706 Magazine-Fall 2024

FALL 2024

Colt Mire Meet SW La.’s favorite chef

Tech Tip: Learn the dos and don’ts of Artificial Intelligence

From Two-Step to Tango: One man’s mission to get Louisiana on its feet

What’s Inside 05 06

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Three Things How to get out and about in Southwest Louisiana this fall

Our Team

A Haunting on Sallier Street

Publisher

What tales will you hear at the Haunted Candlelight Tour?

Ron Prince

Tech Tip Local expert Dr. Steven Dabelow, Ph.D, weighs in on artificial intelligence

Book Reviews Local librarians chat about their favorite recent reads

Mire’s Secret Sauce Rita LeBleu sits with Colt Mire to talk about leadership, hospitality and, of course, food

Someone You Should Know A quick chat with Arts & Humanities Council of SWLA Executive Director Cameron Fultz

Econ. 101 Dr. Akm Rahman gives a lesson on interest rates

Editor Crystal Stevenson

Contributors Rodrick Anderson Emily Burleigh Rita LeBleu

Marketing & Sales Stephanie Broussard Kim King Rhiana Mick Jaden Sterling

Cover Art Chad Whited

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People’s Choice The best of the best of Southwest Louisiana

From Two-Step to Tango Get up on your feet with dance instructor Rody Broussard

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By Emily Burleigh

Three places to buy local seasonal produce 1. The Charlestown Farmers Market On Bilbo Street behind Historic City Hall Arts and Cultural Center, 1001 Ryan St., every Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

2. Moss Bluff Farmers Market From 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. every Saturday at 325 Sam Houston Jones Pwky.

3. Westlake Farmers Market Every Saturday outside of Miller’s Super Saver, 1514 Sampson St., from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m.

Three ways to get outside 1. Visit a pumpkin patch Pick up some pumpkins at the annual Moss Bluff United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch, set to open October 12.

2. Haunt the Lost Hollows

SW La.’s most popular Halloween attraction The Lost Hollows will be open September 27 through November 1.

3. Stretch it out From 9 to 10(ish) on Saturday mornings local artist and yoga instructor Maegan Gonzales hosts “Yoga Under the Oak” under the Sallier Oak at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, 204 W. Sallier St. Check ICM’s Facebook for monthly session dates.

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Three experiences 1. The Cal Cam Fair October 3-5, West Cal Arena and Events Center, 401 Arena Road, Sulphur

2. Chuck Fest October 19, from 12 p.m. to 11:15 p.m., throughout downtown Lake Charles

3. Smoke & Barrel November 14-17, 1 to 5 p.m., on the lawn of the Calcasieu Parish Courthouse, 1000 Ryan St.

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A Haunting on Sallier Street

By Emily Burleigh Are you ready to get spooked?

It’s no trick. The Imperial Calcasieu Museum is treating Southwest Louisiana to a “spine-chilling” haunted experience for the Halloween season. From 7:30 to 9 p.m. on October 26 at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum, 204 W. Sallier St., the museum will host the Haunted Candlelight Tour.

The tour will bring guests and ghouls on a journey with history-based tales of the paranormal. Guided by docents, audiences can expect to explore the history and “claims of hauntings” of nine different SW La. locations, including Barnes Creek, the ACTS Theatre and Ellis Hill.

Instead of visiting each location, the entire tour will take place at the Imperial Calcasieu Museum. History panels, artifacts and photography will be set up throughout the museum to enhance discussion on the locations. By conducting the entire tour at the museum, the haunt is accessible to people of every ability, said Ashley Royer, creative coordinator.

A listening station will be set up for guests to listen to electronic voice phenomena (EVPs) — sounds on electronic recordings that are interpreted as spirit voices by ghost hunters and parapsychologists — that have been collected during the Old No. 7 Society’s paranormal investigations.

“Each site is not just a haunted tale, but also a unique place that is sentimental to a person or persons.”

-Ashley Royer

This spooktacular event is for guests aged 13 and over due to some of the historical content.

Admission is $5 for adults, $3 for educators and children and $2 for seniors. Imperial Calcasieu Museum members get in free.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 337439-3797 or in person and will be available at the door until 7:50 p.m. the day of the tour. The tour begins at 8 p.m.

Members of the paranormal team will be there to answer questions about their investigations and equipment during and after the tour.

“The paranormal team was the one we worked with to put this exhibit together, their experiences are invaluable and sometimes chilling,” she said.

Royer said that while this event will be a perfect scary experience for the Halloween season, it also serves as a way to connect with the community in an educational way.

“Haunted Histories and the Haunted Candlelight Tour reframe our history in fun ways for our community,” Royer said. “We love being able to engage with a more diverse audience, to be able to foster a love for history.

Each site is not just a haunted tale, but also a unique place that is sentimental to a person or persons.”

Guests are encouraged to show up in their favorite Halloween costumes.

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Artificial Intelligence

tech tip

and how not to use it

Dr. Steven Dabelow, Ph.D Information Systems Technology Instructor Sowela Technical Community College

A

rtificial Intelligence (AI) has become a new norm.

Many of the things that we use every day, Google, Facebook, Amazon, Apple, etc., are implementing AI into their software, and, either directly or indirectly, into our lives and society.

And it's not just big tech; businesses are also implementing and using AI to increase their profit margins and make their products better and services more efficient.

The growth of AI in just the past five years has been staggering to say the least, and it’s not slowing down any time soon.

Now before you panic, no you don’t need to worry about the Terminator robots running around anytime soon (if ever) seeking world domination or the eradication of humanity. We are nowhere near Skynet, HAL 9000, or any of the other evil AI that you have read or heard about from science fiction. However, that doesn’t mean that we can breathe a sigh of relief and just let people do whatever they want with AI. AI can still be dangerous, and there are ways in which we can use AI unethically.

It’s worth noting that AI is a machine at the end of the day. In other words, it only knows what the creator and/or trainer tells it, and what it learns from when we ask it something (if we allow it to learn). Depending on what that data was we trained the AI on, it may not yield the most reliable and/or credible results.

Consider an AI like ChatGPT. ChatGPT is a generative AI that was trained on data from Reddit. So, if you asked ChatGPT to write a report for you, the information you receive from it may not be accurate.

Additionally, where that information comes from becomes an issue. If the AI states information from a paper, but doesn’t provide adequate citation, that may be considered plagiarism. And while there do exist AI that provide citations, such as Perplexity, the information may come from Facebook, Reddit, and other nonpeerreviewed sources.

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Now that doesn’t mean AI isn’t useful. You can use it to generate a template for a new company policy. Or you could use it to get some suggestions on certain points you should focus on for a business presentation. The list is endless. But just because it can do a huge variety of things, that doesn’t mean that you should use it for such things.

The idea of an AI is that it replicates the thought process of a human being. We humans have neurons in our brains that allow us to learn. In the field of Artificial Intelligence, we use something called an artificial neural network to attempt to replicate this human behavior; and if we are not careful with what we ask or train our AI on, it could learn about something that may be confidential (such as your bank history, credit score, grades, address, etc.). So even though some AI are trained from places like Reddit, that doesn’t mean that it can’t learn personal information about you.

