A Family Tradition: Meaux's Western Wear & Shoe Service

By Lisa Yates
Editor, The Times



For the Meaux Family, running a successful business is all about service so memorable that customers come back for generations.

The family owns Meaux's Western Wear & Shoe Service, located at 3911 Common Street, in Lake Charles.

How it all began

“Jimmy's dad, Edward Meaux, started it in Iowa, in 1957, as a shoe repair shop,” Carol Meaux said. “We took it over in 1978. Back then it was on Kirkman Street and Prien.”

She said her father-in-law died suddenly of a heart attack, leaving the business to her husband.

“We had just opened a dental lab six months before,” Meaux said.

She said she and her husband closed the dental lab to run the family business.

“In 1991, we opened another location in Sulphur, but we kept the shoe repair business in Lake Charles,” she said. “We closed that store in 1993, and moved back here. It just got too hard driving back and forth for the shoe repair.”

During road construction, the store moved temporarily from its Common Street location to Ryan Street.

“When they widened Common Street, from McNeese to I-210, we moved the store to Ryan Street for three years,” Meaux said. “If we wouldn't have done that, we couldn't have survived.”

She said some area businesses had to close their doors as a result of the lengthy construction project.

“Construction went on for six years,” Meaux said. “I counted.”

The store today

Today, Jim and Carol run the store on Common Street, along with their daughter Jana Meaux – a third-generation owner.

The service that makes Meaux's stand out from other western wear stores is the attention to detail and making sure customers don't just buy a hat or pair of boots right off the shelf, without being fitted correctly.

“I like to shape a hat to a person's face and style,” Meaux said. “It's like a haircut – it has to match you.”

The store specializes in better western clothing and boots. Boot brands include Ariat, Twisted X, Cowtown, and Roper.

“Cowtown boots are Texas-made,” Meaux said.

She added, steel-toed work boots and work clothes can also be found at Meaux’s.

The store also carries top brands in men’s, women’s and children’s apparel, such as Roper shirts; Ariat shirts; Cinch jeans and shirts; Cruel Girl jeans and shirts; and, Scully leather jackets. Western accessories include Tony Lama hats, Montana Silversmith jewelry, and a wide-ranging selection of belts.

Just as when it began, Meaux’s shop is well-equipped for all kinds of saddle, shoe and leather goods repair. And, everyone there has real-world experience with horses and equine activities.

“Five years ago, we put in monogramming,” Meaux said. “We can monogram leather; and, we do silk-screening here. We’ve had to diversify some through the years to get us through the summers.”

She said during the hot summer months, jeans and boots don’t sell as well. With casual dressing as the norm these days, leather jackets and sports coats have become seasonal.

“Men used to wear sports coats out to dinner,” Meaux said, noting dressing for dinner isn’t typical anymore. “People's needs have changed over 30 years. The sizes of people have changed, too. People have gotten larger and bigger.”

To illustrate, she said that 30 years ago, “medium” was the average men’s shirt size – today, it’s an “extra-large.”

“In men’s boots, 8 ½ was the average size,” Meaux said. “Now, 10, or 10 ½ is the average.

Fashionable western wear

While western wear is timeless and classic, styles within this genre change with fashion. For example, the 1980 Urban Cowboy look is out. A more contemporary western style has emerged.

“There’s a lot more bling, today,” Meaux said. “It used to be that western wear was six months behind the fashion industry, but now it’s neck and neck.”

What’s in?

For men, it’s the square-toed boot, according to Meaux. Just like fashion shoes, squared-toe is in, she said.

The tall-crowned cowboy hat is out, she said. The stylish cowboy hat, today, has a lower crown with a wider brim.

In jeans, Meaux said pick a pair with a bit of flare. The super-straight, skinny jean is out these days, she said.

Fashionable accessories include fun pony-printed flat wallets and rhinestone-studded everything!

“Lake Charles has kept a lot of its western flair,” Meaux said. “Cattle and the oil industry have always been prominent here.”

The economy hasn't hurt business

While most of Meaux’s customers are working-class people, refinery workers, farmers, construction workers and truck drivers, the recent economic downturn hasn’t hurt business.

“Business has been up every month this year,” Carol Meaux said. “Jimmy’s dad said when the economy is bad, business goes up. People fix their shoes, rather than buy new ones. Also, when the oil industry is up, people here make money; and, they have more money to spend on things like new boots. It’s a blue collar thing.”

