Al Scramuzza, the renowned "Crawfish King" of New Orleans, passed away at the age of 97 in his Metairie home yeasterday, reported by FOX 8 Live. A Mid-city produce stand marked the origin of his business empire in 1951, where he sold crawfish for merely 15 cents per pound. His legacy business, Seafood City, became a Mid-city landmark, sprawling over a city block on North Broad Street, and was capable of selling over 20,000 pounds of crawfish in just one day at the height of its success.
Born into less than fortunate circumstances on September 19, 1927, in New Orleans’ French Quarter, Scramuzza was a purveyor of seafood who transformed a once overlooked crustacean into a culinary staple for the city. As a youth, surviving by picking up fallen produce from delivery trucks, Scramuzza had a stint at Hope Haven Orphanage, where his affection for sports was kindled, according to FOX 8 Live. Beyond his entrepreneurial spirit, he was a showman at heart, evident by his original television commercials, replete with costumes and his memorable jingle that recommended, "Stay with Al Scramuzza, and you’ll never be a looza."
The impact of his quirky, self-produced commercials reached beyond mere advertising, contributing to local culture in a manner that few could emulate. "New Orleans loves its characters," said Dominic Massa in a statement obtained by NOLA.com, and Scramuzza "typified a New Orleans character" with ads "so goofy, so different that they resonated with people."
While crawfish, having once been a hard sell, found their way to the heart of city culture largely thanks to Scramuzza's tireless efforts and showmanship, educating locals how to revel in the peeling and eating of the now-beloved delicacy. Despite having taught customers about the ways of enjoying crawfish, Scramuzza never waned in his passion for sports first lit in his formative years at Hope Haven Orphanage, as told by WWL-TV.
