Since 1982, Olde Tyme Grocery Has Been A Place To Pass A Good Time While Enjoying Delicious Po' Boys
By Sarah McCosham|Published May 05, 2023
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Sarah McCosham
Author
I write like it's my job - because it is! I have a Master's in English and love words: crossword puzzles, Scrabble games, Wordle, and, of course, good, old-fashioned books.
I'm a writer and editor at OnlyInYourState, and a contributing writer at Cincinnati Magazine. I love the Great Outdoors and am endlessly awestruck by this beautiful country of ours. Coffee keeps me going, yoga keeps me sane, my kids keep me grounded, and my writing keeps me inspired.
When folks think of the South, they often think of states like Georgia, Alabama, or Mississippi. While Louisiana is a proud part of this region, a certain larger-than-life town known for carnivals and cuisine tends to steal the spotlight. We certainly love New Orleans as much as anyone, but to make this town stand for Louisiana (word nerds know this as metonymy) is to do a huge disservice to the Bayou State. Because if you do this, you’d miss some of the region’s most beautiful natural wonders and hidden gems. You’d miss some of the South’s most beloved family-owned restaurants and local businesses. You’d miss places like Olde Tyme Grocery, a longstanding local restaurant and community hub in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Interested to learn about other unique American small businesses? Our Small Business Spotlight series highlights the often-overlooked work of small business owners across the country, from Maine to Southern California.
In 1982, Glenn Murphree purchased Olde Tyme Grocery in Lafayette, Louisiana. When he first bought the store, it had aisles of can goods, produce, and five small carts. Becca Kennedy, Glenn's daughter, explains that "Although it wasn’t fancy, there were three things Glenn liked: it had character, a deli case, and a low price tag."
As Becca tells it: "On Glenn’s birthday, they agreed on a price, and around 3 o’clock, Glenn ran to the bank for change and was open by 5 o’clock!"
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With the business up and running, now the question was, what would Glenn sell that would set it apart? You can find a corner deli in pretty much every town across the country. How would Olde Tyme Grocery be different?
"Growing up in New Orleans, Glenn loved a good poor-boy," says Becca. "He did not know anything about going into business for himself, but he did know that he wanted to make the best poor boys possible."
So Glenn rolled up his sleeves and got to work. In the beginning, he was the only employee and made approximately 10-15 poor boys per day, says Becca.
This quickly changed as word spread about these delightfully delicious sandwiches. Hailed as the best poor boys (or "po' boys" depending on whom you ask) in Louisiana, Olde Tyme Grocery has earned numerous accolades for its signature sandwich over the years.
Lent is the period between Ash Wednesday and Easter when many Christians refrain from eating red meat on Fridays. Becca explains that in Lafayette, a lot of people are Catholic, flocking to Olde Tyme for fish-forward Friday meals. Enter: the crawfish po' boy! With perfectly crispy fish topped with a delicious Crawfish étouffée, it doesn't get much better.
Back to religion, Becca says Olde Tyme's success truly is the result of her family's faith. "Without God, none of this would be possible," she says.
Family, friends, customers, and the entire town of Lafayette have also helped bolster Olde Tyme Grocery into the place it is today. "Each person that has walked through the doors of Olde Tyme has helped shape it in one way or another," says Becca. "People come in to be part of the atmosphere. We work hard and we love what we do, and people are drawn to that. We live in a great city, and get to serve poor boys to people from all over and every background."
A warm and welcoming place folks truly want to be, the patio at Olde Tyme Grocery has served as a town hangout for generations, welcoming folks to come, sit, eat, and enjoy a good time.
But this is simply part of life in Lafayette, Louisiana, says Becca. "We have been voted the friendliest city in America, and that’s a true statement - we love our community. Our service comes from our heart, our motto is service before self."
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To that end, Olde Tyme makes a point of giving back to the place that has so wholeheartedly supported it.
"We love being involved in the community," says Becca, "whether that’s cheering on and feeding the Ragin Cajuns, serving snowballs at a fundraiser, sponsoring events at local schools, or donating to Catholic Charities. It’s important to give back to our great city by sending poor boy love to everyone we meet!"
When you approach work with joy and treat customers and coworkers like family, it creates a culture of kindness and community. And when you cook with love, you truly feed both heart and soul.
This is how Olde Tyme Grocery has done business since 1982. Iit's a winning recipe all around.
Many thanks to Becca Kennedy for sharing the story of her family’s longstanding Louisiana business. Learn more about Olde Tyme Grocery at its website, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
Of course, Olde Tyme Grocery is just one of the many beloved local businesses in Louisiana; please nominate your favorite attractions and businesses for a chance to be featured in an upcoming Only In Louisiana article. And be sure to follow Only In Louisiana on Facebook and Instagram to learn about this region of the Bayou State’s most incredible places, attractions, and events.
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