DeAngelo’s Rises Like a Phoenix From the Ashes

By Jessica Ferguson
The Times of SWLA






Richie Gregory, an LSU graduate, will admit his experience in restaurant work is limited to sitting down and eating in them. But that experience served him well when it came to choosing the right franchise—DeAngelo’s Pizzeria, a company founded by Louis DeAngelo in 1991 in Baton Rouge.

“I don’t profess to know the restaurant business. I was smart enough to find someone who did,” Gregory said.

“He’s learning,” said co-owner Ben Herrera.

Richie Gregory and Ben Herrera are two extremely different, yet compatible personalities. Herrera is a chef by trade. Originally from Boulder, Colorado, he grew up in the restaurant business, busing tables, washing dishes, doing whatever needed to be done. Having worked in several high-end restaurants, Herrera became involved in more complicated projects and ended up in culinary school in New York. When that didn’t work out for him, he found himself in Denver at the Emily Griffith School of Opportunity Culinary School, the nation’s oldest and most experienced career and technical college.

The two men discovered each other when Richie Gregory, 20 years in the insurance business, sold a health policy to Herrera when Herrera worked at Pujo Street Cafe. Evidently something clicked because a friendship and an eventual partnership grew from that business transaction. They received a lot of advice early on about partnerships and they admit they spent a lot of time discussing how tough partnerships are. According to Herrera, they worked everything out, discussed exactly what kind of partnership they wanted.

When Gregory and Herrera finally decided to become restaurant owners, they trekked over to Baton Rouge so Herrera could taste his very first DeAngelo’s sampling. “I ordered the most simple thing on the menu—a pepperoni pizza.” According to Herrera if they could make a simple pizza good, that was enough for him.

“It reminded me of the pizza I grew up on back in Colorado—a simple New York style pizza. I was impressed,” said Herrera.

The two men’s friendship is genuine. They actually laugh at each other’s jokes. They share a mutual respect for each other and that’s the core strength of their partnership. More than likely that mutual respect is what helped them survive the shock and bitter disappointment when they watched DeAngelo’s burn to the ground—six years of hard work was nothing more than a sooty pile of ashes.

Was there ever a moment they considered not rebuilding? Both men gave a resounding, “Yes. And we’re still discussing it.”

Of course, the project is well underway and the guys are anxiously awaiting the new DeAngelo’s Pizzeria just like all fans throughout the city.

“We couldn’t have done it without Cameron State Bank. They really stepped up to the plate and supported us,” said Gregory. “The trick was designing something we could afford.”
According to Gregory, to set the record straight, DeAngelos will not be two story. “The restaurant will be approximately the same size—maybe a little bigger, but it will actually seat more people,” he said, “with no wasted space.”

“The neighborhood bar will be slightly larger,” said Herrera.

Herrera is looking forward to the wide open show kitchen.

“Anywhere you sit, you can see everything going on—Gas and wood-style ovens, ceramic ovens—that will be the focal point of the restaurant,” said Herrera. “That’s what’s changed.”

According to Herrera, DeAngelo’s will still have their famous salads, the popular pasta dishes everyone loves, and their calzones. “We’ll eliminate large pizzas—the 16” pizzas,” said Herrera. “We’ll add a whole line of proteins: steaks, veal, fish, and we’ll be running a full service ala cart menu.”

“We’ll have the fried shrimp,” said Gregory.

“Fried zucchini,” said Herrera.

Most in Lake Charles can’t wait to walk through the doors of the new DeAngelo’s and once again savor the finest and freshest ingredients available. DeAngelo’s prides itself on being a classic Italian pizzeria and the company is known for hiring highly motivated people committed to their job and their customers. According to Herrera, DeAngelo’s will hire somewhere in the neighborhood of 55 employees. Between the two locations—Ryan Street and their DeAngelo’s Express on Country Club—they’ll employ around 85 people.

For anyone who needs that DeAngelo’s fix immediately, the DeAngelo’s Express is located at 2740 Country Club Road, next to Albertson’s. Call 478-5784 to place your order or just pop in. While there’s limited seating and a fast-food atmosphere, the pizza, calzones and baked lasagna tastes every bit as good as their pre-fire South Ryan Street location, but then that’s the mission of DeAngelo’s: naturally delicious with the finest, freshest ingredients.

