Blach's

Blach's (formerly J. Blach & Sons) was a family-owned department store chain founded in 1885 by German immigrant Julius Blach. The oldest store was located on the northwest corner of 3rd Avenue North and 20th Street in downtown Birmingham. The logo Blach's used was the image of a calla lily and a layman's square which stood for the store's motto: Blach's treats you fair and square.

In 1935 the former Bencor Hotel building was completely remodeled in a modernist style by Warren, Knight and Davis for Blach's department store. The arched windows were squared off, the cornice and window trim were stripped away and the brickwork was stuccoed over and painted off-white. The store moved into its new location in 1936 and remained there until closing.

Blach's in 1943, courtesy BPL Archives .

During the 1945 printers' strike, which stopped the publication of all three of Birmingham's daily newspapers, WAPI-AM posted news stories in two of Blach's windows, organized by various categories. The resulting crowds, according to Time magazine, "all but blocked traffic past the store."

In May 1959 Julius' great-grandson Harold Blach, Jr took over the company following the death of his father, Harold, Sr. That year the store completed a $100,000 remodeling of the "women's fashion floor". The sleek interior design removed all floor racks in favor of built-in wall coves. A "designer's circle" highlighted a single mannequin in a living room-styled space. Pale green carpet stretched from wall to wall, a shade darker than the "seed pearl" white paint. Olive, red and white leather furniture and brass chandeliers completed the elegant look. The 23 dressing rooms were painted in a flattering sunrise pink and had access to windows for examining garments by natural light.

By the late 1970s, Blach's had five locations, including the downtown store and ones at Eastwood Mall and Brookwood Village. Eastwood, which opened in February 1967 after an addition was made to the east end of the mall, was the largest location at that time. The Eastwood location also handled merchandise processing for the entire chain.

In January 1987, Blach's filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. At the time, the store had $1.85 in liabilities against $1.3 million in inventory and $1.26 million in accounts receivable. The store's reorganization was unsuccessful and its closing was announced in December of that year.

References

• "Printers' Exit". (August 6, 1945). Time
• Blach's to open glamorous new $100,000 fashion floor Monday" (August 1959) Birmingham News
• "Giant Eastwood Mall still growing. (February 15, 1967). Birmingham News
• "Meet Eastwood store managers". (September 13, 1978). Birmingham News
• "Eastwood Mall stores provide fashions for entire family". (September 24, 1980). Birmingham News
• Warren, Kathleen. (January 1987). "Blach's, as expected, files Chap. 11 plan to reorganize." Daily News Record
• Warren, Kathleen. (December 1987). "101-year-old Blach's to liquidate." Daily News Record
• "Old Blach's building could play pivotal role." (March 17, 2002). The Birmingham News