Massey’s to open second B.R. location near LSU

Massey’s Outfitters, a New Orleans-based outdoors goods store, will open its second Baton Rouge location at 3340 Highland Road near the North Gates of LSU in early August. The new Massey’s location is the company’s fifth retail location, joining brick-and-mortar shops in New Orleans, Covington, Metairie and the Baton Rouge location in Towne Center. Massey’s Regional Manager Steven Sickinger says the company has been looking to expand in Baton Rouge, and the location’s proximity to LSU’s campus was an instinctive draw. “We felt that this area of the city is definitely one of the up-and-coming areas,” Sickinger says. While the Towne Center location focuses on camping and kayaking, the Highland Road location will feature bicycles and running gear to appeal to students and on-the-go customers who jog around the nearby LSU lakes. “No Massey’s location is going to look the same as the others cosmetically,” Sickinger says. A full-service bike maintenance shop completed with bike rental service will be included in the new store. “That way some student who may not be able to come into a store and drop $800 on a bike can rent one at a much lower cost,” Sickinger says. The company hopes an emphasis on students, running and biking will attract customers despite the area’s relative lack of parking—a problem that contributed to the eight year vacancy of the property after the closure of the Gap. “I think the majority of people will be walking from campus or biking,” Sickinger says. —Frederick Holl