LCV Winter 2012 - (Page 59)

supermarket needs to get back in business. Erath’s recovery is depending on it. Broussard was well aware that they were still wrangling with insurance companies to try and cover at least some of their losses, and that they were running out of money. “i know what y’all are doing,” Broussard told them. “Come to the bank. Let’s get started. we’re going to front you guys the money. don’t worry about collateral. we’ll take care of everything later. But you guys need to start now because your communities need you.” he already had been a Bank of abbeville customer for six years, having opened his first savings account there at the age of 12, soon after he went to work for his uncle at the supermarket. he went to the bank and met with roy Broussard about a mortgage. “mr. roy, i’m getting married next year, and this little house on the corner came up for sale, and i’d like to buy it,” Luquette explained. “how much do they want for it?” Broussard asked. “six thousand dollars,” the nervous teenager told him. “i tell you what,” the banker replied. “Let’s get in my car Financial assistance for losses — house, cattle, property — was difficult to obtain, slow to arrive, insufficient to cover all the damage and then, adding insult to injury, deemed taxable income. until that moment, the owners thought they might never climb out of the rut where rita had dumped them. Every conversation they had seemed to circle back to the same theme: what are we going to do? do we want to reopen? Yes, we do, but we’re waiting on insurance. the insurance company won’t pay our claim. we can’t afford to start up again without that insurance money. what are we going to do? then, on a handshake, Champagne’s turned the corner. in that instant, the burden of worry that Luquette had been shouldering for many long months was lifted. Luquette didn’t see the offer coming, but he should have. Given the family’s relationship with its bankers over the years, it should have been no surprise at all. Back in 1968, Champagne applied for a loan at the Bank of abbeville to get the supermarket started on a secure footing. roy Broussard studied his business plan, checked out the location and decided to loan him more money than he had requested. Ever since, the folks at Champagne’s supermarket swore by the Bank of abbeville. that devotion carried over into their personal lives as well. Back in 1974 — a year after he graduated from Erath high school, a year before he got married — Luquette decided to buy a little two-bedroom house on the corner of LeBlanc and hill streets in Erath. the asking price: $6,000. at 18 years of age, and go ride to Erath. Come show me the house.” the drive took less than 10 minutes, but for Luquette it seemed to last forever. Broussard, who was 62 at the time, tried to make small talk with his young customer, and Luquette struggled not to show just how nervous he really was. he always thought of “mr. roy” as a nice old man, but at this moment Luquette was petrified. they arrived in Erath, and Luquette showed him the house. Broussard walked around, inspecting it thoroughly. Luquette, by now even more nervous, stood by quietly. after checking out the place, Broussard asked him, “how much do they want for it?” “six thousand,” Luquette reminded him. the banker shook his head. “no, i’m not going to loan you six thousand,” Broussard told him. Luquette’s heart sank. in that moment, he couldn’t even respond as he struggled with the implications of the verdict he had been dreading since before he ever walked into the bank that day. “no,” Broussard continued, “i’m going to loan you $8,000. You need some repairs on the house before you move in.” for the teenage businessman-in-training, it was an important lesson. “that’s the type of people that they are,” Luquette would say more than 30 years later as he recalled the exchange. “they’re down-home people. You cannot put a value on that.” as his responsibility at the supermarket increased, Luquette saw to it that hometown service was not just a slogan but a way — the only way — to do business. Elderly residents around Erath appreciated that when they could get a ride into town to the pharmacy, they could walk from there to Champagne’s and do their grocery shopping, and someone from the store would take them home. or they could call the store, an employee would pick them up, take Winter 2012-13 • Louisiana CuLturaL Vistas 59 PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD, THE TIMES-PICAYUNE

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LCV Winter 2012

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