Not Your Average Donut Shop
F O O D + D R I N K
Northside Business Owner Offers Fresh Donuts, Hot Takes by Abby Meaux Conques
FRESH GLAZED DONUTS
The Acadiana area is no stranger to donut shops. This story isn’t the back story of all the shops that have connections, family ties and name changes, or using the same recipe. That’s already been said. After all, doesn’t competition keep us on our toes?
I first saw changes in the business when I noticed these (according to many facebook commenters) “controversial” marquis sign messages. Are they controversial to me? Personally, no. I think they’re a business owner expressing authentic thought.
"Taste the relish to be found in competition -- in having put forth the best within you." -- Henry Kaiser
Some marquis messages include, “Put down your guns and pick up some donuts.” Also, “There is more to life than taking someone else’s, y’all.” What message dons the sign as of this writing? “Give and forgive, y’all. It’s that damn simple.” My personal view on the messages is that if there’s any time to be authentic, I think these weird, turbulent times when people are holed up in their homes, fearful, are the perfect times to do so. I encourage you to tap into your authenticity as well.
What I want to bring to light is what THIS particular donut shop is doing in our area. Let me first preface this by saying that if my childhood were to be wrapped up into three area businesses, they would be Meche’s on Willow Street, Keller’s Bakery and Borden’s Ice Cream Shoppe. Am I biased? Probably. Walking into that shop reminds me of frequent morning donut dates with my darling Dad, and I have a visceral reaction when I walk through those doors. But let me also tell you this, the things that I noticed that the current owner of Rickey Meche’s on Willow Street doing, Blaine Peltier, is something to be talked about.
The bottom line is that this is a business owner in a part of town that people desperately want to see thrive, but feels like it’s been long forgotten about with new builds both further south and further north as opposed to revitalization of an area that used to be bustling with activity just one generation ago. And what will things be like after we’re on the other side of this Coronavirus situation?
BLAINE PELTIER, OWNER RICKEY MECHE'S DONUT KING E. WILLOW STREET LOCATION
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337M A GA ZIN E.C OM
V O L U ME 6 I S S U E 2
