Monastery at Large

Relic Signs: Diana – Birmingham, Alabama

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Diana (circa 1979). 1916 2nd Avenue North, Birmingham, Alabama.

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.

References

  1. Advertisement. The Birmingham News (Birmingham, Alabama), December 25, 1979. p. 15D. ↩︎
  2. Advertisement. The Birmingham News (Birmingham, Alabama), August 23, 1934, p. 11. ↩︎
  3. ACQUIRES PEGGIE HALE, INC.; Diana Stores Get Entire Capital Stock of Company – The New York Times ↩︎
  4. Advertisement. The Birmingham News (Birmingham, Alabama), May 12, 1955, p. 20. ↩︎
  5. Advertisement. The Birmingham News (Birmingham, Alabama), March 6, 1975, p. 30. ↩︎
  6. Advertisement. The Birmingham News (Birmingham, Alabama), April 13, 1977, p. 8. ↩︎
  7. Advertisement. The Birmingham News (Birmingham, Alabama), September 11, 1983, p. 16A. ↩︎

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