Longtime men’s casual wear business Mr. Burch is closing on First Street

As many businesses struggle to stay afloat with challenges such as rising rents, staff shortages and inflation, it’s inevitable that we’ll say goodbye to some of Birmingham’s oldest and most beloved businesses. Mr. Burch Formal Wear is sadly joining the list and has recently announced that they are closing their doors for good.

Making First Ave.N a little more dapper

According to Bham Wiki, the former Mr. Burch’s place at the intersection of 1st and 24th was a 14,000-square-foot boarding house. Mr. Burch’s actual business was founded in 1934 as a tailoring business and gradually expanded to three locations across the state. They did business at this location for a little over 50 years before closing their doors in August 2022.

During their years in Birmingham city centre, they offer one of the oldest men’s formalwear in the area. Not only are there different types and sizes of tuxedos available for rent, but they also have fun colors like pink, yellow, and orange if you’re looking for something that will help you stand out.

Owner Wayne Birch is officially passing the torch and has put the building up for sale through commercial real estate firm Leitman Perlman. The price? A whopping $2,205,750.00.

What’s next for their other locations?

Like Mr. Burch’s Mountain Brook location, other locations don’t plan to close their doors anytime soon. If you’re looking to rent a tuxedo for an upcoming wedding, homecoming or dress-up event, check out our Mountain Brook and Hoover locations.

Mountain Brook

Hoover

Another historic first street location follows suit

N is not the only way Mr. Burch will fly. Earlier this summer, on 1st Ave. And Mike’s Pawn Shop on the corner of 22nd has announced its retirement and a big sale to get rid of excess inventory.

Although these two businesses specialize in different things, we can note that there is a tendency to close this summer. There’s no mention of what’s coming to those locations, but from mom-and-pop ownership to bigger ones. We can see entities leasing the spaces to national brands.

Looking for new openings and closings in Birmingham? Be sure to sign up for our free daily newsletter.