Two days before opening, the new Rouses Market on Bluebonnet Boulevard is bustling with activity. Employees are everywhere, unpacking boxes and filling shelves. Workers balance on ladders to add the finishing touches to store displays. No corner of the store is left untouched before the grand opening, Wednesday, Nov. 15.
The space formerly home to Matherne’s Supermarket inside the Bluebonnet Village Shopping Center carries a different look than the 10 other Rouses Markets in the Baton Rouge metro area.
The smaller-format store is a little bit of everything—a mix of design elements from the company’s standalone stores and those in existing spaces, says Rouses creative director Marcy Nathan.
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“Each store takes on the personality of the neighborhood it’s in and reflects the people who shop there and work there,” Nathan says.
Every section of the store has been meticulously planned—presentation goes a long way here—and you’re guaranteed to see the word “local” on nearly every shelf.
“It’s not a grocery store—it’s an experience,” says store manager Brandon Johnson. “If it’s local, it’s at Rouses.”
As I’m led around the store by Johnson and marketing director Tim Acosta, I’m introduced to someone in nearly every section who is that area’s supervisor, director or resident expert. Their knowledge and passion for their niche is immediately noticeable, and all of this neighborhood talk is starting to make a lot of sense.
As one apron-clad worker slices juicy bell peppers behind a glass divider, Johnson talks about the store’s emphasis on prepared foods, all of which are made in-house.
In addition to grab-and-go catering and chef-inspired meal solutions, the location has a barbecue chop shop, fresh sushi case and a to-go section with daily prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner options focusing on Cajun, Creole and Southern cuisine.
In addition to a salad bar with 50 to 60 rotating toppings, the store has its own olive bar with 30 varieties of olives—the largest selection company-wide. For cheese lovers, the store is stocked with 65-75 cheeses from around the world, which will soon increase to about 100. All of the selections were curated by Rouses certified cheese professional (yes, that’s the real job title).
The bakery features cakes for all occasions, including Rouses’ bestselling Gentilly cakes and signature Doberge cake.
Rouses roots are in the produce industry, so it’s no surprise the produce section is elevated beyond the norm. Baskets are filled with colorful fruits and vegetables, and it looks more like an edible backdrop than your run-of-the-mill layout. Other features of the DIY sector of the store include a station where you can make your own nut butter and bottle your own honey and agave syrup, conveniently located next to organic coffee blends and a grab-and-go candy bar.
The butchery has your usual suspects, but the real star, of course, is the seafood. You’ve got boiled seafood, fresh shrimp and lobsters available daily, along with fish straight from the Gulf and plenty of oysters to go around.
True to Rouses fashion, the Bluebonnet location also has an in-house florist. When it comes to liquor, indecisive shoppers have the “Choose Your Brew” option for beer where you can create your own six-pack (any pack, really) from dozens of single bottled local and regional varieties. The wine selection is extensive for the store’s size, with everything from the reserves to your go-to $10 bottle. Besides your drink of choice, the store has a cigar program, too.
Shoppers will also find a variety of authentic Italian products throughout the store, the result of a recent buying trip in Milan, Italy. Italians and Louisianians share a similar relationship with food, Acosta says, and much of our cuisine is influenced by their culture.
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“We’re always looking to do something new, something different,” Acosta says.
Rouses Market is at 7580 Bluebonnet Blvd. Its hours are 7 a.m.-10 p.m. daily.
