Loveman's of Alabama
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Retail (department store) |
| Founded | 1887 |
| Founder | Adolph Bernard Loveman |
| Defunct | 1980 |
| Fate | Liquidated following parent company bankruptcy |
| Headquarters | Birmingham, Alabama , United States |
Area served | Alabama |
| Products | Department store goods |
Loveman's of Alabama was a department store chain headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, operating multiple locations throughout the state. The name was chosen to differentiate it from other similarly titled stores located in Chattanooga and Nashville, Tennessee.
History
The business was established in 1887 by Adolph Bernard Loveman under the original name A.B. Loveman's Dry Goods Emporium. Shortly thereafter, Moses V. Joseph became a partner, prompting a rebranding to Loveman & Joseph. In 1889, with Emil Loeb joining the partnership, the company adopted the name Loveman, Joseph & Loeb.
The primary store opened its doors in 1890 at 200 19th Street and experienced significant growth by 1899. By 1911, it held the distinction of being the largest department store located south of the Ohio River. An annex was constructed in 1917, positioned between the main building and the Alabama Theatre.
In 1923, Loveman, Joseph & Loeb became part of the City Stores Company consortium based in Philadelphia, alongside Memphis’s B. Lowenstein, Inc., and New Orleans’ Maison Blanche.
A major fire in March 1934 destroyed the main retail building, leaving only the annex’s exterior intact. The company swiftly relocated operations to a temporary facility while erecting a new structure completed in 1935. This rebuilt store featured a notable corner clock as a landmark and was among the first nationwide to incorporate air conditioning as well as being Alabama’s pioneer location with an escalator.
Expansion into suburban areas began with an outlet at Montgomery’s Normandale Shopping Center in 1954, followed by Huntsville’s The Mall in 1966. Within the Birmingham metropolitan region, additional branches opened at West Lake Mall in Bessemer (1969), Western Hills Mall in Fairfield (1970), and Century Plaza (1976).
Following City Stores Company’s Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in July 1979, Loveman's underwent liquidation which led to the closure of its downtown flagship store by April 1980. The historic downtown building was subsequently added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983 and currently serves as home to the McWane Science Center.