Olde Tyme Grocery : A Lafayette Tradition More Than Four Decades in the Making
- Bayou State Media
- 3 hours ago
- 6 min read
Updated: 7 minutes ago
Photo By: Bayou State Media Staff
From Neighborhood Grocery Store to Community Icon
For generations of Lafayette residents, University of Louisiana students, faculty, staff, and visitors, Olde Tyme Grocery has been a familiar name.
Today, Olde Tyme Grocery is owned and operated by Ross Murphree, who continues the legacy established by his father, Glenn Murphree. During our Louisiana Food Tour visit, Ross shared the story behind how a small neighborhood grocery store evolved into one of Lafayette's most recognizable restaurants.
Known today for its classic Louisiana poboys, Olde Tyme Grocery's story began long before it became a restaurant.
In 1982, Glenn Murphree purchased Olde Tyme Grocery. At the time, the business featured aisles of canned goods, produce, and five small grocery carts. Before Glenn purchased the store, it had operated as a neighborhood grocery store for more than 50 years.
Over the years, Olde Tyme Grocery evolved from a small grocery store into what Ross describes as an iconic poboy shop and a lasting part of Lafayette's food culture.
Glenn Murphree's Path to Lafayette
According to Ross, his father moved to Lafayette in 1978 to attend the University of Southwestern Louisiana, now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.
While attending USL, Glenn completed several semesters and was a member of the Theta Xi Fraternity. Although he eventually left college without graduating, Lafayette had already become home.
Ross noted that his father was no longer attending college when he purchased Olde Tyme Grocery in 1982.
When the Restaurant Was Also Home
The Olde Tyme Grocery customers know today looked very different in its early years.
According to Ross, the original grocery store occupied only what is now considered the lobby and part of the kitchen. The deli case sat on the opposite side of the building, while grocery aisles lined both the walls and center of the store.
Parts of the building also served as living quarters.
What is now the dining room and fry kitchen were once two separate apartments. Glenn lived in what are now the restaurant's restrooms, while the current snowball stand served as his kitchen.
In those early years, friends helped keep the operation running. They rotated shifts behind the deli counter making poboys and selling groceries. While one person worked, others might be spending time in Glenn's room playing Atari.
Serving Students and the Community
Ross explained that USL was still a relatively small university in those days, with much of the campus community centered around Saint Mary Boulevard.
Many of Olde Tyme's early customers were professors and longtime neighborhood residents who lived nearby.
As Glenn began selling affordable poboys, college students quickly became regular customers as well.
According to Ross, students could purchase a whole poboy and a beer or soft drink for around three dollars.
The Story Behind the Name
While many people associate the name Olde Tyme Grocery with the Murphree family, the name actually predates their ownership.
Ross explained that the business originally operated as St. Mary Grocery for many years.
The owner who sold the store to Glenn had owned it for only a few months before changing the name from St. Mary Grocery to Olde Tyme Grocery.
When Glenn purchased the business in 1982, the name came with it.
A Snowball Stand Love Story
Not long after purchasing the store, Glenn opened a snowball stand.
Around 1983 or 1984, one of the snowball stand employees needed someone to cover her shifts while she was out of town. When Glenn asked if she knew anyone who could help, she recommended her roommate, Cheri.
Cheri volunteered to fill in for the week.
According to Ross, that introduction led to his parents meeting for the first time and eventually building both a family and a business together.
More Than Pictures on the Wall
Visitors to Olde Tyme Grocery will notice photographs displayed throughout the restaurant. Many of the photographs feature family members, friends, fraternity brothers, employees, and community members who have been part of the restaurant's story over the years.
Ross said those photographs represent more than 45 years of hard work, sacrifice, and support from the community.
They also serve as reminders of countless memories and stories that helped shape Olde Tyme Grocery into what it is today.
As Ross put it, add in a few stories that probably cannot be repeated, and you have what has become an icon of the community and a regionally recognized brand.
A Tradition for Generations of UL Students
For many University of Louisiana students, Olde Tyme Grocery has become a tradition.
Ross describes the restaurant as a rite of passage for many students.
Some customers grew up eating at Olde Tyme before attending UL themselves. Others discover that parents, siblings, or relatives were customers years earlier. In some cases, family members even worked there.
The restaurant takes pride in providing a place that feels like home for university students and staff.
Starting college can be a major adjustment, and Ross says Olde Tyme has long aimed to be a place where students can enjoy a quality meal at a fair price while feeling welcomed.
He also believes one reason Olde Tyme has endured is because it has always been a melting pot of people.
Whether customers or employees, people from all walks of life have found their way through Olde Tyme's doors, united by a love of a good poboy.
What Olde Tyme Grocery Is Known For
Today, Olde Tyme Grocery is best known for its classic Louisiana poboys served on fresh Langlinais French bread.
According to Ross, the restaurant's Fried Shrimp Poboy remains its most popular item, accounting for more than 60 percent of business.
Other customer favorites include the Olde Tyme Special, featuring ham, turkey, roast beef, and Swiss cheese, as well as the Meatball Poboy.
For first-time visitors, Ross says you can't go wrong with any of the three.
A Legacy Built on Faith, Family, and Community
When reflecting on the legacy of Olde Tyme Grocery, Ross points to something larger than the restaurant itself.
He describes it as the American dream — the story of a man from humble beginnings who, through hard work, a commitment to the community, a deep love of family, and a strong faith in God, transformed a small grocery store into a well-known Lafayette restaurant.
Today, Olde Tyme Grocery remains part of the heartbeat of Lafayette and the University of Louisiana community.
More than four decades after Glenn Murphree purchased the business, Ross Murphree continues carrying that legacy forward. While much has changed over the years, the values that helped build Olde Tyme Grocery remain the same.
Ross credits the restaurant's success to the sacrifices made by Glenn and Cheri, the support of the community, and God's grace.
More than four decades later, Olde Tyme Grocery continues serving the community that helped make it a Lafayette icon.
Watch Our Interview with Ross Murphree
As part of our Louisiana Food Tour series, Bayou State Media sat down with Ross Murphree, owner of Olde Tyme Grocery, to learn more about the history of this Lafayette staple, its roots in the community, and how the restaurant has continued to thrive through generations of loyal customers.
Check out a preview of our conversation and hear directly from Ross about the story behind Olde Tyme Grocery and what has made it a Louisiana favorite for decades.
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZvrEm0JM8C/
Learn More About Olde Tyme Grocery
For more information, online ordering, catering, merchandise, and the full menu, visit:
As Olde Tyme Grocery continues to serve the Lafayette community, the mission remains the same: provide great food, preserve tradition, and create a place where people from all walks of life can come together.
What started as a neighborhood grocery store decades ago has grown into one of Acadiana's most iconic restaurants. Through generations of customers, countless po'boys, and a commitment to community, Olde Tyme Grocery has become more than a restaurant—it's a Louisiana tradition that continues to thrive today.
Louisiana Food Tour
Olde Tyme Grocery was featured as part of the Louisiana Food Tour, a series highlighting the restaurants, people, and stories that make Louisiana's food culture unique.
For more Louisiana food stories, local business spotlights, and community features from across the state, be sure to like, follow, and share Bayou State Media.
