Doug's Gym - A Dallas Treasure
While growing up in Dallas when I was about 11 or 12 years old, in the summertime mom would let me and a friend (Robert Steely or Larry Hamberlin) take the "60 White Rock East" bus from the corner of Yeager and Fernald Ave. to downtown Dallas to spend the day. At the time it was quite an adventure for two young boys. We'd visit the old H.L. Green department store, the Commerce Street News Stand and an obscure magic shop. One of our stops was the Dallas Public Library at the corner of Harwood and Commerce right next door to the Statler Hilton Hotel (all of which no longer exist. The library long ago moved to a larger, more modern facility in mid-town). Just across the street and east of the library was a small, two story red brick building with a sign on the side of it plainly proclaiming "Doug's Gym." This would have been around 1965. Doug's Gym has been perennial part of the downtown Dallas landscape for as long as I can remember.
Here I am some 48 years later riding the bus on my way home from work, sitting by the window watching the ever changing street scene flash by between stops. As the bus approached the corner of Harwood and Commerce street, I looked up and saw that sign, "Doug's Gym" still there. It was a newer sign, still not flashy. Just plain canvas strapped to the side of the red brick building. Out front, a vertical sign hung suspended by cables, faintly reminiscent of an old "Vegas" sign. A curved arrow was at the bottom with rusted out and broken light sockets where flashing light bulbs once flickered pointing the way to the narrow doorway leading up to the gym on the second floor. For many years I'd been curious about Doug's and the time had come to pay a visit, camera in hand.
To climb the creaky wooden stairs at 2010 1/2 Commerce Street on the east end of downtown Dallas, is to step back in time. There are a multitude of free weights, a heavy bag, water fountain and several large floor fans for ventilation (no air conditioning here) all under a pressed tin ceiling and everything sitting on the original and very worn hardwood floors. Peeling paint on the walls, numerous old photographs, newspaper clippings, posters, and the exposed fluorescent lights suspended from a few rafters overhead add to the mystique and charm of this place. Some had even written their names in marker on the walls. Perhaps they sensed a permanence to this place and wanted someone in some future time to know they'd been here. Perhaps they had written it for me to see.
Doug and I had a brief chat. I told him I was a freelance photographer and had been curious about this place for some time. He graciously allowed me to stroll around and take some pictures of the gym. I asked if I could take a few pictures of him also. He sat back in his old chair, asked if I was ready. He gave a friendly smile and I fired off a few frames. We chatted a bit more and as he reached for his pipe I took a few more photos at which time he said, "That's enough pictures" with a business-like tone and expression. I figured this is a fellow not to be trifled with and I didn't want to exhaust the hospitality that had been extended to me.
In 1962 Doug Eidd was managing a health studio in Corpus Cristi when a client asked if he would be interested in checking out a gym he'd opened in Dallas. Curiosity and the desire to settle down with his family, Doug moved to Dallas and began managing the gym. Shortly thereafter, Doug bought the gym for $1000.00 down and $100.00 a month. He renamed it "Doug's Gym." (1)
I took the pictures, linked to this page on the occasion of his 51st year in business. Except for Sunday, and an occasional long weekend, Doug is there pretty-much every day. Hope he's here for a while yet. If your ever downtown, stop and say "hi." People like Doug and businesses like his gym are a rare and rapidly disappearing treat.
I wanted to reference an article by Dallas Morning News reporter Roy Appleton for some of the basic history of Doug's Gym included in my posting here from a feature he wrote about Doug's 50th year in business in September of 2012. (1)
- Mark W. Smith
Here I am some 48 years later riding the bus on my way home from work, sitting by the window watching the ever changing street scene flash by between stops. As the bus approached the corner of Harwood and Commerce street, I looked up and saw that sign, "Doug's Gym" still there. It was a newer sign, still not flashy. Just plain canvas strapped to the side of the red brick building. Out front, a vertical sign hung suspended by cables, faintly reminiscent of an old "Vegas" sign. A curved arrow was at the bottom with rusted out and broken light sockets where flashing light bulbs once flickered pointing the way to the narrow doorway leading up to the gym on the second floor. For many years I'd been curious about Doug's and the time had come to pay a visit, camera in hand.
To climb the creaky wooden stairs at 2010 1/2 Commerce Street on the east end of downtown Dallas, is to step back in time. There are a multitude of free weights, a heavy bag, water fountain and several large floor fans for ventilation (no air conditioning here) all under a pressed tin ceiling and everything sitting on the original and very worn hardwood floors. Peeling paint on the walls, numerous old photographs, newspaper clippings, posters, and the exposed fluorescent lights suspended from a few rafters overhead add to the mystique and charm of this place. Some had even written their names in marker on the walls. Perhaps they sensed a permanence to this place and wanted someone in some future time to know they'd been here. Perhaps they had written it for me to see.
Doug and I had a brief chat. I told him I was a freelance photographer and had been curious about this place for some time. He graciously allowed me to stroll around and take some pictures of the gym. I asked if I could take a few pictures of him also. He sat back in his old chair, asked if I was ready. He gave a friendly smile and I fired off a few frames. We chatted a bit more and as he reached for his pipe I took a few more photos at which time he said, "That's enough pictures" with a business-like tone and expression. I figured this is a fellow not to be trifled with and I didn't want to exhaust the hospitality that had been extended to me.
In 1962 Doug Eidd was managing a health studio in Corpus Cristi when a client asked if he would be interested in checking out a gym he'd opened in Dallas. Curiosity and the desire to settle down with his family, Doug moved to Dallas and began managing the gym. Shortly thereafter, Doug bought the gym for $1000.00 down and $100.00 a month. He renamed it "Doug's Gym." (1)
I took the pictures, linked to this page on the occasion of his 51st year in business. Except for Sunday, and an occasional long weekend, Doug is there pretty-much every day. Hope he's here for a while yet. If your ever downtown, stop and say "hi." People like Doug and businesses like his gym are a rare and rapidly disappearing treat.
I wanted to reference an article by Dallas Morning News reporter Roy Appleton for some of the basic history of Doug's Gym included in my posting here from a feature he wrote about Doug's 50th year in business in September of 2012. (1)
- Mark W. Smith