The Purple Peacock In Eunice May Soon Be A Thing Of The Past
The historic nightclub in Eunice, The Purple Peacock, may soon be a thing of the past as new owners take over the property
The property off of Hwy. 190 in Eunice is now adjacent to a church, and new owners of the property tell me that re-opening the historic dance club will likely not happen. New codes and regulations for the property would make it very difficult to re-open "The Bird."
The Purple Peacock has been the venue for many concerts and live shows through the years. One show that many still talk about today is when Percy Sledge performed on stage at the Purple Peacock. The club was also home to the "Swamp-N-Roll" with Todd Ortego in the 80s and 90s.
Not that it matches up to any of the previous shows, but the Purple Peacock was my first club gig upon graduating high school and entering LSU-Eunice. I played many Thursday nights at the Peacock, and I was fortunate to share so many memories with friends in this historic venue.
I'll never forget how the bars in this club were raised above the dance floor, and how many would slowly congregate above the sunken dance floor and then slowly make their way on to the dance floor or stage. Boy, if those walls could talk.
One of the new owners of the property, Hans Heinen, tells me that they would love to throw one last party in the club, but the current conditions inside the venue may not allow for that. Nor are they certain if they could obtain a temporary liquor license for the address being that a church is next door.
The new owners of the property are not sure what they are going to do with the building/property just yet. They are are currently brainstorming the idea, but it does not look like the "Purple Peacock" will be making a comeback---sadly.
Heinen says that the side of Eunice on which the property is located on as not developed as fast as other parts of the city. However, they hope to help revitalize the eastern side of Eunice with the purchase of the property.
If you ask your parents or grandparents if they have ever been the "Purple Peacock," they will likely tell you YES. We were all lucky to have "The Bird" around for so many years. After all, was there any better place to spend Thanksgiving Night than at the "Purple Peacock?"
If the "Purple Peacock" does come down in Eunice, the frame and structure may be destroyed, but the memories we all share of "The Bird" will live-on forever. They just don't make them like this anymore.