So how do we go about preventing this from happening? How do we prevent AI from knowing our personal information?

We can start by first analyzing the data or information that we are asking the AI. Don’t just type your personal information into ChatGPT. Likewise, if you’re dealing with data about your company or other people, make sure you make that data as confidential as possible.

Avoid including names, social security numbers, addresses, or anything like that.

Another way to address this issue is to install “guardrails.” A guardrail essentially works like this: You train your AI to know only about ancient Egypt with guardrails; if you were to ask it about Taylor Swift, it not only would not know who she is, but it would also never learn who she is.

In the end though, if AI is going to be used ethically, it starts with us humans. AI is here to stay, so we should learn not just how to use it, but also how not to use it so that we may protect ourselves. Yes, it can be scary, but if we focus on learning what to do and what not to do before using AI, we should help to minimize the possibility of this powerful tool learning everything about who we are.

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AT THE LIBRARY Selections from the Calcasieu Parish Public Library

The Magic of Ordinary Days Author: Ann Howard Creel Review by Missi Felio

A former college student who's pregnant out of wedlock. She's forced to marry a beet farmer who resides on a remote farm in Colorado.

Set in 1944, near the end of WWII, she befriends JapaneseAmericans in a nearby internment camp, something that is frowned upon because of the tensions from the war.

So what happens with her relationship with this "stranger," her new friendships, a new family, and a new hometown?

Well, you'll have to read this book to find out.

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Why We Read

Author: Shannon ReviewReed

by Sheryl Chaisson Review by Sheryl Cha

“Why We Read” chronicles Reed’s journey with reading from her childhood to adulthood. She shares not only her personal experiences but also reflections on other people’s relationships with reading, including students she’s taught in her creative writing courses.

Reed makes it easy to see parallels between one’s own reading journey and hers, and I often found myself wanting to pull out a notebook and journal my own history while enjoying the book.

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The Ministry of Time

Author: Kaliane Bradley Review by Jayme Champagne Britain has acquired the ability to time travel. Now they’re testing it out by retrieving a small number of men and women from different eras and monitoring how they respond. Can a body survive time travel? How about the fabric of space-time? Is human experimentation wrong if the subjects were already slated to die in their own timelines? The British government is willing to take the risk.

Follow the story of an unnamed civil servant who stumbles into a new career opportunity: monitoring one of the time travelers. It is her job to be a “bridge,” to help a time traveler who has traveled from the past assimilate to present-day Britain. And who is her assignment? Commander Graham Gore, from 1847, a member of an illfated polar expedition. Our bridge must introduce him to a new world wildly different from his own.

Pick it up for a riveting, emotional read that will have you wondering about the meaning of time and our place in history.

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Four Friends

Author: William D. Cohan Review by Missi Felio What happened to Cohan's four prep school classmates?

Best-selling author William D. Cohan examines the lives of four men who shared similar situations or consequences. All passed away in their early 40s, and all were violent deaths. Who were they?

Why so young, especially when each one had so much promise?

Cohan examines the lives of Will Daniel, a social worker who was run over by a taxi while walking drunk; Harry Bull, a CEO who drowned with his daughters in a boating accident; Jack Berman, child of impoverished Holocaust survivors, was a lawyer who was killed in a mass shooting; and, Camelot’s heir John F. Kennedy, Jr., who crashed his plane into the Atlantic, killing himself, his wife and sister-in-law.

Think you know their stories? Are you sure? Did bad judgement cause their tragic fate? Curious?

This could be a book to add to your reading bucket list.

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By Rita LeBleu

Making connections can be just as satisfying as good food ‘I fail every day. Every day I don’t crush it 100 percent. But, I don’t quit because if you quit you’re always a failure.’

- Colt Mire

Tia Juanita’s Fish Camp took 12 total categories in this year’s People’s Choice awards, winning best beer selection, brunch, casual dining, chef, cocktail, date night, girl’s night out, gumbo, kid’s meal, margarita, Mexican restaurant and server. No restaurant has ever taken that many categories.

The menu has been tweaked. It’s extensive, with something for everyone. Everything but the chips, tortillas and bread are made from scratch. Gumbo begins with a black iron skillet, flour and grease. Tia’s People’s Choice wins and its move from 2.1 Google stars to 4.5 suggests something more is at play than good, fresh, generously-portioned, seasoned-just-right food.

At the helm is Colt Mire. He said the success of Tia's is due to his staff.

On the day of the interview, Mire excused himself a few times to greet and seat late-afternoon customers, finally settling down

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with some chips, salsa and guac from the kitchen. Sitting, eating is a rare thing for him.

“I’m running left and right, working 80 hours a week,” he said. “This is my 63rd day straight and 60 of those were doubles.”

He has been on the cook line, waited tables, tended bar, crafted cocktails, managed people and processes, and doesn’t shy away from a deep clean.

(He’s six-foot, three-inches, and looks like he would make a good bouncer, but if that’s on his resume, he didn’t say.)

Experience the best teacher Life started for him in Kaplan. His mother named him for the original bass player for The Black Crowes, Johnny Colt, who also played with Lynyrd Skynyrd.

He remembers mowing lawns and pulling (weedy) red rice as a kid. In high school, he did a lot of couch surfing, sometimes getting to school ahead of the other students to get cleaned up.

“I wasn’t really talking to my parents,” he said. “I worked at McDonalds and basically lived out of a duffle bag.

After I graduated I went to New York for a year. I had $5,000 to my name.”

At the University of Louisiana in Lafayette Mire majored in – and this sums him up to a degree – business, philosophy and psychology.

Mire is constantly reading. Books. And people. And he was doing it before he got his degree.

The Metropolitan, a New Orleans event venue with three rooms and two stories, was his first stop after college.

Ruth Chris Steak House was next.

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Then a four-star hotel with a burlesque lounge offered him the general manager title.

“I kind of fudged my way into general management," he admitted. “I was a manager, but not a general manager — not up until that point.”

The first year he took the New Orleans business from $400,000 in total sales to $1.1 million. Shows went from one a week to four.

“I fixed the cocktails, the service and I made sure that every person in that place felt like they were seen,” he said.

There you have it, Mire’s secret sauce. He knows the power of making someone feel seen. He understands why people do and say what they do and say. He understands that making connections can be as satisfying as good food, more so for some

people.

When the burlesque business announced it was going to have a new sort of audit in every department, an emotional audit, Mire was the first to call it (expletive) stupid.

Google’s AI overview describes an emotional audit as a research-based tool that measures a workplace’s emotional climate and identifies strengths and weaknesses to promote a desired organizational culture.

Think secret shopper, but equipped with questions to help him or her browse the mind and go home with information that stays in a file forever, and could be used against them in a review.

He was concerned. What if the auditor was someone who had a bad day, something he had no control over. He crushed it.

Not every department fared so well. Instead of accolades, Mire sensed a shift, and it took

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Now serving brunch

him a minute to make sense of it. Not long afterward, he picked up Robert Greene’s, “The Law of Human Nature” and it resonated deeply. He realized the impact of being authentic, and the risks. Recognizing flaws in himself and others, giving and getting forgiveness and grace became not so much the turning point in his life, but a picture of the human condition, a cycle.

