VIDALIA, La. – For the first time in 25 years, Young’s Funeral Home is opening a new location — this time, in a growing city not currently served by a mortuary.

Young’s, which now has locations in Ferriday and Jonesville, plans to open another funeral home in the former Unifed bank building in Vidalia by early December.

That building is located on Carter Street in Vidalia, near the foot of the Mississippi River bridge.

General Manager Casey Young said that he and the business’ owners — his father, Leo Young Jr., and his uncle, John Young — had been been considering opening a location in Vidalia ever since he moved there from Ferriday three years ago.

&uot;It’s a chance to be part of a growing area,&uot; said Casey Young, who will manage the Vidalia location.

&uot;It’s unusual for a town Vidalia’s size not to have at least one funeral home.&uot;

Compare that to Ferriday, which is served by Young’s and four other funeral homes.

Casey Young’s grandfather, Leo Young Sr., and grandmother, Pete Young, founded their first funeral home in 1934 in Ferriday.

That was followed with a second funeral home that was built in 1974 in Jonesville.

Like Young’s other funeral homes, the Vidalia location will be a full-service funeral home, including pre-planning services and visitation, Casey Young said.

Since Young’s already provides services for many Vidalia area residents, the owners and managers of Young’s Funeral Home believe locating in Vidalia is &uot;a natural progression,&uot; said John Young.

&uot;We’ve always had tremendous support from the folks of Vidalia,&uot;&160;he said.

&uot;Vidalia is a growing community, and we’re excited about becoming a part of it,&uot; said Leo Young Jr.

An open house will be held at the new funeral home in late fall.