Pizitz-- Pizitz (pronounced "puh-ZITS") was synonomous with "Birmingham shopping" for many, many years.  Just the logo alone brings it all back.

Loveman's -- Loveman's used to be a major player in north Alabama before going under in the early '80s.

Bargain Town USA -- That's why people all over the web say, "If you liked Buckworth, you'll love this page!"

Parisian -- last of the original Birmingham retailers.  Swallowed by Belk in 2007.

Yeilding's

Blach's

Aland's

Miller's Discount Center -- These used to be all over the Birmingham area!  Pictured is the sign from the Westgate Shopping Center as it appeared in 1967 (that's a telephone pole in the foreground, by the way). 

Golbro; Standard Distributors -- Birmingham's answers to Service Merchandise; both were "catalog showroom" stores, with a heavy emphasis on jewelry.

MALLS / SHOPPING CENTERS:
The original Birmingham shopping mall.  Eastwood opened its doors in August 1960, but today is on death row, waiting for her appointment with the business end of a wrecking ball.  Here is a tribute to what used to be a truly unique shopping experience.

Five Points West -- It predates Eastwood, but it was a large 'strip center' (as opposed to a mall) -- on both sides of Bessemer Road!  Pictures of this shopping complex may be found here.

Roebuck Shopping City -- Another early shopping center.
 

GROCERY STORES:

Bruno's -- "Bruno's Takes Good Care of You"

Qwik-Mart -- The "convenience store" of its day.  Here are some pictures of the Qwik-Mart store adjacent to Rickwood Field from 1968.

Western Supermarkets -- The last "local grocery store" standing.  They've managed to carve a very lucrative niche for themselves by tailoring the food selection to the demographics of the neighborhood each store serves.  In the description of their store on its website, Western openly, and proudly, describe themselves as "a dinosaur."

Liberty Supermarkets -- Another local player.  

Hill's Food Stores -- The predecessor to Winn-Dixie in the Birmingham area.

OTHERS:

Golden Flake Potato Chips -- enjoy with an ice-cold bottle of Coke; "Great Pair, says the Bear"

Barber's Pure Milk -- Now that it's under 'foreign corporate' parentage (it's no longer owned by the Barber family of Birmingham, of Barber Motorsports Park fame), the old Barber's "Puretest" logo and their busy milk containers are fast becoming extinct.

Millbrook Bread -- "That's some great bread, Charlie Brown"

Yellow Label "Soppin' Syrup" -- If you listened to Joe Rumore's show on WVOK, you knew about this popular breakfast companion.  Remember when they used to send birthday greetings to young'uns in the B'ham area?

Remember SAN-ANN Gasoline?  I believe this 'budget brand' was based in the northeast Alabama city of Boaz (now more famous for factory outlets than cheap gas).  The teal 'boomerang' was a familiar sight along '60s and '70s Alabama roadways.  It was another one of Joe Rumore's sponsors for years.

Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale -- An original Magic City tonic.  Its name graces the Pepsi distributor based out of Birmingham, and services much of Alabama and parts of Georgia and Florida.  But Buffalo Rock Ginger Ale is very hard to find outside of metro Birmingham (and I've looked!).

MORE PICTURES, HISTORIES AND SUCH COMING SOON. If you have any information, historical data, pictures, advertisements, etc. regarding any Birmingham-based retail business, please get in touch!  Credit will always be given.

IS THERE AN OLD BIRMINGHAM BUSINESS I'VE LEFT OUT?  Set me straight!  Send me some pictures and other goodies, and I promise I'll add a page for it to the site.

This page last updated 01/31/2015 -- 1204 AM EST

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