Just to be perfectly clear: it’s business as usual at Teche Drugs at 509 Jefferson St.
A bit of confusion seems to have been caused by property owner Martha Sonnier Day’s decision to shutter her adjoining Jefferson Street gift shops, but the pharmacy — a business that has been owned by pharmacist Ryan Dartez and his wife Tiffany since 2009 — is in no way affected by the shops’ closure.
“The pharmacy will be here another 50 years,” Ryan Dartez tells ABiz, noting that he and his wife have a long-term lease with Day along with options to buy the building. Day owns the real estate, which includes second-floor living spaces.
Day confirmed in a statement to ABiz that after 20 years in the retail business, she has decided to close The Gift Shoppe and The Kids Shoppe at Teche Drugs & Gifts and retire. A sale of the merchandise began Sept. 8. Day did not say what she hopes to do with the space.
Martha Day and her late husband Tom were an integral part of revitalizing Downtown, having been among the first business people to build residential space above their businesses.