With new developments popping up all over town, business in Birmingham is booming. Ultra-modern lofts and cozy city condominiums are continuously adding to the skyline. And with the number of restaurants, bars, and retail shops growing by the day, there are more than enough ways to spend the day.
One of the latest is Mercantile on Morris, a mixed-use development located on the iconic cobblestone Morris Avenue. Developed by Orchestra Partners, Mercantile includes 47 residential condos, ranging from micro units to two-bedroom condos. Each unit leads onto a terrace overlooking a bustling pedestrian plaza below. The plaza includes 14,000 square feet of retail featuring a combination of boutique shops, restaurants, and bars that includes some of the city’s most anticipated up-and-coming openings.
“Everything we do is about connecting people, and Mercantile on Morris does just that,” said Mary Claire Weeks, managing director of Orchestra Partners. “Through the creation of the pedestrian plaza, we’ve connected 1st Avenue to historic Morris Avenue, creating a walkable, pedestrian-friendly space where people can spend an entire day. Our mix of restaurants, boutique retailers, and fitness tenants will attract activity throughout the day and night to contribute to downtown Birmingham’s work, live, play environment.”
Keep reading for the full directory of every business at (or coming soon!) to Mercantile on Morris.
Open Now
This artisan pizza restaurant specializes in wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizza made with a three-ingredient naturally leavened sourdough. Topping offerings showcase fresh, seasonal ingredients. In many cases, produce is the star, as seen in the Veggie pizza with pesto, baked garlic, smoked provolone, roasted mushrooms, kale, gremolata, and toasted breadcrumbs. The restaurant also has a rotating menu of desserts and large-portion vegetable dishes.
Hide & Hunter is a handcrafted and upcycled leather goods brand crafting one-of-a-kind bags, luggage, and other leather accessories. Owner Hannah Christine created the brand back in 2013, blending her passions for outreach and design. A portion of the profits from every bag sold is donated to support outreach trips domestically and internationally.
This contemporary art gallery showcases work by local, national, and international artists represented by both private and institutional collections worldwide. Collector Scott Miller has been involved with art for the past 30 years, doing everything from building his own collection to arranging art related travel for collectors and students to helping place works in collections throughout the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
Find quality menswear at this men’s apparel boutique dedicated to providing an authentic and educational shopping experience for men. Find everything from clothing and outerwear to socks, ties, accessories, and body care.
Coming Soon
Lifelyles Gifts & Interiors (January)
Birmingham resident Peyton C. Lyles created Lifelyles to combine his passions for interior design and gift giving. The boutique retail shop offers a range of gift items, décor, and sustainable goods in one chic location.
Canella Gelato (early 2022)
This artisanal gelateria makes handcrafted gelato and sorbet daily, preparing everything on site from the gelato base to the finished product. The store will offer permanent signature flavors vanilla, chocolate, and lemon-lavender-honey-goat cheese, as well as a rotating menu of seasonal flavors. Coffee, tea, and hot drinks will also be available.
Bar La Fête (early 2022)
From the owners of fellow Morris Avenue favorite The Essential comes Bar Le Fête, a Parisian wine bar featuring a full menu of French-inspired shareable plates. In addition to the charming wine bar offering fine wines, beers, and high-end spirits, Bar Le Fête will also house the next retail location for the pair’s Bandit Patisserie (formerly in Homewood), where you can find breakfast pastries, croissants, cakes, breads, and more.
Studio E Fitness (April 2022)
With a mission to make fitness accessible to everyone, everywhere, and every day, this Pilates studio is ready to join Birmingham’s growing fitness studio community come spring. Certified Pilates instructor and owner Emily Dixon hopes to help her clients grow and learn on their journey to becoming healthier and happier through Pilates.
(Courtesy of SoulGrown)
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