Poor Boy's Riverside Inn

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Founded by Hulo “Poor Boy” Landry during the Great Depression, Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn became one of Lafayette’s first restaurants that is still in business in 2022. After learning of a flour allergy in 1932, Hulo decided that he would no longer be able to pursue a career in the family business of Evangeline Maid Bread. This led to Hulo starting his own small business, a portable snowball stand where he sold sweet treats to the locals of Lafayette, Louisiana. Hulo’s customers requested that he start selling food to eat with their snowballs, such as the large sandwiches he ate for lunch every day. Hulo then began to also sell sandwiches called po’boys, which earned him the nickname “Poor Boy” from his customers. After receiving encouragement from his family and friends, one being Judge Kaliste Saloom Jr., Hulo decided to apply for a loan to open his first restaurant where his customers could now sit and enjoy their food; and by expanding the menu, he could now include other options such as seafood and steak. Some of the food offered on Hulo’s menus included grilled or fried alligator, grilled flounder, surf and turf broiled stuffed lobster, stuffed catfish, and bread pudding. Each item was just as mouthwatering as you would expect. According to the Daily Advertiser, Hulo “purchased Huff’s Riverside Restaurant on Pinhook at the Bayou Vermillion where the DoubleTree by Hilton is now located. [He then] renamed the restaurant Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn [in 1939].” Due to an unforeseen flood in 1940, Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn had to temporarily close its doors for repairs. However, within a couple of months, Hulo was able to open their doors once again for customers to enjoy their Louisiana-inspired food. As the years progressed Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn continued to make strides and became the first restaurant in Lafayette, LA to have its own air conditioning unit installed in 1946. Hulo was able to continue to manage the restaurant for another twelve years before he passed away and his restaurant continued to prosper as management passed down to his son-in-law and only daughter, Larry and Kathleen Hurst. As 1977 rolled around, Larry and Kathlyn chose to move the restaurant to its current location in Broussard, LA, and their children, Richard and Elaine, even expanded the franchise in 1988 when they opened Little River Inn in New Iberia, LA. Poor Boy’s Riverside Inn became well known throughout Lafayette for their delicious Cajun food and superb customer service , leading them to winning the “Best Casual Restaurant” in the Louisiana Life Magazine . With their continued success after serving Acadiana for eighty-nine years, the legacy of Hulo “Poor Boy” Landry still lives on through the family-owned restaurant which has become an icon for Cajun cuisine in the surrounding community.