Today, longtime Five Points South establishment Black Market Bar & Grill announced their plans to move to the former Avondale Common House space in Avondale.

Bham Now spoke with Black Market Bar & Grill co-owner George Cowgill to learn more.

Founded in Birmingham in 2009

In 2009, Birmingham native George Cowgill and his business partner Elise Yarborough founded the original Black Market Bar & Grill at the Shops of the Colonnade on Hwy 280. The new establishment quickly became known for its eclectic niche, original cocktails and an outstanding food menu, with items like:

The Godzilla Burger, 2x the meat, 2x the bacon, 2x the cheese and 2x the madness
The Disgraceland Burger, with peanut butter, jelly an egg and bacon

In 2012, they set their sights on Southside for a second Black Market Bar & Grill location, which first opened at the Shepherd-Sloss building across the street from Chick-fil-A. Three years later, Black Market Bar & Grill relocated to 1035 20th St S, where it has remained for nearly a decade.

In Fall 2023, Black Market Bar & Grill opened its third location—and first outside of Alabama—in Nashville’s historic Printer Alley.

From Five Points South to Avondale

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When Avondale Common House merged with Ferus on 1st in late 2023, the Black Market Bar & Grill team saw an opportunity for the future of their brand.

“I’ve worked in Southside in some form or fashion for 20 years, and I just think its time for us to move on.

I was pretty emotional when I told the staff the news a couple of weeks ago. We’ve been in that building for nine years. I have a daughter, and I met her mother in that building. I am going to miss it.”
George Cowgill, Co-Owner, Black Market Bar & Grill

Although Black Market Bar & Grill is moving, George wanted to assure fans that everything they know and love—from the menu to the decor and everything in-between—would carry over to the new location.

“We’re very excited to be moving to Avondale—we’re going to be a stone’s throw away from Avondale Brewery and Saturn, and I think we’re going to fit very nicely into that area.”
George Cowgill, Co-Owner, Black Market Bar & Grill

According to George, Black Market Bar & Grill will get the key to the building on April 1 and aims to open their new location in early May. Lyndsy Yim of SRS Real Estate Partners and Abra Barnes with Barnes & Associates represented the building’s landlord, Orchestra Partners, in the transaction.

The addition of Black Market Bar & Grill will be the latest in a series of new and “coming soon” openings in Avondale, including:

Excited to see Black Market Bar & Grill coming to Avondale? What would you like to see take their place in Five Points South? Tag us @bhamnow to let us know!