Avenue F Ensley

This article is about the street in Ensley. For the downtown Birmingham street, see 6th Avenue South.

Avenue F is a business street five blocks south of the railroad tracks in downtown Ensley. The eastern end of the street continues from Carline Avenue in Central Pratt. It continues through South Pratt and Ensley proper, stopping short of I-59 inside the Fairfield city limits just after 36th Street Ensley.

The northern section of the business district, between 12th and 17th Streets was once the heart of Ensley's "Little Italy" section, where as many as 40% of households were Italian-American in the early 20th century.

Notable addresses

Central Pratt

• 5th Street Pratt intersects
• 5th Place Pratt intersects
• 5th Way Pratt intersects
  • St James AME Church
• 6th Street Pratt intersects (west only)
• 6th Place Pratt intersects (west only)
• Railroad crossing
• 6th Place Pratt intersects (east only)
  • 633: The Gospel Warehouse, former location of Quality Automotive Service
• Railroad Avenue (Ensley) intersects

South Pratt

• 7th Street Pratt intersects
• 10th Street Pratt intersects
  • 1008: Triumph the Church and Kingdom of God in Christ

• Avenue F Bridge over Village Creek

Ensley

• 11th Street Ensley (no access)
  • north side:
    • 1130: former location of Hill Food Store No. 6 (opened before 1914)
  • south side:
    • 1115: McAlpine Park / McAlpine Recreation Center

• 12th Street Ensley intersects

• 13th Street Ensley intersects
  • 1300: Jackson-Olin High School

• 14th Street Ensley intersects
  • 1406: New Life Ministries
  • 1428: former location of M & J Fruit & Vegetable Market
  • 1430: former location of Avenue F Laundromat

• 15th Street Ensley intersects
  • 1519: Church In Action Ministries

• 16th Street Ensley intersects
  • 1630: former location of Luxury Car Wash, The Pit Stop car wash
  • 1625-1631: Low Riders Motorcycle Club (2011-), former location of Ensley Tobacco Candy (2009)

• 17th Street Ensley intersects
  • former location of Ranson & Son Grocery (1913-1930)
  • former location of (1898-1924)
  • north side:
    • 1700: 2-story commerical building (built 1935), former location of Capitol Real Estate & Insurance Co. / Magic City Printing Co. (1947), Michael's One Stop
    • 1714: Angwin Funeral Home (built 1924), Serenity Chapel Funeral Home, former location of Echols & Angwin Funeral Home, Angwin Service Funeral Company, Perryman Serenity Funeral Home
  • south side:
    • 1701: Accurate Ice
    • 1715: 2 1/2-story commercial building (built c. 1927), former location of Goodwill Industries, Wings of Faith Apostolic Outreach Ministries

• 18th Street Ensley intersection
  • former location of Cunningham Hospital (1899-1919)
  • north side:
    • 1800-1810: Fast & Clean auto detailing
    • 1814-1816: Pastime Billiard Parlor (built c. 1927), Tree of Life Christian Church (2009-), former location of Pastime Billiard Parlor / Pastime Barber Shop / Carl Tucker confectioner (1930), Dichiara's Steak House (opened 1948), End Times Ministries (2009-2011)
    • 1822: barber shop
    • 1830: Play VIP Lounge (2011-), former location of Low Riders Motorcycle Club (2009)
  • south side:
    • 1801-1809: 1-story commercial building (built c. 1927), Ensley Bible Church, former location of Drayton Truck grocery store (1930), A & P Supermarket (mid 1930s-)
      • 1805-1809: Waters Building (Ensley) (built 1927), former location of Truck's Food Store (1930s), Club Fifty Grand (2010s)
    • 1811: Hood-McPherson building (Ensley) (built 1926) former location of Hood-McPherson Furniture Co. (1926-1940), Braswell's 1811 Shoppe (1960-)
    • 1815-1819: 1-story commercial building (built c. 1927)
      • 1815: former location of City Wide TV (2009-2011), former location of Daisy's (1940)
      • 1817: Fulani African Hair Braiding (2011-), former location of Coffee Pot Cafe (1940), Phillips Lee Clothing Boutique (2009)
      • 1819: former location of Fulani African Hair Braiding (2009)
    • 1821-1831: Ellis Building (side)
      • 1821: I'm Bossy Boutique (2018-), former location of BCMA Studios 2 (2015)
      • 1831: former location of ALil' of Everything Fashion and Then Some, Birmingham Black And Minority Artists And Arts Alliance (BBMAAA)

• 19th Street Ensley intersection
  • former location of Nimrod Scott's brick yard (1880s)
  • north side:
    • 1900: V G's Hair Studio, former location of Nicole's Creations
    • 1912: former location of Alabama Power Co. Ensley district office (built 1959)
    • 1928: Case Tire
  • south side
    • 1901-1907: former location of 2-story commercial building (demolished 2010s)
    • 1909: commercial building (built c. 1955)
    • 1911: Alil of Everything Fashion Plus, former location of Ensley Fairfield Laundry Co. (1925-1930), Troy Cleaners (1930-)
    • 1913-1915: one-story commercial building (built c. 1950)
      • 1913: Legacy Consignment (2015), former location of Rehoboth Deliverance Ministries (2011)
      • 1915A: Hope With Grace, former location of J & R Variety Store, Any Bodies Plus Size (2011), Kuttin It Close barber shop (2015)
      • 1915B: Lametria Hair Design (2009-)
    • 1917-1931: Wavaho Gasoline station (2009-)

• 20th Street Ensley (Alabama State Highway 269) intersection
  • north side:
    • 2000-2010: Morgan Pediatrics
    • 2020-2030: A-1 Products laundry suppliers (1984-)
  • south side:
    • 2001-2009: Family Dollar #7423 (2011-)
    • 2017: Mariam African Hair Braiding (2015-)

• 21st Street Ensley intersection
  • former location of Berney's Drug Store (1898-1959)
  • north side:
  • south side
    • 2101: God's House (2015-), former location of Ensley Christian Church (built 1914)

• 22nd Street Ensley intersection
  • north side:
  • south side:

• 23rd Street Ensley intersection
  • north side:
    • 2300-2330: Abyssinia Missionary Baptist Church (rear)
  • south side:

• 24th Street Ensley intersection
  • 2901-2931: Greater New Antioch Baptist Church (rear)
  • 3013-3039: former location of Baker Elementary School (built 1910, demolished 2000s)
  • 3112: J & B Automotive Concept
  • 3501: Bible Way House of Prayer

References

• Schneider, David B (2009) An Architectural Guide to Downtown Ensley. Birmingham: Main Street Birmingham Inc. and Schneider Historic Preservation LLC