All in the Family

articles by MICHAEL DEVAULT and MEREDITH MCKINNIE
photography by MARTIN G MEYERS

It’s no secret that times are challenging for family businesses, where owners must compete with online retailers and a nearly endless tidal wave of national branding on televisions and radio. Yet, across northeastern Louisiana, family businesses are bucking many of the trends as third-, fourth-, even fifth-generation owners continue to provide top-notch service and a down-home hospitality to their clients and customers.

This month, we wanted to take just a few minutes and highlight a few of these family enterprises, businesses with names you recognize, service you need and faces you trust. From the love and support a family needs in the hardest of times to that moment when you just want a new hunting vest, these family endeavors have become a part of the fabric of our community.

While we would love to recognize each and every family business that makes northeast Louisiana a great place to live and be, we have to recognize we can’t. So we’ve done the next best thing and picked just a few to highlight that we believe epitomize all of the great possibilities of locally owned, locally grown, and locally operated businesses. And, in true northeast Louisiana fashion, for each one of these, there are a hundred more equally worthy of praise.

KILPATRICK FUNERAL HOMES

In 1927, families who lost loved ones in Farmerville had to drive as far as Ruston or West Monroe for funeral services. Edgar and Effie Kilpatrick decided to change that and opened the first Kilpatrick Funeral Home early that year. Within just a few months, there were locations in Bernice and Ruston.

Driven by a deep desire to be of service to their community and to minister in a family’s time of need, Kilpatrick Funeral Homes quickly became the “place for healing,” and the company’s reputation grew. Not long after they graduated, the couple’s sons, K.D. and Tex, joined the family business, marking the second generation of a Kilpatrick at the helm.

Over the decades – and the company is rapidly approaching the 100-year mark, Kilpatrick Funeral Homes has continued to grow, with locations in Monroe, West Monroe, Farmerville and Ruston. Tex and K.D. bought their parents out shortly after a stroke sidelined their father, and by the 1950s, the company had expanded into a new industry: Life Insurance.

They purchased the charter for CALICO Insurance in the early 1950s, and for more than fifty years, they continued to grow the Central American Life Insurance Company.

K.D. retired in 2001, leaving just Tex and his wife, Carole, at the helm of the company. The company continued to prosper under their leadership, and by 2007 Kilpatrick Funeral Homes decided they would enter the cemetery business. They purchased Twin City Memorial Gardens in 2007, and not long after rebranded the 27-acre facility Kilpatrick Serenity Gardens. In 2008, the Kilpatricks merged CALICO with another insurance company and redoubled their focus on continuing to grow the funeral home business. At that time, the company was the largest privately-owned life insurance and casualty company in Louisiana and Arkansas.

“My father always taught us this business would draw us,” says Laura Kilpatrick Marchelos, the third generation of Kilpatricks to helm the business. “We’d come to it when we were ready.”

Today, Laura continues to learn from her father and mother, who continue to play active, vital roles in this northeast Louisiana institution. Laura became the president of the company after a successful career managing a jewelry company in New York City, where she met her husband, Zak. Laura and Zak work together in the business, where her father continues to serve as CFO and her mother is a fixture who hasn’t ceased in providing comfort to families who turn to Kilpatrick during times of loss.

“The success of Kilpatrick Funeral Homes has been our dedication to being able to learn and to listen,” Laura says. For Laura, this time-tested business has a secret to continuing to thrive and grow. “You also have to be able to change with the times – and the funeral business does change.”

Whether it’s purchasing a cemetery or changing the way people think and plan for their final arrangements, Kilpatrick remains at the fore of helping individuals and their loved ones navigate the complexities of passing. They’ve recently purchased another cemetery in Ruston, and the future is very bright for Kilpatrick.

TP OUTDOORS

The Petrus family knows a thing or three about evolving family businesses that do a great job of keeping up with the times and staying ahead of the curve. After all, they’ve been doing precisely that for 90 years.

Since 1928, the Petrus name has been synonymous with Trenton Street in West Monroe, where August Petrus opened the first Tyner-Petrus location with a partner – the eponymous Mr. Tyner. Though the Petrus family bought the partner out of the business more than 50 years ago, the family never thought to change the name. Current patriarch Wayne Petrus explains.

“We’ve never wanted to change the name because it was a well-known, trusted name in the business,” he says. Though the name has remained the same, much has changed about Tyner-Petrus over the last nine decades.

