Keeping The Lively Spirit of Both Madame Aucoin and The French Quarter Alive
We so love reading the various reviews that our customers post online about the diverse fragrances they buy from us. Some have mentioned that they feel privileged and proud to be able to buy perfume or cologne for themselves or a loved one that comes from a New Orleans perfumerie with such a rich history. They believe that, by buying one or several of our many fragrances, they are both keeping Madame Aucoin’s spirit alive and supporting a French quarter small business – ensuring this area of New Orleans remains the vibrant place it’s been for decades.
You may already know from visiting our quaint, historic New Orleans shop, reading one of our blog posts, or perusing our perfumerie’s “History” website page that our perfume store has very deep roots in the French Quarter. Our Owner Jay Caillouet’s great aunt, Madame Mamie O. Aucoin, established her business with her husband, J.M. Caillouet, in this vibrant, charming section of New Orleans almost 115 years ago in 1910! But, did you know that she also played an important role in developing a vision for this favorite section of our wonderful city? And, a role in seeing that vision executed, particularly for the area of Rue Royal and Rue Bienville, appropriately coined the “Paris of America?”
In our recent blog post, “Our Top 5 List Of Romantic Things To Do In New Orleans French Quarter,” we encouraged you to take the object of your affection to The Carousel Bar at the famous Monteleone Hotel because of its incredible history. We bet you didn’t know that, at one point, Madame Aucoin sold her perfumes out of a shop in that very hotel.
We feel blessed that a number of historians and historical authors, as well as fiction writers, have kept the entrepreneurial, imaginative, and enterprising spirit of Madame Aucoin alive by documenting and sharing her role related to making “The View Carre” the delightful, eclectic area of New Orleans that it remains today.
A Beloved Book About The French Quarter In New Orleans
It’s so fun when visitors to our store mention to us how much they enjoyed American Writer Tom Robbins’ beloved book “Jitterbug Perfume” and the powerful and fascinating journey it took them on. Published originally in 1984, the book tells two interweaving stories – an ancient Eurasia tale and a current day one. The overall plot of the enchanting novel revolves around three distinct perfumers – located in Seattle, Paris, and New Orleans – who strive to create a perfume that allows one to achieve immortality. Their desire to do so is based on the quest of other important book characters’ wish to be immortal.
While we can’t offer our visitors a perfume that will let them live forever, many of our customers have shared how our fragrances make them feel rejuvenated and whimsical!
The Inspiration Behind Our French Quarter New Orleans Boutique
The more we learn about Madame Aucoin, the more we wish we had a chance to meet her. We feel her dynamic presence in our French Quarter perfume shop each and every day, and she inspires us to keep the traditions and memories of both the perfume shop and the original Vieux Carre alive!
Of course, we always believe stopping by our shop to buy a fragrance for yourself, a gift, or a souvenir shop should be at the top of your list of fun things to do in French Quarter New Orleans, but it’s also a unique, interesting way to keep Madame Aucoin’s and The French Quarter’s unstoppable spirits strong and around for the next generation to enjoy. We’ve introduced some new brands and also some new fragrance options under brands we already offered – so, if you’ll be in New Orleans for Labor Day weekend or a fall get-away, be sure to come by and check them out!