Rouses Markets are a chain of grocery supermarkets in the U.S. states of
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
,
Alabama
(We dare defend our rights)
, anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama"
, image_map = Alabama in United States.svg
, seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery
, LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville
, LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...
and
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
with more than 6,500 employees.
History
The company had its start as the City Produce Company, founded in
Thibodaux, Louisiana
Thibodaux ( ) is a city in, and the parish seat of, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the banks of Bayou Lafourche in the northwestern part of the parish. The population was 15,948 at the 2020 census. Thibodaux is a principal city ...
by J. P. Rouse in 1923, which bought produce from local farmers in the
Terrebonne
Terrebonne, meaning ''good earth'' in French, is a name of several places in North America:
;Canada
*Terrebonne, Quebec, a suburb of Montreal
** Terrebonne station, a commuter railway station in Terrebonne, Quebec
**Terrebonne City Council, the go ...
and
Lafourche
Lafourche Parish (french: Paroisse de la Fourche) is a parish located in the south of the U.S. state of Louisiana. The parish seat is Thibodaux. The parish was formed in 1807. It was originally the northern part of Lafourche Interior Parish, whi ...
Parishes, as well as the
French Market
The French Market (french: Marché français) is a market and series of commercial buildings spanning six blocks in the French Quarter of New Orleans, Louisiana. Founded as a Native American trading post predating European colonization, the market ...
in
, and shipped them around the United States.
![Rouses Market, Baronne Street, NOLA 2011 Interior C](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ab/Rouses_Market%2C_Baronne_Street%2C_NOLA_2011_Interior_C.JPG)
In 1960, Anthony Rouse Sr. (son of J. P. Rouse) and his cousin, Ciro DiMarco, opened a grocery store in
Houma, Louisiana
Houma ( ) is the largest city in, and the parish seat of, Terrebonne Parish in the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is also the largest principal city of the Houma– Bayou Cane–Thibodaux metropolitan statistical area. The city's government ...
.
In the 1970s, Ciro decided to exit the business and sold his portion of the business to Anthony's son, Ryan Rouse. In the late 1970s Anthony's son Tommy also joined the business. Throughout the 1970s, the company operated stores in
Houma,
Raceland and the Rouses’ hometown of
Thibodaux
Thibodaux ( ) is a city in, and the parish seat of, Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States, along the banks of Bayou Lafourche in the northwestern part of the parish. The population was 15,948 at the 2020 census. Thibodaux is a principal city ...
. During the 1980s, the company opened more new stores in South Louisiana, in the communities of
Lockport,
Cut Off and
Morgan City.
Rouses opened its first store in
Metairie in 1995 and was then the largest independent grocer in Louisiana.
In 2003, Rouses opened a store in
Covington. That store was followed by other
St. Tammany Parish
St. Tammany Parish (french: Paroisse de Saint-Tammany) is a parish located in the U.S. state of Louisiana named after Tamanend, the legendary Lenape Chief of Chiefs and the "Patron Saint of America." At the 2020 census, the population was 2 ...
locations in
Mandeville in 2005 and
Slidell in 2006.
In 2007, two years after hurricanes
Katrina
Katrina or Katrine may refer to:
People
* Katrina (given name)
* Katrine (given name)
Meteorology
* List of storms named Katrina, a list of tropical cyclones designated as Katrina
** Hurricane Katrina, an exceptionally powerful Atlantic hurrican ...
and
Rita
Rita may refer to:
People
* Rita (given name)
* Rita (Indian singer) (born 1984)
* Rita (Israeli singer) (born 1962)
* Rita (Japanese singer)
* Eliza Humphreys (1850–1938), wrote under the pseudonym Rita
Places
* Djarrit, also known as Rita, ...
devastated the
area, Rouses acquired
A&P’s Southern Division of 17
Sav-A-Center
Sav-A-Center was a trade name owned by The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company.
History
The Sav-A-Center name was first used for a chain of 20 supermarkets in the greater New Orleans, Louisiana, area. The division operated throughout Louisiana, ...
stores, effectively doubling the company in size, and giving the company its first stores in the city of New Orleans and in Mississippi. In 2008, Rouses acquired two additional stores in Mississippi.
