Water Rails & Oil - Historic Mid & South Jefferson County

The spirit and personality of Percy Villemez
infused Percy’s Café, even though he would have
said they reflected John Wayne’s film depictions
of American ideals. Percy revered Wayne,
displaying photos, figurines, postcards and
other memorabilia of the actor, testimony of his
implicit belief that “The Duke” stood for
America, hard work, fairness, and the possibility
of achieving whatever you really wanted.
Percy left the security of a refinery job to start
a construction business that eventually led to
Percy’s Café at 5991 Jade Avenue in Port Acres.
Also a convenience store, this was a gathering
place where neighbors, refinery shift workers
and visitors could enjoy home-cooked plate
lunch specials with Texas-size portions twentyfour
hours a day, seven days a week.
Vehicles outside ranged from battered
trucks to luxury cars, attesting to the variety
of customers.
Before his death in December 2006, Percy
became a true entrepreneur, owning Percy’s True
Value Hardware and Feed Store, a car wash,
motel, auto parts house, muffler shop and auto
repair shop, some land, and rental houses. He
joked that with each acquisition there was more
room for the Duke.
No longer open due to damage from
Hurricane Rita and Percy’s very poor health at
the time, Percy’s Café is now only a memory.
❖
PERCY’S CAFÉ
Percy Villemez.
SPONSORS
American Valve & Hydrant ...................................................94
Associated Builders & Contractors of Southeast Texas...........80
BASF Corporation.................................................................83
Broussard’s Mortuary.............................................................91
Catholic Diocese of Beaumont ..............................................70
City of Port Arthur ...............................................................54
The Dental Dock ..................................................................89
Earl’s Aluminum ...................................................................85
Echo Maintenance LLC.........................................................76
Entergy Texas .......................................................................82
F. B. Taylor Insurance & Real Estate Agency..........................62
FivePoint Credit Union.........................................................72
Hayes Real Estate..................................................................53
Huntsman.............................................................................53
Julian Salter Insurance Agency..............................................93
Kansas City Southern............................................................84
Lamar State College Port Arthur ...........................................74
Law Offices of Gilbert T. Adams, P.C.....................................58
The Levingstons....................................................................86
M. Weeks Welding, Lab Testing & School, Inc......................88
MCM Elegante’ Hotel and ICA .............................................66
Milton’s Texaco .....................................................................98
Motiva Enterprises LLC ........................................................87
Museum of the Gulf Coast ....................................................65
Percy’s Café...........................................................................99
Port Arthur Abstract and Title Company...............................68
Quality Mat Company ..........................................................97
Sabine Pass ...........................................................................78
The Schooner Restaurant, Inc. ..............................................96
Snooper’s Paradise ................................................................90
Stoneburner-Verret Electric Co., Inc......................................92
Sutherlin Jewelers .................................................................98
Valero Energy Corporation....................................................95
Sponsors ✦ 99