Bon Ton Hatters was once a bonafide Birmingham staple for swanky hat and shoe lovers. Located in a bustling area of downtown, the hat repair and shoe shine shop was always filled with customers in its heyday. Constantine Callis and his son, Jimmy Callis, opened the shop in 1907 on the 206 20th Street North in the Roden Block building. When Jimmy Callis eventually retired and passed the reins over to his son, Jimmy Callis Jr, the shop continued forging ahead, although its peers in business struggled to stay alive. In 1979, Bon Ton Hatters relocated to 219 20th Street, and it eventually became the only shop in the city where a hat could be properly cleaned and reshaped.
Read MoreFrom 1909-2009, the 16-story Empire Building boasted an impressive array of tenants. Built on the site of the former Birmingham Bank Restaurant and Saloon, the building was an example of a booming Birmingham that caught the eye of and was now supported by northern investors and development companies.
Just four years after the Empire Building opened, the American Trust and Savings Bank Building was constructed on the diagonal corner, along with two other large buildings on each cross corner, which earned that intersection the title of “The Heaviest Corner on Earth.” It truly was the golden-era of Birmingham!
Read MoreOne of the best parts about our work is experiencing a complete building transformation, from the inside out. The incredible news for us about the urban cities of Alabama is that there are so many older buildings with the potential to be repurposed into something for the community to enjoy. That’s exactly what we found at 2601 East Boulevard in Montgomery, Alabama.
Read MoreIn a culture of new, shiny, and next big thing, re-purposing a space may seem less than glamorous. For Adams Design Associates, it’s an exciting chance to use existing infrastructure and recreate an entirely new space with a brand new purpose. Looking around the buzzing city of Birmingham, it feels like the city is in a period of growth. Yet, it seems like every block, there are deteriorating, abandoned buildings. The architects at Adams Design Associates have a keen interest in restoring spaces like this for new use.
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