The Alabama economy continues to rebound after the recent recession, and a new retail development in downtown Birmingham promises to aid in the state’s revival.
According to the Birmingham Business Journal, Ohio-based Pies and Pints Pizzeria is the final piece of the puzzle for Station 121, a massive retail space located at Second Avenue South and 20th St.
The pizza chain signed a lease for the 5,000-square-foot end cap space at Station 121, which means that the new retail building is now 100% leased. Pies and Pints is set to open sometime in mid-2016.
“This really tells the story of the downtown Birmingham renaissance — vacant storefronts are now filled,” said Sam Heide, vice president at Bayer Properties, the company that leases the property.
Pies and Pints specializes in handmade pizza and craft beer, boasting nine locations throughout West Virginia, Ohio, and Kentucky. The company said that the new Birmingham location is part of their expansion into the Southeast.
“We are opening this Birmingham location and looking at one in Montgomery. After the Alabama locations we want to expand in Tennessee,” said Rob Lindeman, co-owner of Pies and Pints.
The Birmingham Business Journal also reported on Station 121 leasing out retail space to two popular companies with considerable local followings. Salon U and raw juice bar Sprout and Pour collaborated on a shared 2,444-square-foot space inside the building, which opened in November.
Both companies are already renowned throughout Birmingham, and considering the average person eats 46 slices of pizza every year, one would assume that Pies and Pints will have no problem attracting its fair share of business.
The addition of trendy restaurants and salons is a welcome change for a state that is traditionally known for relying on farming. According to AL.com, the Alabama economy has gained 28,600 non-farm jobs in the past year.
Despite this positive momentum, the 1,958,000 total non-farm workers throughout the state is still 67,900 below its pre-recession level. However, major retail developments like Station 121 are expected to help grow the state economy even more.
Other tenants of Station 121 include Glory Bound Gyro Co. and Orangetheory Fitness. The retail building was purchased by Wicker Park Capital Management from Inland American Communities Group for $38.2 million in 2014.
