Shop Leauxcal Southwest Louisiana

Sponsored by Lakeside Bank

Small Businesses: The Backbone of a Thriving Community

Small businesses are more than just places to shop, dine, or receive services. They are the heart of a community, playing a vital role in its economic health and vibrancy. From creating jobs to fostering innovation, small businesses drive growth in ways that benefit everyone.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our local economy,” says Roy M. Raftery Jr., president and CEO with Lakeside Bank. “They not only provide employment opportunities but also circulate money within the community, creating a ripple effect of economic stability.”

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, small businesses account for nearly half of all private-sector jobs and contribute significantly to the U. S. GDP (gross domestic product). At the local level, for every dollar spent at a local small business, approximately 67 cents stays in the community. “This economic recycling supports other local businesses, services, schools and organizations, creating a stronger, more interconnected community,” says Raftery.

The holiday season is a critical factor in the success of most local small businesses, often serving as their most profitable time of year. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), holiday sales can account for up to 20-30% of a small business’s annual revenue, with many retailers relying on this period to remain financially viable.
Shopping local isn’t just about the money; it’s about relationships. Small businesses offer personal connections and unique shopping experiences that large corporations cannot provide. “That’s something you can’t replicate with larger corporations,” says Raftery. “We understand that at Lakeside, because we are locally owned and operated too. We are committed to working with local small businesses to support their success.”

He adds, “This holiday season, and throughout the year, consider supporting your local small businesses. Every purchase contributes to our local economy, creates jobs, and builds a stronger community for everyone.”

Learn more about Lakeside’s small business banking services at mylksb.bank.

PaperSmith & Company

Discover Paper Goods, Candles, and Small Gifts

Best known for custom invitations and stationery, PaperSmith & Company is a home-grown business situated in downtown Lake Charles. Since 2005, brides, hosts and hostesses, kings and queens, and paper lovers have enjoyed the personalized attention provided by Sara Smith, her accomplice Cyndi Cagle, and Harley, the shop dog.

What you may not know about this quaint shop is that they offer their own line of home fragrances with Lark Candle Company. Made in small, hand-poured batches, there’s an assortment of fragrances always available. Christmas scents are in stock now… not only in candle form, but also in reed diffusers and room sprays as well.

Christmas is always a special time at PaperSmith. Beautiful books, puzzles, festive paper goods, and décor fill the shelves and tabletops. Art pieces, such as handmade journals, pillows, framed works, and ceramics, round out the mix of clever and creative gifts and goods.

“There’s nothing like shopping local these days. When everything online starts to look the same, head downtown for a great experience at our local shops, bars and restaurants,” says owner Sara Shindler Smith.

Bux Kajun Korner

A Downtown Staple

An old-fashioned corner market, Bux Kajun Korner is located at 729 Ryan Street in downtown Lake Charles. The Buxton’s took over the management of the store in early 2022 but have been involved with the market since January 2018. The market is convenient for downtown residents to grab a product in a hurry and is a draw for customers who want to purchase local art.

Bux Kajun Korner carries the necessities one would need without making a grocery store run, including milk, bread, eggs, coffee, toilet paper, and more. They also offer a variety of deli sandwiches daily and plate lunches Monday through Friday. There’s even hand scooped ice cream available for purchase through the summer months. And you can typically find some in-house made pecan pralines and cookies up by the register.

What sets Bux Kajun Korner apart from a general store is they house the work of over 50 local artists. You can find sun-catchers in the windows, seasoning, local honey, and hot sauce on the shelves. Candles, soap, pottery, tumblers, tote bags, cookbooks, jewelry, and more round out the rest of the store.

Bux Kajun Korner strives to shine a spotlight on our local talent right here in SWLA. Almost everything they carry represents Louisiana. Before you head out, be sure to check out their selection of beer and spirits. Oh, and don’t forget about the wine room!

