Red Stick Spice Company, located in Jefferson Plaza shopping center, carries spices in flavors from anise seed to wasabi; custom blends and rubs; vinegars and oils; various sea salts; and artisan foods. The store also features a wide variety of loose teas which customers can have blended to taste. "This is a place where people can expand their palates," says Lee. "Most people think of spice and they think, 'hot stuff,' but it can be much more than that." 

One of the unique features of their shop is that they are willing to sell any amount of their spices, taking the risk out of trying out a new spice. "Basically, our concept is that a person can find a recipe online or in a magazine and come to our store to get just the amount they need to try it." Other stores require you to buy prepackaged containers with much more than you need. "Basically, it's a waste of money, especially if you do not like the recipe." The Easterwoods are hoping that customers will be back to try other things even if the recipe doesn't work out. 

The Easterwoods got the idea for the Red Stick Spice Company when they lived in Southern California.  Lee had a client who owned a spice shop and another client in the olive oil business. "We thought--why not combine the two?" says Gloria. Through these contacts, they are personally acquainted with many of their suppliers. "All of our hand-stuffed olives, muffaletta spreads and olive oils come directly from farms in California." They are currently focused on acquiring locally made artisan foods such as Omi's Creole Remoulade Sauce and Louisiana Sisters Pepper Jelly which they found through the Edible Enterprise program. (Edible Enterprise is a business incubator which provides opportunities for local cooks to prepare unique foods in an FDA-approved commercial kitchen. www.edibleenterprises.org)

They chose Baton Rouge partly because of the food culture in this state. "When we first moved to Baton Rouge, we immediately knew this was our home. The people are great, the food is great and the landscape is beautiful.  All of our best friends live here and when we got the chance to move back, we did. We plan on retiring here." The biggest challenge they have faced here was finding the "perfect" location. 

The Easterwoods have found the business community welcoming and they have already developed community relationships. Starting in May, Red Stick Spice Co. will be hosting O.N.E. Weigh cooking classes for the Digestive Health Center located here in Baton Rouge. They will also begin holding cooking classes in June for the general public. These classes are geared to provide individuals with knowledge and support of good eating habits. "Hopefully, this will be just the beginning of our own ‘Food Revolution' for good health," Gloria says. Their advice to others starting a business is to do your research and know the market area of your business. "Do a Business Plan to know how much money you need for start up costs and then raise twice as much." 

Lee enjoys reading books by movers and shakers in the business world like Jack Welch, but Gloria says most of their current reading involves cookbooks. They both devour issues of Cooks Illustrated magazine and surf the web for articles and news related to their business. They expect Red Stick Spice to be tempting Baton Rouge's taste buds for many years to come.