The JW Low’s lunch counter is a favorite memory of many from Opelousas. Thinking of it brings up memories of cherry colas, biscuits, lunches, and the nearby candy counter. For me, the memory of JW Low’s brings memories of Mom working there when we lived in Opelousas. Mom took this photo in 1953 or 1954 when she worked there while Dad was on his first Army tour of Korea before I or my siblings were born.
While pregnant with my firstborn, Chris, I would go to the lunch counter after my doctor’s appointment. Mom worked there then, and she would treat me to coffee and biscuits. At that time, JW Low’s had been there for about thirty years. It lasted about four or five more years from when I had Chris.
As a child, my memories of it were going to JW Low’s to meet up with Mom when my grandmother would take me and my older brother, Glenn, shopping. The store had a lunch counter, fish, candy, toys, housewares, music albums, sewing fabric, and more. It was the center of a “mini-mall” in that it could be accessed from the west on Court Street, on the east on Main Street, the north from Abadalla’s store, and the south by East Landry Street.
Once, Mom took us to the owner’s office, Mrs. Audrey Low, so that we could meet her. I was four years old at the time, and I was in awe of being in an office as well as being in awe of meeting her.
After going to the Saturday matinee at the Delta Theater on Market Street, Glenn and I would cross from Market Street by the Court House to Court Street to enter JW Low’s on the west side. Our grandparents brought us to the movies; then we met Mom at JW Low’s to go home with her after the movies. We usually got some kind of treat, including candy and sometimes a fish for our aquarium.
As I got older, I and others from Standard Fittings often went to the lunch counter for lunch with Boston cream pie for dessert.
A center place of memories for us.
