Remakin' Groceries

Small-town stores are becoming popular in a new century

by

Beyond the levees, past the shrimp boats, to what seems to be the end of the earth, is a century-old grocery. Atop a raised wooden building, a faded sign reads “Cecil Lapeyrouse Grocery.” On the fascia below rests a worn plaque, hand-painted with the store’s birthdate, “Est. 1914.” 

Cecil Lapeyrouse and his wife Etta run the grocery that Cecil’s grandfather Gustave Lapeyrouse built. On the banks of Bayou Petit Caillou and LA Hwy 56 in Chauvin, the aging cypress building has served many generations, dating back to a time when the only access was by boat. 

Shimmy down a narrow aisle, past the chips, cold drinks, and nostalgic glass bins filled with hardware knickknacks, to find Etta’s museum. There she enshrines the past before it’s all washed away: a crystal chandelier holds company with speckled pots and pans, mid-twentieth century phonographs, and enough well-maintained knick-knacks to keep a visitor there for days. 

The store’s exterior back wall, facing Bayou Petit Caillou, is lined with a vintage refrigerator, a deep sink, and a stack of old pots and pans freshly washed and waiting to dry. Fishermen still stop by the store for live bait and gas, and sometimes just to chew the fat on the porch swing. In fact, many people will travel hundreds of miles to do the same—if not to refuel a boat then just to revisit a precious time.

Etta maintains a stunning garden, a tropical grotto not wholly out of place along the bayou. From birds of paradise and palm trees to manmade features including a bottle tree, a small Virgin Mary statue, and an old shed; inside the shed, an old cash register is nestled among rusted, retired companions including a portable camping burner, pots and pans, and an old license plate.

Cecil Lapeyrouse grew up next door to the family grocery. As a child, the store felt to him like an endless supply of snacks and drinks; then came the chores, filling the drink coolers, emptying trash, and stocking shelves.

“I would listen to the stories about the community in French mostly,” he recalled. “Some of the same stories are being told in the same store in French and English.” 

Cecil went to work for the oil companies like many who live along the Gulf of Mexico, from running boats to moving production platforms into the Gulf. 

The world of commercial fishing in Chauvin has changed drastically over the years, said Cecil—in large part due to coastal erosion. “It has changed the ecosystem which has a direct impact on the livelihood of the community and the culture of the people,” he said. “Flooding, higher water levels, and higher insurance premiums are keeping permanent residents out of the area.”

The store sits inside the hurricane protection levee system, and although most locals have moved away, the store remains open. They still serve commercial and recreational fishing companies, along with clientele from different walks of life. Then there are the curious tourists that drive miles and miles to see Cecil Lapeyrouse Grocery.

[Read this: For sale: Chickens, baby teeth, and real jewels.]

“We get lots of visitors from different areas of the United States and other countries who enjoy the uniqueness of the grocery store,” said Cecil, adding  that the tourists enjoy the laidback atmosphere. “And it seems like the local visitors come in to see my wife’s antique collection.”

Some call it the gospel of the South, passing time at the neighborhood grocery. While tradition has kept well at Cecil Lapeyrouse Grocery, the pastime is only just now returning to other parts of the state. Located in the East Feliciana Parish town of Jackson, The Felicianas’ Store is reminiscent of an early-twentieth-century hardware/feed store with a dash of modern conveniences. Its logo is a red antique pickup with the tag line: “…a HARDWARE, HOME, TABLE, FARM and GARDEN store.” Inside you’ll find an all-terrain tent pitched atop a 1937 pickup truck surrounded with the latest outdoor kitchen gear for barbecues, tailgating, and crawfish boils. 

Michael and Mary Jo Salmon had retired early, ready for a new era of pure leisure. But then they spied an old building for sale on LA 10—a former hardware store and a big building at that. With sudden verve, the retirees soon found themselves in the retail business. 

