The department store era came with a lot of perks, especially in small towns where locally owned stores outfitted the whole family, provided long-term employment, and served as bustling gathering places for the community.
In the Acadiana area, “Abdalla’s” was a byword throughout the 20th century, starting with George Abdalla’s first store in Opelousas. The Lebanese merchant arrived in Louisiana around 1895, and by the 1920s, his retail empire was off to a strong start in St. Landry Parish. By the 1930s, his sons were also operating Abdalla’s stores in Lafayette and New Iberia, creating generations of memories for the people who shopped and worked there.
The Lafayette Oil Center Abdalla’s hung on the longest, closing in 2005. The stores in Opelousas and New Iberia were shuttered by the late 1980s, reflecting changing trends in local retail. Another Abdalla-owned shop, Brother’s on the Boulevard in Lafayette, closed in 2019. At this point, it’s been 20 to 40 years since anyone in Acadiana has shopped at an Abdalla’s department store — but the name still conjures up a flood of emotion for locals.
“It was really a very foundational shopping experience, which I probably based the rest of my life on, because it was excellent service, fantastic products, and overall kind people that worked there,” said New Iberia native Katy Svendson, who worked in gift wrapping at the New Iberia store at 133 W. Main St…