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Shopping
Shopping in Birmingham, Alabama is a shoppers paradise. Several malls, tons of retails stores, and so much more!
Major Malls
Riverchase Galleria
I-459 at Highway 31
South
(205) 985-3039
Housed beneath the world's longest skylight, the Galleria's 200 specialty shops and stores include Macy's, Parisian, Rich's, Godiva Chocolatier, Banana Republic, the Disney and Warner Bros. stores, San Francisco Music Box, Barnie's Coffee and Tea, and the Nature Company. A huge center food court offers hamburgers, salads, tacos, deli sandwiches and other quick fare.
The Summit
I-459 at Highway 280
(205)
967-0111
Among the area's newest shopping malls, the Summit includes stores new to Alabama, such as Williams-Sonoma, the gourmet kitchen and home entertainment retailer; Old Navy, well known for quality, affordable men's and women's fashions; Eddie Bauer, casual lifestyle sportswear and accessories; and Zany Brainy, a multi-media superstore for children's educational materials.
Brookwood Village
Lakeshore Parkway
(205)
871-0406
This well-designed, two-level mall is anchored by Rich's and McRae's department stores. Brookwood Village also includes Brookstone and a number of good specialty and gift shops for a total of more than 70 businesses. A food court and full service restaurants serve a variety of quick and delicious menus for shoppers.
Century Plaza
Crestwood Blvd. at
Oporto-Madrid Blvd.
(205) 591-2451
Featuring J.C. Penney, Rich's, McRae's and Sears, and over 100 specialty stores, Century Plaza offers terrific shopping for the whole family.
Eastwood Mall
7700 Crestwood Blvd.
(205)
591-8063
One of Birmingham's long established shopping malls, this attractive collection of stores and shops includes Parisian, Service Merchandise, and Books-A-Million. A video arcade and spacious food court are also part of this mall.
WaterMark Place
4500 Katie's Way
Bessemer,
AL 35022
(205) 425-4554
Fax:
205-425-4520
www.watermarkoutlets.com
Birmingham's Home for Distinctive Outlet Shopping with over 30 stores. Stores include: Tommy Hilfiger, Gap Outlet, Banana Republic Outlet, Polo Ralph Lauren Outlet, Westpoint Stevens, Liz Claiborne Outlet. Hours of Operation: Monday-Saturday 10am-9pm; Sunday 12pm-6pm. Closed Christmas Day, Easter and Thanksgiving.
Western Hills Mall
Highway 11 at Aronov
Drive
(205) 923-2525
Anchored by McRae's and JC Penney, this 50-plus-store mall also includes the Foot Locker, Goody's Clothing, Lane Bryant, Added Dimensions, the Sports Edition and other sporting goods stores.
The Birmingham area is home to more than 50 shopping centers and retail malls. Among the most recent developments are the Palisades, Eastwood Festival Centre, Brook Highland Plaza, Wildwood Centre, the Shoppes of the Colonnade, Flintridge Centre, Hoover Commons, Grants Mill Station and Inverness Corners. These shopping areas feature anchor stores, specialty shops and multi-plex cinemas.
Antiques
Shopping for antiques is a personal experience. One man's chiffarobe is another man's armoire. There's just no accounting for taste. As the popularity of antiques shopping has grown in Birmingham, so has the selection of places to shop, making the city one of the major antiques centers in the Southeast. Shoppers can find the perfect birdseye maple, Deco frames, fine French furniture, McCoy pottery and philodendron curtains at these antique malls and shops:
Cahaba Cottage Antiques & De'cor
3160-A
Cahaba Heights Road (Cahaba Heights)
Birmingham, AL
35243
(205) 969-0308
Hwy. 280 to Summit Blvd. to Cahaba
Heights Rd. Turn left, go 2 blocks. On the right.
Riverchase Antique Gallery
3454 Lorna
Road
(205) 823-6433
Antiques & Gardens
2408 Seventh Avenue
South
(205) 252-5549
Hanna Antiques
2424 Seventh Avenue
South
(205) 323-6036
Peck & Hill Antiques
2400 Seventh
Avenue South
(205) 252-3179
Christopher House
2921 18th Street
South-Homewood
(205) 870-7106
Downtown Shopping
Birmingham's city center has its own shopping character, with an interesting mix of old and new businesses lining the heart of the city. Along downtown 20th Street shoppers find Parisian in the AmSouth Harbert Plaza, along with cards, gifts and flowers in other stores in the plaza. Other downtown businesses along 20th Street include Bromberg's Jewelers and the well-known Bon Ton Hatters, where you can get your hat re-shaped while you have the best shoeshine in the world.
More "real" shopping experiences are found along downtown's 1st Avenue North. BB's China & Glassware (2427 First Avenue North) offers an enticing assortment of dishes and glassware, some bearing the logos of now-defunct hotels and dining rooms, along with seconds and overruns, all at amazing discounts. Cater-cornered to BB's is Rogers Army-Navy Store (2500 First Avenue North), which is more than just a military clothing and supply store; it's paradise for the trendy and truly hip looking for fashion. Just one street over is the last real grocery store: Tormé Foods (2422 Second Avenue North) — yes, owner Merv and his twin brother Marv are Mel's cousins — has been at that location more than 65 years, dispensing food, sundries, hospitality and colorful local history.
