On Jan. 20, the previous owners of Bayou Booksellers passed the deed to Aaron and LeAnn Miller. 

The Millers said they heard about the search for new ownership through a Facebook post about the Bayou closing. After hearing of Bayou’s closing and reaching out to Bayou’s previous owners to purchase some of their inventory, the opportunity to acquire Bayou Booksellers presented itself. 

These Hammond natives have successfully owned and operated two other local businesses: LeebearsPainting and The Wooden Grove. Owning and operating three companies may be difficult for some, but LeAnn said it helps her stay collected.

“Honestly, it’s forced me to be more organized. Right now we are transitioning to becoming the face and family of Bayou Booksellers. You’ll see me bouncing between The Bayou and The Grove during the week and on Saturdays,” LeAnn said.

Leebears and The Grove have teams behind them to aid the Millers in taking over their newly acquired business. The Millers have also recruited multiple family members to help them bounce back and forth between the Grove and the Bayou. 

LeAnn said, “Our painting business, Leebears, has an amazing crew that lets us focus on everything at once. We have both of our moms who are helping at both stores. Our daughters are also a big help! We take each day as a learning opportunity and take it all one step at a time.” 

With the Millers living at the edge of the Hammond Historic District, bringing families back downtown is vital to keeping it thriving. 

“Our goal and dream are to see downtown thriving with local family-owned businesses that bring foot traffic into downtown Hammond. Hammond has come a long way in the past few years and it’s most definitely on the way up,” LeAnn said.

Patrons can visit Bayou Booksellers at 201 W Thomas St. They can also support the Millers at The Wooden Grove, located at 112 S Cypress St and LeebearsPainting on Facebook.