Rouses Explained

Rouses Markets
Type:Private
Foundation:City Produce Company

Rouses Markets
Locations:63[1] (2023)
Location:Thibodaux, Louisiana, U.S.
Founders:J.P. Rouse (City Produce Company)
Anthony J. Rouse (Founder of Rouses Markets)
Area Served:Louisiana, Alabama & Mississippi
Industry:Retail (Supermarket)
Products:Bakery, dairy, deli, frozen foods, general grocery, meat, pharmacy, produce, seafood, snacks
Revenue: $500 million+
Num Employees:6,500 (2019)

Rouses Markets are a chain of grocery supermarkets in the U.S. states of Louisiana, Alabama and Mississippi with more than 6,500 employees.

History

The company had its start as the City Produce Company, founded in Thibodaux, Louisiana by J. P. Rouse in 1923, which bought produce from local farmers in the Terrebonne and Lafourche Parishes, as well as the French Market in New Orleans, and shipped them around the United States.[2] [3] In 1960, Anthony Rouse Sr. (son of J. P. Rouse) and his cousin, Ciro DiMarco, opened a 7000square feet grocery store in Houma, Louisiana.

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. 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 54000square feet store in Covington. That store was followed by other St. Tammany Parish locations in Mandeville in 2005 and Slidell in 2006.

In 2007, two years after hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated the New Orleans area, Rouses acquired A&P’s Southern Division of 17 Sav-A-Center 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.[4]

In January 2009, Rouses opened a newly constructed store in Youngsville, Louisiana, a community in the Lafayette area. This location was the first in the Acadiana 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 which was previously operated by Winn-Dixie.[5] 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.[6]

In 2013, Rouses expanded into Alabama by taking ownership of six Belle Foods stores in the Mobile area.[7] The first of those stores opened in Theodore, Alabama on February 9, 2014.[8]

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.[9]

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 insurrection, many Rouses Market customers called for a boycott of their stores.[10]

Recognition

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rouses Markets - Locations. 2023-08-31.
  2. Web site: Rouses History . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20091116173927/http://shop.rouses.com/t-s_5.aspx . 2009-11-16 . 2011-09-04 . Rouses Supermarkets.
  3. Web site: Rouses' Gulf Coast Success Story. Anderson. George. September 24, 2010. Retail Wire. September 4, 2011.
  4. News: Cure . Sarah . August 8, 2008 . Hancock to get new grocery . Sea Coast Echo . dead . September 4, 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120331180053/http://www.seacoastecho.com/news/exec/view.pl?archive=1&num=2394 . 2012-03-31.
  5. News: Rouses acquires grocery store in Matthews. May 27, 2010. The Times-Picayune. September 4, 2011.
  6. News: Donze . Frank . Mowbray . Rebecca . November 16, 2011 . Rouses Market on Baronne Street fills void in Central Business District . . 2023-02-22.
  7. Web site: Dugan . Kelli . 2013-09-30 . Rouses Markets taking ownership of 6 stores in Mobile, Baldwin counties from bankrupt Belle Foods . 2023-02-22 . AL.com . en.
  8. News: Dugan . Kelli . 2014-02-09 . It's geaux time! Louisiana-based Rouses Markets opens first of 5 Mobile, Baldwin stores . AL.com .
  9. Web site: Boone . Timothy . October 1, 2016 . Rouses Markets increases presence in Baton Rouge area, acquires LeBlanc's stores . 2016-10-03 . The Advocate.
  10. News: Duchmann . Holly . 7 January 2021 . Social media calling for Rouses boycott after photos posted of co-owner at DC rally . Greater Baton Rouge BusinessReport . subscription.
  11. Griffith . Lorrie . December 4, 2018 . Rouses Is The Shelby Report Of The Southeast's Retailer Of The Year . The Shelby Report.
  12. Gladstone . E.C. . May 29, 2013 . The 8 Best Regional Supermarket Chains in America . Bon Appétit.
  13. News: January 2010 . Tops of the Town: Our readers' picks of the area's best . New Orleans Magazine . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110714144212/http://www.myneworleans.com/New-Orleans-Magazine/January-2010/Tops-of-the-Town/index.php?cparticle=9&siarticle=8#artanc . 2011-07-14.
  14. Coviello . Will . Best of New Orleans® 2009 . Gambit . Best of New Orleans . August 24, 2009 . 2011-09-04.
  15. Web site: Shopping . Thenorthshoresbest.com . 2011-09-04.
  16. Web site: The Thibodaux Daily Comet | Thibodaux, LA . DailyComet.com . 2011-09-04.
  17. Web site: The Courier . Houma, Louisiana . HoumaToday.com . 2011-09-04.
  18. Web site: Shopping . Thebestofjeff.com . 2011-09-04.
  19. Best Places to Work in Louisiana . Louisiana Life . New Orleans, LA . Myneworleans.com . January–February 2009 . 2011-09-04.
  20. Best & Worst Grocery Stores . Daily Finance . 2011-09-04.
  21. Web site: Gambit Weekly. 2023-08-31. https://web.archive.org/web/20170901045000/https://www.bestofneworleans.com/. 2017-09-01.
  22. Web site: The Northshore's Best 2008 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110717020305/http://www.thenorthshoresbest.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=5&Itemid=16 . 2011-07-17 . 2011-09-04 . Sophisticated Woman .
  23. Web site: The results are in!! . Thenorthshoresbest.com . 2011-09-04.
  24. Web site: The Northshore's Best 2006 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100228035640/http://www.thenorthshoresbest.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=4&Itemid=15 . 2010-02-28 . 2011-09-04 . Sophisticated Woman .
  25. McTaggart . Jenny . February 28, 2006 . Store Of The Month: Born on the bayou . Progressive Grocer . 2011-09-04.

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