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Local dessert store favorite Zack’s is celebrating 40 years of bringing the community delicious homemade ice cream, frozen yogurt, gelato, and more! The Houma-based shop will be marking this milestone with a big move to a new location, complete with exciting upgrades and a new look.
Zack’s was originally founded in 1983 as a family-friendly, locally-owned dessert shop on West Park Avenue. “Zack’s was started by another family, but my father and brother bought it in January of 2000,” explained current partner Joe Boudreaux. “I was only 17 at the time, but I worked at Zack’s as a floor employee and then manager to gain experience.”
In 2003, during his time at Nicholls State University, Boudreaux realized he wanted to start his career as a small business owner. “I decided that I wanted to work for myself,” explained Boudreaux. “So I bought Zack’s from my Dad and have been running it ever since.” From there, Boudreaux opened up several more Zack’s locations, and continued to successfully lead the business, even meeting his wife Lauren at the ice cream shop 17 years ago.
However, Zack’s steady West Park Avenue location took a beating during Hurricane Ida in 2021. “We lost everything,” said Boudreaux. “We decided not to reopen that store due to the damage, which was a sad end to a long chapter. But we kept the name going strong at our St. Charles location. However, what happens when you go from two locations to one is that things become a lot busier!”
Following a need for a larger space, Boudreaux and his team were able to secure a bigger unit right next to their original storefront on St. Charles. The new location will have double the seating capacity, beanbag chairs and sofas, a milkshake bar, a drive through, a stage for live music, wall art by muralist Kassie Voisin, and more. “This new location is years of ideas coming to fruition,” explained Boudreaux. “We want to create the ultimate frozen-yogurt experience for our customers. We are so excited for everything coming up.”
Boudreaux also wishes to thank everyone who has helped make the move and upgrade for Zack’s possible– Justin and Lea Ratley, Randy Hawthorne, Joseph Teuton, and Boudreaux’s wife Lauren. Zack’s new location is set to host a soft-launch sometime in the upcoming week, with a big 40th anniversary/grand opening later in the year. For more information and to stay up-to-date on Zack’s opening progress, please visit their Facebook page.
