It’s hard to pin down an exact date for this sign in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, but the earliest newspaper ad I can find for the Diana store is from Christmas 1979.1
Previously, the space had been occupied since 1934 by Peggie Hale,2 a nationwide retailer of women’s clothing. Diana Stores purchased Peggie Hale, Inc. in 1945,3 operating stores under both brands.
By 1955, the company opened a Diana Outlet in Birmingham, two blocks north at 313 North 19th Avenue.4 Between 1975 and 1977, advertisements for the outlet noted sales and discounts that were also available at Peggie Hale.5 6
It appears the Peggie Hale store transitioned to Diana at some point between 1977 and 1979, and the last ads for the store are from late 1983.7 It’s unclear when Diana closed, but the space has long since been abandoned, and the sign remains untouched.
It’s hard to nail down a precise date for this fantastic Googie-style sign, but it was likely erected sometime after 1957.
The Town Motel opened in 19511 and expanded in 1957,2 but newspaper images from both dates show two completely different signs—neither of them was this one.
An undated postcard, pictured below, shows the sign in its original —and much more pristine—condition, noting that the motel was owned and managed by Mr. and Mrs. Charles D. Mitchell and Son, who operated the establishment from 1951 to at least 1960.3
The YWCA in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, has occupied the former Birmingham Athletic Club (1925)1 since 1948.2
This fine vintage sign, sans its original neon, hangs on the building’s southwest corner (3rd Avenue North and 23rd Street North) and appears to date from that time.
