NATCHEZ — If you looked carefully Monday as you drove past the Natchez Mall, you may have seen a glimpse into the future taking the Stage.

Workers erected a new sign atop the Stage department store, an early move signaling the July 13 name change for the retail, family clothing store.

For Stage customers, however, don’t worry, said store manager Blaine Davis, the store isn’t closing or changing radically.

“Stage Stores Inc. is still going to own and operate the store,” he said. “They’re just changing the name and refreshing the store.”

Along with the name change, Davis said the store’s interior fixtures would be updated. Those changes will necessitate the store’s brief closure from July 10 -12.

“We’re going to re-grand open the store on July 13,” he said. “All of the Stage stores in the entire state of Mississippi will be changing, they’re switching all of the Stage stores to be Goody’s.”

A subsidiary of the store’s parent company, Stage Stores Inc., acquired the name and branding rights to its former rival, Goody’s Family Clothing, after the latter was liquidated in Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2009.

Stage Stores Inc. is a Houston, Texas-based retailer that operates more than 800 department stores in 39 states under the brands Stage, Goody’s, Peebles, Palais Royal and Bealls.