Jerry Pearson of Pearson’s Travel World Luggage & Gifts has repurchased his Lafayette store and relocated it across Ambassador Caffery Parkway next to Charley G’s.
The company, which expanded to Lafayette in 1979 shortly after opening its first Baton Rouge store, sold the local store in 2007 to founder Pearson’s brother in law, David Niven, owner of Kidd Russ in Shreveport. In October Niven decided to retire from the business and sold the Lafayette store and the Shreveport location to Pearson.
Niven had in recent months changed to local store name to Kidd Russ, but Pearson renamed it Pearson’s Travel World in conjunction with the relocation to a 2,800-square-foot space at 3809 Ambassador Caffery. For years the store was located at 3810 Ambassador Caffery (near Sky Zone). For now the Shreveport location will remain Kidd Russ Luggage & Gifts.
Pearson’s son Ned serves as vice president of the company.
The company’s 9,000-square-foot store on Jefferson Highway in Baton Rouge also offers a travel agency.