OPELOUSAS, La. — Business at Crawfish Corner was anything but slow on Good Friday. People celebrated by ordering shrimp, blue crabs, and, of course, crawfish, but the supply ran out quickly.
It's been several weeks since Governor Jeff Landry signed an executive order declaring the crawfish industry a state-wide disaster. Demand is high, and supply is low.
"This is the busiest time of the year," said Chandler Olivier, the owner of Crawfish Corner.
Customers waited in line for hours. Some came as early as 5:00 a.m. to pick up the Cajun delicacy, but you will be surprised at what most people came to pick up.
"I came for some shrimp," said one customer.
Terri Manson says they will have to switch up a longtime family tradition.
"So we decided to do a shrimp boil this year, and we have been doing crawfish for 40 years," said Manson.
For some, the crawfish is stretching their pockets.
"The prices are ridiculous," said another customer.
Cars packed the parking lot, and people waited in line.
"I have been in a line for an hour," said Michael Beauregard.
"When I saw that driving up, I thought to myself, oh, maybe they are not open yet, but oh boy, there is a line because there is no crawfish,".
Not quite, but a sign hung from the front door store's window that read only one sack per person.
"That has to be a strain on those folks and those in here working because the people outside are mad," said Manson.
"I have been doing this my whole life," said the owner, and he has never seen it this bad in 25 years.
"At this time of year, we should be getting three hundred sacks a day, and we are lucky if we clear a hundred," said Olivier.
For the first time, Olivier says they had to stop a popular routine.
"The last year and the year before, we were able to give people reservations, and they would put down a deposit, and we would have about 100 to 350 sacks over here…and sell them in a day, but this morning, we only had 16," said Olivier.
Olivier says the whole ordeal is out of their control.
"It's just nature, and it will be what it will be. We can only do the best we can," said Olivier.
Crawfish Corner will be open tomorrow during regular business hours Saturday and open Sunday.
