Photograph: The Roux Group (Submitted Photograph)
The Nation’s First Gas Station Designed to Create Readers
Roopster Roux Author Believes Readers Become Leaders
(Chicago, IL) It was a ribbon cutting, 24 years in the making. In 1998, then-mayor Richard M. Daley, declared September 29 Roopster Roux Day, in recognition of a sports-loving rooster who uses his reading superpowers to fight the bad guys. At the recent grand opening of The Roux gas station and convenience store, a proclamation from Mayor Lori Lightfoot was read reaffirming Roopster Roux Day.
“Bringing this unique concept to families around the country helping to increase literacy and instill Roopster Roux’s love of reading into the next generation, I hereby proclaim September 29, 2022 Roopster Roux Day,” 17th Ward Alderperson David Moore shared with the audience.
Enthusiastic third grade students from McKay Elementary School, 6901 South Fairfield Avenue, along with community residents and organizations joined the owners and employees of The Roux to celebrate the grand opening of the city’s first gas station with a purpose.
The children’s book series, The Adventures of Roopster Roux, is the brainchild of best-selling author and publisher Lavaille Lavette, who created the superhero for her little brother whose only interest was sports. Roopster Roux’s motto is, “Reading can be as much fun as a slam dunk, a touchdown, or a home run!”
“Our partners are dedicated and devoted to not only making a difference, but being a difference, “said Lavette. “So, you’ll see us in the community not only making a difference. We’re here to support, we’re here to lend all of our resources and to help make the 17th Ward and all of the wards where we are even better academically than it was before we got here.”
Her partners, Naser Odeh and Mohammad Abdullah, are the owners of The Roux. The two believed in Lavette’s concept and invested their own money into building the attractive and welcoming gas station at 7051 South Western Avenue in the Chicago Lawn neighborhood.
“I want to thank the alderman who has been working with us for the last three years. He made everything so easy,” Abdullah said with a sense of accomplishment.
One of the community organizations also working with the owners from the beginning is the Inner-City Muslim Action Network. Executive Director Rami Nashashibi said his organization has pushed for years for a business model that respects the Black community.
“We pray and hope that today is the beginning, certainly not the end, but the beginning of a journey of what gas stations in our neighborhoods need to look like,” emphasized Nashashibi.
The Roux is the first gas station centered around literacy in the nation and the team plans to open more in Chicago and nationwide.
