2018

Birmingham skyline in 2018

2018 is the 147th year after the founding of the City of Birmingham.

Events

Highlands Bar & Grill was named "Most Outstanding Restaurant" by the James Beard Foundation in 2018

February 1: Amtrak began service at the Birmingham Intermodal Facility.
March 7: The 2018 Huffman High School shooting took place.
March 14: The 2018 UAB Highlands shooting took place.
March: The Chelsea Public Library reopened in its new building.
March 24: Approximately 5,000 people participated in the 2018 March for Our Lives at Railroad Park.
May 1: The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame acquired WVSU-FM from Samford University.
May 5: Thousands of children recreated the 1963 Children's Crusade demonstration in an event in the Birmingham Civil Rights District organized by Jack and Jill of America.
May 7: Highlands Bar & Grill and Dolester Miles were honored as "Most Outstanding Restaurant" and "Most Outstanding Pastry Chef" at the 2018 James Beard Foundation Awards.
May 23-26: The 2018 Neighborhoods USA Conference was held in Birmingham.
June 2: The Clay Public Library reopened in its new building.
June 10: The Chelsea Historical Museum opened in the John Crane residence.
June 24: A small plane crashed in Alexander City.
June 28-July 1: 2018 NOBEL Women Annual Legislative Conference
July 4: A fire destroyed the former El Palacio / Mexico Lindo Autentico building in Hoover.
July: First Communities of Atlanta, Georgia acquired the Stonegate Apartments off Lakeshore Parkway for $34.1 million.
August: The Alabama Public Service Commission approved the implementation of Area code 659 as an overlay for Area code 205.
August 28: Bird Rides app-enabled electric scooters were distributed in Birmingham and Homewood.
September 27: The newly-built Metropolitan Apartments in Lakeview were damaged by fire.
September 28-October 7: The 2018 Alabama State Fair was held at Oak Mountain Amphitheater.
October 23: Attorney Joel Gilbert and lobbyist David Roberson were convicted and sentenced for their roles in a bribery and fraud scheme to protect Drummond Corporation from exposure to potential liabilities relating to the EPA's 35th Avenue Superfund Site.
November 22: Two people were injured by gunfire and another man fatally shot by police in the 2018 Riverchase Galleria shooting.
Marc Raby founded the Encore Theatre and Gallery

Business

January 2: HealthSouth changed its name to Encompass Health.
January: PS Logistics acquired Shelton Trucking Services of Altha, Florida.
February 1: Avadian Credit Union acquired EBSCO Federal Credit Union.
McLeod Software moved to Building 100 at the Meadow Brook Corporate Park.
Main Street Inc. acquired Check Printers Inc. of Dallas, Texas.
Hospicelink merged with StateServ of Tempe, Arizona.
February: Diversified Gas & Oil acquired natural gas assets in the Appalachian Basin from Alliance Petroleum and CNX Resources for $180 million.
February: Pizzeria GM opened in West Homewood.
J. & M. Convenience Store in Enon Ridge rebranded as 3rd Street Market.
April: Frontier Airlines began offering service to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
May: Power Grid Engineering relocated from 3644 Vann Road to 820 Watterson Curve in Trussville.
May: Chatham Hellmers sold her boutique, Charm, to Nicole Putman and Rachel Bayerle.
June: The Burton & Associates law firm was acquired by Dominick Feld Hyde.
June: Bell Media acquired Zeekee Interactive.
July: The 3500, 3700, and 3800 Colonnade Parkway buildings were sold for $65 million.
July: Diversified Gas & Oil acquired natural gas assets in Kentucky, Virginia and West Virginia from EQT Corp. for $575 million.
Therapy Brands raised venture capital funding from Lightyear Capital and Oak HC/FT.
Dirtbook rebranded as Terane.
August: PS Logistics acquired D. Mosley Trucking Inc. and DMT Logistics Services of Lawtey, Florida.
Christian & Small acquired Alford Bolin LLC of Mobile.
October: McPherson Oil acquired Retif Oil & Fuel LLC, B&M Oil Co. and Salathe Oil Co.
October: BankerAdvice acquired FIMAC Solutions LLC of Denver, Colorado.
December: Hibbett Sports acquired City Gear of Memphis, Tennessee.
December: Tavern on 1st was rebranded as Paper Doll.
December: NXTsoft acquired Echo Partners of Memphis, Tennessee.
December: Momentum Telecom acquired the CloudNet Group of Phoenix, Arizona.
December: The Greater Shelby County Chamber of Commerce merged with the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce, forming the Shelby County Chamber.
December PS Logistics acquired Robinette Trucking and Robinette Properties of Mt Pleasant, Tennessee.
The Hearst Corporation moved the editorial offices of Veranda to Birmingham from New York City.
Tyson Foods acquired American Proteins' poultry rendering plant south of Hanceville.