Conveniently located at 2nd Avenue South and 29th Street, you'll find the shops, design studios and galleries of the beautiful historic district known as Pepper Place. Pepper Place satisfies Birmingham's thirst for the imaginative with a unique shopping experience. Here you'll discover Architectural Heritage (European antique garden and architectural pieces), Cantley and Company (Classic kitchen designs), The Elegant Earth (Upscale garden shop), Ferguson Enterprises (State-of-the-art plumbing fixtures), LLS Furniture Design (Quality-crafted custom furniture), Masonryarts Stone (Custom stonework and natural tile), Paragon Antiques (17th- 19th century English, European and Oriental antiques), Richard Tubb (Unique furniture and gifts), Specialty Appliance (Kitchen center), Stembridge Interiors (Design services), Vamp and Tramp Booksellers (18th through 20th century books), Wildflower Design (Floral designs) and Interiors Market at Pepper Place (Furniture, antiques, decorative accessories, silver, linens and rugs).
Follow 20th Street south for a few blocks and you'll go right into the heart of the Five Points South shopping and entertainment district. This charming historic district is home to Charlemagne Record Exchange (1924-1/2 11th Avenue South), unlike any contemporary record store and totally worth the trip just to climb the poster-lined stairs. At Charlemagne ask for Jimmy, who knows more about music than most. Along with a slew of great restaurants in Five Points South, shoppers find browsing exceptional at McNolia's Cards and Gifts (1923 11th Avenue South), Agnes Multi Media Gallery (2030-A 11th Avenue South), and at the Golden Temple (1901 11th Avenue South), where sprout sandwiches are sold alongside body oils and Birkenstock sandals.
In neighboring downtown Homewood, the newly renovated Main Street-look along 18th Street draws shoppers to the popular Pink Tulip (2848 18th Street-Homewood), a women's clothing and accessories store; Homewood Toy and Hobby Shop (2830 18th Street-Homewood), with traditional children's toys and the best selection of stocking stuffers in the state; and At Home Furnishings (2904 18th Street-Homewood), carrying home accessories including funky, hand-painted martini sets.
Other Than Ordinary Shopping
Other places to shop in the area deserve special attention — actually lots of them do, but these are a sample of some of our favorites:
Really Cool Stuff
McWane Center
200
19th Street North
(205) 714-8360
The gift shop at McWane Center lives up to its name. Space gizmos and science-related t-shirts, games and toys join really nice, pricey stuff for great mementos from a visit to this science attraction.
Reed Books
107 Twentieth Street
South
Birmingham, AL 35233
(205)
326-4460
www.jimreedbooks.com
Book lovers from throughout the world enjoy visiting author Jim Reed at his rare-book loft, Reed Books. Jim, a popular inspirational columnist and gentle gothic humorist, has authored several books, the latest of which, DAD'S TWEED COAT: SMALL WISDOMS hidden COMFORTS UNEXPECTED JOYS can be purchased (autographed) at Reed Books, or may be ordered from any new-book store in the country. Reed Books is "Alabama's largest, most wonderful old book loft and museum of fond memories." Tuesday-Saturday 10am-5pm.
The Peanut Depot
2016 Morris Avenue
(205)
251-3314
A Birmingham fixture since 1907, the old roasting ovens in this historic building crank out thousands of pounds of roasted peanuts every week — more during football season. You can sample a 50-cent bag or cart off a trunk load.
Maralyn Wilson Gallery
2010 Cahaba
Road
(205) 879-0582
This fashionable, upscale shop in the heart of Mountain Brook's English Village features the best in museum quality art, along with jewelry and ceramics from fine artists and craftsmen. Shoppers are sure to find unusual, must-have gifts to take home to friends and family.
Hotel Brazil
2417 Montevallo Road
(205)
879-8731
Down the hill in nearby Mountain Brook Village is the best-smelling shop in town. Hotel Brazil has a fabulous assortment of candles, soaps, incense and high-end gifts. They also offer an interesting array of cool retro stuff that fits nicely in a suitcase.
Smith Variety
2715 Culver Road-Mountain
Brook
(205) 871-0841
This old-time five-and-dime has a splendid assortment of children's toys, along with ribbons and fringes on the bolt, cafe salt and pepper and sugar shakers, various other nifty kitchen utensils, collectible dolls, a whole room full of party goods, and an old-fashioned candy counter for scooping up and weighing jelly beans, malted milk balls, gumdrops, candy corn and other seasonal sweets.
Back in Time
Century Plaza Mall
(205)
592-8429
With retro all the rage, this shop fills the bill for Baby Boomers longing for the past. Wizard of Oz t-shirts and Woodstock Christmas ornaments join Gone With The Wind snowdomes and an assortment of incense and burners. This shop also carries a near-unheard-of selection of t-shirts featuring blues legends such as Robert Johnson.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute Gift Shop
520
16th Street North
(205) 328-9696
This ever-growing collection of items includes books and prints by African-American authors and artists. A good selection of books about the Civil Rights Movement in America and the South is also available, along with tributes to the leaders of the movement.
The Birmingham Shop
Greater Birmingham
Convention & Visitors Bureau
Visitor Information
Center
2200 9th Ave. North
(205) 458-8000
Visit
The Birmingham Shop online
Birmingham's largest and most diverse selection of souvenirs is at The Birmingham Shop:
Vulcan wine corks
Tote bags
A hip new selection of Birmingham t-shirts
CDs of Alabama storytellers
Birmingham mugs
Portfolios
Mouse pads with skyline
Coolers
Golf shirts
Notecards with skyline
Lapel pins
Golf umbrellas
Business card holders
Safari hats
Books/cookbooks by local authors
Grits
The Birmingham Shop is operated by the Greater Birmingham
Convention and Visitors Bureau
Shop Hours:
Monday -
Friday
8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Closed weekends