1916 Louis Saks building
The 1916 Louis Saks building was a 5-story retail building constructed in 1916 on the northwest corner of 19th Street and 2nd Avenue North for Louis Saks Clothiers, which previously operated from a 3-story building a block south.
The new store was built on the former site of the Florence Hotel, which was demolished early that year. It was developed by the Florence Investment Company and designed by Miller, Martin & Lewis. John Miller accompanied Saks on a scouting trip to Chicago to survey the latest retail architecture. The result was a well-proportioned frame building with ganged window bays above and large display windows at ground level. The terra-cotta cladding featured leaves and vines with lion's heads along the roof line.
After Louis Saks closed, the store became Melancon's and, in 1936, a J. J. Newberry's variety store. The building was demolished in 1996 for construction of the McWane Science Center's IMAX Dome theater.
References
- White, Marjorie Longenecker (1977) Downtown Birmingham: Architectural and Historical Walking Tour Guide. Birmingham: Birmingham Historical Society.
- Hollis, Tim (2005) Birmingham's Theater and Retail District. Images of America series. Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing. ISBN 0738517771
External links
- Louis Saks Clothing Company on Emporis.com