LAFAYETTE, La. — Pack & Paddle, an outdoor gear shop nestled in the north-side of Lafayette, was first opened by Dick and Joan Williams in 1974.
They sold the the store to the next generation, John and Becky Williams, in 1999. Now, nearly 25 years later, the business has left the family.
Two dedicated employees, Joe Miceli and Sophe Probst, have taken control of the paddle.
Miceli was previously the trip and event coordinator and equipment buyer for the business, and Probst worked in the back of the house as the bookkeeper. Miceli says they will, in a way, continue these roles, with Miceli working more closely with the customers and Probst handling the books, shipping and receiving.
Despite the change of hands, the new owners say the heart of the business will not change.
"The core of Pack & Paddle is always going to be what it is," Miceli said. "When I left for the Navy, and I came back, I remember walking into the store, and things were in different places and stuff like that, but it still felt like home, and I think all of our customers will know exactly that feeling of walking into the store after a time period of being gone, like, no matter where things are, when you walk into Pack & Paddle, it's home, and so, that's something that we never want to get away from..."
Though, Miceli mentioned that we may see some small changes in the look of the business in the future.
"There's going to be small, aesthetic changes," Miceli said. "Sophe has this really eye for detail and for making things look nice, and she's been doing a great job of bringing the store together and having a nice aesthetic to it."
There may be a possibility for bigger change and growth in the future, but not right now.
"We're pretty happy with what we have right now," Miceli said. "That's not to say we won't grow in the future, but we have—we're very grateful for where we're at right now, and we're going to continue to support the Lafayette community, and if things develop later, we'll just take that as it comes and see what we can do."
