KOMADE coffee shop is an ethereal pocket of peace offering New Iberia a space to duck into when in need of respite or invigoration. Behind the bohemian setting, towering stacks of pastries and perfect cups of java, is one family’s dedication to coffee and one another. Find out from Faith Girouard how the Girouard family brought their dream to life.

How did KOMADE begin?

My husband, Bobby (B.J.), and I actually own Parkview Plaza, the shopping center where KOMADE is located. Over the last few years, we have pondered the idea of bringing to New Iberia a one of a kind coffee shop. However, the timing just never seemed right for us. About a year and a half ago, we were all on a family vacation drinking coffee on the balcony of the condo we rented discussing owning a coffee shop when my husband turned to the girls and said “Alright, if yall are ready I am ready. No more talking of opening up. Let’s actually do it.” So, we spent the next several months researching and planning KOMADE. We decided on the name at the end of last year and filed for our LLC almost one year ago in February of 2023. From there, we worked hard every day, and many late nights, to bring KOMADE to New Iberia.

Why a coffee shop?

Our family has had a passion for coffee from as far back as I can remember. Each of us individually loves coffee period, but as a family, it is a passion we share and truly bond over. My oldest daughter Destiny spent many days in different coffee shops studying as an undergrad at LSU and then in law school, and eventually for the bar exam. My middle daughter, Madysin, has played soccer her whole life. She was on different traveling soccer teams and played college soccer for both UL and McNeese. Anytime we traveled for her tournaments or traveled to watch her play in games, we always would stop as a family at different small, mom-and-pop coffee shops to get coffee and breakfast. As a family this was something we looked forward to doing anytime we took a trip. During her off season, Madysin also worked in various coffee shops where she learned a lot about coffee and was able to gain different skills. Anytime the girls would get together to visit one another, or we would go to visit them, we made sure to stop and hangout at different coffee shops in their cities. My youngest, Kole, loves to duck hunt. If you know anything about duck hunting, you know this entails a lot of early mornings. I am always packing Kole, and sometimes his hunting buddies, a thermos of coffee for his early morning hunts.

What does the name KOMADE mean?

KOMADE is a family business! The name KOMADE is the first two letters of my children’s names in order of youngest to oldest. Kole (the youngest)=KO, Madysin (the middle)=MA, and Destiny (the oldest)=DE.

What is the ideal experience you want customers to have?

Customer service is extremely important to us. We want every customer to feel welcomed here and enjoy the time they spend inside the shop or even when visiting the drive-thru. We created a space where students can come to study, friends can catch up and hang out, people on their way to work are able to get a treat to fuel their day, or after a long day at work people can come unwind and relax at the shop.

How has it been working every day and seeing your dream become a reality?

As owners, we are very involved in the shop, which in our eyes, adds to the overall experience. I work inside the shop full time as well as our daughter Destiny. We are always talking and interacting with our customers. We want to get to know them and show them our appreciation for supporting our little family business. We hope that they enjoy our shop, feel comfortable and welcomed here, and that they become regulars who keep coming back because they enjoy KOMADE so much.

Tell us about your menu.

We offer a wide range of items, not just coffee. We have lunch sandwiches, desserts, pastries, frozen lemonade, coca-cola products, Borden’s milk products and more. We have something for everyone!

It’s such a beautiful space. What influenced the design?

My daughter Destiny and I designed the shop together. I had the idea to include swinging chairs somewhere in the shop and Destiny had the idea of the greenery circle wall. We both really love the colors green, white and gold. We wanted an earthy, “clean” vibe to the shop. Putting our ideas together, we were able to bring our vision to life!

What is the best compliment you have ever received from a customer?

We have received a ton of compliments since we have been open. Throughout this process, we have met so many people, and have gotten to know a lot of our customers who come into KOMADE regularly. We now consider some of these people friends of our family. I think one of the best compliments we have ever received is one of our regulars telling us that New Iberia is so lucky to have this gem in our city and that our service is not something that can be faked, additionally, that she now considers us her friends and is a customer for life.

What’s next for KOMADE?

We are hoping to get more involved in the community! There are so many exciting things happening in and around New Iberia that we would love to be a part of. We have ideas for some fun nights and events here at KOMADE we cannot wait to implement. Additionally, we want to be able to support and giveback to local organizations here in New Iberia and the surrounding areas.

BREAKOUTS

Cast & Crew:

Faith Girouard- Co-Owner

BJ Girouard- (Husband & co-owner)

Destiny Girouard- (Manager, social media personnel, lawyer, and barista )

Madysin Girouard (Graphic designer and social media helper)

Kole Girouard (Talented barista)

Most unexpected menu item:

Lavender lemon chiller

Faith’s favorite menu item:

Chipotle turkey club

When You Go

917 Parkview Dr. Suite 1, New Iberia

337-492-2330

Hours

Monday-Thursday

6 a.m.-7 p.m.

Friday- Saturday

6 a.m.-9 p.m.

Sunday

8 a.m.- 2 p.m.