Gabby Loubiere

Owner: Brew Ha-Ha!
711 Jefferson Hwy. Ste 2-A
Baton Rouge, La 70806
Phone 923-1923
Email: brewhahainc@bellshout.net

"Have you had a Ha Ha today?"

Gabby Loubiere always dreamed of owning a small grill or bar where people would gather. But not wanting the hassle of serving alcohol or all the cooking involved with a grill, a coffee shop seemed ideal to her. The original plan was a 50/50 business arrangement with a friend, but "at the last moment the friend bailed." The Feltzers, who owned the shopping center then, really wanted a coffee shop there. They encouraged Loubiere to open up as sole owner. She feels this was the best thing that could have happened. When the store became vacant, her stepfather came in to oversee the remodeling. They pulled everything off the walls and started over. She likes being sole owner and having the freedom to make changes as she sees fit. She recently repainted the interior in only three days. "I honestly don't drink much coffee, no more than one or two a day; I was just born with a ton of energy."

The company description of Brew Ha-Ha! is Coffee, Teas and More. And yes, the punctuation is part of the official logo. They feature a large variety of coffees, teas and additives plus a lot of homemade sweets. "The desserts sell pretty quickly; my Double Chocolate Walnut Bars is the customers' favorite followed closely by my homemade Banana Pudding and Mississippi Mud Pie." She buys everything locally, serving Community Coffee as well as muffins and bagels from local bakeries. She does not try to compete with the large chain coffee shops; she wants to attract people who will sit and chat. The shop has wi-fi, so customers may use their laptops. If the place is too noisy for studying there is a small back room where the door can be shut to provide a little privacy. Lined with banquette seating, the room is also perfect for small bookclubs or other informal meetings. Those who want to use it for such a purpose should call ahead to assure availability.

The store is open from 6 AM to 10 PM, but the majority of Loubiere's business is morning and afternoon. She is working on ways to bring in more people in the evenings. They host a songwriter event every Sunday night; each person is given 30 minutes on stage to sing their original songs. "The songwriters appreciate having a place to perform their music, and I've been very impressed with the talent." A Poetry Program in conjunction with the Big Buddy is in the works. "I'd like to start a Poetry night where poets, especially younger ones, could read their own work." Every other Saturday morning Miss Dorothy, who plays, keyboard banjo, etc, does sing-alongs for children. She provides homemade percussion instruments, like plastic eggs with pebbles taped inside, and encourages the children to join in on songs that teach them manners, alphabet, etc. Loubiere has also turned the shop into an art gallery which offers a place for students at the LSU art school or other local artists to sell their work. They rotate the works every two or three months. "Our pieces run between $150 and $1000 and we usually sell two to five a month."

Loubiere worked in the food service industry during college, where she earned a degree in Marketing, and again after a brief career doing marketing for Credit Bureau of Baton Rouge. She likes getting to know people and is on a first name basis with most of her patrons. She keeps their "get one free" cards and stamps them when they come in to order. "Goodwood Village shopping center has a small-town feel about it." The surrounding neighborhoods are older and the people have been there a long time. She likes the feeling of neighbors visiting and drinking coffee. She is not trying to get rich quick, just meet her payroll and keep her bills paid.

When asked if she had attended "coffee mixing" school, Loubiere laughs. She credits her manager Stacy Hennessey as the one who helped her get started and have a successful shop. Hennessey had several years experience in a large coffee chain as do her other three employees. When she was planning to open, Hennessey asked what kind of chai the shop was going to order. "I did not know what this popular tea was, much less how successful a product it would be." Loubiere works the counter about thirty-two hours a week, but as a small business owner she puts in many more hours keeping up with the financial side as well preparing the baked goods. Some of the business details can be boring, but mostly she has fun operating Brew Ha Ha! "I can still visit with my customers while cleaning, restocking, doing inventory and ordering."

Loubiere is optimistic about the future of Mid-City. New businesses are moving in and older established ones are growing and getting exterior face lifts. She says Goodwood Village will be 100% occupied in July. Most of the businesses are Mom and Pop businesses like hers and she likes the feeling of community. She is a member of the Mid-City Merchants Association, Volunteers of America, and on the board of the 1st United Methodist church.

As a working wife/mother with two small children, Loubiere has very little spare time. If she does find a few hours free, she spends it with her girls, "coloring and playing with My Little Ponies." Her girls also love books, and she feels libraries are a very important resource. Loubiere enjoys home magazines like Southern Living and likes to sneak a peek at Tabloids when no one is watching. "It's a guilty pleasure reading the funny and outrageous stories." People is her favorite magazine for keeping up with celebrities. Currently she is reading Sandra Brown's latest book and trying to work her way through a nonfiction book, A New Earth, which is Oprah's current selection.

Loubiere's personal philosophy is simple - to be the best she can be and to treat others as she wants to be treated. She's also a firm believer in the saying--life is what's happing when you're busy making plans. Naturally gregarious and upbeat, Loubiere tries not to brood when she gets the rare customer in a bad mood. "Usually a shot of caffeine and one of my brownies cheers them up, but I try not to overstress about it." The next patron will be happy to see her. From the whimsical name of the shop to the brightly colored walls covered with art, everything in her business is geared toward making people smile. "Have you had a Ha Ha today?"

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