There’s no contract, no verbal agreement, but for 66 years the

Monterey community has had a deal with Paul’s Grocery. When they need cabbage, green slushies, pizza or gas, the residents of the small community go to Paul’s.

Some have afternoon rituals at the store, others just stop by when the sugar canister is running low. That’s their end of the deal.

Paul’s part of the pact started in 1939 and has only grown stronger over the years.

Joseph Paul, or Mr. Pete, and his brother Roy Paul saw a need in their Louisiana farming community and answered the call. On the main drag in Monterey, across the street from where it now stands, the Paul brothers opened their small grocery, the only one within 14 miles.

Looking back at old photos, current owner Jeff Paul points out that aesthetics weren’t top priority for his dad &045; the old wooden porch of the store was jagged and splinter friendly &045; but the store had what the people needed.

&uot;If he was late in the morning, people would come to dad’s window and tap on it and call him to come open up,&uot; Jeff Paul said.

Throughout the ’40s Paul’s Grocery remained one of only a few between Monterey and Acme.

In 1972 Pete Paul died and Jeff Paul came home to help his mother run the business. After a year running the business Jeff told his mother they would either have to build a new building or get out of the old one, so Paul’s Grocery moved across the street to a more modern, larger building.

The gas pumps went in and the changes started coming with the times. Somewhere along the way the cash register with buttons for 2 cents and 3 cents was traded in for a newer model with more reasonable prices. Credit card machines were installed and in 2002 what Jeff points to as one of the biggest changes in his business found its way to Monterey &045; the Buffet Pizza.

A weekday trip to Natchez for Jeff’s wife Brenda and granddaughters found good pizza and a new idea.

&uot;My wife said let’s check into it,&uot; Jeff said. &uot;The company wanted a customer count, and I had no idea, but felt certain it was sufficient.&uot;

The Pauls bought $8,000 worth of oven equipment and went into the pizza business. In just a few short months the ovens had paid for themselves, Jeff said.

Since then, lunchtime, or anytime, has grown to include chicken tenders and side dishes, and word is spreading.

&uot;The pizzas were really good for us, they really helped keep us afloat,&uot; Jeff said.

Though the Monterey residents are very loyal, Jeff said everyone goes to town for their groceries now, which forced Paul’s to find a new market to cater to. Though the store still carries a full load of groceries, they are usually only purchased as single items, he said.

&uot;The focus has been taken off this part,&uot; Jeff said pointing to the rows of groceries that have remained in the same format since the 70s. &uot;Dad wouldn’t know what to do with this.&uot;

In the middle years of its existence, Paul’s Grocery faced several opponents when stores popped up around town, but most didn’t survive.

&uot;People came here instead, I guess,&uot; Jeff said. &uot;There have been three or four to go out of business. We have some loyal customers and without them we wouldn’t be here either.&uot;

Jeff said the store stays busiest during farming and hunting seasons, which cover all but the four to five week period around February.

The store is open from the wee morning hours until around 8 or 9 p.m. each night, except Sunday’s when it closes at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon is the only time Jeff takes off.

Jeff and Brenda work seven days a week along with full-time employee Lovine Morace, who has opened the store every day since 1979.

Jeff said he depends on Morace to get the store running each day and knows she won’t let him down.

Both can recall an early morning when car trouble kept Morace from driving to work, so she walked a half-mile to open the store.

&uot;She wouldn’t call and wake me,&uot; Jeff said. &uot;She just walked.&uot;

The store is a part of her life, Morace said, she never thinks twice about not working.

&uot;We’ve been through thick and thin,&uot; she said. &uot;I enjoy working and meeting the people, especially the little children.&uot;

The store also has a long-time stock-lady, Carrie Pecanty, who works part time. With the addition of the lunchtime food, two other part-time workers were added.

Business aside, Paul’s Grocery has played a valuable role in the Monterey community as a polling place on Election Day and the site of the country fair as a fund-raiser for the initial dollars that started up the Monterey Volunteer Fire Department.

Its aisles have seen town disputes and its owner has provided several shoplifting lessons to town children, teenagers and adults. Paul said he’s caught quite a few shoplifters, but never called the police, handling the matters himself and often calling in parents of rebellious teenagers.

The store has been broken into twice, and out of once, when an intruder hid away in the storage room until after closing and then attempted to break into the business’s safe.

It’s seen the likes of out-of-town businessmen, lawyers and doctors on hunting trips, a young Elijah Wood during the filming of &uot;Huck Finn&uot; and former New Orleans Saints player Bobby Hebert.

And it’s where Jeff met wife Brenda. The two married seven months later.

&uot;The only time I remember closing was when my daughter was playing basketball for Monterey and we followed her during post-season playoffs,&uot; Jeff said.

Jeff knows his time with the store is winding down though, and said he hopes to retire within the next few years. Though his adult son gets put to work in the store when he comes home, Jeff is not training him to take over and plans to sell the store someday.