Establishments

January 4: Farm Bowl & Juice Co. opened at 1920 29th Avenue South.
January 14: Stephen Gregory: A Men's Concept barber shop opened at Pickwick Plaza.
January: Freddy's Wine Bar in the Highland Towers apartments
January 26: Wild Things at 2815B 18th Street South Homewood
February: Brennan's Irish Pub in Five Points South
February: Pizzeria GM on Oak Grove Road in West Homewood
February: Lucky Cat Rolled Creams opened at 2908 18th Street South Homewood.
February: D's Tamales opened in Pickwick Plaza in Five Points South.
February: Restaurant at Fox Valley opened in Maylene.
Caveat Coffee opened in Homewood.
April: Stewart Industries International announced that it would open a maintenance and repair facility at the former Kaiser Aircraft Industries facility adjacent to Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
April: Brät Brot opened on 6th Avenue South in Lakeview.
May 8: Saw's Southside opened on 11th Avenue South in Glen Iris.
May 10: Bill Gunnels' Southern Sky Aviation began operating from Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport.
June 9: LeNell's Beverage Boutique opened in Norwood.
June: Whistling Table restaurant opened in Forest Park Village.
June: Oxmoor Bar & Grill opened.
June 19: Blueprint on 3rd opened in Pepper Place.
July: Rylie Hightower opened the Lumbar bar and restaurant on 29th Street South.
July: Mike's Merchandise discount retailer on Pelham Parkway
July: Magic City Dentistry on 1st Avenue North in downtown Birmingham
July: Organically Yours opened in East Lake.
July 12: Annex Culinary Incubator opened in the former Tillman-Levenson Annex
July 13: Alchemy213 opened in the Munger Building in Five Points South.
July: Valencia Peterson opened Symply Unique Boutique in Clay.
July: BrickTop's restaurant on U.S. Highway 280
July: The Essential at Founders Station
July: Christy Townsend opened Timeless Treasure Shoppe in Leeds.
July 21: Back Forty Birmingham opened at Sloss Docks.
August: Ashley Rhea founded Rhea Law LLC.
August 2: True40 Fitness Studio at The Battery
August 3: Pilcrow Cocktail Cellar at Founders Station
Hartley's Down-Home Kitchen opened a second location in Columbiana.
Organic Harvest grocery on 2nd Avenue North in downtown Birmingham.
August: Shane and Crystal Lovelady opened 'Lette Macarons in Cahaba Heights.
August: Kate Hardy opened Square One Goods Co. at Founders Station.
August: Urban Air Adventure Park opened at the Colonial Pinnacle at Tutwiler Farm in Trussville.
August 11: Rebecca Brown opened Rebecca Brown's: A Baby & Children's Boutique in Trussville.
August: Ahmed Smadi opened Roll Up Ice Cream in Vestavia Hills.
August: Nikki Huntley opened De'ja Ray Consignment Boutique in Irondale.
August 27: Becky Satterfield opened El ZunZún on Crosshaven Drive.
Real & Rosemary opened two locations in Tuscaloosa.
September: Hotel Indigo opened in the Medical Arts Building at Five Points South.
September 15: Ben Vaughn opened Libertines Pizza Co. at Pickwick Plaza.
October 19: Bizarre: The Coffee Bar opened at 217 22nd Street North.
October: Dina Mashburn opened Farmhouse & Vintage Décor at 8203 U.S. Highway 11 in Springville.
November: The Refinery opened in Lakeview.
November: Biso Collective was founded.
November 10: Birmingham District Brewing Co. opened at The Battery.
November 10: Siluria Brewing Co. opened in Alabaster.
November 19: Dave & Buster's at the Riverchase Galleria
November 22: Cookie Dough Magic in Avondale
November 23: Queen's Park at 112 24th Street North
December: Sitar Indian Cuisine relocated from the Town House on 20th Street South to the UAB 4th Avenue Parking Deck.
December: Mark’s Joint Backyard BBQ opened on 18th Street South Homewood.
Riko and Aquila Harris launched iPush magazine.
Matt Cowell and Joshua Jones founded QuantHub.
Birmingham Bound was established as an initiative of Shipt.

