By Rita LeBleu

rlebleu@americanpress.com

Crafters and decorators have something to look forward to. Lake Charles is getting a new Hobby Lobby. Collett, a development and management company based in Mooresville, N.C., closed the deal last week on five acres in Contraband Pointe.

The store will be behind La-Z-Boy (1660 W. Prien Lake Road) and next to Target, according to Mary K. Hopkins local real estate broker and consultant.

“Besides developing the location for this nationally recognized chain, this sale is the impetus for constructing the main entrance to Contraband Pointe from W. Prien Lake Road,” Hopkins said. “Upon completion by the Collett group, two corner lots will be considerably more attractive, as will the property between Hobby Lobby and Contraband Parkway.”

“We’re excited to be in the market,” said Robert Wright, brokerage and development specialist for Collett.

He had high praise for Doug Burguieres, city of

Lake Charles Planning & Zoning, as well as for Hopkins.

“It was a very smooth process, and that doesn’t always happen,” Wright said. “George Swift acclimated me to the market, initially. Byron Racca, Meyer & Associates was also helpful as far as site engineering.”

It is Collett’s second project in Louisiana. The first is the Hobby Lobby recently constructed in Natchitoches.

Wright already has some ideas for a restaurant in another part of the city.

“Once we’re in a market and underwritten, we like to find other opportunities,” he said.

The size of the new Hobby Lobby will be around 55,000 square feet.

“They’re already projecting an increase in sales,” Wright said.

The plan is to have the store ready for shoppers around Thanksgiving 2021.