Claiborne Parish is dead. (Lafayette, Farmerville: houses, live, restaurants)

[Chris19]

Originally Posted by BRMan

And I will say it was an eye opener when we drove out west and discovered that in West Texas, you can easily go 100 miles between exits that have gas/motels/restaurants. So given that, the 50 mile stretches in some places where there is nothing along I-49 doesn't seem so bad.

Not to me, although the area I live has towns normally 6-10 miles from each other. I have been though areas of South Dakota where a person can go the similar distance without seeing much as your post mentioning about West Texas.

A lot like I-80 in Wyoming west of Laramie and I-15 though a good chunk of Utah. Between Brush, Colorado and Limon, Colorado-73 miles of no gas stations period, just two towns in between with a dozen building or less along with a handful of ranches and that is about it (in the high plains).

I personally like Louisiana and the the South better. More places to stop, more historical stuff, and more local foods. I like the trees and green instead of the dry and moonlike landscapes.

It is interesting to see the different perspectives. The other perspectives are not wrong, but relative to what one is used to.

I find it odd that in my county in South Dakota, it has about 40,000 people (and has about doubled since 2000) and is the third largest county population wise in the state and it has no Wal-Mart. But it is next to the state's largest county that has two Wal-Mart Supercenters in a city of 150,000 (Sioux Falls), which part of the city spills into the county I live in.

I thought it was odd in Louisiana and other states down south having Wal-Mart Supercenters in smaller towns (less than 6,000 people) (and this was back in 1999), while most of our Wal-Marts (the super ones did not come until late 2001-2005 time frame) up in my region were in cities well over 10,000 (and very few in cities under 10,000 back in the late 1990s). Is Winn-Dixie still in Lousiana? I can remember seeing one north of Hammond back in the late 1990s.

[darylwi]

It appears Winn-Dixie is dying a slow death. I don't think they've built any new stores since that last rush of stores they built a few years back, including the new one in Plaquemine that has already shut its doors. I don't see the commercials on tv either anymore.

Wal-Mart is more prone in the south I think mostly because it originated in the south, Arkansas, and it was meant to be the cookie-cutter, city-wide, corner general store before it turned into what it is today. Then the supercenter was introduced, and they started multiplying like rabbits.

[ral31]

I don't think Grant Parish has a Wal-Mart or even a McDonald's.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by darylwi

It appears Winn-Dixie is dying a slow death. I don't think they've built any new stores since that last rush of stores they built a few years back, including the new one in Plaquemine that has already shut its doors. I don't see the commercials on tv either anymore.

To me, Winn-Dixie was like Delchamps - they didn't have anything really
special to offer the grocery buying public. In BR anyway, Wal-Mart/Target have better prices, while Albertsons has a better selection of meats. So in the old (pre big box days) days, when all you had as competition was A & P/Superfresh, there was room for mediocrities like Winn-Dixie and Delchamps. But now that there are way more choices here in BR (the stores listed above plus "Whole Paycheck" and Fresh Market), about all Winn-Dixie has going for it is its crawfish boudin

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by BRMan

And I will say it was an eye opener when we drove out west and discovered that in West Texas, you can easily go 100 miles between exits that have gas/motels/restaurants. So given that, the 50 mile stretches in some places where there is nothing along I-49 doesn't seem so bad.

Good point, this does put it into perspective. My wife is from west Texas and she has told me what it's like out there when some communities are spread so far from civilization that it's not even funny.

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by SBCmetroguy

Good point, this does put it into perspective. My wife is from west Texas and she has told me what it's like out there when some communities are spread so far from civilization that it's not even funny.

And then those communities may have 1-5,000 people in them. Like I said, if you ever want to take the 580 miles of I-10 from San Antonio to El Paso, figure out where you need to fill up and don't play "uncle" with the gas gague !

[MetroBTR]

Originally Posted by BRMan

To me, Winn-Dixie was like Delchamps - they didn't have anything really
special to offer the grocery buying public. In BR anyway, Wal-Mart/Target have better prices, while Albertsons has a better selection of meats. So in the old (pre big box days) days, when all you had as competition was A & P/Superfresh, there was room for mediocrities like Winn-Dixie and Delchamps. But now that there are way more choices here in BR (the stores listed above plus "Whole Paycheck" and Fresh Market), about all Winn-Dixie has going for it is its crawfish boudin

Whole Paycheck is about right. Whole Foods is right near my house but I try to stay away from it. Let the yuppies go blow their whole paycheck...I think I'll keep my money lmao.

[WestbankNOLA]

Winn-Dixie and Rouses is all we really have to choose from here unless you go to Wal-Mart and Rouses can be pricey. There maybe a Sav-A-Lot or Breaux Mart here or there but for the most part its Winn-Dixie.

I don't know what parish seats have Wal-Marts but compared to some of the small towns in Louisiana I've driven through Claiborne has a nice assortment (small but nice) of stuff to choose from. I'd take Sonics, Pizza Hut and Fred's any day over one Pure gas station and MawMaw's Boudin and Cracklin as the only stores in the entire town.

[HeatherLA104]

Grant parish has NOTHING not EVEN a mcdonalds. only real restaurant is darrels i think. in colfax

[TnTBENE06]

I am fresh from open minded living in "city" living from jacksonville,FL. and knoxville, TN. and this is hard to cope with at times. Yes I soooo understand the high prices to the available and easy access too supercenters like walmarts and their competition this is very ahrd to adjust to. For Haynesville to be in a major page cite like "Haynesville Shale" I am suppressed to this sort of living change from the choice of the economy and scarcity of jobs for the skills trades to supposedly popular on site to well almost what in the world these peoplelive here never have been anywhere and think that living is cheap. It costs gas to go to the cheap shopping it costs to buy the quality to raise children in the activities it costs so much in gas to just go for entertainment for kids and relationships. What in the world and how can people live their whole lives without living in the city or a city without the amenities of the rest of the country??!!??!!?? I am so ahocked that most have been here without diversity and think that the world is lost. Most are so closed minded to the world here makes me think who here actually takes the time to help SPREAD the positive that can grow? I wonder how can anyone fall in love and really be without ahring that love and positive with the rest of the world. This small town has capability of love, but absolutely no ability to share that with the reat of the world and in turn shuns the reat of the world out with their closed minds. Which in turns makes this just another depressing town to add to the map. The "Haynesville Shale" which is supposedly so popular is just a forte' and an example of working and no values. Exactly what our past has shown and absolutely no diversity. Marshall Law. Old and failed. Stuck and Dieing. What is to come from this beautiful potential uncombing?