Louisiana Marketshops at the 115

But what is the 115?

Well, mes amis, that’s the  exit number off I-10 in Henderson, Louisiana. And Marketshops, opened in spring 2013, is more than a store—it’s a bit like a welcome center, unmissable in mustard- yellow paint, a green tin roof, and a bright orange door.

Customers driving up to the store are greeted by zydeco music. Signs at the door proclaim: “Pets welcome, kids must be on leash,” “If you’re easily offended, just don’t come in,” and “Unattended children will be used as crawfish bait.”

“I wanted to create a place where people could come and have a unique shopping experience,” explained owner Jennifer Casanova, who has a long résumé of architectural salvaging gigs across the South. “The minute you see the outside of the building, the bright colors, and the funky art outside, you know it’s gonna be fun, and the planters are usually full of colorful blooming plants that make people happy.”

Within, the store is packed with Louisiana art, jewelry, collectibles, fine crafts, recycled treasures, man-cave/camp/swamp décor, architectural art, and farmers market items.

Holding a B.A. in Fine Arts from LSU, Casanova is obsessed with all forms of art: drawing, painting, engraving, ceramics, stained glass, sculpture, glass blowing, metalsmithing, you name it. Local artists and craftsmen (over three hundred artists and makers have been featured here) share a selection of their work with Casanova, then she handpicks the pieces she feels will do best. “Each person I represent has tremendous talent,” she said in earnest. “I know and appreciate the work that goes into each piece.”

Some of Casanova’s favorite products are crafted by the customers themselves into what she calls “over-the-top décor.” She recently shipped a huge crate to a restaurant owner in Canada: inside was an old shrimp trawl, metal shrimp and crabs, and the head of a twelve-foot gator. From that, he built a six-foot-tall alligator with a real alligator head, dressing it in a stuffed jean shirt with a rain jacket, plus overalls tucked into white shrimp boots.

[Read about Chris Turner-Neal's holiday shopping adventure through Denham Springs' Antique Village]

But the inventory extends beyond arts and crafts. The books for sale are all about Louisiana and often written by local authors, including former judge Anne L. Simon, now a mystery novelist; photographer Philip Gould; and St. Francisville author and historian Anne Butler. Children’s books run the gamut from Leif N. Pedersen’s Swamp Kids series to Yvette Landry’s The Ghost Tree.   

Kick up your heels with CDs featuring Louisiana Cajun, swamp pop, and zydeco music. Or for a closer look into the Cajun and Creole culture, the DVDs cover everything from gator hunting to Cajun Mardi Gras. There’s an award-winning film about ironing (I always do my collars first) and an equally engrossing documentary on hand-spun/woven Acadian brown cotton blankets and the Cajun women who made them (Coton jaune—Acadian Brown Cotton, A Cajun Love Story).

In the early 1990s, the building had served as the studio of artist George Rodrigue. At different times it’s also been home to a winery, an Amish furniture store, and even an oyster bar. “The last tenants prior to my taking over the building had used it as a home,” said Casanova. “It had been thirteen years since they moved out and it was in terrible condition, but I knew it had potential.”

When she took over the property in late 2012, she was determined to build an over-the-top theme in both décor and design, bringing together her love of art, antiques, and vintage architectural elements in a major renovation. “The roof was leaking in some areas, and animals had been coming in and out over the years, with a stench that I just can’t describe,” explained Casanova, adding that every wall was painted forest green or burgundy, with peel-and-stick flooring, green shag carpet, and rotten floors. “I could see the ground when I looked down through the floor, and the sun when I looked up.”

Today, the property is an amalgamation of different buildings. The massive renovation involved removing and adding walls, closing off doorways and building new ones, doing the same with windows and, in some cases, turning windows into doorways. When it was all finished, the crew had filled forty dumpsters six times with debris.

“The minute you see the outside of the building, the bright colors, and the funky art outside, you know it’s gonna be fun, and the planters are usually full of colorful blooming plants that make people happy.”

“I did a lot of the renovation myself and built the displays out of salvaged materials,” said Casanova, describing how she worked with her table saw, chop saw, drill press, and air compressor. “I had stacks of architectural salvage, pressed tin ceiling pieces, and corrugated tin.”

Initially, Casanova set up the shop like a traditional antique mall. Dealers rented out individual booths, offering art and antiques. Now the shop is organized thematically: metalwork, man-cave decor, kitchen goods, books/DVDs, souvenirs, and art. There’s something for everyone, from architectural art and furniture to Louisiana folk dolls to dinnerware featuring craftsmanship from three different local artists.

Customers come from near and far for different reasons, said Casanova. “It’s my birthday, and I wanted to come here,” they’ll say, or “I’ve been following y’all on Facebook and have been trying to get here,” or “My friends told me about this place, and I had to come check it out.”

Locals chime in with their own Louisiana Marketshops testimonials. St. Martin Parish tourism director Dona Degatur Richard said, “Her shop is great. I’ve never walked in there without spending money.”

Cajun couple Misha and Ed Guirard live just a couple of miles from Louisiana Marketshops. Ed’s late uncle, Greg Guirard, was a gifted author and photographer, and the store stocks several of his books, note cards, and calendars. Misha said that the store is her go-to for gifts. “It’s the perfect place to shop for our twelve nieces and nephews that live out of town.”

Casanova and her employees are very interactive with their customers. “We genuinely love what we do, people love coming to the shop, and they enjoy our warped sense of humor,” she said. “People come here to dance, laugh, and have fun.” 

Details, Details, Details ... 

Louisiana Marketshops at the 115

2942 Grand Point Hwy

Henderson, La.

(337) 501-6022