The company started as a feed store for West Monroe’s burgeoning livestock community in the 1920s and 30s, a location where cattlemen and ranchers on the west side of the river could find what they needed, when they needed it, without having to cross the river or travel too far. Very quickly, the company evolved into a full-service farm supply outfit, offering not just feed, but also agricultural seed and other farm-related products and equipment. Also, very quickly, the company outgrew its original home and moved into a new facility on Trenton Street.

By the 1950s, evolving industry in West Monroe meant Tyner-Petrus had to change, as well. The company began providing lawn-and-garden care to a new generation of customers who had homes in West Monroe and West Ouachita, but who weren’t necessarily engaged in agri-business. Though feed-and-seed and farm equipment remained a big part of the business, the Petrus family followed the market.

Another location opened on Trenton Street—the family’s third—and it specialized in wholesale lawn and garden chemicals to a string of specialty stores across the southern United States. All the while, the family continued to serve the people of West Monroe from their main location. By 1970, though, the times had changed yet again.

The Petrus family purchased the old ice house, on the corner of Mill Street and Trenton Street, just a few yards from the Louisville Bridge. Here, they would continually expand the family enterprise for another forty years, growing eventually into a full-service hardware store. Wayne says the business evolved once again in in the late 1990s, when they started selling deer corn to hunters.

“We added archery not long after, and then moved to providing a full outdoor line,” he says. Today, TP Outdoors is one of the region’s premier outdoor sports destinations, supplying hunters and fishers with everything they need in Sportsman’s Paradise. Wayne is the second generation of the Petrus family to lead the company, but he most certainly won’t be the last.

Currently, six Petrus family members spread across two generations are involved in the daily management of the store. And, there’s another generation – the fourth – who are already starting to spend their summers and free time working for the family business.

WALPOLE TIRE

Just up the road from West Monroe, nestled in the heart of Ruston, is a family business that’s not necessarily one of the oldest, but it’s certainly one of the most recognizable. Founded by J.N. Walpole, Walpole Tire and Service is the company folks in Lincoln Parish and points beyond have been turning to since the company opened its doors in 1956.
Over the course of the years, a lot has changed in automotive service. Car tires come in a lot more sizes, and that’s because cars come in many different shapes than they did when J.N. opened the doors 62 years ago. And cars are more complicated than ever before. Perhaps that’s why Walpole Tire and Service continues to be the company customers turn to.

Note the emphasis on the word service. That’s one of the keys to years of continued success for Walpole Tire and Service, according to Neal Walpole, J.N.’s son, who has been running the business for the past few years – ever since his father retired at the young age of 87.

“It’s that word, service, that I think keeps people coming back to us,” Neal tells BayouLife. “Service is the most important word. I can remember my daddy working long hours, and then he’d come home. The phone would ring, and he’d be out again to help someone out.”

When people ran into car trouble after hours, needed a tire in a pinch or just needed help with the lug nuts, Walpole Tire and Service was who they called. That’s still true today, Neal says. Now, more than ever before, the trust and care each of his employees gives is a vital part of ensuring the company remains the customer’s choice for their automotive needs.

“We’ve built sixty years of trust,” he says. “And we’re going to keep that trust.”

Each of the employees at Walpole Tire and Service are experts in their fields and in running operations at Walpole Tire, so no matter who a customer sees when they visit, they get the same, top-shelf service they’ve grown to expect.

“In Ruston, when you think of tires, you think of us,” Neal says. He adds that the Walpole name extends far beyond just Lincoln Parish, and his service staff make frequent calls as far away as Shreveport and Rayville. Put another way: it’s not just Ruston people who think “Walpole” when they think “tires.”

Over the years, cars have changed. But they still run on tires, Neal points out. That’s one of the reasons the company has remained relatively close to its roots, providing great tires and service at an affordable price. That’s also why he thinks Walpole Tire and Service is going to be around for the long(er) haul.

Neal’s brother, Steve, worked as his partner for more than 30 years, eventually opting to sell his share of the business upon retirement a few years ago. Today, the third generation of Walpole men are stepping up – and so is the fourth! Neal’s son, Danny, works in the business, as does a son-in-law, Todd. His nephew, J., is also an employee.

SONNY PANZICO’S

After 43 years in business, the name Sonny Panzico has become synonymous with gardening. Sonny developed an interest in nurseries while on the road selling products. He bought a little shop with all the inventory in the Northgate Shopping Center in 1975, then the location on Forsythe a few years later. Noticing a lot of his clientele was coming from across the bridge, Sonny opened another location in West Monroe on Arkansas Road. His most recent expansion came this year with his location in Ouachita Parish, between Monroe and Sterlington on 165 North. Sonny purchased the lot nine years ago with his son-in-law, Mark Lindstrom. Along with his daughter Cindy, the three have been in business together for the last thirty years.