Disestablishments

January 1: USAmeriBank was acquired by Valley National Bank of Wayne, New Jersey.
January: Alabama's last K Mart location, in Albertville, Marshall County, closed.
January: Dorm Decor was acquired by Magnussen Home of New Hamburg, Ontario.
January: Rowe's Service Station closed.
January: Schaeffer Eye Center was acquired by My Eye Doctor of Vienna, Virginia.
January: The Siesta Motel on Crestwood Boulevard in Irondale was closed for code violations.
January 26: The Sam's Club at 3900 Grants Mill Road closed.
Infinity Property & Casualty was acquired by Kemper Corp. of Chicago, Illinois.
March: Adventure Park at Grants Mill closed.
April: Bernie’s on Main Street in Columbiana closed.
May: Silvertron Cafe closed.
June 16: Foodland Plus in Alabaster closed.
June 27: Live Nation acquired Red Mountain Entertainment.
July 23: Union Furniture Co. in Tuscaloosa closed.
American Osment was acquired by Imperial Dade of Jersey City, New Jersey.
TekLinks was acquired by C Spire of Ridgeland, Mississippi.
July: Mood Media of Austin, Texas acquired Pelham's focus4media
August: Grabow Outdoors in Fultondale closed.
August: Walpar was acquired by Valmont Industries of Omaha, Nebraska.
August: Energen was acquired by Diamondback Energy of Midland, Texas for $9.2 billion in stock.
August: Oxmoor Bar & Grill closed.
August: Kidz Closet and More consignment shop in Vestavia Hills closed.
August 24: Mason Dixon Bakery & Bistro in Edgewood closed.
August 26: The Melting Pot restaurant closed.
August: Motus Motorcycles shut down.
August 31: Sprout & Pour closed their Edgewood location at 927 Oxmoor Road.
September 5: Mugshots Grill & Bar closed its Inverness Corners location.
October 3: The Restaurant at Fox Valley in Maylene closed.
October: Martin Flowers on University Boulevard closed.
October 14: Glory Bound Gyro Co. at Station 121 closed.
October: MBF Healthcare Partners of Coral Gables, Florida acquired a majority stake in Affinity Hospice.
October: Bird's Bar & Pizza in Lakeview closed.
October: Four Seasons Building Products of New York acquired Superior Mason Products.
November: Liles & Rushin merged into the Birmingham office of Jones Walker.
November 17: East 59 Vintage & Cafe in East Lake closed.
November: National Bank of Commerce announced that it would be acquired by CenterState Bank of Davenport, Florida.
December: Meredith Corp. merged its Cooking Light magazine into the Vermont-based EatingWell.
Amy's Hallmark in Alabaster's Southbrook Village Shopping Center closed.
December 5: The Education Corporation of America closed its Virginia College, Culinard, and other programs.
December 23: Sprouts closed its Vestavia Hills store.
December 23: Avo restaurant in Mountain Brook Village closed.
December 31: Excelsior comic, game and book shop closed.
December 31: Dram bar in Mountain Brook Village closed.

