Bea Cross, owner of Magic City Fabric. (Nathan Watson / Bham Now)

A new locally-owned fabric store is opening its doors in Birmingham this week. Located down the road from Cahaba Brewing Company, Magic City Fabric is a unique fabric and maker space where crafters can find high-quality materials, learn from others at workshops and classes and connect with a creative community.

We met with owner Bea Cross for an inside look at Birmingham’s new fabric shop.

Meet Bea, owner of Magic City Fabric

If you attended the second annual Alabama Fiber Festival at Cahaba Brewing Company in mid-November, you might recognize Magic City Fiber owner Bea Cross. As one of the co-founders of the vibrant fiber festival, Bea has a passion for making sewing and crafting accessible to everyone.

“In today’s world of fast fashion, it’s easy to buy cheap clothes that eventually end up in a landfill. But I think everyone should experience wearing quality clothing made to fit their unique body out of fabrics designed to last.

I started sewing about four years ago, and its helped me realize just how empowering it can be to make your own clothes. I love that I can make clothes that fit and look the way I want them to, and I think more people should give it a shot.”
Bea Cross, Owner, Magic City Fabric

To help fill the gap left by JOANN’s, the defunct fabric and craft chain that shuttered more than 800 locations in 2025, Bea founded Magic City Fabric—a locally-owned craft and fabric hub offering resources, tools, community workshops and more in an open, welcoming environment.

“Magic City Fabric is an intentionally inclusive space. As a queer woman of color, I’ve been in fabric stores where I didn’t feel welcome, and its important for me to make sure people know this space is for them.”
Bea Cross, Owner, Magic City Fabric

What you’ll find at Magic City Fabric

Inside Magic City Fabric, shoppers will discover a curated mix of materials from boutique lines like Fableism and Ruby Star Society, alongside a growing selection of creative-reuse and secondhand supplies. Craft Rescue Collective will serve as a consignment partner within the shop, bringing their mission of sustainable crafting into the space.

“Magic City Fabric will carry a lot of 100% natural fiber fabrics, as well as some blended fabrics and fashion fabrics like velvet and corduroy. When it comes to garment fabrics, you want to be able to feel it in person and see how it drapes, because that will affect how your entire pattern or outfit looks.”
Bea Cross, Owner, Magic City Fabric

In addition to fabrics, Magic City Fabric will carry kits, patterns and other sewing and crafting tools. But Magic City Fabric is more than just a fabric store—it’s a hub for Birmingham’s creative community.

“One of my biggest goals with Magic City Fabric is community outreach—whether it’s supporting LGBTQ+ youth that want to create clothes that represent them better or helping someone mend or alter their clothes. For instance, many cosplayers that create their own costumes for Dragon Con in Atlanta have lost a huge resource with JOANN’s. I want to offer the resources they need in a small, community-driven space rather than a big box store.”
Bea Cross, Owner, Magic City Fabric

One of the ways Bea plans to drive community outreach is through workshops, classes and services like large-format sewing pattern printing.

“Magic City Fabric is here to be a resource for the community, and I’m here to learn new skills along with everyone else. For instance, I’ve never made my own pair of jeans—but I know people that have. If they can lead a class on how to make jeans, then I can learn and pass along that knowledge to others.”
Bea Cross, Owner, Magic City Fabric

Interested in teaching a craft class at Magic City Fabric? Reach out to Bea via Instagram DMs or via email at hello@magiccityfabric.com to let her know!

Magic City Fabric opens Saturday, December 6

Excited to visit Magic City Fabric? Stop by for its soft opening this weekend!

What: Magic City Fabric’s Soft Opening Weekend
When: Saturday, December 6 and Sunday, December 7 | 12PM to 6PM
Where: 4830 5th Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35222

At the soft opening, guests can shop, explore the new space before its full launch in January and get a preview of upcoming classes, workshops and community nights—plus, the first ten customers each day will receive a 15% discount.