Retirement life for the Pauls is going to be spent watching LSU baseball and following the team around the country and spending time with grandchildren.There’s no contract, no verbal agreement, but for 66 years the town of Monterey has had a deal with Paul’s Grocery. When they need cabbage, green slushies, pizza or gas, the residents of the small community go to Paul’s.

Some have afternoon rituals at the store, others just stop by when the sugar canister is running low. That’s their end of the deal.

Paul’s part of the pact started in 1939 and has only grown stronger over the years.

Joseph Paul, or Mr. Pete, and his brother Roy Paul saw a need in their Louisiana farming community and answered the call. On the main drag in Monterey, across the street from where it now stands, the Paul brothers opened their small grocery, the only one within 14 miles.

Looking back at old photos, current owner Jeff Paul points out that aesthetics weren’t top priority for his dad &045; the old wooden porch of the store was jagged and splinter friendly &045; but the store had what the town needed.

&uot;If he was late in the morning, people would come to dad’s window and tap on it and call him to come open up,&uot; Jeff Paul said.

Throughout the 40s Paul’s Grocery remained one of only a few between Monterey and Acme.

In 1972 Pete Paul died and Jeff Paul came home to help his mother run the business. After a year running the business Jeff told his mother they would either have to build a new building or get out of the old one, so Paul’s Grocery moved across the street to a more modern, larger building.

The gas pumps went in and the changes started coming with the times. Somewhere along the way the cash register with buttons for 2 cents and 3 cents was traded in for a newer model with more reasonable prices. Credit card machines were installed and in 2002 what Jeff points to as one of the biggest changes in his business found its way to Monterey &045; the Buffet Pizza.

A weekday trip to Natchez for Jeff’s wife Brenda and granddaughters found good pizza and a new idea.

&uot;My wife said let’s check into it,&uot; Jeff said. &uot;The company wanted a customer count, and I had no idea, but felt certain it was sufficient.&uot;

The Pauls bought $8,000 worth of oven equipment and went into the pizza business. In just a few short months the ovens had paid for themselves, Jeff said.

Since then, lunchtime, or anytime, has grown to include chicken tenders and side dishes, and word is spreading.

&uot;The pizzas were really good for us, they really helped keep us afloat,&uot; Jeff said.

Though the Monterey residents are very loyal, Jeff said everyone goes to town for their groceries now, which forced Paul’s to find a new market to cater to. Though the store still carries a full load of groceries, they are usually only purchased as single items, he said.

&uot;The focus has been taken off this part,&uot; Jeff said pointing to the rows of groceries that have remained in the same format since the 70s. &uot;Dad wouldn’t know what to do with this.&uot;

In the middle years of its existence, Paul’s Grocery faced several opponents when stores popped up around town, but most didn’t survive.

&uot;People came here instead, I guess,&uot; Jeff said. &uot;There have been three or four to go out of business. We have some loyal customers and without them we wouldn’t be here either.&uot;

Jeff said the store stays busiest during farming and hunting seasons, which cover all but the four to five week period around February.

The store is open from the wee morning hours until around 8 or 9 p.m. each night, except Sunday’s when it closes at 1 p.m. Sunday afternoon is the only time Jeff takes off.

Jeff and Brenda work seven days a week along with full-time employee Lovine Morace, who has opened the store every day since 1979.

Jeff said he depends on Morace to get the store running each day and knows she won’t let him down.

Both can recall an early morning when car trouble kept Morace from driving to work, so she walked a half-mile to open the store.

&uot;She wouldn’t call and wake me,&uot; Jeff said. &uot;She just walked.&uot;

The store is a part of her life, Morace said, she never thinks twice about not working.

&uot;We’ve been through thick and thin,&uot; she said. &uot;I enjoy working and meeting the people, especially the little children.&uot;

The store also has a long-time stock-lady, Carrie Pecanty, who works part time. With the addition of the lunchtime food, two other part-time workers were added.

Business aside, Paul’s Grocery has played a valuable role in the Monterey community as a polling place on Election Day and the site of the country fair as a fund-raiser for the initial dollars that started up the Monterey Volunteer Fire Department.

Its aisles have seen town disputes and its owner has provided several shoplifting lessons to town children, teenagers and adults. Paul said he’s caught quite a few shoplifters, but never called the police, handling the matters himself and often calling in parents of rebellious teenagers.

The store has been broken into twice, and out of once, when an intruder hid away in the storage room until after closing and then attempted to break into the business’s safe.

It’s seen the likes of out-of-town businessmen, lawyers and doctors on hunting trips, a young Elijah Wood during the filming of &uot;Huck Finn&uot; and former New Orleans Saints player Bobby Hebert.

And it’s where Jeff met wife Brenda. The two married seven months later.

&uot;The only time I remember closing was when my daughter was playing basketball for Monterey and we followed her during post-season playoffs,&uot; Jeff said.

Jeff knows his time with the store is winding down though, and said he hopes to retire within the next few years. Though his adult son gets put to work in the store when he comes home, Jeff is not training him to take over and plans to sell the store someday.

Retirement life for the Pauls is going to be spent watching LSU baseball and following the team around the country and spending time with grandchildren.