Following Hurricane Rita, she noticed a similar trend in business.

“After the storm, Jimmy and Jana came back to check on the property,” Meaux said.

She said the family allowed tree cutters and electrical workers to park their trucks on the property as they worked for weeks to restore power to the community.

“It was a win-win situation,” Meaux said, noting the workers’ presence provided a measure of security. “They also bought merchandise.”

Even though the store had closed for two weeks and re-opened without electricity, it didn’t lose money.

“For two weeks we were closed, but in the following two weeks we made up for it with business from the tree cutters, who bought boots,” Meaux said. “We were very blessed.”

Giving back to the community

The family also believes in giving back to the community. Throughout the years, Carol estimated the family has given thousands of dollars worth of merchandise to high school rodeo competitions.

“I look at it as an investment in children,” she said. “This is our community. If we can give away a belt buckle, or give away a pair of chaps, it’s our responsibility to do that.”

Meaux said that participating in rodeos and in 4-H Club programs helps to build character in children and helps to foster good, healthy competition.

“Most people don’t remember it, but McNeese State University came about as a result of  rodeo,” she said.

It’s true.

The Southwest Louisiana Cattlemen’s Association worked with the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury and the federal government to establish Lake Charles Junior College, because the organization wanted an exhibit area for livestock shows and rodeos. The college became John McNeese Junior college in 1940. Later, in 1950, it parted from the LSU system, becoming McNeese State College. Finally, in 1970, the school gained university status.

Continuing the family tradition

The Meaux family plans to continue its tradition of supporting local rodeo competitions and 4-H clubs, but has no plans to expand the business right now.

Carol and Jim said their grandchildren – Jaden, 16, Saydee, 9, and Edward, 7 – will have to decide if they want to take over the store one day. If they do, the children will become the fourth-generation to carry on this family tradition.

Nine-year-old Saydee said she wants to work with animals and ride horses, like her aunt Jana. Seven-year-old Edward says he’s interested in running the store one day.

“I want to,” he said.

For more information, call (337) 477- 7901, or visit Meaux's Western Wear & Shoe Service, at 3911 Common Street, in Lake Charles.

The Perfect Gift

By Lisa Yates
Editor, The Times


Get a head start on the season's hottest gift trends at The Perfect Gift – a Cottage Shop boutique.

“The biggest thing this year is anything with initials,” said Carol Henry, the owner. “Monogrammed wine stoppers, flat wallets, wine glasses, garden flags, and note pads – anything with bright, colorful initials is big right now.

She said these personalized gifts for women, men and children not only make great holiday presents, but are great for birthdays, anniversaries or any occasion.

If you like shopping, you will love The Perfect Gift, located at 2712 Hodges Street, in Lake Charles. The store is filled with beautiful displays of gifts and home décor – trinkets, treasures and inviting fragrances – the solution to Secret Santa gift-giving.

“I try to find fun things – unique things – where you can find gifts for all occasions and something fun for yourself, too,” Henry said.

Best-selling items include circle flap handbags, she said. She added, they come in a variety of stylish colors and make great gifts for the serious “fashionista” on your Christmas list.

What's new?

New items include designer-inspired, long-sleeved cotton tees and knit tops.

“I've just started getting into clothing,” Henry said as she opened a box containing a new collection arriving at the store. “These are fun tops – with LSU and Fleur Di Lis designs.”

Upscale OKA b's footwear is also a new item at The Perfect Gift.

Reflexology-inspired, these fashionable shoes feature an ergonomic footbed enhanced with massage beads to pamper feet with every step. But unlike a lot of therapeutic-type shoes, OKA b's are cute and come in a variety of colors and styles - sandals, mules and clogs.

Not only are the shoes fashionable, they have made headlines for being eco-friendly. Customers can send their old pairs to the company's corporate headquarters, where they will be ground and mixed with virgin material to create a new product. Tre' chic!

For the kids, The Perfect Gift has one of the hottest Christmas toys this season – the Elf on the Shelf.

“He's one of Santa's little helpers and he makes trips to the North Pole every night,” Henry said.

She explained “Elf on the Shelf” is a book set with an antique-style Elf, formed to sit on a shelf. The book explains what the Elf does.

“He has a job,” said Henry. “This Elf is assigned to watch over your family and report back to Santa each night about who has been naughty or nice that day. By morning he's back but he's usually in a different place in the house. If you see him move, he loses his magic.”