Ben Herrera and Richie Gregory agree they don’t want to be the best Italian restaurant in the area–they want to be the best restaurant.

The partners appreciate all the positive comments and encouragement they’ve received from their DeAngelo’s fans.

“In the six short years we were in business,” said Gregory, “it seems we became a landmark restaurant.”

Their customer’s support and enthusiasm makes a difference.

The Times of Southwest Louisiana/ Fusion Five Up And Coming & Under 40 Awards Banquet

In our June 11 issue, The Times of Southwest Louisiana announced the 2009 annual Up and Coming and Under 40 honorees. Each year, we take the opportunity to tell our readers about 10 local young adults that are making a positive impact on the community. We use criteria that focus on several points. Those points are: being expert and having specialized knowledge in the field in which they practice, excellent practical and literary skills in relation to their profession, and a high standard of ethics, behavior, and work activities.
As always, participation with Fusion Five is special to us. The young adults of Fusion Five came together through a desire to create an organization that would allow them to educate, facilitate, and illuminate the voice of young professionals. They are the perfect partner for the Up and Coming and Under 40 search.
On June 15 at The Isle of Capri, the recipients, their friends, and families gathered to celebrate with a dinner and awards presentation.
We were honored to present Mr. Ray Shoemaker, CEO of Rural Healthcare Developers as our speaker. We took the opportunity to tweet the entire event. Oran Parker was our tweeter. Go to twitter and search for lc_tweets and look for #under40 entries. The event was said to have been a prime opportunity to network with future leaders of our community.


CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF OUR RECIPIENTS FOR 2009

• Dr. Lisa A. Vaughn – Doctor at SWLA Center for Health Services
• Beau Hearod – Owner and President of Jeff Davis Insurance Agency
• Heath Allen – Executive Director of Lake Charles Regional Airport
• Angela Tezeno – Life Coach For Women, Author, Singer, Songwriter
• Judd Bares – TV Producer/Director, Owner of Sweet Spot Telemedia, Nashville Recording Artist
• Brooks Donald Williams – Head Coach for McNeese State Women’s Basketball
• Nicholas (Nic) Edward Hunter – Owner and Operator of Harlequin Steaks and Seafood
• Cassondra Savoy Guilbeau – Regional Director for the American Heart Association
• Richard Cole – Assessor for Calcasieu Parish
• Faith Thomas – Accounting Administrator with Texas Industries Anacoco Aggregates Division

Local Artist Doug Smith Sketches A Beautiful, ‘Still Life’

By Jessica Ferguson
Asst. Editor, The Times of SWLA




Lake Charles artist Doug Smith is the advertising director for Home Furniture at their main office in Lafayette. Smith started with Home Furniture in 1982 right out of high school as a summer job. “It’s been quite a summer,” he teased. He began in the warehouse because his girlfriend’s aunt had heard about an opening. His girlfriend, Ronica, is now his wife.

Smith more or less grew up at Home Furniture, working on and off through college while he got a degree in marketing with a minor in architecture. When he left the company to spend three years working for PPG, he still drew and designed headlines for Home Furniture. Smith learned what it was like at the other end of the spectrum. He also learned that Home Furniture and art was in his blood. He returned to the store and settled into a career—not a job.

Today, Smith can stand in his office in Lafayette and see that he has the best of both worlds. He can look at one desk and see the basic administrative paraphernalia that keeps him in the business world. He can look at his drafting table and see his creative side, that side of him that he thoroughly enjoys and nurtures.

Smith discovered his talent early in life. He well remembers at age seven wanting to draw. His older sister, Dee Dee, could draw as well. She had drawn a colonial type ship for a class project and her work was his inspiration. It wasn’t long before young Doug had started a side business: he would draw Batman and Robin and charge his friends for his sketches.

