Former NFL superstar, Tyrone Legette, played for the New Orleans Saints and several other teams before retiring in 1998. Now he is another kind of superstar -- he is an entrepreneur who recently opened his own grocery store in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
From football to groceries
The transition from sports to the food business was not immediate. One year after retiring from football, Legette started his own construction company, Legette Construction Inc., where he focused on working with non-profits to build subdivisions in New Orleans that provided homes aimed at first-time home buyers.
It wasn't until 20 years later, however, that he saw another business opportunity in the grocery store industry as a franchisee of Save-A-Lot. So, he decided to pursue it!
Why the grocery business?
Legette says he got into the grocery business for some of the same reasons he started his own construction firm. As a contractor, he wanted to help others -- first-time buyers. As a grocery store owner, he wanted to help people save money on their groceries.
In addition, the location, North Baton Rouge, is considered to be a food desert - that is, an urban area where it is very difficult to buy affordable or good-quality fresh food. So, he decided to renovate an old abandoned building at 12250 Plank Road, and make that the new address of his Save-A-Lot franchise.
Giving back
Legette sees a strong connection between his construction business and now his grocery store business. He feels he has been able to help families meet two of their most basic necessities - affordable housing and food!