History--Strawn’s Eat Shop

 

Mr. Strawn opened Strawn’s Eat Shop in 1944 in Shreveport, LA, across from the Centenary College campus. In 1958, Mr. Strawn sold the restaurant to Gus Alexander. Under Gus’s leadership, Lula McCoy “The Fried Chicken Maker”, Ella Hamilton “The Pie Lady”, and Gladys Duncan “The Great Waitress” joined him to make Strawn’s Eat Shop a success. It was during this time that Strawn’s became known as a “Shreveport Tradition.”

 

In 1988, Buddy and Nancy Gauthier bought the restaurant from Gus. 

Legend has it Buddy won the restaurant in a poker game from Gus, a rumor which Buddy has always denied. In 1992 The Gauthiers expanded Strawn’s Eat Shop from seating 50 people to 150 people.   

In 2001 Strawn’s became an extended family tradition when Celeste, The Gauthier’s oldest daughter, opened Strawn’s Too at 1643 E. 70th St. in Shreveport (this location relocated to 7803 Youree Drive in 2017) and in 2004, when their youngest daughter, Heather, opened Strawn’s Also in Bossier City at 2335 Airline Dr.. Wes, The Gauthier’s oldest son, moved back in 2009 to take over the original location at 125 Kings Hwy.

 

Southern Living Magazine featured Strawn’s Eat Shop’s famous icebox pies in 1994, 2003, 2009, and 2017, as week as The Food Network on March 10th 2003, and “The Best Of.” 

In 2011, Strawn’s was named “Shreveport’s #1 Most Iconic Restaurant.”

To this day, Strawn’s collects accolades from varying publications, but the true rewards come from its faithful customers, who dine with them many times a week, if not a day.