Ottawa business scoring big building elite locker rooms for PWHL teams

An Ottawa-based business is building a reputation as the go-to for professional locker rooms.

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PROlocker is a local company that builds custom design rooms for high-level teams including hockey, football and baseball. Locally, the company has worked with the 67’s and the visitors locker room for the Ottawa Senators.

Most recently, PROlocker built elite rooms for four teams with the newly formed Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL), including in Ottawa, in their home arenas.

Serge Guillemette is the owner and founder of PROlocker and says it was an honour to be a part of the new league.

"There is a big difference between male and female players in this sport, so for them, it is ‘I am finally a pro player and I get this facility,’ so I was happy to be able to provide that and treat them like the professional players that they are," he said.

Becoming somewhat of a locker room guru was a second career path for Guillemette who is a mechanical engineer.

"I kind of fell into it by accident, it was more of a personal need first," he said.

His first locker was for his son who plays hockey, and then the business started growing.

"I showed it to a couple of friends and then eventually, it was getting traction and people were saying: ‘build one for me.’ I put it online and it took off from there,” he said.

It took about 14 years to get to where Guillemette is today. PROlocker went from building about 200 lockers a year, to about 1,500 today.

He says the job is pairing his passion for woodworking and sports.

"You keep the locker room neat, functional and you want it to be homey and comfortable. The layout is important so everyone can see and communicate," he said.

Guillemette says his contract with the PWHL came because of work he did with Danièle Sauvageau – former coach of the Canadian national women’s hockey team.

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Sauvageau became general manager of Montreal’s PWHL franchise and contacted PROlocker. The company has now worked with franchises in Ottawa, Toronto, New York, and Montreal.

PROlocker’s work does not go unnoticed.

"I think it is amazing to have someone from Ottawa responsible for our beautiful locker room, I know they did other locker rooms around the league too, you can tell it is made with love and care,” said Emily Clark, who plays for Ottawa’s PWHL team.

Ottawa's Gabbie Hughes tries to put the puck past Minnesota goalie Nicole Hensley as teammate Emily Clark, right, looks on during second period PWHL hockey action, Wednesday, January 17, 2024 in Ottawa. (Adrian Wyld /THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Clark says the team is grateful to have a space the players need.

"Our locker room is amazing," she said

"It is the best part of hockey to have somewhere that feels so homey and so professional. It means a lot to us.”