Antiques & Finery

Offering Services and Products to Elevate your Home

Antiques & Finery is a new local shop dedicated to bringing timeless beauty and elegance to your home. They specialize in custom furniture, antiques, luxurious table and bed linens, unique accessories, specialty lamps and lampshades, and much more. Whether you’re refreshing a single room or designing an entire home, their team is passionate about helping you realize your vision with carefully curated pieces that add character and sophistication to your space.

In addition to their wide selection, Antiques & Finery serves as a stockist for Farrow & Ball paint and paper, bringing you some of the finest paints and wallpapers to elevate your interiors. You can explore their range of specialty gifts, perfect for celebrating life’s milestones or making any occasion extra special. For those marking memorable events or personal celebrations, they offer registry services to make gifting easy and meaningful.

For smaller projects or finishing touches, schedule a studio appointment to receive personalized guidance on selecting the right pieces. For larger projects, owner and interior decorator Amanda Porché provides a full-service design experience, crafting a complete design and implementing it from start to finish.

You can visit Antiques & Finery Wednesdays through Fridays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment, to shop locally and discover all the styles they offer.

Don’s Carwash and Lube

Give the Gift of a Clean Car

Don’s Carwash and Lube is celebrating over 55 years in the Lake Charles area, and is a family-owned, three-generation business with three locations. Locations at 4050 Nelson Road and 3700 Ryan St. offer opportunities for oil changes and comprehensive car washes, while the 2325 E. McNeese St. location is solely a car wash.

For the holidays, Don’s is offering a holiday special which includes exclusive discounts on their prepaid menu, including wash bundles and 1-year memberships. It’s the only time all year these items are discounted, so don’t miss out on the chance to give—and get—the gift of a sparkling clean car!

Visit the e-commerce portal at www.donswashandlube.com for convenient, fully digital purchases on gifts and packages for yourself or others. Or visit today for deals on quality car care.

Pasta Lab

A One-Stop Noodle Shop

Pasta Lab focuses on producing quality pastas, sauces and ravioli. The business also sells fine imported Italian cheeses for grating and carries a line of olive oils and balsamic vinegars. To complete the story, Pasta Lab hosts classes for general enrollment and personal events such as birthdays, couple’s gatherings and team-building sessions.

Pasta Lab’s new location at 300 E. McNeese St. is expected to open at the beginning of this month. Building from what has been honed over the last four years, Pasta Lab is redesigned to accommodate guests and production. The new location features all current products and services, and will offer new concepts as things get settled.

Classes are a great way to have some fun at Pasta Lab. “We do a lot more than make a ball of dough and a mess. Your journey here includes fine imported cheeses, balsamic vinegar and EVOO paired with fruit, charcuterie and house-baked bread. Then, there’s time learning about different wheat cultivars and flours, the different liquids and their uses in making pasta,” says Pasta Lab owner Michael Gardner. Then it’s time to run the extruder to make, roll, and stuff noodle dough.

2024 has seen the successful development of dry meal kits that feature Pasta Lab pasta. There is hickory-infused shell pasta for the Pastalaya, beautiful campanelle for the Stroganoff and paprika-rich canestri for the Goulash. There’s a spicy pastalaya, too. “These are ‘Cajun MREs’. Just add your meat or poultry or sausage and water!” says Gardner.

Sway Boutique & Gifts

A Homey Local Store

Sway Boutique & Gifts was founded in 2017 in Moss Bluff, and is owned by Brittany DeRouen.  She describes the store as a place where you can “find anything and everything gift-wise.” In fact, Sway Boutique and Gifts received so much initial support that they moved to a bigger location in the same shopping center.

DeRouen emphasizes that they cater to customers of every budget and pride themselves on their friendly environment. “We want people to walk in and feel warm and welcome and leave with a smile on their face and feeling like a million bucks,” she says.

Along with home and Christmas décor items, DeRouen says the bestsellers this holiday season are diffusers and candles. Bridgewater’s Sweet Grace home fragrance collection is one of the most sought after scents to gift this year, a well as the Frasier Fir scent, which makes your home smell like a Christmas tree.  As always, Diva Glam Wash is at the top of everyone’s wish list as well.

