Highlights
- Trader Joe’s Lafayette confirmed: Construction starts October 2025, opens April 2026 on Camellia Boulevard
- Buc-ee’s delays devastate timeline: Ruston pushed to 2027, Lafayette mega-store won’t open until 2028
- Store closure apocalypse: 15,000 national closures in 2025, double 2024 numbers, with Louisiana hit hard
- Walgreens shutdown wave: 1,200 stores closing nationwide, Louisiana’s 65 locations at risk
- Job market whiplash: New stores create hundreds of positions while closures threaten thousands
- Costco snubs Louisiana again: 29 new locations nationwide but none in the state
Louisiana Retail Revolution: What’s Opening, Closing, and Changing in 2025-2026
Louisiana faces retail chaos as thousands of closures hit while new chains promise relief.
LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — Louisiana shoppers are living through the biggest retail shake-up in decades. While beloved chains like Trader Joe’s finally arrive and Buc-ee’s promises mega-stores, a massive wave of closures is hitting communities statewide. Here’s everything you need to know about what’s opening, what’s closing, and when it’s all happening.
Trader Joe’s Lafayette Construction Timeline
Louisiana’s Trader Joe’s expansion is finally gaining steam after years of waiting.
New Orleans Success Story: Trader Joe’s opened its first New Orleans location in August 2025 at 2501 Tulane Ave. According to ABC News, massive crowds packed the August 14 grand opening. The store became Louisiana’s third Trader Joe’s location…