Education

National School Walkout at ASFA, March 14, 2018

March 14: Students and faculty at the Alabama School of Fine Arts and some other schools participated in the National School Walkout to protest gun violence.
August 1: Paul Erwin became the Dean of the UAB School of Public Health.
December: The UAB Comprehensive Cancer Center was renamed the O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center in recognition of a $30 million gift from O'Neal Industries.

Government

January 3: Doug Jones was sworn into the U. S. Senate.
January 9: The 2018 Alabama legislative session began.
January 15: Mayor Randall Woodfin delivered his first "State of the Community " address.
March 27: The Birmingham City Council approved $3 million in annual funding to the BJCC over a 30-year term to finance renovations and the addition of an open air stadium.
April 10: Irondale residents voted down a 6-mill property tax increase 729-639 in a citywide referendum.
April 25: Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin publicized highlights of his 2019 Birmingham budget proposal.
May 5: 71 suspects were indicted in the Spring 2018 Gun Roundup.
May 29: Irondale passed a 1% occupational tax.
May 29: Birmingham's Public Athletic, Cultural and Entertainment Facilities Board was reconstituted.
June 5: 2018 primary elections were held statewide.
July 17: 2018 primary runoff elections were held statewide.
November 6: The statewide 2018 general election was held.
November 7: President Donald Trump requested that Attorney General Jeff Sessions resign.
December 5: Mac Underwood was fired as general manager of the Birmingham Water Works.
December 18: Clinton Woods and Crystal Smitherman were appointed to vacancies on the Birmingham City Council.

Religion

August 12: Church of the Highlands opened an 18th campus in Mobile.

Sports

January 8: The 2017 Alabama Crimson Tide football team beat the Georgia Bulldogs 26-23 in overtime of the College Football Playoff National Championship at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
March 17: Field #2 at Luman Harris Park in Gardendale was renamed Steve Ridener Field in memory of Steve Ridener.
April: A renovation project began on the BBVA Compass Field to expand the facility to 4,000 seats and to add a new video board and permanent ticket booths, concession stands, and restrooms. The project, which is due to be completed by the end of the year, was initiated because UAB and the United Soccer League have agreed for the Birmingham Legion, the city’s new professional soccer team, to begin play at the UAB facility starting in March 2019.
June 4: Birmingham was announced as having a charter team of the new Alliance of American Football.
June 6: Tim Lewis was announced as the head coach of the Alliance of American Football team.
September 20: The Birmingham Alliance of American Football team logo and name, Birmingham Iron, was announced.
October 2: The NBA's Houston Rockets played an exhibition game against the Memphis Grizzlies at Legacy Arena.
November 25: The Alabama Crimson Tide beat the Auburn Tigers 52-21 in the Iron Bowl at Bryant-Denny Stadium.
December 1: The 2018 SWAC Football Championship was played at Legion Field.
December 2: The Alabama Crimson Tide beat the Georgia Bulldogs 35-28 in the SEC Championship Game at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia.
December 2: The 2018 UAB Blazers football team beat the Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders 27-25 in the Conference USA championship game at Johnny "Red" Floyd Stadium in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.
December 18: The 2018 UAB Blazers football team faced the Northern Illinois Huskies in the Boca Raton Bowl in Boca Raton, Florida.
December 22: The Wake Forest Demon Deacons defeated the Memphis Tigers 37-34 in the 2018 Birmingham Bowl at Legion Field.
December 28: The Auburn Tigers defeated the Purdue Boilermakers 63-14 in the Music City Bowl.
The renovated golf course at the Vestavia Country Club was listed as the 4th best new course in the United States by Golf Digest.

Individuals

July 1: Lily McNair succeeded interim president Charlotte Morris as head of Tuskegee University.
July 1: Mike Hallman succeeded Roy Berger as president and CEO of MedJet.
July: T. C. McLemore became executive director of Red Mountain Park.
July 9: Jack Royer was named co-anchor of the WIAT 42 evening newscast.
Patrick Murphy succeeded Lee Lawson as president of the Economic Development Association of Alabama (EDAA)
Hallie Ringle was named Curator of Contemporary Art at the Birmingham Museum of Art.
Turner Burton succeeded Rob Burton as president of Hoar Construction.

