1927 Porter Clothing Co. building

The Porter Clothing Co. building

The 1927 Porter Clothing Co. building is a three-story, limestone-clad commercial building on the southeast corner of 20th Street and 3rd Avenue North (the northwestern quarter of Block 85). It was built in 1927 for the Porter Clothing Co.

The building, which replaced an existing row of small commercial building, was designed in a modern "stripped classicist" style by the firm of Miller, Martin & Lewis.

After Porter's closed in 1963 the building's ground-level facades were modernized. Shoney's restaurant moved into the corner space, with a fiberglass "Big Boy" mounted to the corner of the building.

Tenants

• 213: Forstall Art Center (2016-), former location of Mayo's Mens' Clothes (1941), O.P.O. Clothes (1946), J. B. Strauss Clothing (c. 1929), Fidelity Federal Savings & Loan (1964), Cityscape Group
  • 213½: former location of Hill Sign Co.
• 215: former location of Marbels Cadie-Wear (c. 1929), Godwin Stationery Company (1930s), J. B. Strauss & Co. (1941), Alabama Paper Company, Hanover Shoe Store (1964)
  • 215½: former location of A. A. Bonds furniture, Goodwin Stationery Co. (1941)
• 217: Alchemy men's store (2015-), former location of Worth Feminine Apparel (c. 1929), Wormser Hat Store (1930s-1964), Orange Julius and Sojourns (2007-2010)
• 219: Birmingham Historic Touring Company (2023-), former location of Royal Hatters (c. 1929), Studio Book Shop (1941-1964) and Thom McAn Shoes (1964), Bon Ton Hatters (1979-2016)
• 221-227: Auburn University Urban Studio (2013-), former location of Porter Clothing Co., (1927-1963), Shoney's Big Boy (1967-) and MedTown Pharmacy (2005-2010)