LSU Alumni Spotlight: Drew Ann Long

Tiger Mom Forges Path for Caroline’s Cart To Reach Children with Disabilities 

When Drew Ann Long (1991 BACH BUS) went to grocery stores and big-box retailers 15 years ago, she often saw carts for toddlers and kids – carts with fire truck or police car themes -- waiting to be used by shoppers. 

The absence of shopping carts for children and adults with disabilities prompted a question: Where are those carts? 

Long realized they did not exist. 

“My daughter, Caroline, has special needs (Rett syndrome),” Long said. “Certainly, there has to be a special needs cart.” 

From Sketch to Solution: How Long Fought for Special Needs Shopping Carts Against All Odds

Long started from square one in 2009 with a drawing of a prototype cart. Then Long began discussing the need with managers at local grocery stores.  

“What an underserved market,” Long said. “I went to companies and shopping cart manufacturers and told them, ‘This is what we need. The special needs population is the world’s largest minority group.’” 

The initial conversations between Long and retail executives went nowhere. She pursued the plan further by doing a few things: Long created a social media presence, asked people for input, and continued to address the issue with retailers.  

“I wanted to do this, but didn’t know how to do it,” Long said. “We used our own retirement money, went back to retailers, and kept on and on.” 

Consumer Demand Ignites a Movement

About a year later, Long started to receive feedback from manufacturers that their customers were calling and inquiring about shopping carts for people with disabilities. 

 “Consumers were beginning to create the demand,” Long said. 

In 2012, Long was able to get a Georgia manufacturer to make 88 carts. The plan was to make 100 carts, but 12 burned in a fire. She got those carts into Sunset Foods in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.  

“That kind of kicked off the demand, but I had to tell people I only had 88 carts,” Long said.  

Wanzl, a German company that is the world’s largest shopping cart maker, later supplied a manufacturing contract. The ongoing battle to penetrate the retail market meant Long had to continue stressing the need for Caroline’s Cart in stores. 

From Grassroots to Global: Caroline’s Cart Rolls into Every Walmart and Sam’s Club Across America 

It took years of struggle before Caroline’s Cart eventually found a place in Target, Lowe’s,  Wegmans, Kroger, and Publix. July marked a major turning point. Walmart executives invited Long to fly out to Bentonville, Ark. Gaining traction with the world’s largest retailer took Caroline’s Cart to a new demand level. 

“Equipping our stores with Caroline’s Cart(s) provides some relief to parents and caregivers who need this tool and know it’s available at their Walmart,” said Cedric Clark, Walmart executive vice president of store operations. “Whether they’re caring for someone with a disability or a temporary injury, the carts support our customers when and how they need it every time they come through our doors.” 

Caroline’s Carts are now in every Walmart and Sam’s Club in the United States. 

Fueled by Grit and an LSU Education, Long Turned a Napkin Sketch into a Nationwide Solution

Before Caroline’s Cart existed, Long was a childhood Ohio transplant to Louisiana who became a student at Slidell High School. She applied to one university—LSU—and later focused on a business administration degree track. Long valued the broad knowledge the degree would provide for an entrepreneur.  

“It’s not just finance or accounting, but a blend of all things in the business world,” Long said. “My accounting professor was also a certified public accountant. They (the faculty members) did other things professionally. I loved the value and work ethic they brought to the table. It taught us to never give up and take those hard classes.” 

Long moved to Birmingham, Alabama, in 1994 – where she lives today. She did in-house accounting for a firm before becoming Director of Finance for a private boarding school. “I’m glad I had it (the business administration degree),” Long said. “I’m glad I had all the different disciplines within that.” 

Long has embraced the lessons she learned at LSU while she navigated a journey that began in 2009 with a cart Long drew on a napkin during dinner. 

“The buy-in from retailers and manufacturers was terrible at first,” Long said. “Was I going to accept that? LSU taught me the value of hard work. Caroline’s Cart is the hardest and most rewarding thing I have done.” 

For more information, go to drewannspeaks.com or carolinescart.com.