NEW IBERIA — For nearly 55 years, 'Victor’s Cafeteria' in downtown New Iberia has brought a taste of the South to hungry customers, while always showing them that 'southern hospitality.' Now, after all those years, the business has closed its doors for good.
“We don’t have the walk-in traffic on Main Street like we once had,” said longtime owner Victor Huckabee, who said the decision to close was not an easy one. “I guess it’s a surprise, not exactly the way I wanted to go out; but we had it on the market for the last couple years.”
Victor's father opened the restaurant in downtown New Iberia back in 1969, when "time's were much different than they are now." Hoping to keep the business up and running, Victor got in touch with a realtor last year, when he first considered retiring. “We had a few interested people but nothing really panned out.”
Running the cafeteria since 1984, Victor said the building is in need of “new blood.” “Physically I just wasn’t able—and then the help-wise, food costs, everything was going against us. I’m almost 72 years old and I just couldn’t fight it no more so I decided it was time.”
Victor says they originally planned on closing this coming Wednesday, May 22; but due to staffing issues, and running out of food to sell, he decided that Monday, May 20 would be the last day. "Most of my girls had gotten other jobs and all, and I didn’t have a crew—not enough people to work."
Victor's daughter, Loren, says she is currently in the process of trying to secure a loan, hoping to one day carry on the family business. "I hope me and my brother get approved for a loan so we can buy it, that's what my hope is."
