Alabama Book Store Named To National Register of Historic Places

TUSCALOOSA, AL. — The Strip near the University of Alabama campus is home to numerous historic properties, one of which received the prestigious distinction of being named to the National Register of Historic Places. The Alabama Book Store, now known as Bamastuff, was among three Alabama sites to be added to the register this week, marking the culmination of two years of hard work by the store's owners.

According to owner David Jones, the 5,000-square-foot, two-story building is the only art deco retail building in Tuscaloosa, with special attention given to preserving the store's original light fixtures, ceiling and flooring. Greeting those walking past with its symmetrical limestone facade and iconic signage, Jones said the building has weathered the myriad changes experienced over the years by the Strip.

Jones told Patch the original structure was the brainchild of noted Alabama architect David O. Whilldin, who designed other historic Alabama landmarks such as Birmingham's Legion Field and the Bama Theatre in Tuscaloosa.

"Whilldin built this for himself to rent to have some extra income," Jones pointed out. "From 1938 to 1942, there was a restaurant in there called Baker’s Restaurant. Then we moved in in 1944 and we’ve been there ever since."

Authorized under the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Register of Historic Places is part of a nationwide program to coordinate public and private efforts to identify and protect historic places and archaeological sites.

"It’s been a couple of years," Jones said of the nomination process. "I was very pleased because we’ve been working on it a long time. I think the building deserves it because it's just such a pretty building."

Jones' father first took over the location after finishing his service in the U.S. Navy and was joined full-time by his son in 1970, where he has worked ever since. Jones was then joined in running the family business by his son in the early 2000s.

According to the nomination, submitted by Gene Ford, the store's local significance can be seen with it being the longest-operating collegiate bookstore in Tuscaloosa. Ford also told how it was one of the first commercial buildings in Tuscaloosa to install the luxury technology of air conditioning in the 1940s.

"It was called Alabama Book Store and we sold textbooks for 75 years," Jones said. "Then, the market changed and we just had to drop textbooks like everybody else."

The store is still a primary fixture for Crimson Tide apparel and, apart from the current climate of a pandemic, does big business on college football Saturdays in Tuscaloosa.

Jones said the Strip is a vibrant place and the growth over the years has seen the store's game-day approach shift from just being busy on Saturdays to having all hands on deck to accommodate the scores of patrons flooding the area.

"The biggest change was in the 80s and 90s," he said. "There were a lot of small independent businesses on the Strip, other small independent bookstores that sold novels, barbershops, clothing stores. Now, there are so many national chains, it's just kind of lost its charm."

The store is located at 1015 University Boulevard and is open Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Click here to visit the store's website.

The two other Alabama properties added to National Register of Historic Places are Bricklayers Hall in Montgomery and Vanity Fair Park in Monroeville.