Mire and his staff now serve brunch 10:30 a.m.- 3 p.m. Sundays.

Indulge the sweet tooth with Tres Leches French Toast, crepes or house-made sorbet.

Try the bottomless mimosa, Stellar Beans martini, or the bloody Mary with olives, pickled okra, green beans, steamed shrimp and crispy bacon.

His ability to read, lead and accept people while demanding high standards has made him a different sort of manager than most, and he’ll be the first to say he’s not everybody’s cup of tea — but you won’t hear him bad mouthing the hospitality labor pool here. Words are powerful.

Crab cakes, carnitas, potatoes, chorizo, migas, a shrimp and grits and traditional Mexican stew over green chile grits topped with pickled carrots and in-house cracklins are just an example of other delectables.

“Your staff is like your woman,” he said, then paused before going on. “I don’t want to come off sounding chauvinistic, but yeah, I can. Your woman is a reflection of how you treat her.”

“This industry doesn’t have superstars.

You have to build them. The only way it gets better is if we get to work and stop running around fixing things that aren’t actually the problem, playing the blame game.”

Bread bowl plating

He has always known, and research has confirmed, that people want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.

“If an employee is successful here in building some core character traits, they’ll be successful at anything they choose to do,” he said.

Sometimes he fails.

“I fail every day,” he said. “Every day I don’t crush it 100 percent. But I don’t quit because if you quit, you’re always a failure. You know, the only way you can reach any happiness or fulfillment in life, or the only way I can at least, is to complete a job that might be impossible for others."

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Shrimp and grits

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Someone You Should Know CAMERON FULTZ

Arts and Humanities Council of SWLA Executive Director

What fuels your passion for the arts?

I’ve been involved in the arts from an early age. I was lucky enough to fall in love with choir in elementary school, then band in middle school. My passion for music led me to pursue a music education degree from McNeese State University where my eyes were opened to every performing and visual art you can think of! My new interests include community theatre, spoken word performances, and dabbling in graphic design.

What was your last moment of gratitude?

I see every day as an opportunity to make the next just a little bit easier. I wake up every morning ready to tackle what life throws at me, whether it’s work, life, or the weather. I am simply appreciative that all the small decisions in my life led to where I am today. I also realize that I couldn’t have done anything without loads of help from family, friends, and colleagues. I use these little moments of reflection each day to be grateful for what I’ve been given, as well as what I’ve been able to accomplish.

What is the best thing about SW La.?

The people! It seems I can’t go a day without meeting a new face! The resolve and creativity of folks in Southwest Louisiana is unmatched, and I am privileged to do a job I love that directly benefits the quality of life of my community. Without people, you don’t have a culture, and I firmly believe we have an excellent culture here in SWLA. And don’t get me started on the cuisine here!

Name one can't-miss fall event in SW La. I would be beside myself if I didn’t mention Chuck Fest! I was blessed enough to help bring it back to life in 2022, refine it in 2023, and 2024 looks to be firing on all cylinders for the 10th year anniversary! If you haven’t been before, this is an area favorite for music, art, food, and culture enthusiasts. It will be held on Oct. 19 from noon to midnight in Downtown Lake Charles and it’s free to attend. My favorite non-Arts & Humanities Council fall event must be Rouge et Blanc presented by Banners at McNeese State University. I love getting to volunteer and help coordinate the event every year alongside the dynamic duo of Brook Hanemann and Randy Partin! The weather is always gorgeous, the drinks stay flowing, and it feels like Mardi Gras in the Fall!

FOREVER Hurricane-ravaged lakefront tower imploded,

CHANGED forever changing the skyline of Lake Charles

ECON 101

Ups

Downs

The and Dr. Akm Rahman of interest rates Professor and Interim Associate Dean McNeese College of Business Note This column is intended to enhance financial literacy explaining why and how ups and downs occur in interest rates. In subsequent columns, the intention is to shed light on how they impact personal well-being, eleven different sectors of the U.S. economy and various major interrelated markets (goods, stocks, bonds, and foreign currencies).

T

he textbook definition of interest rate is the “opportunity cost of holding money.”

In simple terms, it may also be called ‘cost of borrowing’ and ‘reward for saving.’ Interest rates are classified as a shortterm and long-term. Short-term rate is determined in the money market by demand-supply interactions. Long-term rate is determined in the bond market by demand-supply interactions. Both are normally positive. Long-term rate is usually higher than short-term rate due to liquidity risk premium.

In theory, long-term rate and bond price are negatively related. Also, interest rate is classified as nominal (unadjusted for inflation rate) and real interest rate (nominal interest rate minus inflation rate). Nominal rate is usually positive while the real rate may be positive or zero or negative. The sign depends on the nominal rate and inflation rate differentials.

Notably, rates are important for borrowing and lending decisions. The recommendation is to closely observe the trajectory of swings in real interest rates for decision making, to be free from money illusion. To add, short-term rates drive long- term rate as it is the weighted sum of short-term rates spanning over multiple short periods.

Both short-term and long-term rates periodically fluctuate over different phases (recovery and downturn) of the economy. In the state of recovery and accompanying prosperity, rising inflation is in complex formation. In contrast, during the period of economic slowdown and potentially turning into complicating recession, unemployment rate tends to rise.

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Mitigation of both poses a policy dilemma for the central bank (the Federal Reserve System) because of their usual/ historical negative relationship (Phillips Curve). Thus, the Fed (Federal Reserve System) can tackle only one problem at a time creating another problem in the foreseeable future by the relevant monetary policy actions.

The Fed’s traditional policy tool box includes changes in required reserve ratio on checking deposits, discount rate at which the member commercial banks can borrow from the Fed as the last resort below the prevailing market rate, and open market operations involving the Fed’s selling and buying of treasury securities in the auction market.

Among these policy tools, open market operations are most effective due to their immediate effects on money supply and short-term rate on which the Fed has relatively greater influence than long-term rate.

To tame rising inflation rate toward a 2% annual target, the Fed sells Treasury securities from its holdings in significant amounts for sharp contractions in money supply. In turn, they lead to bouts of increases in short-term rates and hence long-term rates. The Fed started doing so when the inflation rate peaked at 9.1% in June 2022 resulting from overly excess money supply, amid other factors.

Currently, the Fed is still in quantitative tightening mode pending solid evidence of success on the inflation front. To reduce rising unemployment rate towards its natural rate (a nebulous term). The Fed reverses the above course by engaging in significant bouts of purchases of Treasury securities to add to its holdings. Such action results in huge monetary expansion (quantitative easing) causing visible downward movements in short- term rates and hence longterm rates. The Fed took unusual actions in this mode during the 2008-2009 Great Recession when unemployment rate peaked at 10% and the 2019 COVID pandemic period to forestall the recurrence of another Great Recession.

