Reviewed by: Callie Morrison
11 Birmingham businesses that closed their doors in 2024
Reading time: 5 minutes
As the year draws to a close, Birmingham reflects on a year of change in its business landscape. From long-standing neighborhood favorites to newer ventures that captured the community’s imagination, several establishments have bid farewell this year.
Read on for 11 local businesses that closed their doors in 2024.
1. FIVE Restaurant | Lakeview
Five—a longtime restaurant and bar in Lakeview specializing in a limited, evolving menu—vacated its Lakeview property in January 2024.
For 12 years, Five was a dining staple in the area and even earned the title of “Best Brunch in Alabama” by Far & Wide.
The property has remained vacant since its closure.
2. Harvest Roots | Avondale
Harvest Roots Kombucha, Birmingham’s first-ever kombucha taproom, closed in March 2024 after four years.
Owned by Pete Halupka and Lindsay Whitaker, the small, locally-owned business brought fermented products like krauts, kimchi and kombucha to the community.
Harvest Roots was one of several local businesses to close in the Avondale Mills Shopping Center in 2024.
Others include:
3. Ghost Train Brewing Co. | Avondale
Ghost Train Brewing Company—a local brewery and Birmingham favorite founded in 2014—filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and shut its doors permanently in September.
Over the years, Ghost Train introduced dozens of intriguing craft beers, including the Kaleidoscope Kettle Sour, the Gulf Coast IPA, the Allurium Double IPA and the O-Bomb Imperial Sour.
4. Moe’s BBQ | Lakeview
On June 15, a kitchen fire caused Moe’s Original BBQ in Lakeview to close its doors. Although the closure was intended to be temporary, there has been no activity at the restaurant since the fire.
5. Richard Tubb Interiors | Pepper Place
Earlier this Fall, interior designer Richard Tubb announced that he was closing his longtime storefront in Pepper Place, Richard Tubb Interiors.
Decades ago, Richard opened up shop in the former Dr. Pepper bottling plant, a lonely and mostly empty building at the time. Over the years, the area now known as Pepper Place expanded to house award-winning restaurants, salons and other independent designers.
After over 50 years in the interior decorating business, Richard decided he was ready to retire and continue to the next phase of his life.
A new woman-owned interior design shop, Odette, will take over the former home of Richard Tubb Interiors in 2025.
6. Hi-Wire Brewing | Lakeview
In mid-October, Hi-Wire Brewing closed its Lakeview taproom.
A popular brewery out of Asheville, Hi-Wire Brewing made its Alabama debut in 2022 as the anchor tenant at Lakeview Green, a mixed-use development in Lakeview. Hi-Wire Brewing’s taproom occupied an 8,887-square-foot corner space on the corner of 4th Avenue South and 29th Street South, just across the street from Automatic Seafood and Mayawell.
The decision to close the Birmingham location comes after Hurricane Helene devastated the East Coast, including Asheville, which is home to the headquarters for Hi-Wire Brewing.
7. Zydeco | Five Points South
Zydeco, a legendary bar and music venue in Birmingham’s Five Points South Entertainment District closed after 35 years.
Over its three decades in business, Zydeco hosted acts like Counting Crows, John Mayer, Third Eye Blind and many more.
According to its owners, Zydeco plans to relocate in 2025.
8. Cantina | West Homewood
Cantina Tortilla Grill closed in West Homewood this summer.
Originally located in Southside Birmingham, owners Jorge and Aimee Castro reopened the beloved restaurant in July 2023 after a four-year hiatus. Now, they plan to pour all their energy into Sol Y Luna, their popular restaurant in Lane Parke near the Birmingham Botanical Gardens.
9. Birmingham Candy Co. | The Pizitz Food Hall
Cherished Magic City sweet shop Birmingham Candy Co. closed their location in The Pizitz Food Hall on 2nd Ave North in Downtown Birmingham earlier this year. The shop is known for its stunning handmade confections.
Don’t worry, though—you can still visit their Crestline location.
10. Greenhouse | Homewood + UAB
This summer, Greenhouse closed its two locations after five years in Homewood’s Edgewood neighborhood and a little over two years in the UAB District.
Owned by locals Bray and Mary Claire Britton, the eatery was known for a fantastic Cuban sandwich, a wide variety of healthy salads and the legendary “ridiculous” cookie.
11. Hillside Music & Que | Vestavia Hills
Hillside Music & Que on Highway 31 in Vestavia Hills closed in November.
The restaurant formerly called the Pig & Palm was rebranded in July. As owner Skip Davis told the Vestavia Voice, the current economic climate made it difficult to run a family business.
Which of these local businesses do you miss the most? Tag us @bhamnow and let us know!