Births

January 22: Les and Wize, Hingeback tortoises

Deaths

Frank Fleming

Hubert Green

January 2: Rick Hall, record producer
January 4: Bill Bolen, news anchor
January 13: Brad Watkins, architectural salvage dealer
January 13: Maurice Branscomb, Episcopal priest
January 16: George Bandy, State Representative District 83
January 20: Jack Whitten, artist
January 23: Wyatt Walker, Civil Rights Movement leader
January 31: Todd Cargo, hair stylist and salon owner
February 1: Dennis Edwards, soul/R&B vocalist
February 13: Berry Perry, peanut vendor
February 17: Roy Hobbs, television news anchor
February 17: Tony Pardi, leather worker
March 5: John Buchanan Jr, former Baptist minister and U.S. Representative
March 9: Kumar, a Malayan tiger
March 18: Frank Fleming, sculptor
March 25: Milton McGregor, gambling operator
April 5: Karl Friedman, attorney
April 15: Eason Balch, attorney
April 17: David Foley, former Bishop of Birmingham
April 19: Walter Moody Jr was executed at the Holman Correctional Facility near Atmore.
May 2: Lyle Key, railroad executive and historian
May 2: David Horn, former chief of the Lipscomb Fire Department, died in a fire at his home.
May 3: Hiker Kevin Mason fell to his death at Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve
May: Lee Watkins, former chemistry teacher at Indian Springs School
May 14: Carl Harris, historian
May 16: Mike Slive, former Southeastern Conference commissioner
May 29: Kevin Studdard Jr, brother of Ruben Studdard
June 3: Charlie Brown III, industrialist and civic booster
June 4: C. M. Newton, former Alabama Crimson Tide men's basketball coach
June 4: Sandra Storm, former judge
June 10: Terra Cotromano, founder of TEARS
June 19: Hubert Green, professional golfer
June 21: William Acker, former federal judge
June 30: Mitch Sneed, editor of the Alexander City Outlook
July 1: Jim Brown, Briarwood Christian School basketball coach
July 2: Helen Shores Lee, former circuit court judge
July 9: Vincent Oliver, barber
July: Joe Dickson, real estate executive and newspaper publisher
July 23: Maryon Allen, former U.S. Senator
August: Mustafa Ocak, engineer
August 9: [[Domenic Sanfilippo], owner of Rocco & Cheater's Speed Shop
August 10: J'Mel Davidson, comedian and columnist
August: Tim Breen, CEO of Motion Industries
September 13: Kenny Clemons, former Mayor of Gardendale
September 18: Drew Galloway, artist
September 18: John Bullock, former military contractor and voice coach
September 21: Eli Estreicher, former Levite Jewish Community Center director
October 3: Bill Myers
October 18: Judy Abroms, boutique owner
October 31: Clarence Small Jr, attorney
November 12: Jimmy Fry, former director of Legal Services Alabama
November 15: Tammy Bullard, regular caller on the Paul Finebaum Show
November 22: E. J. Bradford Jr, police shooting victim
November 27: Eddie Aldridge, nursery owner
December 2: Giles Perkins, attorney
December 2: Nick Erben, restaurateur
December 4: Lanny Chappelear, artist
December 7: Fred Horn, state legislator
December 15: Dannetta K. Thornton Owens, educator and administrator
December 22: Betty Thomas, owner of the Thomas Rib Shack in Tuscaloosa.
December 31: Jack Mann, stage director

See also, List of homicides in 2018.

