By JESSA PEASE / Staff Writer

PELHAM— A little New Orleans flare has taken over the old Citgo store on County Road 52 West in Pelham as the new owners, Jack and Michelle Donovan, have been upgrading the location.

The new Cajun Quick Mart features a larger selection of beer, snacks and drinks and also will soon include several additions, such as hot dogs and pizza.

The Donovans have completely remodeled the building outside, as well as restriped and fixed the parking lot outside. They’ve added new shelving and painted the ceiling with plans to redo the counters, update the current machines and paint inside.

“Little by little it’s taking effect,” Jack Donovan said. “We wanted to do it over the course of time being open instead of just shutting the doors completely down. People can see what we are doing every day. We’ve done a lot so far.”

Donovan said the goal is to cater to a market the old store didn’t and to change the image from what the old store had. He added that the plan is to change the brand of the gas station in the next 30 days.

While the inside will likely be finished in another month or so, Donovan has additional plans for brining some Cajun flavor to the city.

Being from New Orleans, Donovan plans to open a restaurant behind the store featuring traditional fare, such as po boys, gumbos and more. Cajun Boys & Our Po Boys will feature about 18 to 20 items, six or seven main po boys and a fresh oyster bar.

“My wife and I have always wanted to do something and different things,” he said. “I’m from there, so it’s going to be a nice little po boy shop. (It’s a) new business coming to the area with the Cajun Quick Mart.”

Once the restaurant opens in the next couple months, Donovan said they’ll also deliver food to the surrounding area.

The Donovans moved from New Orleans to Pelham Oct. 1, 1999. They’ve built within the city of Pelham for about 12 years as Donovan Builders, so Donovan said it feels great to create a new business in the city.

“This area needs it. (We’re) just trying to make it open and inviting to everyone who wants to come in,” he said. “If they’ve seen it before to what they see now, we’ve get such applause when new people come in.”

For more information on Cajun Quick Mart, visit Facebook.com/cajunquickmart.