By Hannah Curran, Editor
TRUSSVILLE — The Varsity Trussville at The Amari Curb Market, located at 109 Glenn Avenue beside Amari Curb, is designed to inspire the southern gentlemen’s closet for any occasion. The store’s appearance is not your traditional building; The Varsity is located in a renovated 1973 Airstream.
Anna Page and T.J. Davis love clothes and wanted to bring that love to Trussville. Anna Page is a Trussville native, and she met T.J., who’s from Tallahassee, in college at Auburn University, where T.J. played football.
“It’s just something we have enjoyed doing, just buying clothes,” Anna Page said. “Part of why we wanted to come to Trussville was for Trussville to have its own vision of men, so we can help give that idea of Trussville men.”
The dream started from a simple conversation, and T.J. said his wife made it come true. Anna Page said returning to Trussville was important to her because she wanted to continue to be a part of this community and raise her family here.
“There’s a vision to our style, and that’s why we decided to open up our store and bring that here,” Anna Page said. “We’ve curated a lot of different things that embody what we stand for.”
T.J. said it’s been a unique experience as far as process and getting to where they are now. T.J. and Anna Page both have other jobs outside of owning The Varsity, and they spend their free time making it the business of their dreams.
“Getting to know what’s important to Trussville and the fact that Trussville really has a need for a men’s store, it was like the Lord was speaking to us in volumes right now,” T.J. said. “It was reassuring that we’re doing the right thing. The whole process has been extremely fun. We’re just giving Trussville men an identity; we just feel we can have a hand in giving that to Trussville men.”
Trussville doesn’t have any other retail store, and the Davis’ saw a need and knew they could help.
“We are the only one, so that makes us stand out,” Anna Page said. “We carry a range of different things, so whether you’re at the office, or the gym, or going to the golf course, we have all of those pieces that are a staple in your closet. Everything that we carry, we want the men of Trussville to feel good, look good, and be able to make those memories with their families in their life and look good. So that’s what we’re here for.”
The name “The Varsity” played on a lot of ideas the Davis’ liked and pulled from their own lives.
“My husband played football at Auburn, I worked for the football team, and so sports has kind of always been part of our life, and that’s kind of how we met,” Anna Page said. “So The Varsity was just something that came to mind.”
However, The Varsity logo has a different meaning. A horse bit and is designed to communicate the rider’s wishes to the horses.
“That is kind of why we chose that because the outfit and style that men wear is how you communicate and represent yourself to others, whether you’re in the office or on a golf course, or at dinner with friends, how you dress is how you carry yourself, and so that was kind of our vision for that,” Anna Page said.
Being in the Airstream adds to the idea of standing out because it creates a different and fun atmosphere.
“It’s old, traditional, and classic, and those are some of the things that we carry without clothes because the clothes that we have you can wear the rest of your life,” Anna Page said. “They’re just classic staples in your closet.”
T.J. said they get customers coming in who are intrigued by the idea of the Airstream clothing store.
T.J. explained that he is very picky about his clothes and understands the struggles that come with shopping for clothes.
“I do want to tell a message, and I feel like that’s a way of how I express who I am,” T.J. said. “I believe so much that what you wear definitely tells the other person like, ‘hey, I like feeling put together, and this is kind of my style.'”
The Davis’ want customers to come in and feel like they are at home with friends.
“It’s relatable and a great way to stand out,” T.J. said. “There’s nothing like it in Trussville. It’s extremely unique.”
The Davis’ had seen similar stores when they traveled to Rosemary Beach, Florida. However, each store was different in what it offered. Some were boutiques others served food. It’s just different, and that’s what they wanted.
“Comfort, low country feeling where everybody knows each other,” Anna Page said. “It’s a fun place to be, that they feel welcome. We usually have the games on Saturday; we really just want this to be truly a place that the community wants to come and hang out and be a part of.”
The Varsity is open Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
You can follow along with The Varsity on Facebook and Instagram @TheVarsityTrussville.