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Introduction
The parking lot was jammed with hundreds of tailgaters, typical for an autumn weekend in South Louisiana. The Don Rich Band filled the air with the melodious sound of Swamp Pop, Cajun, Zydeco, Soul, and Country songs. While a few people danced near the band stand, most folks stood in small groups enjoying chicken spaghetti, jambalaya, and beverages of their choice ([10] Cooke, 2011). The scene resembled one of the hundreds of tailgating parties that surrounded Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge only the day before when LSU's Tigers overcame Auburn's Tigers, but this party was not for football, rather it celebrated an entirely different sort of triumph. The crowds of people with the bands and the food and the fireworks came to celebrate 100 years in business for The Pierre Part Store.
"We don't know what day it was or exactly when, but the store was opened in 1911. So, we had a big celebration in April and then in October we had bands and a tail gating party in the parking lot one Sunday, which was well attended," explained Owner and President Gerald St Germain. The Pierre Part Store was in the third generation of St Germain family ownership. Along with Gerald, his younger brother, Kenneth St Germain, and older sister, Audrey Guillot, owned equal one-third shares of the business. Kenneth (age 54) was the company's secretary-treasurer and second in command. Audrey's husband, Logi Guillot (age 72), was semi-retired from the company, working one day per week and holding the title of vice president.
Recognizing that the retirement of the third generation has begun with Logi, Gerald (age 62) commented on the fourth generation, "It is hard to be fair to everybody in a family business. We need to come up with a reasonable solution for the next generation. The fourth generation in the company consists of my son (Garrett), two of Kenneth's sons, and two of Logi and Audrey's sons. One of my children, one of Ken's children, and one of Logi and Audrey's children are not in the business."
About an hour's drive or 46 miles south of Baton Rouge on LA Highway 1 and LA Highway 70, Pierre Part was the principal town of Assumption Parish. According to Kenneth...