TBA began as a co-op bouldering gym in Atlanta back in the mid-nineties as a way to develop strength and train for climbing during the long arduous work weeks away from the rock . Fed up with the commercial climbing gym scene in Atlanta, a few climbers banned together to rent, build, and manage a little woody we ended up calling "Power Alley." The arrangement worked well for several years, until the yearning to be closer to real rock became too overwhelming and in the summer of 1999 we headed to Chattanooga.
In a matter of a year, Eric Pittman and Luis Rodriguez had all the materials necessary to open the doors at TBA in St. Elmo. At that time the company who built the carousel in Coolidge Park, Horsin' Around, was housed in the very same space as TBA. We remember when we were initially scouting the location for the first time how much we marveled at the passion those builders had. Horsin' Around moved out at the beginning of 2000 and we moved in. With the same zeal Horsin' Around had for building carousels, we began toiling with wood, hammers, nails, and screws to build our very first two walls in the new space. The rest, as they say, is history.
Throughout the years, we've added more and more walls, changed furnishings and features, and gone through an assortment of dedicated and amazing staff members. We have seen other businesses in the St. Elmo area come and go as well, although they too still seem to share a common thread of passion and uniqueness that has really started to make the area flourish in the last decade. Throughout all of the changes at TBA over the years, our passion for the sport and its culture have never once wavered, and we continue to help develop the most dedicated climbers in the area. So we invite you to come and be a part of history; help us continue making fun times for decades to come. The more the merrier!