HOUMA, La. — At Mr. Ronnie’s Famous Hot Donuts in Houma, they’re not just known for the hot glazed.
“We sell and serve hot glazed donuts 24/7,” said co-owner Kellen Picou.
The store is also known for a friendly little wave that’s been a big part of their sign on W. Tunnel Boulevard for nearly three decades.
“It was originally a mechanical rocking arm because the design he wanted was something to jump out at the customers,” said Picou.
That sign was designed by Kellen Picou’s father, Ronnie Picou, who opened the store in 1994. An artist in Jackson Square in New Orleans created the caricature of Mr. Ronnie, which is still used on the sign today.
“It was a hit from the beginning,” said Picou.
Hurricane Katrina destroyed the original sign. A redesign then added some neon lettering and that well-known neon wave, which went dark two and a half years ago.
“Hurricane Ida destroyed it,” said Picou.
For Picou, getting it fixed became a priority that took much longer than expected.
“It’s just been a long, drawn-out process trying to get the parts needed because a lot of these parts were old,” said Picou.
Once the parts arrived, a sign company spent four days getting the sign fixed. Last week, the neon arm of Ronnie Picou was back waving to customers.
“I could see them hot donuts waiting on me,” said longtime customer Lee Comeaux as he laughed.
Comeaux says the sign and donut stop are part of a tradition in Houma.
“I come here every day. I get my coffee and my donut. I like the donut with no sugar on it,” said Comeaux.
Seeing the sign come back is sweet enough for Comeaux.
That was also the case when the rotating root beer mug went back up at Frostop in LaPlace and when Gambino’s Bakery in Metairie got its neon sign back. Hurricane Ida destroyed both. All three have become small signs of joy returning to communities after Ida tore through them.
“We’re still here,” said Picou.
For Picou, it’s also a bit personal. His dad, the man on that sign, died almost five years ago.
“I’m just overjoyed that my dad is waving to our customers and to the good people of Houma,” said Picou.
It’s a simple wave that can mean so much to the people who see it.
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