Lafayette’s West Marine Set to Close as Part of Bankruptcy

(KMDL-FM) The Lafayette, Louisiana, location of the nation's largest boating retailer is among 59 stores slated for closure, according to court documents presented on June 1st. According to those documents presented in court, the Johnston Street location of West Marine will be shuttered as part of bankruptcy proceedings. 

West Marine filed for bankruptcy protection on May 17, 2026. The company cited disruptions in the supply chain, extreme weather events, and a significant shift in consumer behavior as reasons for filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

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West Marine began in 1968 when founder Randy Repass began selling nylon rope to sailors along the California coast. Over time, the business grew, and Repass opened his first brick-and-mortar store in the San Francisco suburb of Palo Alto, California, in 1975.

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The company went public as West Marine in 1993 after opening its first east coast stores a few years earlier in Miami, Florida, and Annapolis, Maryland, in 1991. The company merged with E&B Marine in 1996. It was later acquired by L. Catterton a private equity firm, in 2021.

When Did West Marine Open in Lafayette, LA?

The Lafayette location of West Marine opened in 2012 at 2668 Johnston Street. You can check out the store's website for details on liquidation sales. We perused the website and found no information on an actual store closing date, so that may have yet to be determined.

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When Is West Marine's Last Day to Be Open in Lafayette, LA?

The closest speculation that we've been able to find regarding a final closing date is September 2026. According to online reports, that is when most of the stores will be shuttering. The final date will be determined by the amount of remaining inventory at each location that is scheduled for closing.

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In addition to the Lafayette location, West Marine also operates stores in Mandeville and New Orleans. Neither of those stores was mentioned as part of the 59 stores that will be shuttered as part of the ongoing bankruptcy process.

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We wish the staff and employees at West Marine the best. Hopefully, there are some fond memories to take away from your time on Johnston Street; if not, here are some you might consider.