Rouses Markets is gearing up to unveil its third grocery store in Slidell, a city on the northeast shore of Lake Pontchartrain in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. The new store is part of a substantial $100 million investment in growth, development, and store renovations over the next two years. The company purchased land in the Oak Harbor area of Slidell for its third grocery store which it plans to open in 2025.
In addition to the new Slidell store, Rouses announced plans to open two new stores in South Mississippi in Picayune and Biloxi next year. According to Charles Merrell, the Chief Administrative Officer for Rouses Markets, Rouses received more requests to open a store in Picayune than any other store in its history. “I think I’ve talked to every single person who lives in that town,” Merrell said. The Picayune location will open in early 2024.
The decision to open the new Biloxi store came because of the success of the Gulfport store located a few miles away. The company has agreed to lease a 60,000-square-foot space on the corner of Pass Road and Popp’s Ferry Road in Biloxi, which it plans to fully remodel both inside and out. “I know Biloxi will be very excited about what we do with the space,” said Rouses Markets CEO Donny Rouse. “It will be very different from the old grocery provider that was in that spot, not only in how it looks, but in the products and services offered. We carry everything local, from seafood and local products to entire lines of Gulf Coast made products, not just one or two selections. We will have our own sausage kitchen, smokehouse, bakery, florist and seafood boiling room in the store and everything you could want to eat.” The Biloxi location is expected to open in August next year. The Picayune and Biloxi stores will be the fifth and sixth Rouses Markets in Mississippi. The company also operates stores in Gulfport, Diamondhead, and Ocean Springs. Rouses Markets is one of the largest independent supermarket chains in the Gulf Coast area. It currently operates a total of 63 stores across Louisiana, Alabama, and Mississippi.