Follow Sway Boutique & Gifts on Facebook or Instagram for information on events, or visit their website www.swayboutiquegifts.com.

L Bridal Couture

A SWLA Luxury Bridal Experience

Laurie Baynard always dreamed of opening a bridal shop. When she went shopping for her own wedding dress in 2013, there weren’t options for a luxurious bridal experience, so she opened L Bridal Couture, a small, luxury boutique, in March 2018.

A wedding dress will be a woman’s most expensive dress. Getting married is a special and pivotal moment in life. The first time a bride sees herself in a wedding dress is a beautiful moment. Baynard says, “We wanted to capture that moment and make it as memorable as possible for our brides and their families.”

L Bridal has completely private appointments, expert bridal stylists, and the newest wedding dress designs from all over the world. The boutique even has their own collection of wedding dresses called Elle by L Bridal where they collaborate with designers to create wedding dresses exclusive to their boutique! L Bridal is a packed with things a bride needs with gorgeous views of old oak trees. The store is the epitome of what it means to be a Southern bride.

Baynard says, “We wanted L Bridal Couture to be all about the bride and to create a beautiful store that she can come to and say yes to a dress with her besties and family. It is truly an honor to dress our brides for their wedding day. With engagement season in full swing (Thanksgiving to Valentine’s Day), we can’t wait to meet new brides and help make their dreams come true!”

Community support is essential for L Bridal to thrive. In addition to catering to local brides, women travel from across the state and Texas to get the L Bride Experience. “We love popping confetti with our girls when they say yes and celebrating with our signature drink, Tost!” says Baynard.

Not Just Christmas

The Holiday Shop

Not Just Christmas opened its doors in May 2022 and moved into a bigger space at 521 Alamo St. in August of this year. Owner Melinda Coker was dissatisfied that there wasn’t a local store where you could purchase Christmas décor year-round and decided to fill the void. The problem was that she loves all holidays, so she founded the holiday store.

Not Just Christmas offers special collectibles and name brands items from Jim Shore, Possible Dreams, and Karen Didion. The store also has gifts and decorations for your home. If you are looking for inspiration for your tree this year, Not Just Christmas has nine different themed trees, along with the biggest selection of holiday florals and ribbon outside of the big box stores.

The best reason to shop local at Not Just Christmas this holiday season is the uniqueness of the merchandise. The store carries minimums and that means they might only sell one or two copies of that item. This ensures your items are special.

Supporting local crafters and artists is important at Not Just Christmas. “We like to bring in products that showcase their craft and invite them to events,” says Coker. “It has been a hard year for small businesses, and everyone needs some extra love this holiday season.” One artist featured in the shop is local teacher Alison Doty with the Plaid Tractor.

Next year, Not Just Christmas will be adding more home decor to their collection and their Louisiana-themed space will grow. But no matter the time of year, the magic of Christmas can always be found at Not Just Christmas.

Lake Street Liquor

A Top Shop for Local Spirits

Lake Street Liquor is a local, woman-owned business that has served the Lake Area since the 1960s. Current owner Ashley Rozas bought the liquor store in 2021, a full circle moment since the original owner of Lake Street Liquor was her husband’s grandfather.

There are many reasons to shop locally at Lake Street Liquor, especially around the holidays. Rozas says they offer bottle engraving on certain liquors, sell pre-made gift baskets, and can customize gift baskets for your loved ones this Christmas.

Stop in at Lake Street Liquor and take advantage of their special tastings with drinks chosen specifically for the season. The shop is still hosting their regularly scheduled tastings, Cool Kid Fridays.

Rozas emphasizes, “Shopping locally is important because I believe that small businesses are the heartbeat of any small town. We are truly connected to our loyal customers and love when we can make new ones. We take pride in our customer service and making everyone feel like family when they shop with us.”

One benefit of shopping local is the customer is not only helping a small business but also helping others help others. Rozas says she gives “back into our school, charities, children, and other local businesses” out of love for the community and as a thank you for homegrown support.

