View source for Mehr's Music Store

'''Mehr's Music Store & Novelty Shop''' was a music, instrument, novelty, costume and magic shop. It was first opened in the early 1920s by [[Charles Mehr]] in a shop across from the [[Age-Herald Building]] on [[5th Avenue North]]. He opened a second location in the [[Clark Building]] at 404 [[20th Street North]] in [[1925]].

Mehr's wife, [[Libbie Mehr|Libbie]] also worked in the music store. She published several songs, including "[[Alabama Blues]]" which were recorded by early blues artists.

From before [[1937]] until after [[1949]], Mehr's was at 113 [[19th Street North]]. In [[1955]] the store was located at 1726 [[2nd Avenue North]], but soon moved across the street to 1731 2nd Avenue North.

After Charles Mehr died in [[1956]], the business was taken up by siblings [[Wade Haley|Wade]] and [[Geraldine Haley]], who had clerked in the shop. When Ms Haley died, another sister, [[Grace Payne]], with her husband [[W. C. Payne]] came to Birmingham to help Mr Haley run the store. Other family members helped out, as well.

The magic counter in back was presided over by a practicing magician who would teach the tricks to customers who had bought them, but only after swearing them to the "magician's code" of secrecy. Among those clerks were [[Vic Fichtner]] and [[Robert Chapman]]<!--or Chadwick-->. 

The Haley family sold the business to Chapman in the late 1960s. The store moved to upper level of the [[Century Plaza]] shopping mall in [[1975]] and changed its name to '''Tricks 'N Treats'''.

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==References==
* "Dealer opens branch store." (June 6, 1925) ''Presto''
* Communication from Tom Stewart, nephew of the Haleys and Paynes (October 13, 2014)

[[Category:Music stores]]
[[Category:Toy stores]]
[[Category:1920s establishments]]
[[Category:5th Avenue North]]
[[Category:19th Street North]]
[[Category:Clark Building]]
[[Category:2nd Avenue North]]
[[Category:Century Plaza]]