In an era when local department stores still thrived, Birmingham
shoppers had different stores from which to choose. But when customers
sought more than bargain prices, when they demanded unparalleled quality
and outright luxury, they chose Loveman's. The first store opened in
Birmingham in 1887, and the chain eventually grew to include locations
in Huntsville and Montgomery, embracing those from throughout the state
who valued an upscale shopping experience. Weathering the Great
Depression, a devastating fire that destroyed the original location in
1934 and historic civil rights protests in the early 1960s, Loveman's
proved to be an enduring name through many eras of change until finally
closing its doors in 1980. Now, Birmingham historian Tim Hollis
chronicles the sterling history of this celebrated store's commitment to
excellence.