Brokers Building

The Brokers Building is a two-story, 50-foot by 140-foot brick commercial building on the southeast corner of Block 96, northwest of the intersection of 17th Street and 1st Avenue North. It was built in the 1920s on the former site of the Jeffers & Thomas lumber yard and the Washington Hotel.

In 2019 an affiliate of the Dexter, Missouri-based investment company Sixty West acquired the Brokers Building from Scruggs Investment Co. for $850,000. In 2020 the company applied for a Historic Preservation Tax Credit to help finance a potential redevelopment of the building.

In 2022 Jabari Mosley purchased the building for $975,000.

Tenants

• 1st Avenue North:
  • 1628: Imperial Candy Co. (1925), B. I. T. Cafe (1929), Term Financial Co. loans (1964), Erika's Beauty Unlimited
  • 1630–1632: J. F. Day Screen & Weatherstrip Co. (1938), Z's Restaurant dining room (2011–2020)

• 17th Street North:
  • 100–102: J. F. Day Screen & Weatherstrip Co. (1938), Z's Restaurant dining room (2011–2020)
  • 102: Ethel's Coffee Shop (1947)
  • 104: building entrance, Z's Restaurant (2008–2020)
  • 106: Southern Culvert Co. sales office (1938), Partners Tax & Accounting
  • 108: Plum Bar (2015–), former location of Burnie Clifton novelties / Alabama State Tax Commission (1938),
  • 112: Turner Printing Co. (1938), Birmingham Box Lunch, Visions Hair Salon (2015–2020)
  • 114: Dirty Ash's Urban Lounge (2011–2020), former location of Associated Sales Agency storage (1938), Terri's Big Top (1970s)

• 2nd floor
  • • 201–210: J. A. Garrett Real Estate & Insurance Co. (1947)
      • 201: vacant (1957)
    • 202–203: Birmingham Salesbook Co. / Shelby Salesbook Co. / Atlanta Salesbook Co. / Diebold Inc. distributor sales office / Orrie Irwin real estate (1947)
      • 202: vacant (1957)
    • 203-206: vacant (1957)
    • 204–205: Alabama News Digest (1947)
    • 206–207: Lurie Gore food broker (1947)
    • 208–209: Waterman Steamship Corp. / Pan-Atlantic Steamship Corp. / Arrow Line (1947), Cecil & Co. wholesale hardware / Cecil Brokerage Co. grain (1957)
    • 201–211: J. A. Garrett Real Estate & Insurance Co. (1957)
    • 211: Cecil Brokerage Co. grain brokers (1947)
    • 212: The War Two Veteran newspaper (1947), vacant (1957)
    • 213: Ralph C. Coxhead Corp. typewriters (1947)
    • 214: Bradley Brokerage Co. (1947), Wilhite Realty Co. (1947–1957)
    • 215: Periodical Publishers Service Bureau Inc. subscriptions (1947), vacant (1957)
    • 216: Service Dental Laboratory (1947), A. M. Muncie Lumber Co. wholesale (1957)
    • 217–218: Alabama State Department of Agriculture & Industries hay & grain inspections (1947)
      • 217: Dominic Morello watch repairer (1957)
    • 220–222: L. B. Adams & Co. chemists (1947–1957)
    • 223: The Hoover Co. distribution office (1947), Dexter Fearing manufacturer's agent (1957)
    • 224–225: Alabama News Digest newspaper (1947), vacant (1957)
    • 226: Edward Foster merchandise broker (1947), vacant (1957)
  • New Washington Hotel
  • Southern Films Inc. (1924)
  • Southern Testing Laboratories (1925)

References

• Polk's Birmingham Classified Business Directory (1947) R. L. Polk & Co.
• Polk's Birmingham (Jefferson Co., Ala.) City Directory (1957) R. L. Polk & Co.
• Van der Bijl, Hanno (May 21, 2020) "First Avenue North property owner applies for federal historic tax credits." Birmingham Business Journal
• Parker, Illyshia (May 19, 2022) "First Avenue North property sells to local business owner." Birmingham Business Journal