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Asian Restaurant WINNER

Peking Garden

SWLA FAVORITES • Thai Lake Charles • Umami Japanese Restaurant & Sushi Bar

Brewery/Distillery

Casual Dining

Crying Eagle Brewing Company

Tia Juanita’s

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Bayou Rum Distillery • Yellowfin Distillery

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Area 337 • Southern Spice

Bakery

Brunch

Catering

Twanie’s Terrific Treats

Tia Juanita’s

Rouses Market

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Pronia’s Deli & Bakery • The Bekery

WINNER

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • MacFarlane’s Celtic Pub • The Bekery

SWLA FAVORITES • Cajun Cafe Catering & Events Center • t’Pot Noir Cajun Kitchen

BBQ

Food & Hospitality

WINNER

Paul’s Rib Shack Barbecue SWLA FAVORITES • BBQ West • The Hut

Bartender WINNER

Davey Jones My Place

SWLA FAVORITES • Coolers Icehouse • Kari Manuel - Villa Harlequin

BBQ WINNER Beer Selection Bakery

Paul’sWINNER Rib WINNER

Shack BarbecueTerrific Tia Juanita’s Twanie’s SWLA FAVORITES SWLA FAVORITES Treats • BBQ West

• Crying Brewing Company FAVORITES • The Eagle Hut SWLA Prionia’s Deli & Bakery • Lake Street •Liquor Boudin • The Bekery

WINNER

Market Basket

SWLA FAVORITES • In-Laws • Tia Juanita’s

Beer Selection WINNER

Tia Juanita’s

SWLA FAVORITES • Crying Eagle Brewing Company • Lake Street Liquors

Boudin

Breakfast

Market Basket

Southern Spice

WINNER

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • In-Laws • Tia Juanita’s

Bread Pudding WINNER

Twanie’s Terrific Treats

SWLA FAVORITES • Coffee:30 • The Bekery

Burger

WINNER

Restaurant Calla

Catfish

WINNER

Seafood Palace

SWLA FAVORITES • OB’s Bar & Grill • Sunny Side Up Community Cafe

SWLA FAVORITES • Kat Daddy’s Drive-thru Kitchen • Steamboat Bill’s on the Lake

Breakfast

Cajun Food

Cheesecake

Southern Spice

Pat’s of Henderson

Twanie’s Terrific Treats

SWLA FAVORITES • Great Harvest • Pujo St. Cafe

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Coffee:30 • The Bekery

WINNER

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Southern Spice • Tia Juanita’s

SWLA FAVORITES • Shenanigan Sprankled Cakery • The Bekery

Chef WINNER

Tia Juanita’s SWLA FAVORITES • 121 Artisan Bistro • Crying Eagle Brewing Company

Chicken WINNER

Blazin’ Hot Chicken SWLA FAVORITES • Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken • t’Pot Noir Cajun Kitchen

Coffee WINNER

Twanie’s Terrific Treats SWLA FAVORITES • Coffee:30 • The Buzz

Cookies WINNER

Twanie’s Terrific Treats SWLA FAVORITES • Area 337 • Southern Spice

Date Night WINNER

Tia Juanita’s

SWLA FAVORITES • 121 Artisan Bistro • Pat’s of Henderson

Etouffee WINNER

t’Pot Noir Cajun Kitchen SWLA FAVORITES • Pat’s of Henderson • Southern Spice

Deli WINNER

Fine Dining WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Albertsons • Pronia’s Deli & Bakery

SWLA FAVORITES • Pat’s of Henderson • Pujo St. Cafe

Rouses Market

Donuts WINNER

Mazen’s

Food Producer WINNER

Chicken Salad WINNER

Cracklins WINNER

Famous Foods

Nelson’s Donuts

SWLA FAVORITES • Great Harvest • t’Pot Noir Cajun Kitchen

SWLA FAVORITES • Gillis Meat Market • In-Laws

SWLA FAVORITES • Delicious Donuts & Bakery • Dino’s Donuts

SWLA FAVORITES • Carriere Farms • Salt Revival Oyster Company

Cocktail WINNER

Crawfish WINNER

Drive-Thru Daiquiri WINNER

French Fries WINNER

Chicken Salad Chick

Tia Juanita’s SWLA FAVORITES • 121 Artisan Bistro • Area 337

Mr. Bill’s Seafood SWLA FAVORITES • Cody’s Crawfish Shop • S&S Crawfish

Paradise Grill & Daiquiris

SWLA FAVORITES • Caribbean Hut • Frosty Factory

Fontenot Beef

Blazin’ Hot Chicken SWLA FAVORITES • Big Daddy’s Sports Grill • Crying Eagle Brewing Company

Fried Chicken WINNER

Blazin’ Hot Chicken SWLA FAVORITES • Ball’s Fried Chicken • Louisiana Famous Fried Chicken

Girl’s Night Out WINNER

Tia Juanita’s

SWLA FAVORITES • Area 337 • Coolers Icehouse

Gumbo WINNER

Tia Juanita’s SWLA FAVORITES • Nina P’s • Seafood Palace

Guy’s Night Out WINNER

My Place

SWLA FAVORITES • Coolers Icehouse • Pujo St. Cafe

Happy Hour WINNER

Coolers Icehouse SWLA FAVORITES • Fat Pat’s Bar & Grill • Library Riot

Hotel WINNER

Golden Nugget Lake Charles SWLA FAVORITES • Holiday Inn Express & Suites • L’Auberge Casino Resort

Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt WINNER

Twanie’s Terrific Treats

SWLA FAVORITES • Pirate’s Cove Frozen Treats • Sweet Frog

Kids Meal WINNER

Mexican WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Chick-fil-A • Rotolo’s Pizzeria

SWLA FAVORITES • Casa Mañana Mexican Restaurant • El Tapatio Tres Mexican Restaurant

Tia Juanita’s

Lunch WINNER

Tia Juanita’s

New Restaurant WINNER

Blazin’ Hot Chicken

Blazin’ Hot Chicken

Margarita WINNER

Patio For Dining WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • t’Pot Noir Cajun Kitchen • Tia Juanita’s

Tia Juanita’s

SWLA FAVORITES • Laguna’s Mexican Grill • Nogal Mexican Cuisine & Bar

SWLA FAVORITES • Lighthouse Bend • Nogal Mexican Cuisine & Bar

Crying Eagle Brewing Company SWLA FAVORITES • Pujo St. Cafe • Rikenjaks Brewing Company

Italian Food WINNER

Mediterranean Food WINNER

Plate Lunch WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • The Villa Harlequin • Tony’s

SWLA FAVORITES • Shwarmas • Zeus To Go

SWLA FAVORITES • Hebert’s Specialty Meats • Southern Spice

Joe’s Pizza & Pasta Cousin’s Lebanese Cuisine Italian Restaurant

t’Pot Noir Cajun Kitchen

Po-Boy WINNER

Darrell’s

SWLA FAVORITES • Coolers Icehouse • Tia Juanita’s

Sandwich WINNER

Blazin’ Hot Chicken SWLA FAVORITES • Darrell’s • t’Pot Noir Cajun Kitchen

Restaurant Server WINNER

Sausage WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Gary Cooper - The Villa Harlequin • Kalie Romero - Southern Spice

SWLA FAVORITES • Hebert’s Specialty Meats • Insane Sausages

Tia Juanita’s

Salad Spot WINNER

The Green House Salad Co. SWLA FAVORITES • Salata • The Salad Station

Market Basket

Seafood WINNER

Pat’s of Henderson SWLA FAVORITES • t’Pot Noir Cajun Kitchen • Tia Juanita’s

Snowball WINNER

Lulu’s Specialty Cones & More

SWLA FAVORITES • Incredible Edibles Sno-Balls • PT’s Snowballs Coffee & Ice Cream

Soul Food WINNER

Leonard’s Food Quarters SWLA FAVORITES • Mama Reta’s Kitchen • Nina P’s

Steak WINNER

Texas Roadhouse SWLA FAVORITES • Fontenot Beef • Mazen’s

Wine Selection WINNER

Bodega Wine Dive SWLA FAVORITES • Lake Street Liquor • The Villa Harlequin

Sport’s Bar WINNER

Cooler’s Icehouse SWLA FAVORITES • Fat Pat’s Bar & Grill • MacFarlane’s Celtic Pub

Pumpkin spice and everything nice Cozy coffee fix tips

By Emily Burleigh Need a pumpkin spice fix?

