Highland Plaza
- This article is about the shopping center, for the nearby condominium tower, see Highland Plaza Apartments.
Highland Plaza (originally Plaza Stores) is a 24,000 square-foot shopping center on the 2200 block of Highland Avenue, between 22nd Street South and 11th Court South. The Art Deco-style strip was designed by James Gatling for Shepherd-Sloss Realty, and opened in 1938.
The south end of the building includes a lower-level area, originally the home of Caddell Creamery, and later used by Upside-Down Plaza before being renovated for the Hot and Hot Fish Club restaurant.
The shopping center was damaged by fire in the 1970s.
In 2018 Highland Plaza was purchased by 22nd Street Partners LLC, an affiliate of Daniel Corporation, for $4.75 million. The partners also bought the former Baptist Hospital Nurses Home and another property behind the shopping center, representing a combined 2.5 acres stretching to Ireland Way. In January 2023 the owners successfully applied to rezone the property for a 275-unit luxury apartment complex with a 373-space parking garage and a small retail component. The Birmingham Design Review Committee approved the demolition permit in October 2023. The project, called The James, opened in late 2025.
Tenants
- Highland Avenue
- 2222: Utopia Cleaners, Mayfield Cleaners, Annabelle & Lulu's, T-Bones, Subway (- May 2015)
- 2224: Beauty Land, Movie Time, Lovely Nails
- 2226: Savage's Bakery, Ben Franklin Stores, Pasquale's Pizza & Pasta, Highland Gourmet, C'est Bon (Adam Lyberopoulos 1989–), Taj India (Aman and Navneet Judge 1990s–2023)
- 2228: Plaza Variety Store, Spivey's, Lovett's Flowers Dollar Tree, Highland Package Store (Jimmy Gorji 2009-2023)
- 2230: A & P supermarket, Western Supermarket
- 2232: Lane Drugs, Posey's Plaza Drugs, Cleere Pharmacy, supermarket expansion
- 11th Court South
- 2180: Plaza Grill (1938-1945), Caddell's Highland Plaza Restaurant (1950s), Upside-Down Plaza (1962-1987), Hot and Hot Fish Club (Chris & Idie Hastings 1995-2019)
References
- Godwin, Brent (January 30, 2018) "Prominent Highland Avenue shopping center bought by entity connected to Daniel Corp." Birmingham Business Journal
- Parker, Illyshia (October 26, 2023) "Demolition approved in Southside to make way for luxury apartments." Birmingham Business Journal