What makes customers feel that a store is their store? If you simply sit and watch, you’ll see the magic. Geaux Fresh Convenience Market in Youngsville, Louisiana is a place that has the magic.

Now before you spend too much time trying to say geaux, it’s pronounced “go” and is a Cajun slant on the word go.

It starts when you enter Geaux Fresh. As you walk through the door, Kim, one of the Geaux Fresh team members behind the counter, looks genuinely happy to see you. The eye contact is there and the smile is genuine. It’s not a scripted, “Welcome, can I help you?” It’s a warm greeting that makes you feel happy to be there.

Owner’s Marlo and Shaun Faucheux have that special relationship with customers. “That’s Dwayne,” Marlo said, pointing to the deli counter. “Every day he orders red beans and rice with an extra piece of sausage. He knows the girls and they know him,” she said. “We know about 90% of our customers.”

This is no small task considering that Geaux Fresh sells around 150 to 175 plate lunches each day. Keep in mind, that doesn’t include breakfast, burgers, grab and geaux, etc.

Marlo and Shaun’s previous career paths certainly did not groom them for this type of business. But their commitment to succeed and offer their community a friendly, clean and safe place to shop and eat has driven their success.

From the time they purchased the property, it took three years to open the doors, which took place February 22, 2020. The store carries over 6,000 items in a 7,200-square-foot space, including milk and eggs, specialty cake balls, a great wine selection and greeting cards.

A Food Festival

This part of south Louisiana has a strong food culture, particularly when it comes to Cajun food. If you’re going to serve food, it has to be great.

You can’t help but get excited when Marlo talks about the food. “Monday through Friday is like a food festival in your mouth at Geaux Fresh. There’s not enough that can be said about our food. Certainly not blasting our own horn, but that’s our customers’ feedback,” she said.

It all starts with a great chef. “Our chef, Tippy, has been in the foodservice industry for over 30 years. He prepares top-quality restaurant meals that make you feel like you’re sitting at your grandma’s kitchen table on a Sunday afternoon. He has a gift, and we are blessed that he shares it with Geaux Fresh and our customers,” she said.

Marlo takes a lot of pride in the menu items. “Customers sense and taste the attention to detail, from our marinated pork roast to the fresh salads. We put love into every food item we sell.”

“Every Thursday is fried chicken day. You’ve got to experience it. It’s the best fried chicken around and it takes preparation. Friday is seafood day, and again, words don’t do it justice. We serve up the likes of crawfish fettuccine, étouffée, shrimp stew and fried fish,” said Marlo.

The giant chicken tenders will get your attention. They’re as big as your face and packed with flavor. “Our chicken tenders are well-known around here. They are never frozen and are marinated for 24 hours. We use our own seasoning and batter. We want large tenders, she said, gesturing with her hand. “They are juicy and cooked to perfection.”

Boiled crawfish is popular in this part of the Gulf Coast. It’s hard to accurately describe the anticipation of crawfish season. It’s like Christmas, but highly seasoned. Marlo said the frenzy starts early.

“Our phones start ringing in January with the same question, ‘When are y’all gonna start boiling?’ Marlo said. “We do our own thing at Geaux Fresh. It’s has landed us a loyal, seafood-loving customer following. Try our seafood. You will not be disappointed.”

Creativity wins the day in the dessert category. The banana bread pudding could be habit forming. People ask if it’s bread pudding made with banana bread. No. This is bread pudding with a banana sauce and fresh bananas on top. It’s the creation of deli supervisor Marsha. Marlo described her as “the ‘Energizer Bunny’ of the deli.”

The commitment to quality food that’s packed with flavor is important. “We knew we had to set ourselves apart and that we were going to have to find something different. It took us a little time to achieve that goal and for our customers to know we were here. We’re doing it. Every element of our store sets us apart from other stores.”

A Strong Community

Recruiting and keeping employees is a constant struggle for many retailers, but Geaux Fresh has avoided too much turnover.

A couple of the team members have been with the store from day one, and most are in their second or third year. “I¡¯d say that¡¯s really good, especially for this type of business,” Marlo said. “We are extremely blessed with the team we have. They are the faces of Geaux Fresh, and they are one of the most important reasons our customers love our store.”

“Your morals and values should match up inside and outside of the business,” Marlo said. “We adhere to that. Our longevity plan is based on our faith, excellent team members and continuing to offer a shopping experience second to none,” she explained.

“We do our due diligence to hire loyal, accountable and personable team members. When they join our team, we give them an honest, equal and respectful environment that recognizes them for their effort and growth with consistent pay increases, benefits, paid vacation and a team that supports them professionally and personally.”

C-store operators understand that clean restrooms play an important role in success, and that’s true of Geaux Fresh. “We have a loyal following of UPS and FedEx drivers and local workers. They come to use the restroom, shop and eat. They call ahead and their order is ready when they arrive. It’s always fresh and warm,” Marlo explained.

You’ll find a lot of local products at Geaux Fresh.

“It is important for us to support our local entrepreneurs and help them showcase their truly amazing and unique products. We’ve built really good relationships with smaller mom-and-pop businesses. It’s important to develop and build ties with our vendors. We were starting out once and we know the growing pains. There’s nothing better than seeing small businesses like that flourish,” she said.

Marlo and Shaun are constantly connecting with people who come into the store.

“Part of our job is getting out on the floor every day. It’s important for our customers to know we are here and that we care. We want to make sure that this store continues to become part of the fabric of the community. We’re here for the long haul.”