Here are some of Southwest Louisiana’s coziest coffee shops.

Twanie’s Terrific Treats For when you need coffee, fresh baked goods and an inviting atmosphere.

Located at 206 W. 11th St, Twanie’s Terrific Treats offers a fresh slate of sweet treats every week. From cheesecake to cookies to cake, any sugary craving will be satisfied.

Open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday (or until they sell out).

The Buzz Coffee & More This newer coffee shop nestled at 1530 E. McNeese St., Suite 8, offers several seasonal coffees,

22

including classics like the pumpkin spice latte, pumpkin spice cold brew and chai with pumpkin cold foam.

Some of their more unique fall flavors include spice honey pear, blueberry cobbler matcha and butterbeer.

Open 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday.

Stellar Beans For an out-of-this-world coffee experience, stop by this downtown coffee shop at 319 Broad St. This shop features local art and an in-house roasting station on full display. On the menu, there are hot breakfast options, smoothies and unique coffee selections like the Wookie Cookie, The Froth Awakens and Java the Hutt.

Open 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily.

706 MAGAZINE

Acupuncture/ Dry Needling

WINNER

Thrive Physical Therapy

SWLA FAVORITES • 3PT Premier Performance • EPIC Health

Addiction Recovery

WINNER

Dance Studio

WINNER

Dermatologist

WINNER

Cathy Kurth Dance Academy

Kerri Davis-Fonteot

SWLA FAVORITES • Louisiana Powerhouse • Tammy Palmer’s Center Stage

SWLA FAVORITES • Michael E. Cormier, MD • Shondra L. Smith

Day Spa

Dermatology Clinc

WINNER

WINNER

Renaitre A Williamson The Gallery Allen Parish of Dermatology & Community Healthcare Cosmetic Center Advanced Aesthetics SWLA FAVORITES SWLA FAVORITES • Alevan Salon & Spa • Dyer Psychiatric Services • Bauhaus Salon & Spa • New Horizons Counseling Center

SWLA FAVORITES • Dermatology Associates • Olivier Dermatology

Assisted Living

Health & Wellness

WINNER

Sage Oak of Lake Charles

SWLA FAVORITES • Lake Charles Care Center • Villa Maria Retirement Center

Audiology Center

WINNER

The Hearing Center of Lake Charles SWLA FAVORITES • Acadian Hearing • ENT & Allergy Clinic

CBD/Medical Marijuana

WINNER

Good Day Farm

SWLA FAVORITES • 491 • Daniel’s Natural Medicine

Cardiologist

WINNER

Kattash Mudar MD SWLA FAVORITES • Dr. Brett Goodwin • Dr. Thomas Mulhearn IV

Chiropractor WINNER

Dental Clinic

WINNER

Ear, Nose & Throat Doctor

Roberts Dentistry

Blake LeBlanc

Center for Chiropractic Churchman & & Rehabilitation SWLA FAVORITES • 100% Chiropractic • Southwest Chiropractic

Dance Instructor

WINNER

Cathy Kurth

SWLA FAVORITES • Jenna Amy - Premier Dance Studio • Megan Pottorff -Tammy Palmer Center Stage

SWLA FAVORITES • Robinson Dental Group • Smile Design Orthodontics

Dentist

WINNER

Dr. Churchman SWLA FAVORITES • Dr. Erin Moore Seale • Dr. John Jet Trahan

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Dr. Bridget Loehn • Dr. Eugene M. Louviere, MD

Estetician

WINNER

Alchemy Aesthetics SWLA FAVORITES • Abigail Dore - The Skin Studios • Esthetics by Christine

Eye Care WINNER

McCain Family Eye Clinic

Holistic Services WINNER

EPIC Health

SWLA FAVORITES SWLA FAVORITES • Creative Roots • Falgoust Eye Medical & Surgical • Daniel Natural Medicine • The Eye Clinic

Family Medicine WINNER

Home Health Care WINNER

• Andres J. Guillermo • Dr. Benjamin B. Williams

SWLA FAVORITES • At Home Compassionate Care • Elara Caring

Gymnastics Studio WINNER

Hospital WINNER

Revitalized Health Allen Parish Community Healthcare SWLA FAVORITES

Louisiana Powerhouse

Allen Parish Community Healthcare

SWLA FAVORITES • Gymnastics Etc. • Mimi’s Gymnastics & Power Tumbling

SWLA FAVORITES • CHRISTUS Ochsner St. Patrick’s Hospital • Lake Charles Memorial Health System

Health & Fitness Center WINNER

IV Therapy WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Fit Body Boot Camp • Jazzercise Lake Charles

SWLA FAVORITES • Headache & Wellness Center of SWLA • Revitalized Health

Gracie Barra Lake Charles

IntergrateIV Hydration

Martial Arts WINNER

Nurse/Nurse Practitioner WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • PE Training Center • Three Brothers Jiu Jitsu

SWLA FAVORITES • Michael Patrick England, FNP • Revitalized Health

Massage Studio WINNER

Nursing Home WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • 100% Chiropractic • A Touch of Hope

SWLA FAVORITES • Calcasieu Community Care Center • Lake Charles Care Center

Medical Spa/Aesthetician WINNER

OB/GYN WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Renaitre A Williamson Cosmetic Center • The Gallery of Dermatology & Advanced Aesthetics

SWLA FAVORITES • Joseph Semien Jr., MD • Rafine Moreno-Jackson, MD

Gracie Barra

Special Touch Therapeutic Massage

The Skin Studios

Metaphysical Shop WINNER

Creative Roots SWLA FAVORITES • Spanish Moon Healing

Austin Goings

Sage Oak of Lake Charles

Alice Monroe Babst

Oral Surgeon WINNER

Louisiana Oral & Implant Surgery

SWLA FAVORITES • Lake Charles Oral-Facial Surgery •Sanders Pediatric Dentistry

Orthopedic Surgeon WINNER

Podiatrist WINNER

• James Jackson, M.D. • Jonathan Foret, M.D.

SWLA FAVORITES • Daniel T. Hall IV, D.P.M • Tyson Green, D.P.M

Pediatrician WINNER

Primary Care WINNER

Brett Cascio, M.D. Bradley Jimerson, D.P.M SWLA FAVORITES

David Wallace, M.D. SWLA FAVORITES • Kipp B, Ardoin, M.D. • Stewart Landry, M.D.

