The Latest Lafayette, Louisiana Businesses to Announce Openings and Closings

There has been a lot of activity in the Lafayette, Louisiana business landscape over the last few weeks regarding places closing and opening up.

Just last week, we learned that two Lafayette Burger Kings have closed their doors.

We also found out that Books-A-Million at 4419 Ambassador Caffery would be closing as well. However, its sister store, 2nd & Charles, will be opening in mid-2024 in the former Sears Home & Life store, located at 4405 Ambassador Caffery Parkway.

What's new this week?

Let's start with the good news. A new business called Bayou Bao Co. took to social media to announce their arrival soon to Acadiana.

Exactly where it'll be located and when it will be opening, that's a mystery at this point. Their Facebook page does say Lafayette, Louisiana.

The Facebook page gives this synopsis of the business:

Bayou Bao Co. is more than just a food venture; it's a bridge between cultures and a solution to Lafayette's culinary cravings, bringing a taste of the world to the heart of Acadiana.

In case you aren't familiar with a bao, it's also known as a steamed bun, baozi, or humbow -- a soft, fluffy dough that's steamed with various fillings inside.

UPDATE: We've been informed that Bayou Bao Co. will actually be a food truck.

And now, the closings

The Boston Market inside the TA Truck Stop located at 1701 North University in Lafayette closed last week.

The owner of Boston Market, Jay Pandya, filed for personal bankruptcy on December 8 amid multiple lawsuits for unpaid bills.

According to the Boston Market website, there are now no locations open in Louisiana.

And a "temporary closing"

The folks at Planet VR took to social media to announce to announce a temporary closing.

As you can see in the post above, over the holidays, they had some serious damage to their equipment and they need to re-evaluate how to proceed.

While this is only speculation, it seems like the owners are deciding if the replacement costs are worth staying open or not.

Planet VR is located at 2800 W. Pinhook Rd in Lafayette.

We'll keep tabs on this development and provide updates should it be warranted.