Descendants of AU icon take over Auburn art store

Cliff Hare once said, “Athletics make men strong, study makes men wise and character makes men great.”

Throw in a little art, too.

Cliff J. Hare and Clifford L. Hare, grandson and great-grandson, respectively, of the Auburn icon, have purchased AuburnArt, located at 102 North College St., just yards from the university, and plan to offer fans and alumni trips down memory lane with merchandise.

“It’s important to understand our heritage, because it is a large piece of the foundation of Auburn,” Clifford L. Hare, a 2002 Auburn University graduate in industrial design, said. “Just as my great-grandfather built a legacy in Auburn, I too hope to build AuburnArt into a legacy that all Auburn fans can enjoy as part of their Auburn experience.”

His father, a 1977 Auburn University graduate and 1972 Auburn High graduate who grew up with well-known local businessmen Trey Johnston, Ron Anders, Ronnie Ware, Bill Ham and the Lipscomb family, said his family “dreamed of the idea of managing a retail store in Auburn.”

“It was fate that we called the owners (Frank and Ingrid Brown) and asked if they had any interest in selling their business,” he said. “They said, ‘as a matter of fact, we are.’”

Cliff J. Hare, who spent his professional career in the field of energy but now lives at Lake Martin, said the purchase was made June 1 for an undisclosed amount.

With the purchase, will patrons notice changes?

“They’ll never know the difference,” said Cliff J. Hare, who was born after his grandfather’s death in 1948.

“I’m very proud of my family’s heritage,” Cliff J. Hare said. “My grandfather was really an amazing guy. He was involved in so many things as Auburn was growing as a college and a city. He was the quintessential Auburn man until he died. He has always been a real source of pride.”

Who was Cliff Hare?

» A member of Auburn’s first football team in 1892.

» Director of the Bank of Auburn for 34 years.

» An Auburn City Council member.

» Longtime dean of the AU School of Chemistry and Pharmacy, and state chemist.

» Auburn’s football stadium is named after Hare and legendary coach Shug Jordan.

“My father remembered his father as a by-the-book serious guy with lots of integrity,” Cliff J. Hare said.

He described the store as the “chronology of the Auburn experience” with “hundreds” of paintings and prints and “thousands” of Auburn-related images, including depictions of the well-known Sani-Freeze ice cream shop, photos of AU coach Pat Dye with University of Alabama coach Bear Bryant and the classic Toomer’s “old and new” image that blends past and present photos of the landmark downtown Auburn corner.

The store also offers dozens of athletic-related works of art, including the work of sports artist Greg Gamble.

Want a framed print memorializing AU’s undefeated 2004 football season? Got it.

Wes Byrum’s kick to beat Florida in 2006? Got it. And that’s just for starters.

You’ll also find pewter statues of the Toomer’s Oaks, pottery, jewelry, glasswork and hand-crafted designs with an Auburn theme. Local artist James Dean, who gained notoriety for his Pete the Cat series, is also represented in the inventory.

AuburnArt began in 2001 as an online-only enterprise before growing to its current location and features artists whose work is specific to the store.

Jessie King, communications director for Auburn Art, does not consider the store to be competition for other downtown Auburn-themed businesses, including J&M Bookstore, Anders Bookstore and Tiger Rags.

“AuburnArt is a complement to them,” she said. “When you want a trip down memory lane that isn’t on a T-shirt, that’s when you come to AuburnArt.”

The store also features custom Auburn diploma framing.

“One thing that makes this experience unique is they (graduates) are bringing them (diplomas) to the heart of Auburn,” King added. “The energy on graduation day … you can’t describe it. It’s a very important piece of paper saying, ‘this is a representation of my four, five or six years at Auburn, and we will treat it as that. You choose the molding, images and what you value as your Auburn experience.”

Clifford L. Hare, who earned a degree in photography from the Art Institute of Colorado last year, said he hopes his experience in the art field will be a service to customers.

“I hope to offer something that is unique and new,” he said. “I believe Auburn fans to be truly unrivaled and special, so they deserve to have the art that equals who they are, where they come from and what they believe in.”