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[[Image:Garage Cafe.jpg|right|thumb|275px|Garage Café's courtyard in May 2002]]
[[Image:Garage Cafe.jpg|right|thumb|500px|Garage Café's courtyard in May 2002]]
The '''Garage Café''' was a bar and sandwich shop located at 2304 [[10th Terrace South]] off [[Highland Avenue]] in [[Southside]]. The bar, opened in [[1994]] by [[Jimmy Watson]], occupied part of a former complex of 1930s-era covered garage stalls arrayed around a courtyard.
The '''Garage Café''', later '''The Garage''', is a bar and sandwich shop located at 2304 [[10th Terrace South]] off [[Highland Avenue]] in [[Southside]]. The bar, opened in [[1994]] by [[Jimmy Watson]], occupies part of the 1930s-era "[[The Garages|The Plaza Garages]]", built for the [[Highland Plaza]] apartment building.


The rest of the stalls are filled with antiques for sale by landlord [[Fritz Woehle]]. The bar's seating extended into the courtyard where wisteria vines shade casually-arranged piles of old lawn statues, architectural fragments and plumbing fixtures.
The former garage stalls flank an open courtyard now shaded by crape myrtles and wisteria. The stalls are filled with antiques collected by former owner [[Fritz Woehle]] and now owned by his daughter, [[Kay Woehle|Kay]]. The bar's seating extends into the courtyard casually-arranged piles of old lawn statues, architectural fragments and plumbing fixtures share the shade with café tables.


The Garage served a limited menu of thick sandwiches served on [[Big Sky Bread Company]] bread.
The Garage serves a limited menu of thick deli sandwiches served on [[Big Sky Bread Company]] bread.


In [[2003]] ''GQ'' magazine named The Garage Café one of its "10 Bars Worth Flying To". It has since been written up in ''Esquire'' and other publications as well. The bar's resident [[Garage Kitty]] was struck by a car and killed in [[2007]]. In [[2010]] [[Hot and Hot Fish Club]] owner [[Chris Hastings]] considered building a new restaurant in the adjacent spaces and covering the courtyard, which would be shared with the bar. He dropped those plans in the face of a popular backlash and unfavorable cost estimates.
In [[2003]] ''GQ'' magazine named The Garage Café one of its "10 Bars Worth Flying To". It has since been written up in ''Esquire'' and other publications as well. The bar's resident [[Garage Kitty]] was struck by a car and killed in [[2007]]. In [[2010]] [[Hot and Hot Fish Club]] owner [[Chris Hastings]] considered building a new restaurant in the adjacent spaces and covering the courtyard, which would be shared with the bar. He dropped those plans in the face of a popular backlash and unfavorable cost estimates.
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Watson traditionally closed the bar during the week of Labor Day and treated his staff to a trip to Grayton Beach, Florida.
Watson traditionally closed the bar during the week of Labor Day and treated his staff to a trip to Grayton Beach, Florida.


Jimmy Watson died in March 2014 from injuries suffered in a vehicle collision. His brother [[Kenny Watson|Kenny]] ran the Garage Café until it closed on Saturday [[August 30]]. After that time, Fritz Woehle's daughter [[Kay Woehle|Kay]] opened a new bar, called [[The Garage]], in the space after the traditional Labor Day closure. Longtime bartender [[Jyl Williamson]] stayed on as co-manager. Most of the staff and decorations, with exception of the Watson brothers' personal belongings, stayed the same.
Jimmy Watson died in March 2014 from injuries suffered in a vehicle collision. His brother [[Kenny Watson|Kenny]] ran the Garage Café until it closed on Saturday [[August 30]] of that year. Fritz Woehle's daughter [[Kay Woehle|Kay]] opened a new bar, called '''The Garage''', in the same space after the traditional Labor Day closure. Longtime bartender [[Jyl Williamson]] stayed on as co-manager. Most of the staff and decorations, with exception of the Watson brothers' personal belongings, stayed the same.
 
In December [[2022]] Woehle sold the bar to [[Bob Ryan|Bob "Irish Bob" Ryan]], who hired [[Chelsea Bishop]] as manager.


