Breaux Bridge Chamber’s ‘Evening Extraordinaire’ is Thursday, Jan. 21

Breaux Bridge – The Beaux Bridge Area Chamber of Commerce is honoring three men and one woman with family-owned businesses during the organization’s annual “Evening Extraordinaire,” the membership banquet and change-of-command, to be held at Pat’s Atchafalaya Club in Henderson Thursday, Jan. 21, with the social hour starting at 5:45 p.m.
Honorees are pharmacist Carl Simon, restaurateur Floyd Poche, and grocer George Hebert III and Gloria Newland.
Simon has been owner and operator of Simon’s Pharmacy on North Main Street here for 58 years.
A 1948 graduate of Breaux Bridge High School, Simon earned a bachelor of science in pharmacy from Loyola University in 1952 and a doctorate in pharmacy from Loyola in 1982.
He is the fifth generation to run the business founded in the 1880s by Myrtle Simon, a French Jewish immigrant from Alsace Lorraine region of France. She established the first Simon’s General Merchandise Store at the settlement and railroad stop of Jecko, on La. 31 just north of Breaux Bridge.
In 1937 Michel and Lillian Simon opened General Merchandise Store on North Main, just south of the present location. In 1945 they moved their location up Main Street, just across the street from the present St. Bernard Community Center and next door to Rue-Rue’s Liquor and Bar.
The present location of Simon’s was built in November of 1957, after Carl was discharged from the U.S. Air Force.
Simon’s Shopping Center, as it was known, was the first business of its kind in the area, with a butcher department, groceries, fruits and fresh produce, fabric and sewing notions, ladies ready to wear clothing, men’s work wear and dress shirts, and shoes, and a ladies millinery section with the most fashionable hats of the day.
In addition to the General Merchandise portion of the store, was a pharmacy and gift shop featuring a candy department, jewelry department, house wares and decorative accessories, music records and full stock of over the counter drug items.
Serving as president of the Breaux Bridge Downtown Merchants Association, Simon helped to establish the world famous Breaux Bridge Crawfish Festival, the second largest tourist attraction in the state, after the New Orleans Mardi Gras.
Carl has been married to the former Renella Guidry for 68 years. They have five daughters, seven granddaughters, one great-granddaughter, and are expecting the first Simon great-grandson in August 2016.
Floyd Poche grew up along the banks of the Bayou Teche in Breaux Bridge. All the siblings of the Poche family assisted their parents in the family business, Poche’s: Market and Restaurant on La. 31, Main Highway, at Poche Bridge. Floyd began shadowing his father in the market when he was barely able to see over the meat counter and reach the cash register.
Upon graduation from Breaux Bridge High School in 1970, Floyd began his employment at L.A. Frey & Sons, where he expanded his expertise in the area of meat processing.
Floyd has tremendously expanded his restaurant and market business since his father owned it in the ’60s. In 1982, he opened a reception hall, Poche’s Country Club. He also opened his premier USDA processing facility in 1993. In 2000, he opened Poche’s Fish and Camp, a RV and camp site, which is now under new ownership.
Floyd’s business is well-liked among the locals and has nationally increased in popularity. His RV park and camp site was invited to be recognized by Home and Garden Television (HGTV), and he recently received praise from USA Today Travel for his restaurant. TripAdvisor.com rated Poche’s with a 4.5 on a 5 point scale with 113 reviews and rated the restaurant as number 2 in Breaux Bridge out of 53 reviewed. Poche’s has also received limelight from celebrities, which include the following: Larry “The Cable Guy”, Anthony Bourdain, Farrah Fawcett, Robert Duvall, and Billy Bob Thornton, just to name a few.
Among the many concerns that Floyd has, his community is one of the top priorities. On numerous occasions, he has donated to locally funded organizations and charities. Floyd has built an extremely prominent business through hard work and commitment to his goals. He represents the true values of the Deep South and continues to share his knowledge and passion with his customers, workers, and family.
Heberts was officially begun in 1930 by George Hebert Sr. in St. Martinville, a neighborhood grocery store on Main Street. In 1935 that business moved to a store owned by George Green on Berard Street in Breaux Bridge and was operated as Heberts Grocery. Later the business was relocated to South Main Street.
In 1955 the business was sold to George Hebert Jr. at that address. In 1962 a new store was built at the present address of 218 S. Main.
In 1969 a purchase was made of the business at 1101 Grandpoint Ave., Breaux Bridge. The former business was LeBlanc’s Superette. During the period of late 1960s George Hebert III and Marguerite Hebert and Frank and Gloria Newland became stockholders and managers in all realms of business for the two stores.
In 1994 a third store, formerly owned by Tucker Friedman, was purchased in Henderson.
The stores are incorporated as Hebert’s Supermarket, Inc., Hebert’s Superette, Inc., and Hebert’s of Henderson, Inc. Members of the family who are stockholders, managers, and serve under various capacities are George Hebert III, president and CEO; Marguerite Hebert, Gloria Newland, George Hebert IV, Mark Hebert and Frank Newland Jr. There are members of fifth generations of Heberts still involved in the retail grocery business.
Through the 85 years of operation many people have been affected by Hebert’s, either as early employees, learning work habits or faithful customers or valuable friends in the grocery business. Hebert’s still moves forward in an Industry that has changed drastically through the years and continues to address those changes and move forward to 100 years or more in business.
George Hebert III is a graduate of St. Bernard High School, Class of 1964. He graduated from USL in 1969 with a bachelor degree in business management from the College of Business Administration.,
George worked in the family business since high school. He is married to Marguerite Castex Hebert and they have two sons, George Hebert IV and Mark Hebert, married to Marla Tolbert Hebert, and two grandchildren Alex and Alyssa Hebert.
Gloria Newland is a 1956 graduate of Mt. Carmel High School Lafayette. She attended USL in College of Business for two years in secretarial science.
She has three children, Ann Newland, Tina Leonard, and Frank Newland Jr., Grandchildren are Aaron, Abby, Blake, Naquin and Lauren Hollier, Brennan, Braxton Leonard, Taylor, Cole, Cy Newland.