Pharmacy WINNER

Pettit’s Family Pharmacy

Paige Harris

SWLA FAVORITES • Benjamin B. Williams, M.D. • Darci Portie, APRN, FNPC

Surgery Center WINNER

Surgicare of Lake Charles

SWLA FAVORITES • Gordon’s Drug Store • Hobgood Pharmacy

SWLA FAVORITES • Joint Replacement Center of Louisiana • Selim Surgery Center

Physical Therapy WINNER

Urgent Care WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • MAXX Physical Therapy • S3 Physical Therapy

SWLA FAVORITES • Imperial Health Urgent Care • Lake Charles Urgent Care

Thrive Physical Therapy

Access Urgent Care

Weight Loss WINNER

Revitalized Health SWLA FAVORITES • Fit Body Boot Camp • IntegrateIV Hydration

Yoga Studio WINNER

Mantra Yoga Center SWLA FAVORITES • Edgemont Healing Center • EPIC Health

Rody Broussard directs Bob Rollins and his partner, Clara Colvin, in a country and western dance lesson.

By Rita LeBleu When it comes to dancing, it’s the man who leads. When it comes to initiating dance lessons, it’s often the woman who takes charge.

“After their wives and girlfriends get them here, it takes one or two minutes for the guys to relax and start smiling,” Rody Broussard said.

Broussard is a local ballroom and country and western dance instructor who describes dance as an art and a science.

“Some people feel the music and some people, you teach the pattern,” he said.

“Maybe if you’d spit out your gum, it would help,” Clara Colvin tells dance partner Bob Rollins early on in the lesson. He grins and takes his red-headed dance partner, her comment and his first dance lesson in stride. He is having a good time, and it shows.

32

“It was his idea to take lessons.

He’s never danced and wants to learn them all,” Colvin said. The couple travels quite a bit, and venues can include dance floors.

As if on cue, associate dance teacher Joe Davis ambles over in his boots and black felt cowboy hat to see how things are progressing.

“These women can make us look wonderful as long as we put them in their place," Davis said with a chuckle. “No, I know better. You can’t make a woman do anything she doesn’t want to.

I know. I’m married to one.”

His wife, Nancy, said she was scrolling through Facebook 17 years ago when she saw Broussard’s post for a free country and western, two-step dance lesson. They went, and never stopped.

Broussard is lean, buttoned up, professional and soft-spoken

as he smoothly leads a student.

Then he puts on a little music, and after the first couple of lines Horace Trahan’s “That Butt Thing,” any remaining tension in the room seems to evaporate.

“I did that booty shaking thing for a while after I retired from the military,” said Gary Peveto. “My wife pulled me here kicking and screaming 40 years ago and I have enjoyed it ever since.”

Dance connects the brain and the body, and neuroscience is just now finding out what’s going on in the brain when a person dances. It’s more than exercise.

Even better, dancing can connect generations.

“We have had an entire family come to classes, a grandmother with three of her grandchildren, husband, wife and college-age son. They’re learning ballroom dancing, having a blast,” See Dance, Page 41

706 MAGAZINE

Carpet/Flooring WINNER

Foret Flooring

Home Builder

Landscape Company

VT Contracting

Landscape Management

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Kenny Fuselier & Co. • The Floor Trader

SWLA FAVORITES • Brandon Bellon Development • Manuel Builders SWLA Design Center

Countertops

Home Decor

WINNER

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES

SWLA FAVORITES • Sway Boutique • Yaya & Co.

Stone Craft • Gulf Coast Floors & Home Decor • Southern Marble & Granite

Not Just Christmas

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Bloom & Branch Garden & Gift Shop • Secret Santa Lights Lawn & Landscaping

Lawnmower Sales WINNER

Moss Bluff Mowers

SWLA FAVORITES • Abell & Son, Inc • Harlow Lawn Mower Sales

Disaster Recovery WINNER

Home & Garden

SERVPRO of Lake Charles SWLA FAVORITES • Apex Disaster • sorted.

Electrical Repair WINNER

Lake Area Electrical

SWLA FAVORITES • South Point Electrical • Mack Electrical

Furniture Store WINNER

Bayou Beds' Mattress Gallery

SWLA FAVORITES • Dare to Love Home Furnishings • WCC Furniture & Mattress Center

Handyman

WINNER

Honey do listers SWLA FAVORITES • Handyman Services of Lake Charles • Jared Chandler

Hardware Store WINNER

Home Security WINNER

Lighting Store WINNER

One Source Digital South Beau Hardware & Supply Technologies

Joseph's Electrical Center

Heating & A/C

Mattress Store

SWLA FAVORITES SWLA FAVORITES • Apex Alarms • JW Hardware & Lumber • RedAlert Security Services • Stine Home & Yard Lake Charles

WINNER

Interior Design WINNER

Ace Air Conditioning Katie Doxey & Plumbing w/ VT Contracting SWLA FAVORITES • Calcasieu Cooling & Heating • WSA Heating & Cooling

SWLA FAVORITES

• Changing Spaces • Lasting Impressions, Designs by Rachel

SWLA FAVORITES • Secret Santa Light Lawn & Landscaping • Stine Home & Yard Lake Charles

WINNER

Bayou Beds' Mattress Gallery SWLA FAVORITES

• Dare to Love Home Furnishings • WCC Furniture & Mattress Center

Moving Company WINNER

Pressure Washing WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES

SWLA FAVORITES • M&M Lawn & Irrigation • Skip's Super Clean

Two Men & A Truck

• Heaven on Earth Moving Services • Bayou Services

Pest Control WINNER

Mosquito Elite

Deep South Pressure Washing Property Mangagment WINNER

PAR Property Management

SWLA FAVORITES • Mosquito Control • Pat’s Pest Control

SWLA FAVORITES • KW & MB Properties • Vasseur Real Estate & Property Management

Plant Nursery WINNER

Retirement Community WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Bloom & Branch Garden & Gift Shop • Greengate Garden Center

SWLA FAVORITES • The Villages of Imperial Pointe • Verandah Retirement Community

Plumbing Company WINNER

Roofing Company WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Accurate Plumbing • Ace Air Conditioning & Plumbing

SWLA FAVORITES • Arabie Roofing • Poole Roofing

Landscape Management

AllStar Plumbing

Sage Oak of Lake Charles

Kinder Roofing & Construction

Stonework/Masonry WINNER

Tree Service WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • K&T Cabinet & Granite • Mike Baker Brick

SWLA FAVORITES • Calcasieu’s Tree Service • Top Tier, LLC

Stone Craft

Karam Tree Service

Dog Park

Music Venue

Place to Kayak

Bark Du Lac Dog Park

Moss Bluff Events

Uskichitto Retreat Center

Out & About

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Dog Park at Enos Darbonne Sports Complex • Prien Lake Park

SWLA FAVORITES • Crying Eagle Brewing Company • Panorama Music House

Golf Course

WINNER

WINNER

Mallard Golf Club SWLA FAVORITES • Gray Plantation • The National Golf Club of Louisiana

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Lake Area Adventures • Prien Lake Park