Mark went to work for Sonny back in 1978, shortly after graduating from high school. Sonny had Mark clean up busted bags of mulch in the back of a trailer, thousands of bags. It took Mark two weeks, but he finished, and he surprised Sonny with his willingness to work. Mark insists he likes the “changes in this business.” With the seasons, every month brings something new. He grew up gardening with his own dad, taking botany classes in school. The roots were there. The idea for the new North Monroe location was mentioned over twenty years ago. Mark and Sonny saw an opportunity to maximize the business long before corporate stores moved into the area. But what sets Panzico’s apart is the knowledge and the service.

The new North Monroe location boasts 45,000 indoor square feet with a 10,000-square foot greenhouse. They finally have room for all the shrubs, trees, bedding plants, along with actual space for the customers to park. The store offers everything for outdoor living, including custom and pre-made outdoor kitchens and nice patio furniture. Sonny insists, the nursery is on the “right side of the highway,” so customers can stop by on their way home. In retail, he admits it’s all about, “location, location, location.” And he believes he and Mark found the right space for the business to expand. The business motto is simple: good service, good merchandise and knowledge of the product. It’s important to not keep customers waiting and tell them how to plant the stuff they select. They make sure the materials are adaptable to our climate to ensure the best chance of success. The extra attention to detail has kept his customers coming back for decades.

The family aspect is essential to the business’ future. After putting most of his life into building this business, Sonny is happy to see his legacy continue with Mark and Cindy. They build and maintained something they’re all proud of.  Mark calls Sonny his “second father,” insisting that “he always treats me like a son.” Sonny can leave something for his kids, a business and name he is proud of, and Mark and Cindy hope to one day do the same.

CAR TOWN

Car Town has been the standard of used-car buying in Ouachita Parish for over 50 years. Bill Tucker and Joe Slavant started a practice of only dealing with “quality preowned vehicles,” and though the business changed hands, that practice remains the cornerstone of Car Town today. Steve Taylor and Ken Rugg worked as used car wholesalers, and over time developed a strong relationship with Bill and Joe, eventually taking over the business in 1987. And since then, Steve, Ken and Steve’s son Dino are carrying on the Car Town way of doing business.

Dino Taylor was 16 when his father bought Car Town, and Dino began in the detailing shop. He learned to pay attention to Steve and Ken’s way of doing business, “close attention to each detail.” Dino ventured out on his own, opening Freedom Motors in West Monroe, what would eventually become the second location of Car Town. And now Dino is a, “proud partner in Car Town.” Ken’s son, Chris Rugg, is coming up in the business, much like Dino did, so the venture is a two-family affair. Dino insists working with his dad is, “Awesome, the greatest part of the day.” And Dino admits Ken Rugg is as much a second father to him in the business.

The new Car Town location is almost complete, with a projected grand opening sometime in April. Car Town offers its own warranty program and certification program to better satisfy customers. Dino insists, “You can’t shortcut quality,” and each car is carefully inspected, no skipping steps. This method creates repeat customers, as they know they are getting a good product. The community has come to trust Car Town. The little red car hoisted above the lot at the foot of the Louisville Bridge has become synonymous with quality. And it will rise again at the new building at the original location.

Steve says, “It’s an amazing thing,” to work with his son every day. They go to lunch and go over business. It’s quality time while working; most people don’t get that opportunity. Steve also notes it is great to know that the reputation he has spent all these years building will continue; and Dino knows how to carry on that legacy in the way Steve and Ken would want. Dino and Chris will make sure to continue to please Car Town’s friends and customers.

The Car Town way involves giving back. All the current partners were born here. And all the business locations exist right inside Ouachita Parish, and so the owners help the community whenever possible. Car Town has supported the Boys Club, downtown economic development, the Children’s Coalition and various school programs. They believe in investing their time to serve as well. That family business atmosphere extends to the customers, for they all feel like family when they come back to Car Town.

GENUSA’S

For the last 51 years, Genusa’s has been serving traditional Italian dishes in the Garden District in Monroe. Nestled off the beaten path, the Genusas know customers come to the restaurant intentionally, and they’ve come to expect consistency. Cherry Genusa and her late husband Francis built a legacy for their daughters, Ann Williamson and Rachel Dickey. Along with the late Francis Jr.’s daughter Ashley, the three women are the future of Genusa’s. It is in the best of hands, those that have molded the restaurant’s success for quite some time. Cherry can’t imagine running the restaurant without family, as no one would care about the business as well as her own.