Doug Smith has come a long way from those Batman and Robin sketches. He has been commissioned to create life-size drawings of St. Martin de Porres and St. Rose of Lima for his new church at St. Martin de Porres. He’s looking forward to the challenge.

When talking to Smith, one might come to the conclusion that he’s had it pretty easy, that career and talent—life in general—has fallen into place for him; that he’s some sort of golden boy who wields his stick of charcoal and wonderful pictures occur. But Smith works hard and methodically, honoring God with the talent he’s been given. “My talent is a gift,” Smith said. “I hope I never take it for granted because it can be easily taken away.”

According to Smith, the best thing that has come from his drawings so far has been the drawings of Jesus. “The originals have all been given as gifts,” he says. “The prints are donated to churches as well as given away to anyone who wants them.” Smith says his greatest joy has been to use his God-given talent to be able to give back in a way that he knows he can. It was through an inquiry about the Jesus picture that led to being commissioned to create the life-size drawings.

“Caren Dore tracked me down out of the blue wanting a Jesus print,” said Smith. “We got to know each other and she showed Father Keith my drawings. He wanted to commission me to do the life-size drawings for the church.” According to Smith, Dore has become a dear friend and he’s very excited about the challenge of creating the life size drawings.

When asked his most challenging subject to draw, Smith says that it’s people. “I always said I’d never draw people or their pets.” Oddly, that is what he’s ended up doing the most—drawing people and a few pets.

“I always wanted to be an impressionist painter.” He says he was inspired by the Impressionists. Characteristics of Impressionist paintings include visible brush strokes, open composition, and ordinary subject matter, and one can see traces of influence in Smith’s drawings. Smith is quick to say he admires and is inspired by local artists Elton Louviere and Kevin Leveque, and aspires to be as good in his craft as they are in theirs. Modest, humble, Smith credits friends and teachers for helping him along the way. “If it weren’t for the encouragement and guidance from teachers such a Barbara ‘Babs’ Donnelly, James Hooper, and Tim Winterbottom, I wouldn’t be where I am today with my art,” Smith said.

He also admits that doodling has been very big part of his days. “I tend to remain more concentrated when I can doodle. It keeps my mind active and open of which creativity can develop.” Smith says he still faces the challenge of the blank sheet of paper at work, to come up with the design and style of their next sales promotions, but he loves each challenge and the creativity.

Driving to and from Lafayette five days a week might be challenge enough for any artist who would rather be sitting at his work table sketching. Not so for Smith. He uses the commute time to think and ponder new projects, mentally correct a problem he’s facing. He plans, sketches and draws in his mind. According to Smith, he doesn’t work after hours during the week. That’s his family time. “I like to make myself hungry during the week,” he says. “I want to want it. If I do it every night when I get in from work then it becomes work.”

Smith has two sons who are artistic in their own right. Eighteen year old Ryan just graduated from St. Louis Catholic High School and Cameron, age 14, graduated eighth grade from St. Margaret Catholic School. According to Smith, both boys posses much more talent and creativity than he did at the same age. “Anytime I’m working on a drawing, I make sure to get their approval and suggestions first before signing off on it,” he says. “I admire the work and dedication that they put forth in their own art.”

Smith encourages anyone who has an interest in art to keep on going. “Practice,” he says. “If you love it, don’t give it up, keep on going.”

The Smiths say they’ve met and made some wonderful friends through Doug’s art. “The best part of being an artist is the satisfaction of doing something that will make people happy,” Smith said. “The worst part of being an artist—talking price.”

While he does charge for his work, it remains a hobby. According to Smith, it takes anywhere from eight to ten hours to do one subject. He always works with photographs. The basic price for a picture with one subject is $200.00. If another person is added, the price depends on the amount of detail involved. Smith says he prefers to work with sizes 11x14 and 11x17.

There have been times, Smith had a waiting list and felt the pressure. He prefers not to work fast. He’s a detail person and takes his time. “When it becomes work,” he says, “I won’t do it anymore.”

Driving back and forth to Lafayette, Doug Smith has a lot of time to plan, sketch and draw in his mind. Next project: who knows…perhaps churches in this area? Obviously, his art hasn’t become work yet.