Booming Business Growth through Reinvestment in Central

Press Release
Photo by Michael Spangler
    The City of Central is celebrating its 10th Anniversary as a city incorporated on July 11, 2005. It is reaching a pivotal point in history for those who spent the past 16 years steadily working, committed to the dream of a prosperous new city, successful top-ranking independent school system and a unique community identity.
    Central now has the attention of developers and entrepreneurs who see the determination of business owners profiting as expansions kick off the next 10 years. 
    Central Mayor Junior Shelton held a press conference Tuesday July 7th, just days before a city-wide celebration on Saturday, July 11th, to introduce four business and their owners who have doubled down on Central’s future as home to their families’ as well.   “Central is open for business,” said Central’s Mayor as he opened the press conference.  “Residential developments, commercial and retail developments are taking shape within the city and many Central business people are reinvesting in Central,” said Mayor Shelton.
    Four businesses, two non-profits, and a new business owner, who are reinvesting millions of dollars, and  business opening in September, all spending well over $10 million collectively to invigorate and inspire others to invest in Central’s 66 square miles,  presented their ideas and reasons for choosing Central 
    The press conference was held at Central Perk Coffee Shop & Café at 6691 Sullivan Road. The popular internet café is owned by entrepreneurs Brockwell and Chris Bone, who recently purchased the business and are training their family business principals necessary for success. 
    Central boasts fast population increases ranking as newest incorporated city, 12th largest in the Louisiana and #2 ranking among public school systems statewide. 
    Central has become a leader in education and job training, and now will be home for specifically training  for those with autism. Mayor Shelton announced the upcoming opening of Louisiana’s first non-profit job training program for teens and adults with autism spectrum disorders. The training program will be located in the former Starkey Academy and will be known as Gateway Transitional Center. 
    This effort began with attorney Stephen Whitlow and Debbie White Dougherty. Each have children in their family diagnosed with autism. Gateway’s Executive Director is Cassie Denicola.  
    Central City Autism Awareness, LLC, will also be located at the former Starkey Academy, and will be focusing on young children and their families facing early stages of diagnosis and therapies for autism and Asperger’s Syndrome. Society as a whole has difficulty understanding the long term effects and cost associated with vocational, speech, and physical therapies. Both Gateway and Central City Autism Awareness groups raised all funds through private donations. Currently there are no programs such as this in the state. Founders Dougherty and Whitlow are determined to provide resources and assistance to those in Central and surrounding areas. 
    Oak Point Fresh Market owners John and wife Carmel Sumich carry on the family tradition started by John’s late father in Buras, LA in 1956, opening a local grocery store.  Sumich has mentored his son Jonathan in managing the Central location, saying his other son is manager of their Watson Oak Point Fresh Market. Their daughter is a nurse and also works with the family business.
    Sumich shared their vision and plans for the $4 million complex they recently purchased July 1, 2015. The Northeast Plaza Shopping Center was built in 1982 and comprises 89,244 square feet, has three buildings, one of which has been home to the 30,000 square foot Oak Point, an Associated Grocers partnering supermarket. It is one of four stores they own in their former hometown of Buras, Patterson, and Watson.
    “We were able to pull together the funds to purchase the Northeast Plaza, soon to be re-branded with another name. My family and my children want to be proud of what we do. We want the community to feel good about it,” Sumich continued.  “We have allocated funding to revitalize this Northeast Plaza completely. I want to make sure all the businesses complement each other and work well together.” 
    “We have allocated $500,000 to renovate the shopping center’s exterior, including lighting, and an additional $700,000 for the interior of Central’s Oak Point, expanding prepared foods, deli, produce and moving our florist and fresh flowers for more space,” shared Sumich.
    “We are proud of what Central has done over the past 10 years,” Sumich said. “We chose this community to plant roots. We are proud to be a part of Central. We came from Buras, and actually had a plan to begin in Watson. We worked on the plan for 2 years prior to Hurricane Katrina. The documents were on my desk 2 days before Katrina hit. After Katrina, we flew over our old home and business which were 23 feet under water, and knew that it was time for us to live above sea level. Quickly we got off the ground in Watson in 2005, opening in 2006. And, we found a perfect opportunity to grow into Central in 2007.”
    Mayor Shelton spoke on behalf of Pat’s Home Center. Pat’s Home Center has been the largest complete hardware and lumber store in Central, having three locations: in St. Francisville, Clinton and Central. The family business began in 1983 and expanded to Central in 2005 with an 18,000 square foot showroom and warehouse.
    Pat’s Home Center won’t be in their 13533 Hooper Road location after August, expanding to their new building on Sullivan Road across from Walmart near the Wax Road intersection.
    Pat’s Home Center’s prior location will be utilized by their next door neighbor, Lancaster House, for a distribution center. This new space will add 36,000 square feet to Lancaster House’s existing 10,000 square foot showroom.
    Lancaster House owner Stacey Lancaster designs and distributes home décor, pottery, oil paintings and art, furniture, accessories, gifts, jewelry and her signature lines of trademarked fleur de lis textile and designs worldwide, and to the nation’s largest retailers such as Bed Bath and Beyond, big box retailers, chain boutiques, among others, has reinvested over $450,000 in just the 4th quarter. 
    “Sales have exploded for us, so we are reinvesting and growing tremendously here in Central,” Lancaster said with a smile, adding they expect the expansion to increase sales by over $1 million this year and $2 million next year.
    Lancaster announced as soon as Pat’s Home Center vacates the building, she will spend a solid month and whatever investment necessary moving into and renovating Lancaster’s new distribution center with the largest shipment she has ever received – 17 ocean freight containers.  She plans to be open this new space for business in September. Monthly open house sales to the public will continue, the next one scheduled for August 7-9, 2015 on Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 12 to 4 p.m. 
    With over 50,000 square feet of showroom and warehouse space since opening in 1999, Lancaster has steered her business to solid growth, also expanded in 2012 with an additional 18,000 square feet in Gonzales to expand her furniture line. At that time she was unable to expand her location in Central, and now the years of planning the expansion are a reality.
    The former teacher and her husband Charlie travel the world in search of talented artisans off the beaten path as well as creating their own unique designs, patents and trademark items. They are very happy about their son’s return home to open this new venture.
    “I am most exciting to announce my son’s new business called LA2LA, also opening in September.” Lancaster’s son Michael Paul Miller is relocating from Los Angeles and opening a new business in 4,000 square feet of space in the front of Lancaster’s expanded space. Miller will design and sell high quality handbags, jewelry collections and fashion accessories wholesale to retailers and be open to the public monthly. 
    “I really believe Michael Paul’s business LA2LA will be even more successful than mine. He loves Louisiana and has excellent contacts in Los Angeles’ fashion industry,” she continued, saying he sees the   benefits of locating his corporate office and showroom here in Central, will hire local people, support  and benefiting local charitable organizations and expand internationally. 
    LA2LA will have a huge grand opening public sale and will expand as needed, coinciding with Lancaster House events and sale dates,” she said. 
    For Mayor Shelton, these announcements give him more reason to smile. He knows how difficult it is to bring new business ventures to fruition. Tuesday’s announcements prove these business owners have their focus on positive, profitable, sustainable growth.   Central’s achievements continue to expand the strong foundation of these multi-million dollar investments, a perfect start to the next decade, fueling Central’s growth. Additional announcements are planned in the near future.