LAKE CHARLES, LA Stirling Properties welcomes Northern Tool + Equipment to Park Plaza in Lake Charles, Louisiana. The company will be located at 3131 Gerstner Memorial Drive and plans to open in November of 2016.

Park Plaza Shopping Center is a 172,949-square-foot multi-tenant, neighborhood retail and restaurant center located at the intersection of I-210 and LA-14 in Lake Charles' retail hub. Northern Tool + Equipment will join a great mix of established local and national retailers, including Family Dollar, Save-A-Lot, Altitude Trampoline Park, Citi Trends, Osaka Hibachi Restaurant, Beauty Supply, Louisiana Wireless, L.A. Fashions, Liberty Tax, Subway, EZ Checkloans and Sam's Southern Eatery.

Stirling Properties Sales and Leasing Executive, Seth Citron, handled the lease transaction with Clay Mote of Dallas-based Venture Commercial. Northern Tool + Equipment will occupy 19,109 square feet in the former Conn's space. This will mark the third Louisiana location for the company.

Family-owned and operated for more than 35 years, Northern Tool + Equipment has grown into a billion-dollar company with 95 stores in 19 states nationwide. It provides over 40,000 carefully chosen tools via catalogs, website and retail stores. The Northern Tool + Equipment store in Lake Charles will offer a wide selection of portable generators, pressure washers, air compressors, power tools, welding equipment and many more quality equipment products, as well as a complete line of emergency storm supplies.

Lake Charles has recently made headlines as a major growth leader in southwest Louisiana, driven by massive industrial projects. According to recent reports, Lake Charles' economy grew 8.3 percent, the third-fastest in the nation, and job growth and sales taxes are exceeding the national average. This progression is quickly attracting new retail developments and tenants to the market.

"Lake Charles is one of the hottest areas in the state with upwards of $80 billion in anticipated industrial projects driving significant growth and job opportunities," said Citron. "This is an exciting time for progress, and we are starting to see major retailers taking notice. Stirling Properties is proud to be a part of that growth, and to have the opportunity to help bring quality retailers to the area."