By Kimberly Hopson
L’Observateur

LAPLACE – Local restaurateur Gary Ricks recently announced plans to open a new franchise of his popular Spectacular Tubers eatery in Gonzales.
Rosewood Junction Inc., the restaurant’s parent company, recently entered into a franchise agreement with A F Group Inc. to open the new restaurant at 422 W. Highway 30 in Gonzales. Ricks said he expects to open the new location in mid-December or early January 2014 and mentioned that he is also in negotiation to build another location on Seigen Lane in Baton Rouge.
The business owner began Rosewood Junction Inc. in 1990.
Ricks, who also owns Aunt Ellie’s in Lutcher, said he featured baked potatoes prominently on the menu of Aunt Ellie’s after he purchased it in 2003 but craved more “simplicity” in the menu style. He soon decided to take potatoes off of the menu there and create a separate restaurant in August 2009. This became Spectacular Tubers, the spot known for huge baked potatoes stuffed with a variety of toppings. Aunt Ellie’s still serves fried seafood and other home-style cooking.
Spectacular Tubers has seen so much
success that it branched into one other franchise in Scott, La., last year. Ricks previously said he is also working to create franchises in Colorado and Montgomery, Ala.
“I have five children, so my main focus now is supporting my family. As they grow older, you know that the financial responsibilities go to the orthodontist and college. I feel like it’s God’s provision to be able to provide for my family and be able to give them the things that I know they need,” he said.
Ricks is the father of five: sons Timothy, Jonathan and Daniel; and daughters Abigail and Rebekah. Spectacular Tubers currently has two locations in the River Parishes: one on Belle Terre Boulevard in LaPlace and the other on Louisiana Highway 3125 in Gramercy.