It's a new family tradition created by a very creative mother, as a way of keeping her kids behavior in check on the holidays.

“Kids love playing the daily hide-and-seek game with the elf,” Henry said. “Parents love it too, because they have no trouble getting their kids to bed. They want to go to bed, so they can wake up the next day to see where the elf is next.”

A little something extra

As with any gift, presentation counts.

A beautifully wrapped present heightens the fun and anticipation. That's why The Perfect Gift offers complimentary gift wrapping with purchases.

“We all lead such hectic lives these days,” Henry said. “We have some customers who will call us and tell us what kind of gift they are looking for hand how much they want to spend. We'll have it wrapped and ready to go when they get here.”

It's like having a personal shopper. The store owner just calls it good customer service.

“It's just so hard to find good customer service nowadays,” she said.

As a boutique owner for many years, Henry said it's a key reason for the success of her business.

“I enjoy helping people; and, enjoy the merchandise,” she said. “You have to love what you do to be successful – and, I do. I thoroughly enjoy it.”

The Perfect Gift has been a part of The Cottage Shops of Lake Charles for 10 years, according to Henry. She purchased the store in February, 2000, after her husband retired.

“I had owned a boutique years before,” she said. “When my husband retired, this just fell into my lap.”

It was a good fit for Henry, who loves talking to people and getting to know them. When her out-of-state customers pass through town, they stop in for a visit.

“They say, 'We just had to stop in and see you,'” Henry said. “That makes you feel so good!”

A civic-minded shopkeeper

As a natural “people-person,” Henry is very active in the community. This includes serving on the board of directors for the local Better Business Bureau, and serving on the Executive Board of the Women’s Commission of Southwest Louisiana.

“I believe it’s important to give back to the community,” she said.

She said that’s a quality she shares with the other business owners of The Cottage Shop district.

“We’re all locally-owned, women-owned businesses,” Henry said. “We support our local schools, our churches and sports activities. We give back to the community.”

That’s something to think about this holiday season, she said.

“People need to realize how important it is to shop their locally-owned businesses,” Henry said.

She said there are many benefits to shopping local, including helping the local economy. In fact, local money helps to promote entrepreneurship and create local jobs.

Through paying local taxes, shoppers also help fund neighborhood, community and city projects.

“The tourist bureau sends out-of-town visitors to The Cottage Shops, because we have a variety of different shops here and we offers customers quick and easy parking,” Henry said.

She added that over time, local merchants develop more personal relationships with their customers.

“We connect with our customers and form relationships,” she said. “We know them and we care about them. We find that people like to do business with friends.”

Think outside the box

By thinking outside the big box stores, you’ll find affordable one-of-a-kind gifts, all while making friends with small businesses in your community, keeping money in the local economy and creating a more unique town.

Instead of spending cash on the same cheaply-manufactured gizmo everyone else is getting at chain megastores – shop local.

“If you only have a few dollars to spend, stop and think how and where you will spend those dollars,” Henry said.

Shake up your shopping habit this season. Find the most thoughtful and unique holiday gifts at The Perfect Gift.

For more information, call (337) 439-7693, or visit The Perfect Gift at 2712 Hodges St. in Lake Charles. Store hours are 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m., Mon. – Fri., and 10 a.m. – 5 p.m., on Saturdays.

Seafood Palace: C' est Bon Cajun Cuisine

By Lisa Yates
Editor, The Times of SWLA

If you're going for white linen table cloths and a sommelier, don't bother. The décor at Seafood Palace is uber-casual, with tables decked out in red vinyl, and on the walls – mounted fish on fishing nets, Louisiana-themed posters and neon beer signs. But the Cajun food is phenomenal!

Located at 2218 Enterprise Boulevard in Lake Charles, Seafood Palace features authentic Louisiana specialties such as boiled crabs and crawfish, po-boys, and a wide selection of menu items -- all available for take out.

Famous for gumbo

Over the years, Seafood Palace has become the city's favorite spot to enjoy Cajun cuisine, especially gumbo. There are two varieties of gumbo to choose from -- chicken and sausage, or shrimp and crab.

“We're known for our gumbo,” said David Papania, who owns the restaurant along with business partner, John Larocca.

Papania pointed to the autographed Little Chenier movie poster hanging behind the cash register. He said the star of the movie signed it when dining at the restaurant.

