Team Spotlight: Rebecca Newton

Rebecca Newton, Assistant General Manager, St. Roch Market

Hometown: Flemington, NJ

Favorite Childhood Meal: For birthdays, my mom would cook our favorite meal. One birthday, I asked my mom for hot dogs and corn. All I wanted was hot dogs and corn.

Tea or Coffee? Coffee. Black

Favorite Sandwich: Ooh, lately I’ve been doing toasted ham, lettuce, mayo, provolone cheese – toast it first, and then add the lettuce. No hot lettuce!

Favorite Food at St Roch Market – That’s hard! Lately, I’ve been doing the Rangoon Beef Noodle Soup from Laksa, the Tzatziki from Dolma, and the Red Beans and Rice from Elysian Seafood.

How did you come from New Jersey to New Orleans and find yourself working with us?

My best friend went to Tulane and I came to visit her. I’m a farm girl, but I came down here in May for her graduation, fell in love with it, and stayed for about a month. I headed back to NJ, but decided I needed to be in New Orleans, so I packed my bags and left for good a couple of weeks later. I got my very first service industry job ever as a waitress in a pizza restaurant and stayed there for 3 years. I was looking for something new, found Auction House on Facebook getting ready to open. I applied in person and started as a Guest Assistant. Four days later they moved me up to Supervisor. It was very fun to be there for the initial opening and see how everything came together. It was especially exciting when all of the plants and greenery came in. I was with them for two years, moving into the Operations Manager position after about 6 months and then 2 years ago I moved into the Assistant General Manager role here at St Roch Market.

Let’s talk more about those plants, you’ve become kind of the St Roch Market’s horticulturist in residence.  Plants is another reason I love NO so much. The growing season down here is pretty great, my house is full of plants. I got to put all of the plants in at St. Roch Market and I love them.

Do you do both the indoor and outdoor plants for St Roch Market?

Yes, I just planted the flower seeds yesterday for birds, bees, and butterflies so in 40 to 70 days we’ll have wildflower buckets for the front.

In addition to growing and nurturing plants, I believe you also have quite a love for animals too.

Yes, I have quite the menagerie. Two dogs, two cats, a turtle, a leopard gecko, two fish tanks, a snail farm to feed the turtle, and a mealworm farm to feed the gecko. I guess my real pastime is just all things that are alive.

What are you most proud of in your time with St Roch Market?

A bunch of things, but probably the Art Market. Sunday is my favorite day of the week; I get to see all of the friendly faces we’ve collected over the last year and half or so. Covid shut down most of the art markets around the city that were open every day. After our holiday market, the artists were telling me that they didn’t have anywhere to regularly go, so I said, “come on out every week and be here with us”. We have such a great Sunday group and they’ve become like a little family for us. We don’t charge table fees, so it’s about showcasing the artist. It’s one of my favorite things we do.

Do you consider yourself to also be a creative individual?

Yes, I do most of the arts in my spare time. I went to college for fine arts and did oil painting and ceramics. I do beading, knitting, crocheting, and I sew. I like to always have multiple creative projects in progress. I probably have over 50 going on as we speak today.

What are your dreams or goals for the future?

How everything’s been going this past little bit has been crazy, so I’m just kind rolling with how it all and we’ll see what comes next.

How has New Orleans changed you?

I’m definitely a lot tougher than I was. Also, I liked plants before, but when I finally had a backyard in prime growing country, I really went crazy with it. Moving here was my first time living on my own, away from my hometown. New Orleans is really welcoming and accepting of everybody, so I’ve come into my own as an adult with New Orleans as the backdrop.

Why do you stay at St Roch Market?

Well, we’re a family here, and I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned about the different types of food and people and the business, etc. I just love the market.