Today’s guest columnist is Jay Taylor.
It’s all too appropriate that the centerpiece of Birmingham’s beloved Five Points South is a fountain titled, “The Storyteller.”
This eclectic entertainment district has quite a story to tell, and a horrific chapter was written on September 21, 2024.
The narrative of that evening was upsetting enough to evoke a wide range of emotions: sadness, fear, anger, hopelessness – you name it.
But after we catch our collective breath, I ask you, what will the next chapter be?
The story of Five Points South is not exclusively danger, crime, and despair.
Remember how we all puffed out our chests when Highlands Bar and Grill was named the most outstanding restaurant in America by the James Beard Foundation?
Next door, Frank Stitt’s French bistro Chez Fonfon remains a local fave as well, with numerous restaurants in this area offering tasty fare for all types of budgets any time of day.
Your wait will be worth the breakfast at The Original Pancake House. Don’t forget other establishments such as Ocean, Makario’s, Jim-n-Nick’s, Surin, Mellow Mushroom, and Iron City Pizza – just to name a few.
In recent years, new boutique hotels have gone up in the district. New restaurants have come in, and classics such as Ranelli’s, Upside Down Plaza, and Dave’s have thrived.
September 21 wasn’t the first dark chapter in the story of Five Points. In 2008, for instance, a disagreement at an establishment called Banana Joe’s ended up with two dead. And we’re not alone.
Look at the thriving bars on Broadway in Nashville, for example. Shootings on June 14, 2021, January 5, 2023, July 2, 2023, and January 2, 2024 are just a few of the incidents that have led to multiple deaths. Not only did these crimes not make headlines on CNN, they didn’t stop Nashville.
As we absorb the shock of this latest plot twist, we must also think about what history will say about Five Points South when we turn the page. We’re all authors in this story.
First and foremost, several players have to come together to take action. The mayor, police chief, business leaders, Merchants Association, Five Points South Neighborhood Association, and other stakeholders must be developing a plan of action now.
You – we – all of us, cannot give up on Five Points South. It’s worth fighting for. Remember the Barber sign over Louie Louie? Five Points South Music Hall? Personally, I saw the Ramones there once. And I shook Michael Jordan’s hand in a locale where Jim-n-Nick’s is now. Do not stop supporting the businesses that still call Five Points South home.
Don’t forget, the crime stats for our city are misleading. Yes, the numbers are up, and the mayor and police chief should be held accountable, but we’re a city of 1.1 million people. However, because we are fragmented, when you do the math, our denominator is 197,000. In a similarly sized city such as Memphis, for instance, crime may be higher but the city is less fragmented. They have 1.3 million, but their denominator is 633,000. This makes an overwhelming difference when you calculate crime per capita.
When the city considers granting a license to a bar, if that bar feels the need to “pat down patrons and scan them with security wands,” as quoted on al.com, maybe that bar needs to rethink their business model and clientele before being granted permission to operate.
If you live or work in Bibb, Blount, Chilton, Jefferson, St. Clair, Shelby, or Walker counties, safety in Birmingham should matter to you. Businesses looking to invest and bring jobs to a metro area look at crime stats. They see Birmingham, not Helena or Calera. Crime stats are used to quantify quality of life, so the numbers reverberate. When the 197,000 people who live within the city limits of Birmingham are safe, we all thrive.
For years, I have proposed an idea that multiple Birmingham cities merge, including Homewood, where I live. At first, I know this may be unpopular with the 1.1 million residents who call Birmingham home. But hear me out, and sleep on it. Adding Hoover, Vestavia, Bessemer, and other municipalities would cause our population to swell. On paper, we would be Birmingham. In reality, each would be considered a borough and maintain complete autonomy. Each borough would have their own schools, police, fire, and so on. But our numbers? Well, they’d be much more accurate, which would have a snowball effect for our area.
How will the next chapter of Five Points South and our city unfold?
