Woodlawn always had soul.
Within couple blocks around First Avenue and 56th Street, you could find everything you needed for your body, mind and spirit. Books at the library, where Miss Perryman would guide you to whatever you needed. The Baptist, Presbyterian and Methodist churches, which covered nearly everybody. Woodlawn High School.
Jernigan Furniture (Joey’s dad). Tribble Drugs (Paul’s dad). Lane Drugs.* (Don, Dianne and Frank’s dad). Krystal. Aladdin Cleaners and Hippodrome Barber Shop, which are still around.
Most of those are gone now, but Woodlawn is coming back to life again. This week, some of the empty spaces are being filled by very cool “pop-up” stores selling clothes, baked goods, vegetables and tons of other great stuff. It’s part of the ingenious Revive Birmingham effort, which is bringing attention to the opportunities in places like Downtown, East Lake and Five Points.
And this week, my beloved Woodlawn. I’ll be getting down there to support the effort, and I hope you will as well. And I look forward to seeing all my friends at the climactic Souldown on Sunday.
*Thanks to lifelong friend Dianne Landers Fuqua for reminding me that Lane Rexall Drugs was her dad’s store.
