LAFAYETTE, La. — UL Lafayette and Olde Tyme Grocery have agreed to swap nearby parking lots, giving the popular po-boy shop easier access for its customers while allowing the university to move forward with long-term campus plans.
Customers at Olde Tyme Grocery say the change was immediately noticeable.
“I think it’s beneficial because it’s easier parking to get in and out,” said Joseph Rogers III, who stopped by the shop shortly after the switch. “Nobody has to cross the street. Nobody has to look for traffic. You just walk the sidewalk.”
The parking lot directly next to Olde Tyme Grocery was previously operated by UL Lafayette. Under the new arrangement, the lot now belongs to the restaurant. In exchange, the university acquired a lot located across Johnston Street.
University officials say the swap has been years in the making.
“This is something we have been working on,” said Scott Hebert, director of facility management at UL Lafayette. “This property was identified in the master plan we did back in 2010 as a potential piece of property to acquire, which would allow us to connect our main campus across Johnston Street to our newly acquired Health Sciences Campus at the former Lourdes building.”
For customers like Rogers, the change is a win-win.
“Whenever you had to maneuver to try not to hit other people’s vehicles, it was a lot harder,” he said. “So this is real nice.”
Customers say the new setup improves both convenience and safety, allowing them to focus less on traffic and more on enjoying one of Lafayette’s most well-known po-boys.
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