Henderson, N.C.-based Variety Wholesale Inc. will locate a Roses Store in the old Winn Dixie building on West Main Street. The company operates 421 stores across the southeastern United States. The New Iberia store will employ 40 to 50 people.
Pat Caffery, leasing agent for the property owners, and Mike Tarantino, president and CEO of the Iberia Industrial Development Foundation, said the deal had been in the works for a year. Roses will use the 40,000 square feet of store and warehouse space and will offer merchandise including clothing and shoes for the entire family, home furnishings, housewares, toys, food, health and beauty products and seasonal items.
 Pat Caffery, left, and Mike Tarantino meet Monday outside empty building that soon will house Roses Store. -- Holly Leleux-Thubron / The Daily Iberian Advertisement
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In addition to another shopping venue for the city, the store will add more retail services to the West End.
“It’s been long overdue and there is a real need for a store like this on this side of town,” Caffery said. “I think we will begin to see the development of the West End as New Iberia grows and Lafayette expands south.”
Sylvia Davis, Hopkins Street district coordinator, said the West End neighborhood association board of directors was “very excited” to hear about the new store.
“Any business coming into the community will give our residents options,” she said. “Many people end up driving to Lafayette because they have more choices, and hopefully this will keep them spending their money in town.”
Davis said the new store will also help with ongoing revitalization efforts of the West End neighborhoods. She added the association is currently courting more than 20 business owners who have expressed an interest in locating in the area.
Tarantino said he appreciates Variety’s “huge investment.”
“I’m very happy that Variety has chosen to locate here in the West End of our community,” he said.
The company plans to begin work inside the Winn Dixie building Friday.
Comments
shopnifirst wrote on Jan 14, 2009 2:37 PM:
Threadprotector wrote on Jan 9, 2009 12:37 PM:
I know what your mean. At first, it sounded as though you lived in Franklin or Jeanerette. LOL
Surly you were pulling their leg. No way could you be civilized enough to live in NI.
Isn’t it amazing what people think of themselves? "
INTERESTING wrote on Jan 8, 2009 8:15 PM:
Shoplifting is Widespread wrote on Jan 8, 2009 12:24 AM:
Jal wrote on Jan 7, 2009 9:50 PM:
The damage really set in with the casinos opening .
We now have a McDonalds ,apartment complex, a library ,a retirement home ,a academically excellent school and middle school .
We also ,now have law enforcement that does exactly that "enforce the laws ". "
Threadprotector wrote on Jan 7, 2009 2:55 PM:
Sometimes the answer is right before you. "
Dont talk about all of us that way wrote on Jan 7, 2009 1:25 PM:
westend resident wrote on Jan 7, 2009 10:10 AM:
xxx wrote on Jan 7, 2009 8:29 AM:
citizens need to appreciate wrote on Jan 6, 2009 2:19 PM: