The real estate cliche "location, location, location" may be beaten to death; however one cannot argue its truth.  Eastwood Mall in Birmingham had the incredible advantage of location and access.  The property was triangulated by three major thoroughfares: Crestwood Blvd (US Highway 78; at the time also known as Atlanta Highway), Montclair Road and Oporto Avenue (today known as Oporto-Madrid Blvd).

Simply put, Eastwood Mall sat on one of the best parcels of land in the city.  Even when the only way to get anywhere in Birmingham was on regular surface roadways, it was still easy to get to Eastwood -- people in the south suburbs of Mountain Brook, Homewood and Vestavia could access the area through Montevallo Road or Montclair Road.  Folks from downtown Birmingham, North Birmingham or Ensley could get here via Crestwood Blvd.  And if you called Roebuck, Pinson or Trussville home, one simply took Madrid Ave. or Ruffner Road, then Oporto ... and you were at Eastwood before you knew it.  As icing on the cake, residents of distant areas like Pell City, Ashville, Anniston, Gadsden and beyond took advantage of their proximity to Eastwood Mall.

As you can see on the map below left, that convenience was no small feat:
 

This is from a 1960 Rand McNally street map of Birmingham.  I-20 wasn't even indicated as a 'proposed' routing!  The first portion of interstate in B'ham would not be open until the late '60s.  In fact, I-20 wouldn't be completed through this area until 1984.

Inset map of Birmingham, from the 2005 Rand McNally Road Atlas.  And looky here -- Eastwood Mall is on the map (although it and Century should be to the right of where the red squares are shown).  Of course, there's now one less mall to indicate in the 'big book.' [The "Statue of Liberty" notation seen along the bottom is a miniature version of Lady Liberty which can be seen from I-459, the city's south loop.  It's worth looking for.]

Prior to Eastwood Mall's opening in 1960, that stretch of US 78 was uncluttered.  The only evidence of commerce along 78 in the pre-Eastwood era was the Starlite Drive-In, a couple of gas stations and the legendary Motel Birmingham.

On the coattails of Eastwood and all the traffic it generated, other businesses soon began sprouting like mushrooms.  Among the first to open was a Howard Johnson's Restaurant, 28 flavors of ice cream and all.  Kemmons Wilson put up an impressive multi-story Holiday Inn next to the HoJo's in 1962.  A Shoney's Drive-In was built on the property in front of the mall in 1963 ... back when they had carhops, offered curb service, and was part of the Big Boy chain (remember when the "Big Boy" statue used to be outside the front door?)  Shoney's became a popular hangout. All of the curb stalls were numbered, and WSGN had regular contests, where the DJ called out stall numbers throughout the evening.  If you and your date were parked there, and you were listening, you could claim a free meal.

  And since this WAS Birmingham, Alabama, and Eastwood was the new growth area, it only made sense for Mr. Jack Caddell to open a location of the upstart fast-food chain bearing his first name.  Jack's Hamburgers had its grand opening for the Eastwood Mall store in January 1963.  As expected, the kiddie show icons were the stars of the show.  Channel 13's "Cousin Cliff" Holman was there, and Channel 6 was represented by Benny Carle.  And we all fondly remember the jingle (and if you don't, now you do): Jack's Hamburgers for fifteen cents are so good - good - good ... you'll go back - back - back, to Jack's - Jack's - Jack's for more - more - more!   Now if you were hungry after all that shopping at Eastwood Mall, and the lunch counters at Kresge, Newberry or Liggett weren't your speed ... you could swing through Jack's and grab a hamburger or "Fish-on-a-bun" and a milkshake for the drive home (be careful -- no interstates, remember; just stop and go traffic!)

In back of Eastwood, a Wagon Ho! restaurant opened somewhere in the 1966-67 time frame.  It was a drive-through restaurant ahead of its time, complete with a Conestoga-style roof and "driver" ... Wagon Ho! was a short-lived chain of restaurants, and the Birmingham location eventually became part of Kelly's Hamburgers (another B'ham-based fast-food eatery).  When Kelly's bit the dust, it became known as Dilly's Deli.

There's no mention as to where this one was located, but I believe we can safely say it's not "ours." 

(courtesy Tim Hollis archive)

This comes from a Kelly's postcard (the other four locations were pictured, and this one was in the middle).  It beautifully captures the restaurant and the mall in its prime. 

(courtesy of the Warren Reed collection)

A scan of the entire postcard may be seen on Warren's website.

Dead center of the picture is the Shoney's Big Boy Restaurant ... note the covered stalls.  This was curb service at its finest. 

Next door was a Shell station(don't you wish you could shrink your car into this picture and fill your tank with Super Shell for 29.9 cents a gallon!  And not have to get out of your car to pump ... the friendly attendant would even check under the hood, too!)  And check out their tall sign!

And next to the Shell was Jack's Hamburgers.  It's strange seeing just trees on the other side of 78; today, this is a very built-up and clogged section of roadway.

Here is the Eastwood Mall Shoney's, circa 1965. My kingdom for a picture of that sign at night, all lit up - neon, chase-sequence lights, and a backlit Big Boy on top. 

You can still find Shoney's here and there today, but since they parted with the Big Boy chain in the early-ish '80s it hasn't been the same.  My big pet peeve was when they stopped putting OLD GLORY on the "All-American Burger"!  Today, your  sandwich comes garnished with a generic Shoney's logo on the toothpick flagpole.  HarrrrrrrrUMPH!!! 

A trademark of Shoney's restaurants once upon a time was the Big Boy statue out front!

The Starlite was torn down to make way for Eastwood Plaza in 1970, a strip center adjacent to the mall. 

Along the bottom are the many buildings of Motel Birmingham, which first opened in 1953.  The triangular sign, seen here, is still a familiar sight along Crestwood. 

Between Motel Birmingham and the Holiday Inn are the Howard Johnson's and an Polynesian restaurant known as The Luau.

The Starlite marquee portal is visible on the lower left.  A closer look is below: 

Here is the STARLITE DRIVE-IN marquee, in this picture dated March 21, 1951.  Did your heart skip any beats?  Thought so.

This from a time when signs did more than just tell you the name of the business ... they were nothing less than ornate, distinctive, one-of-a-kind works of art!!  (Below the words "WATCH FOR DATE", in small lettering, is the sign's maker: DIXIE NEON) 

(courtesy of the Dixie Neon Company archive)

Across the highway is an American (Amoco) gas station.    Judging from all the trailers parked off to the side of the gas station, I imagine this was also a rental facility for U-Hauls or Ryders.

In the '70s, the Holiday Inn BARELY missed being in the crosshairs of I-20; the Amoco station wasn't so lucky.  By 1962, when this motel went up, the path for I-20 was already decided.  I have no doubts that Holiday Inn founder & then owner Kemmons Wilson planned for this. 

The HOWARD JOHNSON'S Restaurant on US 78 between Motel Birmingham and the Holiday Inn (of note here is the original, pre-'triangle' Motel B'ham sign).  Their signature orange roofs were a common sight along postwar roadside America. 

The logo atop the sign is named "Simple Simon & Pieman." 

HoJo's was in the restaurant business for many years before they branched into motels 

Looking south on Oporto toward the intersection with Montclair Road, 1966.
This was a relatively tranquil crossing back then; today, of course, it's a very congested area. 

Of note are the vintage gas station icons ... the sign for COOPER'S BBQ ... and the private residence (and Jehovah's Witnesses hall behind it).  Five years later, those would be bulldozed to make way for a McDonald's.

The original picture is far more detailed than as shown here.  Click here to view some close-ups...

It's league night at Eastwood Lanes ... yes, those are Coca-Cola logos on their shirt backs.  This picture is dated 1960. 

Does it make YOU thirsty for a 6-1/2 oz. bottle of Coke, too?  (Anyone old enough to remember 'em will agree: Coke tasted so much better in those little bottles!)

Red triangles are all over the place; this was an AMF facility right down to the floor tiles.

And check out those lights above the rental desk ... and the overhead screens, back in those pre-electronic scoring days, when leagues would score using transparent grids and grease pencils. 

Gotta love that plaid bag on the upper left.
 

It's funny seeing the name SGT. JACK on that sign.  He was named after JACK'S ... a chain no doubt feeling a thorn in its side from Mickey D's!!

We're not sure about the gentleman on the right; Tim Hollis assumes it's Ed Levin, the co-owner of the Birmingham McD's franchise. 

Here are two interesting facts you may not know: 

1) Co-owner MAX COOPER was a creator of the current day Ronald McDonald (as opposed to the original, cruder incarnation created by Willard Scott in the Washington, DC area).

2) Ed Levin CREATED the now-famous "two all-beef patties..." jingle popularized in the 1970s, forever etching the burger's ingredients onto our minds forevermore.

Imagine that ... those pop-culture favorites have a BIRMINGHAM connection! 

PLEASE E-MAIL IF YOU HAVE ANY TO CONTRIBUTE ..... and, of course, appropriate credit always will be given.

Page constructed 11/11/2004 -- 949 PM EST
UPDATED 01/01/2008 -- 125 AM EST