A upscale apparel store focusing on outdoors clothing and gear will open its first Virginia location in Middleburg this fall. It’s called Tom Beckbe — and that name has an interesting backstory.
Tom Beckbe was founded in 2015 in Alabama. It sells men’s and women’s sporting apparel, including jackets, pants, shirts, hats, and more.
It also has bags, belts, and other accessories. It’s specialty is the “Tensaw” — a waxed canvas jacket that helped launch the company.
The Tom Beckbe name is taken from the Tombigbee River in Alabama.
Here’s how the website describes the name’s evolution: “Tom Beckbe’s roots can be traced to the rolling red clay hills and hardwood bottoms of Alabama. Borrowing from the native Choctaw itumbi ikbi, European settlers called the big river flowing south towards the coast Tombecbé. The river’s name evolved alongside a local aversion to hard consonant sounds, becoming simply Tombigbee.”
There are currently two Tom Beckbe stores — one in Alabama and one in Mississippi. Another is in the works for Alabama, plus the upcoming Middleburg location.
The Middleburg store will be located at 2 West Washington Street. It’s a historic building called the Noble House that dates back to the 1820s.
The new Tom Beckbe in Middleburg is expected to open sometime this month.
(Image at top: Tom Beckbe)