It’s time we all start plotting that out. Ironically, the Storyteller Fountain was born out of an idea to memorialize Five Points South merchant and resident Malcolm McRae who was shot and murdered in 1983. Frank Fleming’s sculpture, erected in 1992, has not only honored McRae, it has stood as a testament to the fact that this neighborhood and city can thrive when we all work together.
After all, Frank Stitt opened Highlands Bar and Grill in Five Points a mere 97 days before McRae was murdered and look what came from his success. If you’ve never dined there, you’ve at least visited one of the many restaurants in town owned by a chef from Stitt’s culinary lineage.
So you see, we must grieve, memorialize, and learn from everything that happened on September 21, 2024. But Five Points South must be saved.
What a story.
Jay Taylor is a freelance writer based in Birmingham, Alabama. He has more than 35 years of experience working in advertising, journalism, marketing, and business. He renovated Kessler Lofts with his family and cofounded the startup TabX in Birmingham. Taylor previously served as president of the Central City Neighborhood Association. Today, he lives in Homewood with his wife and two children.
David Sher is the founder and publisher of ComebackTown. He’s past Chairman of the Birmingham Regional Chamber of Commerce (BBA), Operation New Birmingham (REV Birmingham), and the City Action Partnership (CAP).
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Invite David to speak for free to your group about how we can have a more prosperous metro Birmingham. dsher@comebacktown.com
1964
https://www.bhamwiki.com/w/1964_Birmingham-Homewood_merger_referendum
Thank you for this wonderful statement. I agree completely.
I had a quick chat with a Birmingham police officer, coincidentally at Hero donuts in Homewood the other day. She said they had never been so understaffed and overwhelmed in her 20+ years.
They can’t respond to all the calls, let alone get out and walk the beat and be the visual deterrent they should.
First responders and teachers deserve to be properly compensated.. And they deserve to have proper staffing. Shame on the mayor and other leaders for not grabbing this tiger by the tail.
great restaurants! great article. interesting facts.
great article
With these horrible murders by criminals in Birmingham, why would any city want to merge with that? There is no question that at night criminals roam the streets around 5 points South and sell drugs and sex traffic. This has been common in the entire area around UAB over to Green Springs Road.
I’ve seen it up close and seen senseless shootings at 5 points South. Drugs are never far away.
Sadly, Birmingham and Bessemer have bad reputations and merging with Homewood or Mtn Brook is not going to fix it. It’s not going to happen.
I was born at 20th and 8ave S so am very sympathetic.- now UAB hospital.
The shooting just set back your plan 5 years.
Lived in 5 Points South for over 37 years and never had a break in or theft or problem of any kind. Moved there in 1986 and just recently moved to the country for retirement. I’ll be back one day though to live on Highland Avenue!
I don’t know if you’re connected to the Lovoys who owned Lovoys, but I really miss your restaurant!
A fine piece, Jay. I appreciate your optimism and creativity! And I’ve never heard anyone bring up your “borough” idea. Has this been seriously discussed by any leaders?
Excellent article and suggestions. I did know about these issues that happened in Nashville,USA!! While the idea of some cities in Jefferson County merging would create an economic juggernaut it would also create a lot more mistrust and hatred based of history.
The good news is all 32 cities in Jefferson County are located in one of the five commission districts.
We have a very good Commission that is well connected through the 32 boroughs ! While some residents are hard core against any type of merger there are many more Jay Taylors among us
that will continue to speak truth to power!!
I meant to say I DiD NOT know about the issues in Nashville!!
Thanks, Jay!! Keep the faith!
Great article and suggestions. I really hope Five Points has a comeback.
If I understand your concept correctly, Birmingham doesn’t have a problem with safety, but rather a problem with statistics? There is literally blood on the sidewalks and streets around 5 points but you think this is a statistics issue not one of safety? This has to be the least sympathic response I have seen from anyone regarding the senseless murder of multiple individuals. Wow….talk about your white privilege.