The Sparks Behind Louis and Steen’s
As loyal customers, you have become acquainted with Louis and Steen via our Specialty Coffee, Cajun/Creole food, great customer service, and friendly-family environment. However, for me, Louis and Steen were much more; they were my parents whom I knew as “Daddy and Ma”. You have been able to visit Louis and Steen’s New Orleans Coffee House located in the Bahamas and have remarkable experiences as a result of many accumulated incidents, events, and occurrences that were a part of my life. The pleasures you and your family/friends experience today are small sparks of training, integrity, love, God-fearing faith, creativity, and strong work ethics that have ignited a modern brand with ole time standards of love, community, family, faith, food, and pure fun. Thus, I write and share these clips of my life with Louis and Steen, (Daddy and Ma), to connect you more intimately to the Louis and Steen’s brand you follow and support.
Joyce Carter-Russell (Daughter of Louis Carter Sr. & Earnestine Carter)
Louis Carter Sr. & Earnestine Carter (Centre), Joyce Carter-Russell (Directly above Louis Afro), along with her brothers & sisters - Erma, Brian, Christine, Ann, Louis Jr,, Denise, her husband Larry Russell Sr. (above), and her brothers & sister in-law - Ross, Stanley, Elaine
“Sitting with Daddy as he sipped his evening espresso after a long day at Carter’s Store, the cross-town food store he single-handedly built and operated, was an especially joyful time I looked forward to everyday. I always knew Daddy would save me a “sip of his sip” of Louisiana Community Coffee, a favorite of every household. Of course my sister and I were always competing to return Daddy’s cup to the kitchen to drink the “sip” we knew he had left us against Ma’s instruction. This was the first spark that roused my love for coffee, conversation, and comfort.”
Left to Right - Larry Russell, Joyce Carter-Russell, Earnestine Carter, Louis Carter Sr.
Left to Right - Quinn Russell, Davin Russell, Louis Carter Sr. (Paw Paw), Earnestine Carter (Maw), Joyce Carter-Russell, Dr. Larry Russell Jr.
“I grew up riding from school with Ma who stopped by Carter’s Store daily to greet Daddy before going home. Ma was a school teacher, who also was my 2nd grade teacher. I don’t recommend anyone having your mother as your classroom teacher, but there was only one 2nd grade class! Long story short, Elmer Poke, a student who sat directly behind me, and who had a tremendous crush on me, pulled my long ponytail that dangled on his desk, to get a precious moment of my attention. And boy oh boy, he surely got my attention! I turned and punched his nose causing blood to gush all over his desk. Everybody including Mrs. Carter, (Ma), my classmates, and myself were stunned and afraid. Well of course, Mrs. Carter, (Ma), was concerned, upset and embarrassed! Her little cute, smart, well-behaved daughter had become the worst child in the class! For me, the most unforgettable part of this story was Ma used her strap and gave me 2 lickings in my hand in front of all my classmates! On this particular drive to the store after school, I pretended I was asleep in the back seat, but when I saw Daddy, I bursted out crying telling him Ma spanked me at school! After Daddy got to the bottom of everything, he told Ma she shouldn’t have spanked me, because it wasn’t intentional, and then he led me into the store and gave me my favorite, “an ice cream sandwich”. Now on his return home from work that night, he continued comforting me with our special coffee time. This made me forget about my pride and forgive Ma”! Of course “Elmer Poke”, (his real name), had gotten the “poke” of his life, but as Scripture states, “Love covers a multitude of sins”, and he gladly forgave me”.
Left to Right - Christine Carter-Williams (Sister), Joyce Carter-Russell
Louis Carter Sr. (Top Right Corner), his brothers and sisters, Joyce Carter-Russells Aunts & Uncles
“Besides the one ill-mannered 2nd grade school incident, I was a good student; motivated, intelligent, well mannered, and well liked. I caught on fast with my school work. However, it was Daddy that taught me how to “make change”, as he called it. I was with him at the store one day when he taught me how to count aloud the change due customers after a purchase. During those days, there was no POS technology to count for you. I remember being so excited about “making change” that I would play at home with my cousins an imaginary game called “Carter’s Market”. Unknown to me, this was another seed planted that would later spark an entrepreneurial spirit to erupt as Louis and Steen’s.
“Now I don’t want to cause confusion and lead you to believe that you are enjoying Louis and Steen’s primarily because of Louis’ deeds. No, not at all! They were a team for 62 years, until Ma passed at 81 years. Everyday afterwards for 6 years, Daddy declared he was dying and passed at the age of 87. During those 6 years, it was hardly a day that passed that he didn’t express how much he missed Ma.
Jose R Caridad of Spain - Father of Louis Carter Sr - Grand Father of Joyce Carter-Russell
Joyce Carter-Russell, Larry Russell Sr., Dr. Larry Russell Jr., Quinn Russell, Davin Russell
Ma, a school teacher and visionary, was always the spark behind Daddy that led him to be a successful businessman, Pastor, and community leader. Ma was a worker who used her gifts beyond the classroom— with family, church, business, and community. As she always worked to raise money for church auxiliaries, my sister and I became her number one sales persons. In the summer, we set up a snowball stand on the corner of Stovall Street in the midst of the neighborhood. I actually liked selling snowballs because I got to see and talk to my cousins who were my classmates and best friends, as well as some of the boys we all had crushes on since we were not allowed to talk on the phone. We also had to help Ma in the kitchen whenever she prepared catfish and chicken dinners, sweet Potato pies, pecan candy, and brownies to sell. Then, as we learned to drive, we delivered food to Ma’s faithful customers. This was done on weekends and during summers. By this time, my pride had reappeared and I hated delivering food, and sometimes she just said we were to take the dinners to the lumberyard and just wait until they were sold! This was not at all how my sister and I wanted to be known among our peers”! Not Chic at all!
There are so many things which happened that have influenced and sparked the culture of Louis and Steen’s, which I will continue to share with you in “The Sparks Behind Louis and Steen’s”. Stay Connected as we continue to brew love!
Joyce Carter-Russell at age 10
Dr Larry Russell Jr, Joyce Carter-Russell, Larry Russell Sr.