The store comes with a deliberate small-town feel; the Salmons take pride in hiring locals eager to share their expertise, along with a tale or two, at no charge. Darlene Whaley, an interior decorator and former owner of a gift shop in nearby Clinton, Louisiana, manages housewares, gifts, and paint. Ellen Blankenship handles the store’s hardware, plumbing, electrical, and tool departments. Customers are greeted with a neighborly welcome and the aroma of hot coffee from the Cottonfields Coffee Shop. Many pull up a chair and sit a spell, munch on a fresh donut, or enjoy a big helping of juicy chitchat. The store also holds a variety of Saturday classes, covering cooking techniques as well as gardening know-how. They hope to host live musicians throughout the year as well.

[Read this: A Day with Diane Deaton in Zachary's antiques markets.]

While some shoppers may roam around the array of NAPA auto parts, others will gravitate toward the home department, stocked with attractive furnishings, kitchen items, and custom-colored Blue Star ranges, as well as lady’s bags, toiletries, and clothing. The area’s hunters and oilfield workers can browse for gear and apparel. And in the garden department, employees are eager to share what’s best to grow locally and the best time to plant those spring bulbs. 

“We carry many top brands to appeal to new homeowners or [those renovating],” said Mary Jo, adding that the different departments consult with each other before stocking new products. “My husband’s goal is to have a complete supply of items in these areas including industrial as well as normal household supplies. 

“We want to be that regional destination store for people living in the Felicianas and small towns just across the parish border in Southern Mississippi and Zachary.” For some potential shoppers, the store may not carry what you need … yet. “We appreciate it when customers suggest items they would like us to carry and will accommodate them if at all possible.” 

Just a few miles west from Jackson, St. Francisville has remained true to its roots, and although some of the century-old stores change hands a time or two, most are faithful to its beginnings—so it goes for the popular new District Mercantile with its colorful display cases, crafts, and those toothsome bakery treats. 

The original building dates back to 1890, a general merchandise store owned by Morris Burgess and named for its proprietor. From Morris Burgess to Rosenthal & Wood, the property stayed in the latter family until Charlie and Onnie Perdue purchased the 4,300 square-foot building, most recently known as “St. Francis Art and Antiques,” in March 2018. 

Initially just a shrewd property investment for the Perdues, who moved to town four years ago and own a rental business, the building soon became a project in itself for the couple. As they learned more about the property’s history and place in the community, the Perdues longed to resurrect the old general store for St. Francisville. “Beyond the physical renovation and desire to bring a beautiful building back to life, we wanted to create an experience and foster a local gathering place,” said Charlie. “One of the things that impressed us was the sense of community, the slower pace of life.”

District Mercantile opened in August 2018. Alongside antiques and curiosities, ample space is afforded to local artists and craftsmen to vend their wares while a well-stocked retail section at the store’s front includes clothing, Louisiana-themed goods, vintage toys, and merchandise emblazoned with the store’s logo. Candy, ice cream, and baked goods are available too—and hard to resist right at the cash register. 

“We love the town of St. Francisville and decided we wanted to live, work, and play here,” said Onnie. “This venture is our biggest yet, and we’re proud of what we’ve created.”

But does a community grocery store need a small town to thrive? In early 2019, Grant and Brian Cannatella will open a second, smaller-scale location of their great-grandfather’s store—established by the Italian immigrant in Melville, Louisiana, in 1923—in Mid City Baton Rouge.

The original Cannatella’s Grocery Store comprises a meat market, a hardware store, and a lumberyard. Melville was thriving when the store opened to supply the area with staples like farm supplies, flour, and meat, and some longtime fans still drive for miles and miles to stock up on the Cannatellas’ signature boudin, spaghetti, and lasagna, imported olive oils and Italian wines, and their legendary muffuletta. But it’s time to move, said Grant, back to where people live. And where people could use a little push to slow down and catch up with their neighbors. 

When you go…

Cecil Lapeyrouse Grocery, 7243 Shoreline Drive Chauvin, La. (985) 594-3054 

Felicianas’ Store, 2012 Highway 10Jackson, La. (225) 310-4002  shoptfs.com 

District Mercantile, 11914 Ferdinand Street St. Francisville, La. (225) 635-4199

Cannatella’s Grocery Store 421 Landrum StreetMelville, La. (337) 623-4211 (and coming soon to 3869 Government Street in Baton Rouge!)