In January 2009, Rouses opened a newly constructed store in
Youngsville, Louisiana
Youngsville is a city in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, United States, and is part of the Lafayette metropolitan statistical area. The population was 8,105 at the 2010 U.S. census, and 15,929 at the 2020 United States census.
Youngsville was the bi ...
, a community in the
Lafayette
Lafayette or La Fayette may refer to:
People
* Lafayette (name), a list of people with the surname Lafayette or La Fayette or the given name Lafayette
* House of La Fayette, a French noble family
** Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette (1757â ...
area. This location was the first in the
Acadiana
Acadiana ( French and Louisiana French: ''L'Acadiane''), also known as the Cajun Country (Louisiana French: ''Le Pays Cadjin'', es, PaÃs Cajún), is the official name given to the French Louisiana region that has historically contained mu ...
region for the chain, its westernmost store, and the biggest grand opening event in company history.
In 2010, the company acquired a store in
Mathews, Louisiana
Mathews is a census-designated place (CDP) on Bayou Lafourche in Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 2,273 in 2020. It is part of the Houma– Bayou Cane–Thibodaux metropolitan statistical area.
History
On Au ...
which was previously operated by
Winn-Dixie.
In 2011, Rouses opened a 40,000-square-foot full service grocery store in the Central Business District of New Orleans, ending 45 years without.
In 2013, Rouses expanded into Alabama by taking ownership of six Belle Foods stores in the Mobile area. The first of those stores opened in
Theodore, Alabama
Theodore is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP) in Mobile County, Alabama, Mobile County, Alabama, United States. The population was 6,270 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is a part of the Mobile metropolitan ...
on February 9, 2014.
In 2016, Rouses acquired LeBlanc's Food Stores, expanding its presence in the metro Baton Rouge area with 9 additional locations. All LeBlanc's Food Stores were rebranded as Rouses Markets.
In 2021, Steve Galtier, the former head of Human Resources for Rouses, posted pictures on social media of himself and Donald Rouse Sr., his life partner and former boss, attending the pro-Trump rally in Washington D.C. just before the storming on the US Capitol Building. Although Rouse Sr. claims not to have taken part in the violent insurrection, many Rouses Market customers called for a boycott of their stores.
Recognition
*2018 The Shelby Report of the Southeast's Retailer of the Year
*2013 The 8 Best Regional Supermarket Chains in America
*2010 New Orleans Magazine's Best Grocery Store/Deli
*2009 Gambit Best Supermarket
*2009 Sophisticated Woman's Best Supermarket
*2009 Daily Comet's Best Grocery Store in Lafourche Parish
*2009 Houma Courier's Best Grocery Store in Terrebonne Parish
*2009 Sophisticated Woman's Best Supermarket
*2009 Jefferson Life's Best Supermarket
*2009 Louisiana Life's Best Places to Work
*2009 AOL's Best Grocery Stores
*2008 Gambit Best Supermarket
[http://bestofneworleans.com]
*2008 Sophisticated Woman's Best Supermarket
*2007 Association for Corporate Growth Louisiana Deal of the Year
*2007 Sophisticated Woman's Best Supermarket
*2007 Gambit Best Neighborhood Grocery on the North Shore
*2006 Sophisticated Woman's Best Supermarket
*2006 Progressive Grocer Store of the Month
*2006 Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce Business of the Year
*2005 Gambit Best Neighborhood Grocery on the North Shore
*2005 St. Tammany West Chamber of Commerce Business Appreciation Award – Largest Expansion
*2004 National Grocers Association Advertising Award Best Commercials
*2004 National Grocers Association Advertising Award Best Grand Opening Campaign
*2004 Addy Award Best Grocery Store Commercials
*2003 Addy Award Best Grocery Store Commercials
*1999 Food People of the Year (Donald)
*1995 National Grocers Association Award - Fast Bagger
*1984 Progressive Grocer Store of the Month
References
External links
*
{{Supermarkets of the United States
Companies based in Louisiana
American companies established in 1923
Retail companies established in 1923
Supermarkets of the United States
1923 establishments in Louisiana