A successful restaurant, “never stops breathing,” Cherry claims. It’s like a newborn baby that never grows up. It’s a lot of responsibility and time and requires a willingness from every team member to fill any needed position. And each person inside that building is a vital member of the team, keeping up the tradition. The consistency begins in the sauces, if “Mother Nature is kind to the tomatoes.” The recipes stem from the family’s Sicilian heritage, and though they are the staples, the “specials add new life” to the menu. The changes come in the wine selection. Rachel is the “wine guru,” always researching the newest products at the best prices. She developed the dramatic wine cases featured in all the dining rooms, perfected the recipes in the kitchen, and is the official tiramisu maker. Ann does relief for Ashley and is skilled in the restaurant business. She can work the line, while Ashley handles payroll. Ashley is meticulous, and her nature calms everything down. Francis Sr. insisted that Cherry bringing Ashley in was one of the wisest decisions, as Ashley “knows how to make things work.” She is the floor manager, handling reservations and the wait staff, and she’s famous for her cheesecake, a recipe she tweaked over the years.

Since 1957, the Genusas have learned “bigger is not necessarily better.” It’s good being secluded, having their own little corner. Inside the doors is a similar, secluded feel to each of the four dining rooms. With all the wine bottles on display, most of the oversized racks serve as focal points, providing a romantic ambiance. Couples set the bar high with a visit, and Genusa’s prides itself on being the pinnacle for date nights. Cherry knows, “people have to want to come here.” And the restaurant has thrived on “word of mouth.” Business has increased so much, everyone must have their own responsibilities, but with a general knowledge of all of it. They’ve tried to keep the Genusa name out there, and they’ve kept the Genusa name inside, relying on each other’s talents and abilities to adapt over the years. Family business is the only business they know, and Ann, Rachel and Ashley are proud to carry on Francis and Cherry’s legacy.

CENTRAL OIL

When William John Sherrouse and his son, William John Jr., decided to go into business, they knew that Monroe had a vital need for a quality petroleum distributor. So in 1935, the father-son duo opened Central Oil, with an emphasis on value and quality.

Today, the enterprise they founded continues to be a going and growing enterprise, now under the stewardship of the fifth generation of direct descendants, Hardeman Cordell IV and his son, Hardeman V. Over the decades and across the generations, much has changed for Central Oil, from technology to the scope of the business, but one thing remains unchanged: patience and the grace of God, which Hardeman Cordell V credits with Central Oil’s longevity.

“You find very few family-owned businesses that have lasted that long, through that many generations,” Cordell says. “It’s about being diligent in what you do, and not stepping too far outside your wheelhouse.”

The Sherrouse brothers built a reputation as fair businessmen, and over the decades, that reputation has continued to grow. Today, Central Oil is one of the premier suppliers of petroleum products in the region. The company distributes petroleum products across a broad spectrum of industries. Their trucks are a regular sight on the roads and in the parking lots of convenience stores and service stations across northeastern Louisiana. Also, they supply a host of petroleum products to the agri-business industry. A third area in which the company excels is providing commercial lubricants for the pulp and paper industry.

As with any business, Central Oil has often expanded into new lines and new areas of commerce. Over the years, that means the company diversified into fields that made sense at the time, provided their customers with the services they needed, and helped grow the business. Along the way, as the industry and customer demands changed, so too did Central Oil. They branched into peripheral industries and pursued opportunities as they presented themselves.
However, the company has always tried to remain true to its roots. That means they’ve never lost sight of the goal of being a premier petroleum distrubtor for their core customers. When a filling station has a Central Oil truck loading the tanks, customers notice. While a car owner isn’t purchasing their gas directly from Central Oil, nevertheless they recognize where that product comes from. They trust the name they’ve seen for years, and they keep coming back to that filling station, that convenient store. So these days, though, Cordell says they’re trying to take a step back and assess their direction and make sure they’re staying on top of that core business.

“Over the last 24 to 36 months, we’ve made an effort to focus on our core business, to shed the ‘shiny things’ that we’ve pursued over the years, and to really get back to the basics,” he says. “Being able to do that is part of the key to being around this long. You really have to focus on doing what you do and doing it well.”

KELLY PLUMBING

In 1928, Ernest Kelly recognized an opportunity: Monroe was booming, and so, too, was the housing market. Commerrical and residential buildings were springing up all over the place, and in every one, hundreds of feet of pipe needed maintaining. So he founded Kelly Plumbing, and the rest is history.

