Longstanding Cape Girardeau local restaurant Broussard's Cajun Cuisine is planning to expand its reach to Paducah, Kentucky after 33 years in business.
In an effort to find the middle ground between corporate and family-owned restaurants, owner Hunter Clark said he's been anticipating the expansion for quite some time
“I had Marion, Illinois come to me and say, ‘We’ll give you a free building if you come over here.’ And we had Carbondale talking to us with some really good incentives,” Clark said. Paducah came to Broussard's with a similar offer, Clark said, and the city had some "really good ideas" to help the move get going.
The 1986-era restaurant currently has one location, which serves authentic Cajun cuisine to locals and travelers. Despite its small size, Broussard’s is ranked No. 1 on Trip Advisor’s “Top 10 Best Restaurants in Cape Girardeau” list.
The business was originally located just down the street from its current location at 114 N. Main St., where it moved in 2016.
When it comes to expansion, the buck doesn't stop at Paducah. Clark said within the next few years, Broussard’s restaurants could begin popping up in other places in the region. Despite the expansion, Broussard’s will still maintain its easy-going, fun atmosphere for both customers and employees alike.
Broussard’s employee and Southeast student Cameron Wallace said he believes the expansion will be a great opportunity for current employees to advance in their careers in the restaurant industry.
“It’s going to offer room for promotions, definitely. It also gives employees the opportunity to have a city change, to move to Paducah and start a new chapter,” Wallace said. “It gives us a chance to try to replicate the magic that is Broussard’s.”
While there is still much left to do, development plans for the new Paducah location are tentatively set to take place in the spring 2020.
For now, Broussard's Cajun Cuisine can be found at 114 Main St., Sunday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
