Smiley Anders for Oct. 26, 2009

• By SMILEY ANDERS
• Advocate columnist
• Published: Oct 26, 2009 - Page: 1BA

• Print
• Email
• Save
• Reprints
• Twitter
• Share

• Del.icio.us
• Digg
• Facebook
• Reddit
• 

Family built a special store here
Here’s an unsolicited plug for an extraordinary book.

It’s “We Were Merchants” by Hans J. Sternberg, with James E. Shelledy, published by LSU Press.

It tells how Lea Sternberg and her three children — Josef, Insa and Hans — made a hair-raising escape from Nazi Germany in the last days of 1936.

And it tells how she joined her husband, Erich, in Baton Rouge to build Goudchaux’s department store into a Baton Rouge landmark, as iconic as Tiger Stadium or the State Capitol.

The store at 1500 Main had huge selections, no credit charges, and owners who walked the floors to meet and greet customers.

This column’s readers are featured, offering brief “Goudchaux’s moments” that Hans has scattered through its pages.

These items — some funny, some touching — show how much the store meant to its shoppers.

Hans also takes an unflinching look at the ugly racial climate in Baton Rouge in the ’60s, when a family that had faced the Nazis had to once again deal with bigotry and hatred.

Goudchaux’s survived boycotts from both white and black groups, expanded and remained a much-loved part of Baton Rouge life until its demise in the early ’90s.

The history of a department store might not sound exciting, but this book is far more than that. It’s in many ways a history of our city.

Security breach
Claude Culross says, “There are few places on Earth that do not recognize LSU culture. However, some do not appreciate it.

“I was passing through the Atlanta airport, returning from vacation just prior to football season (known as ‘fall’ in other parts).

“A burly security guard who looked like he might have played for the Bulldogs smilingly told me I could dispose of my 2007 BCS National Championship T-shirt in the trash can he was holding.