After Taking in Water During Flash Floods, Downtown Lafayette Businesses Need Our Love Now More Than Ever

In the early hours of Thursday morning, Downtown Lafayette looked more like a bayou than a business district as flash flooding left streets underwater and shop owners knee-deep in water—literally.

From Pop’s Poboys to Carpe Diem, and Black Café to the Juliet Hotel, businesses across the downtown area faced yet another round of intense flooding after storms dumped 4 to 8 inches of rain in just a few hours.

Despite millions of dollars spent on drainage improvements, it’s a story downtown locals know all too well.

Still, if there’s one thing Lafayette knows how to do—it’s bounce back.

By midday, Pop’s Poboys had already reopened their walk-up window. Doc’s Pop-In was back in action. Carpe Diem and Root were mid-cleanup.

Magnolia's Yoga & Pole Fitness was "still slaying" despite "sinking" in the floodwaters.

Parish Ink said doors were open, even if things were still a little soggy.

Even Festival International organizers, along with Mayor-President Monique Boulet, confirmed the celebration would carry on.

"Support Local" Isn’t Just a Slogan

It’s easy to say “shop local,” but this week it's more important than ever to live it. Downtown Lafayette has one of the highest concentrations of locally owned businesses in the entire city, many of which operate on razor-thin margins even without floodwaters sweeping through without warning.

While the city tells Claire Taylor at The Acadiana Advocate that this wasn’t a “failure of the system” due to the rarity of the storm (a 25- to 50-year event), it does raise real questions: Is Downtown Lafayette receiving the investment and protection it deserves? If not, will future planning truly prioritize the heart of our community?

Festival is ON, and Downtown is OPEN

According to Downtown Lafayette and Festival International officials, clean-up is nearly complete and the magic of festival season is alive and well. As Festival Director Scott Feehan and his team put it, “Leave your waders at home—we’ll see y’all tonight.”

Now more than ever, supporting these businesses is a chance to show up in more ways than one. Grab a poboy, sip a local brew, shop the boutiques, and take in all that Festival has to offer.

Because long after the bands leave the stage and the crowds thin out, these local businesses are still here—weathering the storms and doing what they do best. Let’s make sure they know we’ve got their back.