DOCUMENTS

Rouses opens first Baton Rouge location at Long Farm Village August 2016 Rouses Supermarket at Long Farm Village is open and ready for business! The 55,000-square-foot store anchors the commercial portion of the Long Farm Village development at the intersection of Airline Highway and Antioch Road. It has the same layout as the Juban Crossing store. Donny Rouse, the managing partner for the family-owned store, said the opening of the Baton Rouge location took on a new urgency after the Denham Springs store flooded. “People get so excited about everything we have to offer,” Rouse said. “But given the tragic circumstances, this opening has taken on a whole new meaning.” Along with selling south Louisiana favorites such as jambalaya, smothered chicken, and red beans and rice with sausage, Rouse said the new store will continue to have plenty of supplies needed for flood cleanup — bleach, gloves, house cleaning supplies and hand sanitizers. As shoppers walk in, they’re met with an array of colors, from the yellow, pink and purple hues that burst forth from a floral section of sunflowers, lilies, and carnations to the vibrant oranges, red apples and fresh greens that fill an abundant produce section. The decor is festive, and the environment is lively. A large sign reads “Fresh Foods” above a display of prepared meals and side dishes. Rouses Marketing and Advertising Director Tim Acosta says the company’s principles are rooted in the words of founder Anthony Rouse Sr., who “always said the best quality and best price. The customer is always right. The answer is ‘yes.’” “A celebration of food right as you walk in.” That’s how Steve Black, the company’s new president and COO, describes the Rouses experience. Black is a 40-year veteran of the industry and former president of Colorado-based Lucky’s Market. He joined Rouses in November because he was impressed by the family business and its vision for the future. “If there’s one supermarket in the country that’s got it all together, it’s Rouses,” Black says The produce section is a focal point of the 50,000-square-foot store. To the right is a traditional setting of basic grocery aisles. To the left is an upscale epicurean market with an extensive deli, prepared foods, fresh meat and seafood departments, as well as gourmet cheeses, signature desserts, salad and olive bars, a coffee-grinding station, sushi bar and even a Mongolian grill. Rouses’ culinary expertise is on display at every turn. It’s a new store concept, where customers can watch as cooks cut meats and vegetables, and prepare their sushi, paninis and smoked brisket plate lunches. Some customers come to shop. Some come to eat. Many do both. And that’s what Rouses wants: Customers spending time in their stores and enjoying the experience, as Rouse explains while sitting in the dining area as a lunchtime crowd gathers. “At Rouses, we want to have the full shopping experience for our customers,” Rouse says. “We offer what Whole Foods offers. We offer what Wal-Mart offers. We do it at fantastic prices, and we also have the local products that independent grocers have.” With Thibodaux as its base and Houma as its birthplace, Rouses has longstanding ties with local fishermen, and most of the seafood it sells—speckled trout, redfish, crabs, and oysters, among other catches—is from local Gulf Coast suppliers. “We do seafood better than anyone,” Rouse says. “We know seafood. We grew up around seafood. We sell more Louisiana shrimp and crawfish than any retailer in the state.” But Rouses’ emphasis on local extends far beyond seafood. From produce and salad dressings to craft beer, Cajun sausage and barbecue sauce, Rouses stocks and celebrates local providers. Jim Dudlicek, editor-in-chief of trade publication Progressive Grocer, says this focus has been a major part of Rouses’ success. “Rouses has become a tireless supporter of local products, using its success to boost its many home-state suppliers,” Dudlicek says. “The folks who run Rouses know food and the people who make it—they know the farmers, the growers, the fishermen.” For anyone looking for a unique, upscale local grocery shopping experience, Rouses Supermarket at Long Farm is a must do.

Enter to win your dream home in Long Farm Village! Tickets are now on sale for the 21st Annual Baton Rouge St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway. Get your ticket today to win a brand-new house built by Alvarez Construction with an estimated value of $540,000 and located in the Long Farm Village subdivision in Baton Rouge.  Additional Prize Information: Grand Prize: St. Jude Dream Home house, built by Alvarez Construction, with an estimated value of $540,000. Tickets on Sale Prize: Get your tickets by March 24 to be eligible to win groceries for a year, valued up to $2,500, courtesy of Dream Day Foundation. Early Bird Prize: Get your tickets by April 21 to be eligible to win a cruise for two in an ocean view cabin on Carnival Cruise Lines valued at $5,000, courtesy of Dream Day Foundation. Bonus Prize: Reserve your tickets by June 9 be eligible to win a Kia Sorrento SX V6 SUV valued at $40,000, courtesy of All Star Automotive. Open House Prize: Tour the home and register to win a $10,000 VISA Gift Card, courtesy of The UPS Store. A $1,000 VISA Gift Card, courtesy of All My Sons Moving and Storage. ArtessoTM Pull-Down Kitchen Faucet with SmartTouch Technology, courtesy of Brizo®. Ultimate Raising Cane’s Tailgate Package including free Cane’s for a year, YETI or K2 cooler and more. Wine pairing dinner for 10 people at 18STEAK, courtesy of L’Auberge Baton Rouge. Blaze 32 inch 4 burner grill on cart, courtesy of ShoppersChoice.com Kitchen and Patio Showroom. Every ticket helps St. Jude kids and the mission of St. Jude: Finding cures. Saving children ®. And because of the support of people like you, families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live. Long Farm Village Development along with builder Alvarez Construction is proud to be a sponsor of the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway for the second year in a row!