Four stores making changes in Lafayette
Changing spaces
Two of Lafayette’s standby boutiques made moves in February to Parc Lafayette — Shoe La La and Partners’ LTD.
It was all about location, location, location when the folks at Partners’ LTD decided to relocate from their longtime Arnould Boulevard storefront.
“The sales floor is bigger, and the floor plan is more open. It’s a great location and a good opportunity for us,” says manager Nick Usie.
The Usie family wanted to own rather than rent and found the option to build a free-standing store on a lot in Parc Lafayette the perfect fit for an effort to both keep longstanding brands and introduce new ones.
“We wanted something fresh and some new brands … a little more trendy brands to go with our classic lines,” he says.
Expanding their customer base is another move the ladies at Shoe La La are making under new ownership with Beth Barber and Tiffany Chiasson. They moved from Main Street in River Ranch to the old Sky Blue space after longtime owner Amy Lewis sold the shoe boutique.
For years the store has been home to both trendy footwear and a small collection of apparel. Manager Katelyn Miller says that will change with the move. In addition to the brands people love at Shoe La La like Jeffery Campbell and TOMS, they will carry Frye for the entire family, Wildfox for ladies and start carrying men’s shoes, more children’s footwear and far more women’s clothing.
New Blood
Two new clothing boutiques with very different vibes have cropped up on the retail scene — Tabb’s and Amor.
Tabb’s, located near Posados on Ambassador Caffery, carries a blend of women’s clothing and a hefty chunk of tween pieces along with some gift items. Owner Brenda Miller named the store based on the first initial of herself, her daughter and granddaughters — Tricia, Alyssa, Brittlyn and Brenda.
“We always enjoyed shopping together,” she says.
She thought opening a store would be a fun endeavor for the girls to take on together. She has a smattering of jeans and tons of tops (from everyday for any age to super trendy) along with wear-at-any-age maxi dresses, shorts and a few shoes.
Not far away Amor opened on Settlers Trace near Dianna Rae Jewelry with clean lines and a fresh collection of clothing that somehow feels both New York and Miami all at once. And still wearable.
“We are the sister store to Love and Eros in Baton Rouge,” says manager Victoria Winter.
The longtime employee of the stores said they had so many Lafayette customers at the other locations they decided to open a store here that would blend the concepts of the other two boutiques with a diverse price point.
“We want people to build a wardrobe from getting their T-shirts and jeans to a wedding,” Winter says.
It’s easy to see how they could. From fresh little rompers in luxe fabrics to jeans and flowing maxis and sexy cocktail, Amor is home to a blend of pieces that are fresh, on trend and still often quite timeless.