Ninety years later, Ernest’s company name is synonymous with quality plumbing service. The company’s fleet of seafoam green trucks are a near-perpetual sight on the streets of Monroe and West Monroe, where homeowners, landlords, and property managers know the name they can turn to when they have a plumbing emergency.

For Kelly Plumbing, the secret to their longevity is pretty simple: just get the job done, charge a fair price and stand by your work. That’s the philosophy Bobby Kelly approaches each day with.

“Part of it is just showing up and taking care of their problems,” says Bobby, Ernest Kelly’s grandson. “Sometimes it can be overwhelming, but you’ve just got to keep on working.”

Plumbing is one of the critical services people need, but they don’t plan on needing it. So when a situation arises, it’s usually a crisis. Response is key, and by bringing knowledgeable service and a reputation for providing quality work to the job site, customers are able to relax a little, knowing they’re in good hands, Bobby says. You also have to have a good sense of humor, it seems, as Bobby perpetually cracks jokes – almost always at his own expense.

When asked the secret of how they’ve kept Kelly Plumbing in the family for three generations now, he laughs that they had “no better sense” to go do something else. The truth, for his grandfather, his father and now himself is one of the key ingredients to the company’s longevity and position in the industry.

“I enjoy what I do,” Bobby says. “I’ve been doing it for 27 years.”

When plumbing fails, customers can panic. They have water leaking into their homes, their businesses and water on carpet, walls, or ceilings is bad news. Sometimes, it’s as simple as a clogged toilet interrupting a dinner party.

Whenever that plumbing disaster strikes, though, time is money for customers. They want reliable service, fast. And that’s what the Kelly family has been delivering for decades.

Though he’s all about the plumbing business today, Bobby attended ULM for a few terms before deciding to join the family business. By that time, his father, Bob Kelly, was nearing retirement. Bobby couldn’t imagine the town without Kelly Plumbing.

“My dad was getting older, and either he was going to close it down or someone had to take it over,” Bobby explains. “So I took over in 1991.”

Since then, his son, Robbie Kelly (that’s Robert Kelly III for those keeping count), joined the business, and one day, Bobby knows he’ll pass the torch to his son. And while that’s a long way off, Bobby is pretty sure he’ll wait until he hits 87 to do so.

NOW SAVE STORES

Karl Dhaliwal came to Monroe in 1982, with a degree in biology and no background in business. With grit, fervor and extreme hard work, with a “No for failure,” he started with one convenience store in South Monroe working 18 hours a day by himself. Today he has over 20 c-stores with multiple partners, under the Now Save umbrella.

His 3 children, born and raised in Monroe, have joined in his vision and venture. Karl and his wife Sookham told their daughter Simran and sons, Arjun and Neel, to follow their dreams. Simran Dhaliwal Emaus, Arjun Dhaliwal and his wife Satveer, returned to Monroe and are now deeply vested in the family business, while Neel’s dreams have taken him to Tulane Law School. While Karl and Sookham did scale back when the kids were growing up, spending time with them, they are now in full growth mode. Karl admits they are working harder than ever before.

With new locations coming up in Monroe and Sterlington, the Dhaliwal’s feel their success is a result of catering to the needs of the community. Karl insists the key to business longevity is staying in touch with the customers and adapting to people’s changing needs. A good business owner listens to what his customers want. If someone requests a product, it is likely that it is added to the shelves. If Simran hears that a customer found a product cheaper elsewhere, she will negotiate pricing and try to match it. Karl said they feel that it is important to be vested in the community where one lives, and therefore the Dhaliwal’s try to give back through programs in area schools and other local charitable organizations. Customers are all treated the same, for Karl insists, “respect is earned.” This is something Simran is learning in this male-dominated area of business. She often receives emails addressed, “Dear, Gentlemen,” and it’s teaching her to accept change and yet to be that change.

The Dhaliwals’ success is attributed to the team effort by all involved. Simran says of Sookham, “In many homes, the mother is the backbone of the family. This is true of our mother, when it comes to our business as well as our household.” Karl notes the family bond ties them to give their best to the business. Simran insists her dad always says, “we,” believing in the group effort. Each team member must be able to do everything, from mopping the floors to negotiating with vendors to lenders. No job is too small, and all the parts make the whole.

Regardless of success, Karl says one must not forget one’s humble beginnings. Simran often wonders, “How am I ever going to do in my lifetime what my dad has done in his?” Building that legacy drives the children to keep the growth momentum and the business to forge ahead. The Dhaliwal family bond is the core of this business, which solidifies its success.