Birmingham retail wish list (Homewood, Black: gym, demographics, top)

[Tourian]

Lots of luck to this lady, kudos to her dedication to the city.

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingha...is-avenue.html

Heidi Elnora has been waiting to own a building in downtown Birmingham for almost a decade.

Now, with her purchase of 2024 Morris Ave., she finally has her wish. Elnora plans to move her wedding dress business,

Heidi Elnora, and famous boutique, atelier, from Pepper Place to the Morris Avenue property in January 2016.

Elnora said construction on the building, built in 1891, will begin in the coming weeks. Local firms Cohen Carnaggio Reynolds and Stidco Construction will handle the architecture and construction, respectively. Robert Crook of Shannon Waltchack helped Elnora find the building.

The boutique will be located in the ground level of the building and her business operations will be on the second level.

The company plans to take 7,000 square feet and rent out the remaining 1,000, Elnora said.

"Birmingham is a part of who I am. I wanted to start the downtown revitalization almost 10 years ago. Now I am so excited to be a part of the energy that is going on downtown," said Elnora.

[Tourian]

TJ's opens tomorrow and the move into the hospital is complete.

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingha...oes-first.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingha...al-center.html

This will bring the daytime population of that corridor particularly that intersection to much higher levels.

[ashpelham]

My wish is that Trader's would have opened in downtown instead. Seems a weird fit for the summit. Traffic in that area will be even more stifling than it is now. 2 ways into the Summit: 280 and a little busy, 2 lane road through Cahaba Heights. Yuck.

[Tourian]

Shhhh, that little busy 2 lane road is like a cheat code on an old Nintendo game. Let the noobs and the out of towners go through the warp funnel up front.

[steveklein]

While it would have been nice to see Trader Joe's be downtown, it is definitely a better fit for the Summit in terms of clientele.

[Tourian]

Maybe downtown will be able to support one in about 5 years - The Summit is just fine for the first one for now.

[jdawson1237]

Originally Posted by preguntas

This is very true. Especially the section anchored by Gus Mayer. All of those stores are severely modern. (I mean that in a good way) They also started using some unusual decorative lighting exclusive to that section.

I suspect this became an obvious and spontaneous direction when one considers businesses such as Apple that follow their own style, a very modern one. I like the fact it eliminates the Disney effect so many lifestyle centers have.
There is a center in Dallas between uptown and Love Field that was built in the twenties that looks amazingly like the newer more modern section of the Summit.

You're talking about Highland Park Village in Dallas. Highland Park is to Dallas what Mtn Brook is to Bham.

[bhamguy]

Originally Posted by Tourian

TJ's opens tomorrow and the move into the hospital is complete.

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingha...oes-first.html

http://www.bizjournals.com/birmingha...al-center.html

This will bring the daytime population of that corridor particularly that intersection to much higher levels.

Don't forget about Perry's Steakhouse opening soon (On 280), as well as, Grille 29 off of 280. There seems to be many things that have opened recently, or are preparing to open, recently! Most of these listed have opened with weeks or even days of one another.

-Grandview Medical Center
-Trader Joe's
-Grille 29
-Ovenbird (there last night...pretty good of you like small plates/tapas)
-OverEasy (2nd location)
-Shiki Thai opens in November
-Glory Bound Gyros
-Zyp Rideshare has started

[bosshawk]

While I don't think downtown is right for Trader Joe's at the moment, it is ridiculous that it is at the Summit. It should have been in Homewood or possibly Vestavia. This was a case of Trader Joe's people looking at broad demographics i.e. people within 10 mile radius making 75k+, etc. and picking the Summit.

[Tourian]

Birmingham wasn't even on Trader Joe's radar if you believe what they said as little as a couple of years ago. It took Jeffrey Bayer and his "will not be denied" will and negotiations to make it happen. If Homewood or Vestavia "should have had one" than those cities' leaders and big wigs can step up to the pump and make it happen.