Years ago, the drive down University Boulevard was a vibrant and aesthetically pleasing ride. After gazing at one of the best football stadiums in the world, one could see dozens of flourishing restaurants, bars and stores along The Strip.

These places were neat and original. They had character. While some may have questioned the contents of the shrimp fried rice at Lai-Lai’s, they couldn’t deny the taste.

Who didn’t enjoy a margarita at Pepito’s after a long day of grueling schoolwork?  The stories of bars like Cheap Shots and The Booth are distant memories to old alumni reminiscing of their college days.  These two watering holes were driven either out of business or downtown years before I ever enrolled at the Capstone.

While these places may not have been the nicest establishments in the world, they had a certain Tuscaloosa cache that you just can’t find at The Pita Pit or Hungry Howie’s. The success of a small, privately owned business is what makes people feel at home. That old worn-down Chinese restaurant may have been a hole-in-the-wall, but it was our hole-in-the-wall.

When you drive past The Strip now, you will see a multitude of things. Luckily, after a year of clogging up space in Tuscaloosa’s most prime real estate location, the property management center for The Woodlands, an off-campus living community, is gone.

There was a time when there were three separate living communities advertising on The Strip. Places once occupied by successful bars and restaurants were used for property management and advertisement for over a year.

Luckily, most of those places are gone. Now, though, it is even worse. There are currently three unoccupied places on The Strip. Rumors are circulating of a Waffle House or a What-a-Burger. Truthfully, I don’t think anyone knows what is going in these spots. The University has yet to formally announce any major plans.

The mere fact that these spots, which were once local favorites, are now sitting idly in one of the most visible locations in the state is absurd.

I can understand the University’s attempt to “clean-up” The Strip by sending a few bars downtown.  While it is bad for local business, and upset thousands of students, it probably looked better recruitment-wise to move a few bars away from campus.

That being said, nothing looks worse than vacant buildings. What will a prospective student think when they drive down The Strip and see nothing but empty stores?

The Strip is turning into a ghost town and there seems to be no intent to change it. The University had all summer to replace the local businesses after their leases expired, but nothing has been done.

While I hated to see a place that was once a vibrant and cultural part of this unique West Alabama city turned into a giant billboard for off-campus living communities, I hate watching local businesses forced out without a plan already in place even more.

Hopefully the Strip will be restored to what it once was. Until then, I will enjoy my free Woodlands coozies and t-shirts as long as I can.

Jake Gray is a senior majoring in economics and journalism. His columns run on Tuesdays.

#STRIPPED