Bux Kajun Korner, 729 Ryan St., is now open. Once again, downtown Lake Charles workers and residents will be able to pick up a cold drink, a hot coffee, or a gift without having to get in their car and drive.

The store at the northeast corner of Broad and Ryan streets — behind the brick wall with the painted vintage Walgreen’s sign—the place that was Keith’s Pawn Shop back in the day,  will hold a grand opening celebration in the spring after it has conferred with other downtown Lake Charles business owners. Owner Melissa Buxton calls these other places of business “neighbors.”

Early idea generation for upcoming collaboration with those neighbors includes crafting, painting and wine tasting events at Bux Kajun Korner.

Imagine Bux as the old general store or more familiar convenience store (sans the fuel) in a historic Galveston Strand-type structure. On the shelves are items one might need and can quickly pick up without a grocery store run, for instance, coffee and toothpaste. It’s also where a person can grab a bottle of wine or beer or buy a pack of cigarettes. Unlike a convenience store, Buxton carries work from local artists and crafts enthusiasts such as pottery, paintings and jewelry. Local honey and specialty cajun seasonings and specialty candy are also popular.

Buxton and her husband, Todd, hope to base some of their stocking decisions on customer feedback.

“We might have some plate lunches on the days a few of the downtown restaurants aren’t open,” she said, “also some grab and go. We hope people will let us know how we can best serve them, what they’d like to see.”

Melissa is a regional director of sales for hotel management and Todd is a plant manager for Volunteer Pastilles, also a Ryan Street industry that produces a split-pea shaped particle that is formed when the product is dripped into a cooling surface and allowed to solidify.

The reason the couple decided to buy the market is because of location, location, location which translates into potential, potential, potential.

“Downtown is thriving and now that Crying Eagle, Paul’s Rib Shack, Lake Area Adventures and Port Wonder will be opening soon, I expect things will get busy,” Buxton said.

This is a truly a local family owned and operated business. Two of his and her seven children live locally, are at McNeese and have already been enlisted to help.