One of the fun parts of my job is the opportunity to give talks about all the things going on in downtown Shreveport, and one of the highlights of those chats is reminding people of its amazing history. 

I love to see the reactions when I start talking about the days when downtown was the place to shop, to go to movies, to eat, to see and be seen. More often than not, people who lived through those years take over the show at that point and talk about their memories of dressing up on Saturdays and going to M Levy, Rubensteins, Palais Royale, Sears, JC Penney, Selber Bros., Winter’s Department Store, Woolworth’s, Franklin’s, Hearne’s and others. They are usually surprised when I tell them that retail is still alive in downtown Shreveport and more retail options are coming. 

New stores are moving in, taking advantage of the young new vibe and the tax-free opportunities of the downtown Cultural District. 

Courtney Gaston has just swung open the doors of Hippie Baby in the Red River District – a store for new parents who want cloth diapers and natural, eco-friendly products. In the 400 block of Lake Street, Katy Larsen has turned a lifelong dream into The Agora Borealis, an art marketplace that features quality local art and repurposed goods. These newest business owners join Chris and Christine Bailey’s Norsworthy Gallery on Texas Street, a fine art gallery selling the works of local and regional artists, Martha’s Hallmark, the one-of-a-kind jewelry and home items at giftspace at artspace, Downtown Tire, antiques at Bayou Some Junque, Robinson Film Center and stalwarts Lena’s Shoe Gallery and On Time Fashion. 

It is an interesting thing that many people do not realize that these two longtime businesses are still open. On Time Fashion has been in the same location in the 600 block of Texas Street since 1977 but is still a hidden gem – a men’s clothing store with a giant selection of suits, hats, shirts, ties and shoes – combined with in-store alterations and very personal service. 

Owner Sam Fashho once owned five clothing stores on Texas Street, but On Time was the sole survivor of the oil collapse in the 1980s. 

In the “rag” business for most of his life, Fashho can tell customers almost upon meeting the best size and suit cut for their body, an important thing in a store filled with more than 2,000 suits of all descriptions. 

“What do you do when the customer fibs about his size?” I ask him. He laughs and gives away a trade secret. “I tell them not to forget that the new cut on suits now is smaller, so they will likely need a size up.” 

His walls are filled with silk ties, Stetson hats and other products that keep customers coming back. 

A block away, Lena Thomason has spent nearly 60 years in retail on Milam Street, more than 30 in the shoe department at the old Rubenstein’s Department Store and since 1984 as the owner of Lena’s Shoe Gallery across from the Caddo Parish Courthouse. 

A fireball at 87-years-old, Thomason has never once considered retirement. “Never,” she said, “Never. My work keeps me going.” Customers love her line of J. Renee and Daniel Green footwear and she has a loyal following that spans many years. Both Fashho and Thomason – holdouts during the long, dry spell of retail downtown – are excited that more businesses are joining them. On Nov. 29, all of downtown’s businesses will be on display during events planned for Small Business Saturday, a day where consumers across the nation are encouraged to shop small business. All of downtown’s businesses and restaurants are small and locally-owned. None are cookie-cutter, and all survive by providing individual and specialized service. 

They are the breath of fresh air, the place where people know your name, the businesses that really make this place feel like home. 

We hope to see you downtown soon and local businesses hope to see you, too. 

To find out more about all the events downtown on Small Business Saturday, go to www.downtownshreveport.com.