Park

Place to Worship

Sam Houston Jones State Park

Immaculate Conception Church

SWLA FAVORITES • Pinederosa Park • Prien Lake Park

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • First Moss Bluff • Trinity Baptist Church

Local Event/Festival

Picnic

Wedding Venue

Chuck Fest

Sam Houston Jones State Park

Moss Bluff Events

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Downtown at Sundown • Louisiana Fur & Wildlife Festival

Pets

WINNER

WINNER

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES

SWLA FAVORITES • Pinederosa Park • Prien Lake Park

• Cajun Cafe Catering & Event Center • Enchanted Elegance Event Center

Pet Boarding/ Day Care Pet Supplies

Veternarian (Doctor)

WINNER

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Black Bayou • Paws on the Geaux LLC

SWLA FAVORITES • Paws on the Geaux LLC • PetSmart

Pet Groomer

Pet Trainer/ Obedience School

Pawsitivity Grooming LLC

WINNER

WINNER

Misha's Pets of LC & Bayou South Self Serve Dog Wash Animal Hospital

Pawsitivity Grooming LLC

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Grooming By Bonita • Paws on the Geaux LLC

SWLA FAVORITES • Bons Chiens Dog Training LLC • Darla Collins - Bayou Pawsitivity

The Positive Pit Project

SWLA FAVORITES • Animal Medical Center Moss Bluff • Neighborhood Veternary Clinic

Veternary Clinic WINNER

Bayou South Animal Hospital SWLA FAVORITES • Gill Bright Animal Hospital • Neighborhood Veternary Clinic

CPA

WINNER

Burgess & Burgess SWLA FAVORITES • Gates & Company • McElroy, Quirk & Burch

Entrepreneur WINNER

Antwan Pettis

SWLA FAVORITES • Kara Slaydon • Stacy Spedale

Financial Advisor WINNER

Ben Bourgeois

Professionals

SWLA FAVORITES • Cheryl Duhon • Joshua Damiata

First Responder WINNER

Candice Cradeur SWLA FAVORITES • Allen Cormier Jr. • Jonathan Landrum

Insurance Agent WINNER

Carl Vincent SWLA FAVORITES • Dennis Peveto • Nick Reina

Law Office WINNER

Broussard Injury Lawyers

SWLA FAVORITES • Gordon McKernan Injury Attorney • The Johnson Firm

Lawyer/Attorney WINNER

Aaron Broussard SWLA FAVORITES • Brant Legendre • Jackson Ritchie

New Business WINNER

The Sweat Society SWLA FAVORITES • Creative Roots • Hayes Electrical

Realtor WINNER

Amanda Cox SWLA FAVORITES • Mark Fontenot • Summer Boudreaux

Staffing Agency WINNER

Manpower

SWLA FAVORITES • Onin Staffing • Recon Management Services

Teacher K-12 WINNER

Karli Boudreaux SWLA FAVORITES • Kristine Alcantara • Misty Savario

42

From Page 32 Broussard said.

Broussard did not set out to get people off their feet and on the dance floor. In the 1980s, he was bartending at Copperfields, a bar by the Keg, when the management decided they wanted all-female bartenders.”

Broussard was hanging out in Grand Chenier when he saw an ad in the American Press for a job for someone who likes to travel and likes people.

“When I showed up, I found out it was work for an Arthur Murray Dance Studio. I was 22 years old and they taught me what all the dances were — the foxtrot, tango, osso bucco, waltz, chacha, rumba.”

His specialty was country and western dance. When the movie “Urban Cowboy” took off, so did Broussard's career. Everyone wanted to learn how to walk, walk, step together – the twostep.

Broussard teaches competition dancing and social dancing, with lessons in DeRidder, Sulphur and Lake Charles – sometimes for free.

Singles and partners are welcome. Teachers and students mix and mingle to make the lesson work out for all. People that think

they know how to dance unlearn habits, starting at the same place as someone who knows he or she doesn’t know how to dance.

No hat or boots required.

Just because you can’t dance, doesn’t mean you shouldn’t – and it certainly doesn’t mean you can’t learn.

706 MAGAZINE

Accounting Firm WINNER

Auto Repair WINNER

Boutique WINNER

The Sweat Society

Burgess & Burgess CPAs

Navarre Auto Group

SWLA FAVORITES • Gates & Company • McElroy, Quirk & Burch

SWLA FAVORITES • Bolton Ford • Lake Charles Collision Center

Antique Store

Bank (Not Credit Union) Bridal Registry

WINNER

Olde & Nu Treasures

SWLA FAVORITES • Frances Fitz-Gerald Jewelry • Muller's Vintage Market

SWLA FAVORITES • Sway Boutique • Yaya & Company

WINNER

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • First Federal Bank of Louisiana • JD Bank

SWLA FAVORITES • Navarra's Jewelry • Sway Boutique & Gifts

Lakeside Bank

Yaya & Company

Applied Behavior Analysis Services WINNER

Bloom Behavioral Center SWLA FAVORITES

• Milestones Behavioral Services • St. Nicholas Center for Children

Shopping & Services

Auto Dealer (New) WINNER

Navarre Auto Group

SWLA FAVORITES • Bolton Ford • Lake Charles Toyota

Auto Dealer (Used)

WINNER

Navarre Auto Group SWLA FAVORITES • Bolton Ford • Lake Charles Toyota

Auto Detail

WINNER

Navarre Auto Group

SWLA FAVORITES • It's All About The Detail's • Shine'em Up Detailing

Auto Glass

Barber/Men’s Haircut

Car Wash

Navarre Auto Group

Beards & Shears

Navarre Auto Group

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Allied Glass & Mirror • NOVUS Auto Glass Repair

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Barberican of Lake Charles • Big Al's Barber Shop

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • It's All About the Details • Mike's Carwash Express

Auto Parts Store

Bookstore

Casino

NAPA - Landry Supply

Creative Roots

SWLA FAVORITES • NAPA - Fazios • O'Reilly Auto Parts

• Etie's, a Children's Shoppe • Paper Heroes

Golden Nugget Lake Charles

WINNER

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES

WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Coushatta Casino Resort • L'Auberge Casino Resort

Children’s Clothing WINNER

Consignment WINNER

Credit Union (Not Bank) WINNER

Dry Cleaner WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Etie's, a Children's Shoppe • Pink & Blue Avenue

SWLA FAVORITES • CARC Treasure Chest • Trendy Kidz

SWLA FAVORITES • Barksdale Credit Union • Calcasieu Teachers & Employees Credit Union

SWLA FAVORITES • Black Tie Cleaners • Runte Lake Charles

Children’s Entertainment WINNER

Cosmetic Tattoo WINNER

Custom Stationary WINNER

DTS Tactical Guns One in Amelian Handmade Clothing & Ammo

Lake Area Adventures

SWLA FAVORITES • Putt Putt Golf • We Rock the Spectrum

Cleaning Services WINNER

Cleaning by Design

SWLA FAVORITES • Down & Dirty Southern Cleaning • Southerly Clean

Community Outreach WINNER

Cats of Chase

SWLA FAVORITES • Sulphur Christian Community Coalition • United Way of Southwest Louisiana

