafayette, both of which opened in the 2010s.
The store also is the second Rouses has opened this year, following the Jan. 11 opening of a store on Florida Boulevard in North Baton Rouge, which had previously been a food desert. The next two Rouses Markets are slated to open in Picayune and Biloxi, Mississippi, later this year.
CEO Donny Rouse, the grandson of company founder Anthony J. Rouse Sr., was enthusiastic about expanding the South Louisiana-based grocery chain’s footprint in Lafayette, which is close to his heart as he attended the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
“We want to bring the Rouses Markets’ experience to every corner of Acadiana,” he said.
Employing up to 200 people in full- and part-time positions, the store features a deli department serving Boar’s Head products. In addition, it has a hot food bar, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as additional bars offering hot soup and fresh salad.
Other store highlights include:
- Sushi, poke bowls and a Mongolian grill with rice bowls and teriyaki;
- Chef-inspired, fresh, ready-to-eat and -heat options; and
- Full-service bakery, floral and seafood departments, as well as a butcher shop with steaks, roasts and chops sliced in house.
The butcher shop also features a custom humidity- and temperature-controlled dry-aged beef locker that ages USDA Choice Angus Beef for at least 25 days.
The seafood department has an in-house boiling room, with seafood delivered from all over the Gulf Coast and around the world.
The store also boasts the largest beer, wine and spirits selection in Lafayette. Known as a Rouse Barrel House, it is billed as a destination for bourbon lovers.
To celebrate the grand opening, Rouses Markets presented checks to several local charities following the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 8 a.m.
About Rouses Markets
Schriever, Louisiana-based Rouses Markets is ranked one of the top private companies and largest employers along the Gulf Coast. It has been voted Best Grocery Store in Baton Rouge by readers of 225 Magazine year after year, and in polls across the region.
Since opening its first store in 1960, the company has grown to operate 65 locations across three states. It has more than 7,000 employees, with additional stores under construction.
Rouses, the official supermarket of the New Orleans Saints, has been honored for its community impact, supporting local food banks, charities, festivals and events.
by Kevin Atwill, The Shelby Report
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