Acadiana Mall

Acadiana Mall is an enclosed regional shopping mall in Lafayette, Louisiana, at the intersection of Johnston Street, designated U.S. Route 167, and Ambassador Caffery Parkway, designated Louisiana Highway 3073. It serves the Lafayette area and the wider Acadiana region as a multi-tenant retail, dining, and services destination. The property is currently owned by Namdar Realty Group and has two operating department-store anchors, Dillard's and JCPenney. Plans for the mall were first disclosed in 1977. Development involved Dwight Andrus Development, Robert B. Aikens & Associates, and Homart Development Company. Construction began the same year, and the center opened on March 28, 1979. Its original anchor lineup included Sears, Goudchaux's, Selber Bros., and D. H. Holmes, reflecting the department-store-centered model common to enclosed regional malls of that period. The property experienced substantial anchor and format changes over subsequent decades. D. H. Holmes was acquired by Dillard's in the late 1980s, while Goudchaux's became Maison Blanche. Selber Bros. later closed, and JCPenney announced in 1990 that it would move from Northgate Mall into a new, larger building at Acadiana Mall. The JCPenney store opened on November 13, 1991, at the same time as a reported $5 million renovation of the shopping center. The former Maison Blanche location subsequently became Parisian in 1998, Foley's in 2001, and Macy's in September 2006. A further renovation in 2004 gave the property a more contemporary appearance and was accompanied by a temporary name change to The Mall of Acadiana. The original Acadiana Mall name was restored on February 21, 2013. The mall also became associated with the regional response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005, when it served as an assembly and staging area for volunteers and boats later associated with the Cajun Navy's flood-rescue efforts. The center's anchor mix contracted in the 2010s and 2020s. Sears Holdings transferred the Sears property, among 235 properties spun off in 2015, to Seritage Growth Properties. Sears closed in September 2017, leaving that space vacant. JCPenney was initially included in a June 2020 announcement concerning nationwide store closures, but the Acadiana Mall location was removed from the closing list in July of that year. Macy's was announced for closure in January 2025 as part of a national program affecting 66 stores; the location closed in March 2025. Following that closure, Dillard's and JCPenney remained the mall's operating department-store anchors. Acadiana Mall therefore represents both the continuing regional role of an established enclosed mall and the longer-term retail-space consolidation affecting traditional department-store properties.

Acadiana Mall was proposed in 1977 as a major enclosed shopping-center project for Lafayette, Louisiana. Dwight Andrus Development, Robert B. Aikens & Associates, and Homart Development Company were identified with the development. Construction began in 1977, and the mall opened on March 28, 1979, at the intersection of Johnston Street and Ambassador Caffery Parkway. Its initial department-store anchors were Sears, Goudchaux's, Selber Bros., and D. H. Holmes. The original anchor configuration changed as department-store companies consolidated. D. H. Holmes was acquired by Dillard's during the late 1980s, and Goudchaux's was converted to Maison Blanche. Selber Bros. eventually closed. In April 1990, JCPenney announced plans to relocate from Northgate Mall to Acadiana Mall. The former Selber Bros. space was demolished and replaced with a larger JCPenney building, which opened on November 13, 1991. The opening coincided with a reported $5 million renovation of the mall. The former Maison Blanche anchor went through several corporate identities. It became Parisian in 1998, Foley's in 2001, and Macy's in September 2006. In 2004, the shopping center received another renovation intended to modernize its appearance. The property was temporarily renamed The Mall of Acadiana as part of that change, but the original Acadiana Mall name returned on February 21, 2013. Acadiana Mall had a notable civic role after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. It served as an assembly and staging location for volunteer rescue operations. Those efforts became associated with the Cajun Navy, a loosely organized network of private boat owners and volunteers credited with helping rescue flood victims. The mall later faced the anchor reductions affecting many traditional enclosed shopping centers. In 2015, Sears Holdings spun off 235 properties into Seritage Growth Properties, including the Sears property at Acadiana Mall. Sears closed its store in September 2017, and the space remained vacant. JCPenney was included in a June 2020 national closure announcement, but the Acadiana Mall location was removed from the closure list the following month. Macy's announced in January 2025 that its store would close under a national program covering 66 stores; the location closed in March 2025. The mall's remaining operating department-store anchors are Dillard's and JCPenney. Namdar Realty Group is identified as the current owner.

• 2025

  Macy's closes

  [1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Macy's closed its Acadiana Mall store in March after announcing the location's inclusion in a national closure program.

• 2017

  Sears closes

  [1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The Sears anchor closed in September, leaving its former location vacant.

