Maurice Heymann Building

Maurice Heymann Building is named for the person who built the building, and one of Lafayette’s most beloved and prominent business leaders. Around 1916, just after Maurice arrived in Lafayette, he opened a fine men’s clothing and dry goods store at 444 Jefferson Street. In 1925, Heymann opened Lafayette’s first “department store” in his new building at 433 Jefferson Street. Maurice Heymann was known for his business insight. His forward-thinking acumen allowed Lafayette citizens an early taste of the new trend in shopping that was sweeping the rest of the nation in larger cities at that time. By 1890, the department store achieved a top market position across Europe and in the U.S. The older general stores began to transition into larger department stores as small towns grew into larger cities. By 1925, Macy’s in New York had doubled in size, and shopping at department stores had become a national pastime for people living in larger cities. The Maurice Heymann Building remained open through August 31, 1990. Today, the Maurice Heymann Building provides local citizens with another engaging pastime, serving as the Lafayette Science Museum.