“The star of Little Chenier, Fred Koehler, ate here and loved our gumbo,” Papania said. “He's coming back, again, this Thanksgiving.”

What makes the gumbo so good?

Seafood Palace uses only great-tasting, fresh food and premium-quality, fresh ingredients for its gumbo, according to Papania. He added, having a great cook to put it all together is another essential ingredient.

“Stella LaVerge is our gumbo cook,” Papania said. “She's been cooking gumbo for a long time – more than 30 years.”

Opened more than 30 years ago, the highly successful Seafood Palace serves thousands of meals a year, and has been written up in publications throughout the world.

“Back then, it was called Crab Palace,” Papania said. “Alice Gaspard owned it, originally. My business partner and I bought it seven years ago, in 2001.”

They changed the name to “Seafood Palace” and tweaked the menu adding more items, even “gator wings.” Gator wings look like buffalo wings, but are made from Louisiana Alligator meat and they are delicious!

“Fresh-broiled crabs and crawfish are best-sellers, along with the gumbo,” Papania said. He stressed the restaurant uses only fresh, local seafood.

“We get our crabs daily from Hackberry; and, we buy our crawfish from local crawfish farmers,” he said.

The menu

For those who love seafood, there's plenty of choices on the menu, including a variety of tasty dinners.

Served with a salad, French fries and Texas toast, dinner entrees include: fried popcorn shrimp, shrimp, catfish, oysters and combos.

There's also a large selection of a la carte choices, such as crawfish, and crab, patties; stuffed crab, and shrimp; frog legs; crawfish tails; and, a seafood platter. For those who don't want seafood, there's chicken.

“In addition to our fried food, we also have grilled dinners for those who are watching their waistlines,” Papania said.

He said there's also a large number of appetizers to start off the meal. Boudin balls, stuffed pistolettes, fried catfish filet, fried okra, stuffed shrimp, frog legs, shrimp and crab jalapeños are just a few to mention.

There's a kid's menu for those age 12, and younger.

It's a family-friendly place, to be sure. However, adult beverages are available for those who enjoy an occasional cocktail.

Business is good

Papania said business is good, even in this tough economy.

“Our business has been steady,” he said. “We have a lot of regular customers and a lot of repeat business.”

He said the restaurant does a brisk business at lunchtime as people are drawn from nearby hospitals and law offices downtown.

“I guess you can say we have the best, worse location there is,” Papania said. “We're a little off the beaten path, but we've been here so long that people know where to find us.”

He said the location is far enough from the hubbub in some areas so as to avoid wasting time in traffic, but still close enough to allow diners to get in and out in a reasonable amount of time.

The service

Although patrons come for the food, the service is always polite and efficient, even during busier times. The wait staff is very attentive, making sure their guests are enjoying their meals and helping out as needed.

That's what keeps folks coming back, according to Papania.

“That's why we have been successful,” he said. “We have good food, excellent service and a casual, friendly atmosphere.”

Papania can always be found greeting people warmly and talking with patrons to make sure their visit is as pleasant as possible.

“People like seeing an owner present,” he said. “That way, we can make sure that things are done correctly; and, we can take care of any problems that might occur.”

He said that the restaurant business is a people-oriented business.

“I like to be around people,” he said. “I've been in this business all of my life. My family had an Italian restaurant, so it just something I know how to do – and, I like it.”

Hard-working mom finds opening business pays off

By Lisa Yates
Editor

Wedad Abrusley opened Oasis Foods, Inc. because small businesses needed a distributor willing to handle small orders.

In 1978, her husband, Eddie, was working as a salesman for a food service distributing business in Beaumont, Texas. The company was bought by a major company and soon implemented a new policy -- it quit filling orders of less than $700.

“Many of my husband's customers were small mom and pop businesses,” Abrusley said.
“These were people in Abbeville and Port Arthur...Good customers, but small businesses.”

Her husband suggested they start a company to fill the void. It was a good opportunity and it would help these small businesses, he told her.

Abrusley, 60, wasn't excited about the idea. Instead, she wanted to purchase an import store franchise from a company in Houston. Besides, the timing wasn't right.

“At that time, I was expecting our third child,” she said. “I was six months pregnant. I did not want to lose the insurance.”

However, she took a chance.

“We borrowed $25,000 on our home – we took out a second mortgage,” Abrusley said.

