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We’re As Passionate About Food As You Are

by David W. Brown When Donald Rouse was a boy, every weekend and every day after school, he worked at the grocery store owned by his father. “I basically grew up there,” he told me, in his soft Houma accent. His father, Anthony, and uncle, Ciro DiMarco, opened the very first Rouses location in Houma in 1960 — 65 years ago this year. “It was our first store, a little small one, 7,000 square feet, and I just remember being with my dad, listening to him, serving customers.” (For comparison, today, a newly built Rouses might be 50,000 or even 60,000 square feet.)

Photo by Frank Aymami

18 ROUSES SUMMER 2025 • WWW.ROUSES.COM