Follow Lake Street Liquor on Facebook or Instagram for information on upcoming events and promotions.

Vinton Farmhouse Market

A Little Bit of Everything

Bonnie Jo Bahnsen is the owner of Vinton Farmhouse Market, LLC, a farmhouse filled with unique personal and gift items, located at 1319 Horridge St. Part indoor flea market, part vintage store and part craft studio, the SWLA store strives to blend “vintage charm with modern convenience.”

With over three dozen vendors, you can choose from a variety of custom t-shirts, vintage clothing, jewelry, lotions, soaps, fishing tackle, baked goods and more. And be sure and grab a jar of jelly made from local fruits and vegetables or some hot sauce or seasonings for your next meal.

Vinton Farmhouse Market, LLC aims to carry a wide variety of merchandise in order to appeal to as many tastes as possible. Take a tour this holiday season to find the perfect one-of-a-kind gift for your loved ones.

Connie’s Menswear

A Cut Above

Since opening in Westlake in 2011, Connie’s Menswear has been Southwest Louisiana’s go-to destination for high-quality menswear. Owner Connie Seal provides specialized craftsmanship and a shopping experience you won’t find in big-box stores.

Shop by appointment to enjoy personalized attention in a relaxed environment. Explore a curated selection of custom clothing, tailored to ensure the perfect fit without compromise. From traditional pieces like shirts and jackets to casual wear and accessories—including belts, ties, and scarves—Connie’s Menswear has something for every occasion.

This holiday season, take advantage of complimentary gift wrapping on any purchase and gift cards, making it easy to find the perfect present for the man in your life.
Experience the difference with Connie’s Menswear—where quality, style, and service come together. Schedule your appointment today!

Trés Jolie Boutique

A Children’s Emporium

Trés Jolie Boutique is a local children’s clothing boutique that has been in business since 2014. Current owner Kayla Boyett purchased the store in 2020 after shopping there for merchandise for her own children.

Located on 4070 Nelson Road, Trés Jolie carries a wide range of children’s apparel with sizes ranging from preemie to 16/18. The boutique also carries accessories such as bows and socks, and stocking stuffers for those of all ages, including mom. (She would love their bedazzled Grinch tumbler or an oyster wine stopper.) Boyett says, “You name it, we’ve probably got it.

Trés Jolie is fully decked out with Christmas merchandise, even offering Mommy and Me collections consisting of a matching sweater in a child and adult size. But don’t forget the boys. Trés Jolie has apparel for the little men in your life as well. New merchandise includes holiday shirts for Mardi Gras and crawfish boil season.
Whatever your budget, make sure to take a spin around Trés Jolie this holiday season to shop local and grab a few Christmas gifts.

Follow Trés Jolie Boutique on Facebook and Instagram for more information on promotions and in-store events.

Hokus Pokus

The Lake Area’s ‘Spiritual Advisor’

Hokus Pokus Liquors was founded in 1940 in Alexandria under the name Hokus Pokus Liquors, The House of Many Spirits. Simon “Si” Sherman, who had been working for Schenley Co. Distillers, had a dream of becoming a distillery president and owning a fine wine shop. He did just that. In fact, Hokus Pokus Liquors is one of the few liquor companies in the state that is classified as both a retailer and a wholesaler. Due to the history of the business, Hokus Pokus Liquors was able to keep their certification even after Louisiana did away with the dual license.

Now run by it’s third-generation president and owner, Gus Olah, Hokus Pokus Liquors has three locations, including the local spot at 1915 Country Club Road in Lake Charles. Olah says, “One of our taglines is ‘Service, Selection, and Savings: That’s the magic of the ghost.” With a wide array of choices of spirits including wine, tequila, and whiskey, Olah says he is always “thinking about customers who walk into the store trying to find an experience.” All locations have a walk-in humidor and a tasting bar for weekly tastings.

Be sure to stop in at Hokus Pokus Liquors for a range of options for your holiday parties!