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.

Lafayette Timeline Locked In: According to development documents, Lafayette’s 16,500-square-foot store will open at 1710 Camellia Boulevard near River Ranch.

READ MORE: Trader Joe’s Lafayette Store Now Officially Confirmed

Key Dates:

• October 6, 2025: Construction begins
• April 20, 2026: Grand opening planned
• Location: Next to Rouses at River Ranch

The Lafayette store faces intense competition from Whole Foods, Aldi, Albertsons, Fresh Market, Natural Grocers, Target, and Costco—all within miles of each other.

Buc-ee’s Delays and What They Mean

Louisiana’s most anticipated retail arrival turned into a construction nightmare with massive delays hitting both planned locations.

Ruston Reality Check Dirt work began September 22 in Ruston, but the opening got pushed to 2027. Road construction and infrastructure challenges created the delays.

Lafayette’s Mega-Store Delayed Until 2028 The Lafayette location faced even worse delays. According to The Advocate, the 75,000-square-foot Lafayette store won’t open until 2028.

READ MORE: Buc-ee’s Lafayette Location Could Face 2028 Delay, Company Silent

Why the Delays Matter:

• Size matters: Lafayette’s 75,000 sq ft store will be one of the largest in the Gulf South
• 120 gas pumps with 60,000+ sq ft of canopy coverage
• Infrastructure challenges: Massive scale requires extensive road and utility work
• Economic impact: Each store brings 200+ jobs at $18-20/hour starting pay

Costco Expansion Skips Louisiana Again

Despite opening 29 new stores in 2025, Costco ignored Louisiana completely.

According to the Costco website, March 2025 openings went to:

• Brentwood, California
• Genesee County, Michigan
• Highland, California
• Prosper, Texas
• Sharon, Massachusetts
• Weatherford, Texas (closest to Louisiana)

As of September 2024, Costco operates 890 locations worldwide with 616 in the US. Louisiana still gets only four stores in New Orleans, Covington, Lafayette, and Baton Rouge.

North Louisiana remains without warehouse club options beyond Sam’s Club.

Store Closures Threaten Louisiana Jobs

Louisiana can’t escape what experts call the worst retail crash since COVID-19.

The Numbers Are Staggering: According to Coresight Research, 15,000 stores will close in 2025—double the 7,325 that shut down in 2024.

READ MORE: Over 15,000 Store Closures Hit Louisiana & Texas in 2025

Major Chains Closing Louisiana Locations:

Walgreens

• 1,200 stores closing nationwide over three years
• 500 closures planned for 2025
• Louisiana has locations in 65 cities and towns
• Lafayette Parish: 11 locations at risk
• Baton Rouge area: Over a dozen locations threatened

CVS

• 270 locations closing in 2025
• Closures based on “changes in population, consumer buying patterns and future health needs”
• Specific Louisiana locations not yet announced

Other Major Closures:

• Macy’s: 66 stores nationwide
• JCPenney: 8 stores by mid-2025
• Family Dollar: 370 additional closures in 2025
• GameStop: Continuing major downsizing

What This Means for Shoppers

Immediate Changes (Fall 2025):

• Trader Joe’s Lafayette construction begins October 2025
• Walgreens closure announcements expected
• Increased drive times to remaining pharmacy locations

2026 Developments:

• Trader Joe’s Lafayette opens April 2026
• Additional pharmacy closures likely
• Rural communities face reduced shopping options

2027-2028 Outlook:

• Buc-ee’s Ruston finally opens in 2027
• Lafayette Buc-ee’s delayed until 2028
• Full retail restructuring impact becomes clear

What Louisiana Communities Should Expect

Rural Areas Hit Hardest: Small towns depend on chain stores as community anchors providing jobs and essential shopping. Store closures eliminate both employment and convenient access to necessities.

Job Market Impact: While new stores like Trader Joe’s and Buc-ee’s promise hundreds of positions, pharmacy and retail closures threaten thousands more jobs statewide.

Shopping Pattern Changes: Expect increased reliance on...

• Remaining big-box retailers
• Online shopping and delivery
• Concentrated retail areas like Lafayette’s River Ranch corridor

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When will Trader Joe’s open in Lafayette? A: Construction begins October 6, 2025, with grand opening planned for April 20, 2026, on Camellia Boulevard near River Ranch.

Q: Why is Buc-ee’s delayed so long? A: Construction complexity from massive size (75,000 sq ft Lafayette store), infrastructure requirements for 120 gas pumps, and road/utility upgrades caused delays. Ruston opens 2027, Lafayette pushed to 2028.

Q: Is Costco opening new Louisiana locations? A: No. Despite 29 new stores in 2025, Costco skipped Louisiana entirely. The state keeps only four existing locations.

Q: Which stores are closing in Louisiana? A: Walgreens plans 500 closures in 2025 from 1,200 nationwide. CVS is closing 270 locations. Specific Louisiana stores have not yet been announced, but locations in 65+ cities are at risk.

Q: How many jobs are at stake? A: Thousands of pharmacy and retail jobs face elimination while new stores promise hundreds of positions. Buc-ee’s locations will each hire 200+ workers at $18-20/hour.