Works

"Justice is Blind" mural by Ronald Scott McDowell in the lobby of the Jefferson County Courthouse.
May: "The Revolution of Joy" mural by Trés Taylor at Alabama Ballet on 1st Avenue South.
July 27: Birmingham Terminal Railway's WAMX 3881 locomotive was unveiled with new UAB Blazers dress

Books

The Infamous Birmingham Ax Murders by Jeremy Gray
Murder on Shades Mountain: The Legal Lynching of Willie Peterson and the Struggle for Justice in Jim Crow Birmingham by Melanie Morrison
Quando mi chiameranno uomo? (When Will I Be Called a Man?) by Francesca Mereu, Italian language historical novel set in Birmingham.
North Birmingham: A City of its Own by JD Weeks

Old & new Buckshort bridges in 2018

Buildings

BrickTop's restaurant at 2800 U.S. Highway 280
Chelsea Public Library
Clay Public Library
Grandview Cancer Center
March 20: Kiwanis Centennial Park at Vulcan Park and the head of Vulcan Trail
March 28: Chelsea Public Library
New bridge was completed to replace the old 1955 Frank Hewitt Bridge.
Park at Sydney Drive in Oxmoor Valley
Thompson High School
February 14: Cahaba Dog Park in Trussville
July 30: Headquarters of the Sheffield Group in Hoover
August 3: Founders Station
August 9: UAB Police Department Headquarters
August 24: Grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony for the UAB Collat School of Business building.
August 29: UAB Intramural and Club Sport Field Complex
England Hall at the University of Alabama
September: Woodridge subdivision in Gardendale
October: Ground was broken for the Bessemer Amazon Fulfillment Center
November: America's First Federal Credit Union expansion in downtown Birmingham
November: Wales Goebel Family Education Center for the Sav-A-Life Pregnancy Resource Center on McGuire Road in Vestavia Hills
December 1: Renovations at The Club
December 13: Ground was broken for the BJCC stadium.
The Battery

Demolitions

W. C. Davis School, for Lakeview Green
Salvation Army Social Services Center on 11th Avenue South, for BJCC expansion
Paul S. Worrell Building by UAB for a future parking deck
Original Frank Hewitt Bridge
May: The Full Moon Bar-B-Que on U.S. Highway 280 was damaged by fire.
July 17: The vacant former Ensley High School was damaged by fire.
September 27: The unoccupied second phase of the Metropolitan Apartments was destroyed by fire.
October 4: The American Safety Tread factory in Pelham was damaged by fire.
The Wood Wade building was demolished for the Parkside Parking Lot.

Context

In 2018 China's National People's Congress eliminated presidential term limits. Harry, Prince of Wales, married Meghan Markle.

The Philadelphia Eagles beat the New England Patriots in Super Bowl LII. The 2018 Winter Olympics were held in PyeongChang, South Korea.

The Pritzker Prize for architecture was awarded to Balkrishna Doshi.

Notable deaths in 2018 included those of activist John Perry Barlow; actors Harry Anderson, R. Lee Ermey, Margot Kidder, Sondra Locke, Donald Moffat, Burt Reynolds, David Ogden Stiers, Verne Troyer and Jerry Van Dyke; architect Robert Venturi; film directors Miloš Forman and Penny Marshall; Ikea founder Ingvar Kamprad; authors Harlan Ellison, William Goldman, Charles Krauthammer, Ursula K. Le Guin, Philip Roth, and Tom Wolfe; playwright Neil Simon; cartoonist Mort Walker; comics creator/publisher Stan Lee; designer Kate Spade; distance runner Roger Bannister; evangelist Billy Graham; fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy; former president George H. W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush; U.S. Senator John McCain; astronomer Nancy Grace Roman; physicist Stephen Hawking; NFL owners Paul Allen, Tom Benson and Wayne Huizenga; newscasters Carl Kasell and Ed Schultz; sportscaster Keith Jackson; radio host Art Bell; television producers Steven Bochco and Stephen Hillenburg; TV host Robin Leach, musicians Roy Clark, Aretha Franklin, Joe Jackson, Hugh Masekela, Dolores O'Riordan and Otis Rush; and Koko the gorilla.

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Births - Deaths - Establishments - Events - Works

2018

Contents

Events

Business

Establishments

Disestablishments

Education

Government

Religion

Sports

Individuals

Births

Awards

Marriages

Retirements

Deaths

Works

Books

Buildings

Demolitions

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2018

Events

Business

Establishments

Disestablishments

Education

Government

Religion

Sports

Individuals

Births

Awards

Marriages

Retirements

Deaths

Works

Books

Buildings

Demolitions

Context

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