7 new businesses + 2 closures in Birmingham this week

It’s a new week in The Magic City, and that means a new roundup of businesses popping up across town. 

From a new vintage store in downtown Birmingham to an exciting new seafood spot in Fairfield, here are seven businesses that should be on your radar. Plus, two local businesses we’ll miss.

• Check out last week’s openings

Now Open

1. Blue Pacific | Hoover

Fear not, Thai food lovers: Blue Pacific is back! The beloved local favorite located in Hoover Food Mart on Lorna Road has been closed since Wednesday, March 18 due to “unexpected personal matters,” the owners said on Facebook. 

As of Wednesday, April 15, Blue Pacific is once again open for business with its regular hours! The authentic Thai food restaurant is owned and operated by the Aroonsakulwongse family and serves traditional recipes such as coconut soup, basil fried rice and top-notch dumplings.

• Blue Pacific at Hoover Food Mart: 205-978-0754 | Facebook
• Address: 3219 Lorna Rd, Hoover
• Hours:
  • Lunch: Tuesday-Saturday 11AM-2:30PM, closed Sunday-Monday
  • Dinner: Tuesday-Saturday 5:30-8:30PM, closed Sunday-Monday

2. Collected Bham | Downtown Bham

Earlier this month, we clued you in on an exciting new store opening in Downtown Birmingham. On Saturday, April 18, Collected Bham opened its doors and welcomed its first shoppers!

Atlanta-based Collected Vintage, owned by Leslie Tate and her partner, has spent the last year hosting pop-ups up across Birmingham coffee shops—Whammy, Daysol and Bandido to name a few—in a series called “Vintage and Coffee.”

With its new vintage clothing store, Collected Bham brings a much-needed retail presence to Birmingham’s already vibrant food and beverage culture. You can expect curated men’s, women’s and kids vintage clothing as well as buy, sell and trade options.

• Location: 312 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N unit 4, Birmingham, AL 35203
• Opening week hours:
  • Closed Monday-Tuesday
  • 1PM-7PM Wednesday-Thursday 
  • Noon-8PM Friday-Saturday
  • 1PM-6PM Sunday
• Follow Collected Bham for updates

3. Dream Flavors | Downtown Bham

Back in February, we let you know about the local ice cream trucks, Dream Flavors, opening its first brick-and-mortar location. Over this past weekend, Dream Flavors celebrated its grand opening and is already buzzing with excitement.

Owned by Walter Baldwin, Dream Flavors has operated for over 8 years in a small trailer, a converted school bus and a van and now its very first storefront. Its first brick-and-mortar location is across from Helen and Bayonet on 2nd Avenue North in downtown Birmingham.

• Location: 2014 2nd Ave N, Birmingham, AL 35203
• Hours: 10:30AM-5:30PM Daily
• Dream Flavors: Website | Facebook

4. De Mar Marisqueria | Fairfield

If you are a seafood-lover, this is the place for you—a new restaurant that serves authentic Mexican seafood cuisine has opened in Fairfield.

Del Mar Marisquería, meaning From the Sea Seafood Restaurant, is a foodie paradise located near the new Milo’s. A special bonus, you’ll only see at Del Mar? At nearly all Mexican restaurants you are provided chips and salsa before your meal. Del Mar greets you with an beautifully constructed appetizer of ceviche with marlin on a large round tortilla-sized chip.

• Location: 7100 Aaron Arnov Drive
• Hours: Sunday to Thursday, 11AM-9PM | Friday and Saturday, 11AM-10PM

5. Heavenly Donut Co. | Homewood

Our friends at The Heavenly Donut Co. recently announced their 2nd location coming to The Edge in Homewood. Now, the spot is officially open as a collaborative cafe space with Baba Java Coffee.

The Heavenly Donut Company is famous not only here in The Magic City, but it’s also received national recognition from foodie publications and television shows such as the Food Network and Travel Magazine.

• Address: 817 Green Springs Hwy, Homewood, AL 35209
• Hours: Monday-Friday, 6:30AM-6PM | Saturday, 8AM-6PM | Sunday, 1PM-6PM
• Website | Facebook | Instagram

Coming Soon

6. De Nada | Parkside

A fresh new dining experience that blends Birmingham roots with elevated Mexican cuisine is opening soon in Birmingham’s Parkside District. De Nada, a new concept from local restaurateur Armando Martinez, is set to open its doors at Urban Supply this month.

At De Nada, guests can expect a blend of familiar favorites and more refined, authentic dishes—think house-made tortillas prepared fresh daily, scratch-made chiles rellenos and handmade tamales.

Once it’s official, De Nada will be open for lunch and dinner from 11AM to 9PM Sunday through Thursday, and 11AM to 10PM on Friday and Saturday. 

• De Nada: Website | Instagram
• Location: 1300 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233

7. The Archive Society | Pelham

A new curated vintage shop has teased its opening in Birmingham this Spring—The Archive Society is coming soon to the Pelham area! According to its Instagram page, Archive Society a thoughtfully curated vintage and modern consignment store for men, women and children. 

• Location: 128 Bowling Lane, Pelham, Alabama 35124

Closed + Closing

8. Hero Diner | Hoover

Hero Diner, a popular restaurant chain founded in Birmingham, has closed its Stadium Trace Village location in Hoover according to a sign posted on the entrance door. 

The closure took effect Sunday, April 12, and comes alongside the shutdown of Tasty Town, a Greek restaurant operated by the same ownership group.

9. The Painted Tree | Highway 280

Painted Tree Boutiques, a boutique mall on US-280 that housed 200+ vendors, announced Tuesday, April 14 that it will close 60+ of its stores nationwide, effective immediately.

Located between Academy Sports and Marshalls in the River Ridge Shopping Center at 4612 US-280, the unique store called itself an “Etsy marketplace and Pinterest catalog come to life.” It started in 2015 as a vintage market in Arkansas before expanding across the country.