==References==
==References==
* Harris, Neely ( ) "[http://www.esquire.com/bestbars/bb-garagecafe Garage Café]". ''Esquire'' magazine.
* Harris, Neely ( ) "Garage Café". ''Esquire'' magazine.
* McAlister, Laura, Joe O'Donnell, Mary Ellen Stancill and Carla Jean Whitley (2009) "[http://www.bhammag.com/bhammag/places_bars.aspx The Drinker's Dozen]" ''Birmingham'' magazine
* McAlister, Laura, Joe O'Donnell, Mary Ellen Stancill and Carla Jean Whitley (2009) "[http://www.bhammag.com/bhammag/places_bars.aspx The Drinker's Dozen]" ''Birmingham'' magazine
* Geiss, Chuck (September 30, 2010) "[http://www.bwcitypaper.com/Articles-i-2010-09-30-237966.113121_Naked_Birmingham.html Naked Birmingham]" ''Black & White''
* Geiss, Chuck (September 30, 2010) "[http://www.bwcitypaper.com/Articles-i-2010-09-30-237966.113121_Naked_Birmingham.html Naked Birmingham]" ''Black & White''
* Carlton, Bob (January 28, 2011) "Birmingham chef Chris Hastings drops plans for restaurant in Garage Cafe building." {{BN}}
* Carlton, Bob (January 28, 2011) "Birmingham chef Chris Hastings drops plans for restaurant in Garage Cafe building." {{BN}}
* Carlton, Bob (January 23, 2014) "Birmingham well-represented on Southern Living's list of '100 Best Bars in the South'." {{BN}}
* Carlton, Bob (January 23, 2014) "Birmingham well-represented on Southern Living's list of '100 Best Bars in the South'." {{BN}}
* Whitmire, Kyle (March 6, 2014) "Hardheaded and softhearted, Garage Cafe proprietor Jimmy Watson made a mark on Birmingham." {{BN}}
* Carlton, Bob (August 28, 2014) "Birmingham treasure the Garage Cafe is changing hands after 20 years." {{BN}}
* Carlton, Bob (August 28, 2014) "Birmingham treasure the Garage Cafe is changing hands after 20 years." {{BN}}
 
* Moore, Holly (August 31, 2018) "The Garage, Birmingham’s original beer garden, in Southside is still as cool as ever." {{BNow}}
* Thornton, William (December 15, 2022) "Birmingham’s The Garage Cafe sold to longtime patron." AL.com


==External links==
==External links==
* [http://www.garagecafe.us/ Garage Café] website
* [http://www.garagecafe.us/ Garage Café] website


[[Category:Bars]]
[[Category: Bars]]
[[Category:Sandwich shops]]
[[Category: Sandwich shops]]
[[Category:10th Terrace South]]
[[Category: The Garages]]
[[Category:1994 establishments]]
[[Category: 1994 establishments]]
[[Category:2014 disestablishments]]

Latest revision as of 08:42, 12 April 2024

Garage Café's courtyard in May 2002

The Garage Café, later The Garage, is a bar and sandwich shop located at 2304 10th Terrace South off Highland Avenue in Southside. The bar, opened in 1994 by Jimmy Watson, occupies part of the 1930s-era "The Plaza Garages", built for the Highland Plaza apartment building.

The former garage stalls flank an open courtyard now shaded by crape myrtles and wisteria. The stalls are filled with antiques collected by former owner Fritz Woehle and now owned by his daughter, Kay. The bar's seating extends into the courtyard casually-arranged piles of old lawn statues, architectural fragments and plumbing fixtures share the shade with café tables.

The Garage serves a limited menu of thick deli sandwiches served on Big Sky Bread Company bread.

In 2003 GQ magazine named The Garage Café one of its "10 Bars Worth Flying To". It has since been written up in Esquire and other publications as well. The bar's resident Garage Kitty was struck by a car and killed in 2007. In 2010 Hot and Hot Fish Club owner Chris Hastings considered building a new restaurant in the adjacent spaces and covering the courtyard, which would be shared with the bar. He dropped those plans in the face of a popular backlash and unfavorable cost estimates.

In 2014, Southern Living named the Garage Café as one of the "Top 100 Bars in the South."

Watson traditionally closed the bar during the week of Labor Day and treated his staff to a trip to Grayton Beach, Florida.

Jimmy Watson died in March 2014 from injuries suffered in a vehicle collision. His brother Kenny ran the Garage Café until it closed on Saturday August 30 of that year. Fritz Woehle's daughter Kay opened a new bar, called The Garage, in the same space after the traditional Labor Day closure. Longtime bartender Jyl Williamson stayed on as co-manager. Most of the staff and decorations, with exception of the Watson brothers' personal belongings, stayed the same.

In December 2022 Woehle sold the bar to Bob "Irish Bob" Ryan, who hired Chelsea Bishop as manager.

References

  • Harris, Neely ( ) "Garage Café". Esquire magazine.
  • McAlister, Laura, Joe O'Donnell, Mary Ellen Stancill and Carla Jean Whitley (2009) "The Drinker's Dozen" Birmingham magazine
  • Geiss, Chuck (September 30, 2010) "Naked Birmingham" Black & White
  • Carlton, Bob (January 28, 2011) "Birmingham chef Chris Hastings drops plans for restaurant in Garage Cafe building." The Birmingham News
  • Carlton, Bob (January 23, 2014) "Birmingham well-represented on Southern Living's list of '100 Best Bars in the South'." The Birmingham News
  • Whitmire, Kyle (March 6, 2014) "Hardheaded and softhearted, Garage Cafe proprietor Jimmy Watson made a mark on Birmingham." The Birmingham News
  • Carlton, Bob (August 28, 2014) "Birmingham treasure the Garage Cafe is changing hands after 20 years." The Birmingham News
  • Moore, Holly (August 31, 2018) "The Garage, Birmingham’s original beer garden, in Southside is still as cool as ever." Bham Now
  • Thornton, William (December 15, 2022) "Birmingham’s The Garage Cafe sold to longtime patron." AL.com

External links

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