SCOTT, La. — The Louise Lane Boutique in Scott will be closing its doors after three years of operation, citing a lack of development in the area as a key factor in its decision. The boutique will host its last in-store event this Saturday, August 23.
Owner Virginia McBroom expressed disappointment over the lack of traffic and customer growth since the boutique opened.
"Our first year, we didn’t necessarily have a lot of traffic because, at the time, Apollo Road was closed. There were a lot of delays with the construction of Apollo Road, and it took a little over a year for the road to be open. So within our second year, we felt that there would be a lot more traffic. And now going into year three, the traffic on Apollo has not necessarily brought in the customers that we were expecting," she said.
When the boutique signed its lease, Virginia believed that shopping centers and grocery stores would soon follow, but those developments have yet to materialize.
"After three years, we’re still here with, not a grocery store, no more developments, maybe getting a restaurant in the neighborhood, but it has been at a standstill since," she said.
Virginia noted that road construction has adversely affected business. "While Apollo Road was closed, it was just dead. People almost had to go out of their way just to come through the neighborhood to visit our location."
However, Scott's mayor defended the ongoing road improvements as part of a larger plan for growth.
"The road is young; the road is in its infancy," he said. "When you really consider a corridor of that magnitude — you’re not even talking about two years open. December of this year will be two years that this road has been fully open. So, I think it’s coming. I think we’re on the cusp of really expanding and blowing up on that corridor."
Despite the closure of the storefront, Virginia emphasized her appreciation for the support from the community and noted that the boutique will still operate online.
"I just hope our customers know how much we appreciate them supporting us for the last three years," she said. "And it’s definitely hard closing, but you always have to move on to bigger and better things."
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