• 2013

  Original name restored

  [1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The shopping center reverted from The Mall of Acadiana to Acadiana Mall on February 21.

• 2005

  Hurricane Katrina relief staging site

  [1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Acadiana Mall became an assembly and staging area for volunteer rescue efforts associated with the Cajun Navy.

• 2004

  Mall renovation and temporary rebranding

  [1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The property underwent a renovation and adopted The Mall of Acadiana name for a period.

• 1991

  JCPenney opens after relocation and mall renovation

  [1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  JCPenney opened its new Acadiana Mall location on November 13, concurrently with the unveiling of a reported $5 million mall renovation.

• 1979

  Acadiana Mall opens

  [1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  The mall opened on March 28 with Sears, Goudchaux's, Selber Bros., and D. H. Holmes as anchor tenants.

• 1977

  Development plans announced and construction begins

  [1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Plans for an enclosed regional mall in Lafayette were unveiled, and construction began under a development group including Dwight Andrus Development, Robert B. Aikens & Associates, and Homart Development Company.

A traditional enclosed regional shopping mall serving Lafayette and the broader Acadiana market, with department-store anchors and a broad mix of specialty retail, services, and consumer-oriented offerings.

• Department store anchor

  Dillard's

  Dillard's is one of Acadiana Mall's two current department-store anchors. Its merchandise scope is associated with broad department-store categories such as apparel, footwear, accessories, beauty, and home-related goods. The location traces its anchor presence to the acquisition of the former D. H. Holmes operation in the late 1980s.

• Department store anchor · 1991

  JCPenney

  JCPenney operates as one of the mall's two remaining department-store anchors. The store relocated from Northgate Mall to a newly built, larger Acadiana Mall facility, opening on November 13, 1991. Although it was included in a national closure announcement in 2020, the Acadiana Mall location was removed from the closure list and remained operating according to the cited reference.

• Former department store anchor · 2006

  Macy's

  Macy's occupied a former Maison Blanche location that had previously operated as Parisian and Foley's. The store opened under the Macy's name in September 2006 and closed in March 2025 following its inclusion in a national Macy's closure program.

• Former department store anchor · 1979

  Sears

  Sears was one of Acadiana Mall's original anchors when the center opened in 1979. The property associated with the store was transferred to Seritage Growth Properties in 2015 as part of Sears Holdings' property spin-off, and the store closed in September 2017.

• 2025

  Macy's closureOther

  Background

  Macy's announced a national store-reduction program affecting 66 locations.

  Action taken

  The Macy's store at Acadiana Mall closed in March 2025.

  Aftermath

  Dillard's and JCPenney remained as the mall's only operating department-store anchors.

  Source

• 2020

  JCPenney closure decision reversed for the locationOther

  Background

  JCPenney announced a nationwide plan to close 154 stores, initially including the Acadiana Mall location.

  Action taken

  The Acadiana Mall store was removed from the closure list on July 13.

  Aftermath

  JCPenney remained one of the mall's operating anchors.

  Source

• 2013

  Return to the Acadiana Mall nameStrategy

  Background

  The property had used The Mall of Acadiana name following its 2004 renovation.

  Action taken

  Management reverted the center to its original Acadiana Mall name on February 21.

  Aftermath

  The shopping center continued operating under the Acadiana Mall identity.

  Source

• 2004

  Renovation and temporary name changeStrategy

  Background

  The established enclosed mall underwent a modernization project as competition and retail expectations evolved.

  Action taken

  The property was renovated and temporarily operated under The Mall of Acadiana name.

  Aftermath

  The original Acadiana Mall name was restored in 2013.

  Source

• 2025

  Macy's announces closure of Acadiana Mall location[1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Macy's announced in January that the Acadiana Mall store would close under a national plan affecting 66 stores. The location closed in March 2025.

• 2020

  JCPenney location removed from national closure list[1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  JCPenney announced the Acadiana Mall store as part of a nationwide closure plan in June, but removed this location from the list in July.

• 2017

  Sears closes at Acadiana Mall[1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The mall's Sears store closed in September 2017, leaving its former anchor site vacant.

• 2015

  Sears property transferred to Seritage Growth Properties[1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  M&A

  Sears Holdings spun off 235 properties, including the Sears location at Acadiana Mall, into Seritage Growth Properties.

• 2005

  Acadiana Mall serves as a Hurricane Katrina staging area associated with the Cajun Navy[1]Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org

  Other

  Following Hurricane Katrina, Acadiana Mall became an assembly point and staging area for volunteer rescue activity that became associated with the Cajun Navy and flood rescues.

1. 1Acadiana Mallen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Acadiana Mall official websiteacadiana-mall.com