Clothing Racks Traded for IT Equipment Racks in Former Shreveport, LA-based Selber’s Department Store
SHREVEPORT, La. – November 10, 2016 – In its recently completed Venyu Tier III Data Center within the historic Selber Bros. Building, business-technology company VENYU installed window screens that help to revitalize downtown Shreveport and preserve its nostalgic feel. The 26 historically accurate window frames and 13 different clothing and accessory displays depict how the storefront would look if it were in operation today.
The windows were part of large renovation of the 60-year-old department store, once a bustling, cosmopolitan retail outlet for Shreveport. Now, the facility will store and protect servers in a highly secure environment.
Outwardly, the building will still appear much as it did decades ago, except with a modern touch. Also, the window screens will rotate three times a year to simulate the arrival of new seasonal wardrobes. New, winter displays will arrive in time for the facilities’ end of November 2016 grand opening.
“A goal of the project was to honor the historic Selber Bros. Building, and to preserve its status as an icon of downtown Shreveport,” says Noah Boudreaux, VENYU EVP of Sales and Operations. “Ultimately, we decided a creative approach to the renovation would benefit the community as well as our own brand.”
Boudreaux also said he wished to apologize in advance to those few people who may mistake the artistic retail displays for real merchandise. Although the facility will not be selling any clothing, VENYU will always welcome those seeking a secure place to store data and equipment.
The data center inside of the building is the only one in Louisiana to achieve the Uptime Institute Tier III concurrently maintainable designation. “Tier III” means that the Shreveport center guarantees high levels of server uptime and continuous power and cooling maintainability.
“The former Selber Bros. Department store – the place people once came for suits and overcoats – now has new life, a new outlook, and provides downtown and the region with new opportunities,” said Liz Swaine, Executive Director of the Shreveport Downtown Development Authority, as quoted in a press release from the LA Governor’s Office.
The windows were printed and installed by Rebel Graphix, a Baton Rouge-based large print sign company.
