Rosenberger's Birmingham Trunk

Rosenberger's Birmingham Trunk (formerly Rosenberger's Birmingham Trunk Factory) is a family-owned retailer specializing in luggage, leather goods and travel items. The company was founded in Birmingham in January 1897 by J. D. Rosenberger. Originally just a manufacturer, located at 315 19th Street North, the company expanded and opened a showroom at 1909 2nd Avenue North in the 1920s.

Rosenberger's Birmingham Trunk Factory on 2nd Avenue North in 1939. Photo by W. B. Phillips. courtesy BPL Archives

One version of the origin of the Alabama Crimson Tide's elephant mascot is that Rosenberger, who's son was a student at the university, outfitted the 1926 Alabama Crimson Tide football team with luggage for the train trip to Pasadena, California for the 1927 Rose Bowl. Each trunk had a name tag bearing the company's elephant logo in red, and reporters greeting the team on their arrival took note. (The more accepted story dates the association to an October 1930 column by Atlanta Journal sportswriter Everett Strupper.)

J. D. passed the company to his son, Mel, who ran it with his wife, Mae. Mae and her son, Ken currently operate the business, which has retail locations at Brookwood Village and The Summit.

Locations

• 315 19th Street North: 1897–?
• 1909 2nd Avenue North: closed
• Mountain Brook: closed
• Roebuck Marketplace: 1960–?
• Eastwood Mall: 1981–?
• 2712 19th Street South, Homewood:
• Colonial Brookwood Village: current
• The Summit: current

References

• "Origin of the University of Alabama's elephant mascot and logo" (October 2010) Newsletter of the Birmingham-Jefferson Historical Society