Southern Vanity

by Jillyan SWLA FAVORITES • Complexions Aesthetics & Permanent Cosmetics • Jennifer Smith Permanent Cosmetics

Cosmetics WINNER

Estetics by Christine

SWLA FAVORITES • Bauhaus Salon + Spa • Southern Vanity by Jillyan

Crafting/Artist Store WINNER

Lil' Art House SWLA FAVORITES

• Creative Roots • Painting with a Twist

CSE Federal Credit Union

Paper Dreamer SWLA FAVORITES • PaperSmith • Stately Oaks Design

Daycare/Preschool WINNER

Little Miracles Learning Academy SWLA FAVORITES • Our Lady Queen of Heaven School Early Childhood Center • St. Luke-Simpson Childcare Center

AAA Drive-In Cleaners

Florist WINNER

A Daisy A Day Flower & Gifts SWLA FAVORITES • KD Floral & Events • Paradise Florist

Formal Attire WINNER

Rhinestone & Vows

SWLA FAVORITES • Bayou A Dress For Less • Connie's Menswear

Department Store WINNER

Friendliest Service WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • JCPenny • Marshalls

SWLA FAVORITES • Fit Body Boot Camp • Mosquito Elite

Nichols's Dry Goods

Navarre Auto Group

Gas Station WINNER

Hunting/Tactical WINNER

Local Musician WINNER

Monogramming Store WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Kajun Monograms & Trophies • Kreations Embroidery & Gifts

Perfectly Good Airplane

Bob's Full Service Station

DTS Tactical Guns & Ammo

SWLA FAVORITES • Circle K • Sam's Club

SWLA FAVORITES • Academy Sports + Outdoors • Hunters Supply & Pistol Range

SWLA FAVORITES • Randall Edwards Music • Rome Murray

Gift Shop WINNER

IT Service WINNER

Marine/Outdoor Store WINNER

Mortgage Company WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Sway Boutique • Yaya & Company

SWLA FAVORITES • AOP • Server At Work

SWLA FAVORITES • Lake Area Marine • Ship To Shore

SWLA FAVORITES • NOLA Lending Group • Revolution Mortgage

Mechanic WINNER

Nail Salon WINNER

Not Just Christmas

Grocery Store WINNER

Southern Technologies Investment Firm WINNER

Henderson of Lake Charles

Queen of Threads Monogramming

Louisiana Mortgage Associates

Camellia Nail Room

Rouses Market

Merrill Lynch Wealth Management

SWLA FAVORITES • Kroger • Misse's Grocery

SWLA FAVORITES • Edward Jones - Aaron Quinn • Morgan Stanley Financial Advisors

SWLA FAVORITES •Mobile Mechanic (Anywhere 2 U) • Service Tire Pros of Lake Charles & Moss Bluff

Hair Salon WINNER

Jewelry Store WINNER

Men’s Cloting Store WINNER

Office Furniture WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Gaidry's Mens Wear • New Look Fashions

SWLA FAVORITES • Lake Charles Office Supply • The Office Guy

Beards & Shears SWLA FAVORITES • Bauhaus Salon + Spa • Solara Salon & Spa

Plus 5 Armory

SWLA FAVORITES • Creative Roots • Navarra's Jewelry

Navarre Auto Group

Connie's Menswear

SWLA FAVORITES • Allure Nails Salon • House of Nails By Ashley D

United Office Supply & Equipment

Pawn Shop WINNER

Real Estate Agency WINNER

Self Storage WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Lake Charles Office Supply • The Office Guy

• Cash America Pawn • CC's Pawn Superstore

SWLA FAVORITES • Castle Real Estate • Century 21 Bessette

SWLA FAVORITES • Common Street Storage • Neighborhood Mini Storage

Oil Change WINNER

Permanent Jewelry WINNER

Replacement Windows WINNER

Sign Company WINNER

Office Supply WINNER

United Office Supply Chad's Pawn Shop & Equipment SWLA FAVORITES

Navarre Auto Group Soude Welds SWLA FAVORITES

• Bolton Ford • Service Tire Pros of Lake Charles & Moss Bluff

SWLA FAVORITES • Alicia LaFleur, LLC • Linked By Jay

Latter & Blum

Superior Window & Door SWLA FAVORITES • Allied Glass & Mirror • Creative Door & Windows

Rural Lending Firm WINNER

Moss Bluff Storage

Elite Signs & Wraps SWLA FAVORITES • Acme Sign Co. • Image 360 Lake Charles

Sporting Goods WINNER

Paint & Body Shop WINNER

Photographer WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Bolton Ford • Lake Charles Collision Center

SWLA FAVORITES • Perfectly Still by Jessica • Southern Noelle Photography

Party DJ WINNER

Photography Company WINNER

School K-12 WINNER

Tanning Salon WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Perfectly Still by Jessica • Wildwoods Creative

SWLA FAVORITES • Immaculate Conception Cathedral School • St. Louis Catholic High School

SWLA FAVORITES • DarQuest Tan • Ultimate Experience

Navarre Auto Group Mary Alice Hayes

G&C Music SWLA FAVORITES • Cat 5 Productions • Secret Stache (Colton Schexneider)

Southern Noelle Photography

First South Farm Credit SWLA FAVORITES •Bayou Mortgage • GMFS Mortgage

Our Lady Queen of Heaven School

DTS Tactical Guns & Ammo SWLA FAVORITES • Athlete's Corner • Bowie Outfitters

Australian Super Tans & Wellness

Tattoo Shop WINNER

Vape Store WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Saints & Sinners Studio, Tattoos & Piercings • Southern Vanity by Jillyan

SWLA FAVORITES • Blazze City Smoke Shop • Lit Vape & Smoke Shop

Taboo Tatty's Tattoo Shop

Smoke 360 Smoke Shop

Tire Store WINNER

Vitamin Store WINNER

SWLA FAVORITES • Mac Tire • Service Tire Pros of Lake Charles & Moss Bluff

SWLA FAVORITES • 5 Star Nutrition • The Vitamin Shoppe

Navarre Auto Group

Title Company WINNER

Title Works SWLA FAVORITES

• Ironclad Title • Lake Charles Title

Travel Agency WINNER

Cruise Planners Global Wanders Unlimited

SWLA FAVORITES • Magical Memories by Markie • Marvelous Mouse Travels

Daniel Natural Medicine

Wine/Liquor Store WINNER

Lake Street Liquor SWLA FAVORITES • Hokus Pokus Liquor • The Wine Store

Women’s Clothing WINNER

The Sweat Society SWLA FAVORITES • Brazen Boutique • Yaya & Company

Work Place WINNER

Navarre Auto Group

SWLA FAVORITES • Mosquito Elite • Southern Vanity by Jillyan

Wrecker Service WINNER

Elite Service Recovery & Heavy Duty Towing SWLA FAVORITES • Bayou Wrecker & Towing • Briley's Wrecker & Towing

THANK YOU, SWLA!

VOTED BEST BANK

2024 American Press People’s Choice of SWLA Award

LAKE CHARLES: Nelson Rd. and Oak Park Blvd.

SULPHUR | MOSS BLUFF

MYLKSB.BANK (337) 474-3766