‘A different way to enjoy’: Entertainment district coming to downtown

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the plaza that is the home of Homewood City Hall and a number of popular restaurants and businesses became a “place where people wanted to be,” Ward 5 Councilor Jennifer Andress said.

Andress, along with Council President Alex Wyatt and Ward 1 Councilor Andy Gwaltney, helped create plans for the area becoming an entertainment district, which became official with the Sept. 13 approval of the City Council.

The district’s southern boundary extends just south of Parkridge Drive and goes north to 27th Avenue South. The western boundary includes Central Avenue and extends eastward, though it stops short of U.S. 31.

The city is legally allowed to have two entertainment districts, and after seeing similar districts work in other cities, including Hoover, Vestavia Hills and Mountain Brook, Andress said it was time to add one to Homewood. Entertainment districts allow businesses to apply for an alcohol license, which allows patrons to consume alcohol outside the restaurant and are typically seen in areas where community events are held, like the three villages in Mountain Brook or Heights Village in Vestavia Hills, or in Hoover’s Stadium Trace Village.

“I think it will benefit the city,” Wyatt said. “It will do what it’s done in other cities. It allows for a little more freedom when [patrons] are at restaurants.”

A cornhole league event was recently held at City Hall, Andress said, so an entertainment district would have allowed guests and those playing to enjoy that kind of event with a beer. The district will help promote walkability and shopping in the city, Andress said, as patrons could walk in the district with alcohol. The city’s Police Department is on board with the plan, and understands the city is not “trying to encourage drunkenness,” Andress said.

The entertainment district should help promote the area in and around City Hall even more, Andress said, and help it be more of the city’s “front yard” than it already is.

“I love the idea of City Hall being a central place for people to hang out,” Andress said.

Stores in the area can define their rules, Andress said. Two restaurants to either side of City Hall are on board with the plan.

“I’m thrilled,” SoHo owner Dave Horn said. “We’ve got … a lot of people outside on the patio who would like to mingle. The plaza is the perfect place for that.”

An entertainment district will make the area very attractive, Horn said.

Hal Craig, owner of Tostada’s, said he would “absolutely love it.”

“I think it will be fantastic,” Craig said.

An entertainment district would allow Craig to host more events, and he said he believes it will further encourage people to spend their day in downtown Homewood, with restaurants and shops within walking distance.

Depending on the weather, Craig said Tostada’s will have live music, which is typically held on Wednesdays, and there are also events for Cinco de Mayo and other occasions. Having the ability to have a drink while walking around the plaza would only improve those events, and create more of a draw to the area, he said.

It also could play a positive role in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, as some guests are more comfortable sitting outside on the patio, Craig said, and an entertainment district would allow people to move outside of the restaurant with their drink and encourage social distancing.

Gwaltney said an entertainment district is advantageous for the city’s merchants and consumers. