The Many Faces of a Store

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LOCATION: LAFAYETTE, LAFAYETTE PARISH, LA

COORDINATES: 30.225685, -92.018216 (433 JEFFERSON ST.)

STATUS: REPLACED

Like in many towns anywhere in the world, buildings can take on different faces throughout their lives. Lafayette is no exception and one such building built by three Mouton brothers, was one of the first general stores in Lafayette. It was aptly named “Mouton Bros.: General Merchandise,” and what made them unique was that they billed their customers on an annual basis. In 1916 Maurice Heymann bought the general store and changed it into the largest department store in Lafayette until 1937. Heymann was an extremely influential businessman from New Orleans and many stores he bought or built in Lafayette still bear the Heymann name. Heymann is most known for the development of the Heymann Oil Center in 1952, which turned the city of Lafayette into a booming place. Today the building takes on the face of the Lafayette Science Museum.