The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1908-01-07
What Saloon Men Are Doing
With Then Leases and Fur
Rtuts In Birmingham
RES TAURANTS AND SOFT
DRINK PLACES NUMEROUS
One $4,000 Set of Fixtures Has Been
Sold For $5oo-others Have Been
Stored Away and Still
Others Utilized.

birmingham bids fair to displace
Washington as a city of restaurants.
AS soon as active business resumes
its wonted courage, every other store
house down town will be a restaurant
| and a saltwater establishment.
This is true for the simple reason
that the majority of the buildings for
merly used in the dispensation of liquor
will be the future homes of quick
lunches and coca-cola.
The majority of the buildings of the
city formerly used as saloons will not
be vacant during the present year. In
some instances, the former occupants
will continue to use their buildings for
other businesses. In some instances
the former occupants have been able
to suitcase their buildings. A few
saloons of the city have not been
rented, notably the Peerless, corner
Second avenue and Nineteenth street;
the Ocean. Nineteenth street between
First and Second avenues, and numer-
Gus smaller places, and less known.
Buildings subIet at Loss.
that the renters who have been able
to sub-let their buildings have done
so at loss, and that the renters con-
tinuing to use their buildings, though
In other pursuits than the sale of
whisky, are doing so at certain loss
in the majority of instances. In other
words, considering the number of soda
water establishments already in Sir
mingham, it is hardly to be expected
that a new man in the business could
occupy except through necessity, a
corner building for which he pays as
much as $500 or $500 per month.
To figure the amount of loss sus-
tanned by the safoonkeepers in Bir-
ningham when prohibition went into
effect is a matter of great difficulty.
1t was q physical impossibility yester-
day. to see the l30 former saloon pro-
prietors, and learn the cost of their
fixtures, the loss when their stock of
| liquors was disposed of at greatly re-
duced rate, and the probable loss that
will be sustained each month when
| it is necessary to continue the pay
ment of rent.
Valued at Over 100000.
By several auth critics, however, IL
was estimated yesterday that tho fix
lures of the 100 saloons which formerly
operated in Birmingham, some of them
being elegant, were installed at a cost
of more than 100000. The only fix
lures that have been disposed of, as
far as could be learned yesterday, are
those of the Mecca saloon, First ave-
nue., between Nineteenth and Twentieth
streets, and those of the Dude saloon.
| Twentieth street and Second avenue.
| The Mecca fixtures. valued at $4,000,
we're sold to a Memphis firm for the
meagre sum OF $500. The fixtures of
the Dude saloon were sold to the Pat
| ton-Pope Drug company for sum ag-
grega.ing $4,000, which sum also in
cluded a certain consideration for the
transfer of the lease. etc.
Many Are Stored Away.
The greater number of fixtures have
been stored away awaiting the coming
of a future purchaser, or the restora-
Alabama. Some of the saloon fixtures,
of course, will be used hereafter for
drug store fixtures and the counters
of the majority of saloons sub-leased
can be advantageously utilized.
The most expensive fixtures were those
at the Subway, under the Brown-Marx
building. at Al z. Campbells Catering
Nofin "a
building, at the woodward, in the Wood
ward building, the Mecca, Peerless, the
Florence, the Hillman, the st. Nicholas
and Others In the immediate downtown
district. The above mentioned fixtures
were valued at from $4,000 to $4,000 each.
There were no fixtures in any reputable
saloons in the business center valued at
less than $4,000 and the average of those
under $4,000, being valued at $4,000. A
large number of saloons across the rail-
road tracks on the southside had less ex-
pensive fixtures, these, averaging $500
each. There were several still less ex-
pensive fixtures these being on the bowery
district, and in certain saloons exclusive
ly for the patronage of negroes.
Changes That Have Been Made.
The following data, concerning some of
the most important saloons of the city,
was gathered yesterday:
The Subway, fixtures valued at $4,000,
will be made Turkish bath house. The
elegant furniture will be retained, and
Charlie Pantaza, the proprietor, after an
expenditure of several thousand dollars,
expects to do profitable business. What
fixtures cannot be utilized, will be stored
away. The Subway is rented for $500 per
month.
The st. Nicholas bar, unless the present
plans are changed, will be occupied by a
billiard parlor. The fixtures valued at
$4,000, will be stored away. 1t is learned,
too, that the proprietor is thinking of u.s.
ing the building for a cafe.
The Hillman bar will be used by the
Hotel Hillman for a sample room. The
fixtures, valued at 10000 will be stored
away.
AL E. Campbell has decided to trans
form his saloon in the First National
bank into penny arcade. He will SELL
too, sodawater, flowers, cigars, tobacco.
etc. He has not decided as yet whether
to continue his restaurant or not. The
fixtures, valued at $4,000, will be stored
away with the exception OF those which
will be utilized in his new business.
1t could not be learned whether the