Downtown Pineville isn’t what it used to be, in the best of ways. Once a quieter stretch with limited foot traffic, downtown Pineville’s Main Street is emerging as one of Central Louisiana’s most interesting creative corridors—one bustling with retail shops, restaurants, art studios, and residential development.
Today, the downtown district buzzes with creative new energy that’s attracting Rapides parish residents and visitors alike. Park your car on Main Street and you’re within easy walking distance of enough adventures to occupy a whole day, thanks to years of effort by the Pineville Downtown Development District (PDDD), a supportive city government, and a host of new and growing small businesses that now line the corridor. It’s one of twenty-six such Downtown Development Districts around Louisiana.
“Outside of this pocket effort that's cropped up in the last couple of years, there have been more efforts to create third spaces and activities that span a wider range of ages and demographics,” says Josh Candiloro, owner of Candiloro & Co. Photography on Main Street.
When Candiloro moved his business to Main Street just over a year ago, across the street stood an insurance agency. Today, his storefront faces Hemingway House of Stories and Spirits, a coffee-house and cocktail bar that triples as a used bookstore. Candiloro has new next-door neighbors, too: Sunflower Van Geaux Art Studio, which offers art classes and painting parties, recently relocated to downtown Pineville, drawn to the downtown district’s palpable energy, enthusiasm, and growing foot traffic.
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Photo credit: Josh Candiloro
Bonnie Stephens and John Robertson own Hemingway House of Stories and Spirits, a coffeehouse, cocktail bar, and used bookstore.
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Browsing used books at Hemingway House of Stories and Spirits.
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Games for all ages at Hemingway House of Stories and Spirits
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After-hours cocktails put the "spirit" into Hemingway House Cocktails and Spirits.
Hemingway House opened on Main Street in February, 2026. Neither Bonnie Stephens nor her husband, John Robertson — who co-own the business — are Pineville natives. But while making plans to open a cozy cafe with a distinct vibe, they heard tales of downtown Pineville’s past, when Main Street was the place to pass a good time on Saturdays. When the couple crossed the river to explore, it was plain to see that some of Pineville’s distinctive energy was coming back.
Today, Hemingway House of Stories and Spirits invites guests to browse used books, curl up with a cocktail or a cup of coffee, or dance an evening away with live music twice a week. Stephens and Robertson are in the process of building a patio with a grant from PDDD, utilizing old bricks salvaged from a demolished wall of their historic building, which was formerly a bank.
During fall, storefronts along Main Street get into the spirit of the season with coordinated, autumnal decorations. Visitors can stroll the district, pick up a latte at Hemingway House, and present their receipt as a “passport” at various other downtown shops, to take advantage of coordinated discounts. Families with kids will want to cross to the east end of Main Street, where a 200-game arcade session and dinner at Wayback's Arcade & 8-Bit Pizza Parlor are available with the same passport discount. A collaboration between local business owners, the discount program is a homegrown initiative designed to encourage visitors and residents to spend more time downtown.
Photo credit: Josh Candiloro
A 15,000-square-foot complex featuring more than 200 games, Main Street's Wayback's Arcade is recognized as the largest classic gaming arcade in Louisiana.
Next time Central Louisiana beckons, live a little! Get off the beaten path; cross the Red River, and take time to explore all that Pineville has to offer. Get all the details and start planning your trip at explorealexandriapineville.com.
