The Locker Room

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The Locker Room is a clothing store in Tuscaloosa. It was founded in 1964 by former Pizitz trainee Alex Gatewood and Anniston retailer Bill Samuels.

The store originally specialized in men's wear and accessories. Over the years it has expanded into ladies' clothing and increased its sportswear line to reflect the popularity of the Alabama Crimson Tide athletic program.

After the failure of an upstart competitor, Gatewood moved a couple of blocks down to a red-painted wood house at 1218 University Boulevard on "The Strip" a few years later.

Gatewood expanded the business with a handful of locations in Mississippi and one in Montgomery, but later closed the Mississippi stores to focus on the Tuscaloosa location. Samuels bought out the Anniston location and later opened another one himself in Auburn.

In 2015 the property owner, Mark Butler, sold the site to CVS Drugs, forcing the store to relocate.

References

  • Rupinsky, Patrick (October 25, 2014) "Tuscaloosa clothing store owner celebrates business' 50th anniversary." The Tuscaloosa News
  • Estes, Cary (December 2014) "Retail Legend on the Strip." Business Alabama
  • Rupinsky, Patrick (January 13, 2015) "Longtime Tuscaloosa business The Locker Room announces plans to move." The Tuscaloosa News

External links