E.J. Caire & Co. Stores

The Caire family’s association with the mercantile business begain in the 1840s, with the immigration of Jean Baptiste Caire from France. He began working as a traveling peddler along the River Road. The two-story brick, Greek Revival store was constructed in 1855 for J.L. Aubert. The ground floor featured a sales room & smaller storage room, with the upper floor having a larger storage space & a room where the store clerk lived. Over the next decade, Aubert & Caire agreed to become partners in the mercantile business, with Caire purchasing the brick building. Merchandise arrived by river via steamboats, which tied up at the store’s landing. The store operated on a balance of cash & credit purchases for local plantations & families. Hurricane Ida damaged both structures on August 29, 2-21. The brick store suffered the most damage, having its parapets & roof blown off. In early 2023, the property was sold to other members of the Caire Family, who have plans to rehabilitate both structures.