Without a personal vehicle, the couple purchased a truck for pick-ups and deliveries.

“I took orders over the phone with three kids screaming at me in the background,” Abrusley said.

In addition to taking orders by phone, she divided onions and potatoes in her garage. Then, she helped load the produce onto the truck for her husband to deliver. She did this while caring for her three small children at home, while her husband delivered orders throughout Southeast Texas and Southwest Louisiana.

“I was a wife, a mom, an employee – I did the invoices, mailed out statements while I took care of the kids,” Abrusley said. “I cooked and I cleaned; and, I worried about him on the road. There were no cell phones back then. My blood pressure – it raised from worrying so much.”

The big break

Her first big break came when a chain of convenience stores became customers.

More money became available, but rather than purchase personal luxuries, Abrusley put money back into the business. The company hired employees and purchased new equipment – freezers, storage facilities and delivery trucks.

Growing up without luxuries in Syria helped Abrusley to prioritize and to invest wisely in her business. She said it also helped her appreciate the opportunities and luxuries many take for granted in this country.

“We had no electricity,” she said. “We had no refrigerator.”

At age 33, Abrusley's father became disabled and had to retire. Her mother supported the family, which included seven daughters and two sons.

“My mom is my hero,” Abrusley said. “She would sew one dress for seven children to wear. She taught us a lot. I am 100 percent like my mom. She had no refrigerator, but she always had a smile. She worked hard and built a house for us in Damascus – the capital city.”

Even though Abrusley didn't speak English – only Arabic, and some French -- she wanted to go to college in the United States of America. She wanted a better life.

“In America, I know I could do it,” she said. “I know I could cut grass, wash cars – there is freedom here.”

She followed her dreams and came to this country. A family from her church – Judy and Frank Mousa, of Houston, welcomed her into their home. She helped care for their baby, while attending college.

“I never will forget those people,” Abrusley said. “They made me a part of their family. When I got married, they even paid for my wedding.”

The leap from college student to business owner took many years, but she did it.

With her husband and children, Abrusley built a successful company, which has been in business for 25 years.

Challenges

Along the way, Abrusley said she faced many challenges – including customers who let her know that they did not want to do business with a woman.

However, one of the biggest setbacks occurred when she lost her largest customer – a chain of convenience stores she had done business with for 16 years. The chain hired new management, who went with another distributor.

Abrusley remembered thinking “God, help us.”

“We had 26 employees, then,” she said.

Like the Boy Scouts, her motto has been: “Be prepared.” Being prepared helped her weather many storms.

“You have to be very patient, smart, and you have to prepare,” Abrusley said. “When one window closes, you have to open another one. Always in business -- if you lose a customer, you need to have another.”

For example, she took action when Harrah’s Casino came to town. She filled out vendor applications and got some business from that company.

By providing excellent customer service, she has managed to work with other area casinos, including L’Auberge du Lac, Delta Downs, and Isle of Capri.

“I would say that about 80 percent of our business is with casinos,” Abrusley said. “But, we have no guarantees – no contracts. We just have a history of giving the best quality service.”

Other challenges

The 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington, D.C., had chilling effects on many Arab-Americans, including the Abrusley family.

“One of our best customers came into our lobby and starting yelling (obscenities) at us,” she said.

Besides being disturbed by this outburst, Abrusley -- a life-long Christian – said she was surprised that people here did not know Syria's significance in the history of Christianity.

“He did not know history, or geography,” she said. “The persons responsible for these attacks were not from my country.”

Even after 25 years in business – paying taxes and giving back to the community, some still eye her with suspicion, she said.

Despite this and other challenges, Abrusley continues working as she has done her entire life. Her husband, who is recovering from major surgery, spends less time at the office.

Following in their footsteps

Following in their parents' entrepreneurial footsteps, the couple's children – grown now -- are developing their own businesses.

Their daughters, Sami and Omaia, are opening Regalia at 411 W. College Street in Lake Charles – formerly Spain's Gift Shop. Shadi, their son, founded Southwest Marketing and Distribution – a wholesale distributor of premium liquor, spirits, wine, kitchen equipment and smallwares.

“I am very proud of them,” Abrusley said. “They work very hard – seven days a week.” Just like their parents.


For more information, call (337) 439-5262, (337) 439-4405, or visit 2222 Kirkman Street in Lake Charles, or online at www.oasisfoodsinc.com.