Learn how one Minnesota college found GearGrid athletic lockers to be “second to none”

With no additions to the Lund Center since its opening in 1984, Gustavus Adolphus College needed an improved facility for their growing athletic programs. Adding 72,000 square feet of new space, the Lund Center now provides a dominant first impression to any athlete who visits the historic campus in St. Peter, MN.

At Gustavus, they’re proud to be home to nearly 700 college athletes with 23 different sports programs. Tom Brown, Athletic Director for the Gusties, knew the importance of creating team locker rooms that would be a source of pride for their student athletes. One of the important components in designing those locker rooms was finding the perfect solution for storing their athletes’ gear and equipment. For years, Gustavus athletes stored all their equipment in narrow 15-inch-wide lockers, which made fitting all the sports gear inside extremely difficult.

As the design process for the new locker rooms got underway, Brown was dedicated to researching all the locker options available on the market. This included Brown taking the time to tour almost 30 different college athletic facilities in search of the perfect locker solution for Gustavus athletes. However, after visiting the Bethel University campus in St. Paul, MN, Brown knew he had found exactly what he was searching for.

Through the Bethel University community, Brown was introduced to GearGrid, a Minnesota-based athletic locker manufacturer. Right away, Brown was impressed by the durable, functional, and breathable design that the GridIron Team Lockers from GearGrid provided.

During their initial conversations, GearGrid invited Brown to visit their production facility in Forest Lake, MN to get a first-hand look at how the lockers are made. Brown said, “During our visit to GearGrid, we were able to really see the quality of the lockers they make and fell in love with them. It was exactly what we were looking for in a company to work with.”

Together, GearGrid and Gustavus worked on outfitting five new locker rooms with over 330 GridIron Team Lockers. Throughout the process, Brown appreciated GearGrid’s ability to guide and recommend what would work best to meet the storage needs at Gustavus. Brown said, “It’s important to be able to rely on a company to help you and guide you, and GearGrid did just that for us.”

All the design elements that went into Lund Center were carefully chosen to create a uniform look throughout the entire facility. Gustavus was able to specially select the different components of the lockers, including the black powder coat and wood laminate colors. They even chose to include a pop of gold on the hooks inside of the lockers for some extra Gustie pride. The locker rooms were completed with Gustavus branded graphics on the walls and on all the GridIron Team Locker doors.

Additionally, the wider GearGrid lockers have been of great benefit to Gustie athletes. Brown said, “After installing GearGrid’s lockers, the athletes can comfortably store all of their gear and equipment with ease.” And not only is there more room for storage, but gear and equipment can now properly dry between uses. Brown appreciates that components of the lockers have an open-grid pattern, and said, “I love that they have open air underneath. Getting air movement through the lockers is crucial because student athletes tend to have a little more of an aroma through the locker room. But, without a doubt, GearGrid lockers help improve that.”

GearGrid has provided lockers to numerous colleges and universities over the years. By building GridIron Team Lockers start-to-finish, GearGrid prides itself not only on providing top quality products to customers, but also the best customer service in the industry.

From the start, Brown admired the team at GearGrid and their dedication to providing Gustavus with excellent customer service. Brown said, “The people are just always there when you need them.” Brown was even impressed by the level of customer service GearGrid provided after the lockers were installed at Lund Center and said, “Now that the lockers are installed, I’m shocked at how often GearGrid comes down, pays attention to us, and helps make sure everything is just right.”

When asked what Brown would tell other schools and universities who are considering GearGrid products, he responded with a powerful message. “You won’t be disappointed whatsoever. The GearGrid products and staff are second to none.”

The work in Lund Center is far from over, and according to Brown, “I look forward to working with GearGrid for many years to come.”

About GearGrid:
GearGrid specializes in the design and fabrication of durable storage solutions to stand up to the demands of athletes. Built in the USA with only the highest quality materials, GearGrid prides itself on being the strongest and most versatile line of athletic storage equipment on the market. At GearGrid, we believe athletes and their gear deserve to be protected and safe, so we ensure our storge solutions do just that. Whatever the need may be, GearGrid is sure to offer the smarter, stronger storage solution for your athletic facility.

Contact GearGrid:
To learn more about how GearGrid can help you with your next project, please feel free to call 888-643-6694 or email sales@geargrid.com. The GearGrid team looks forward to working with you!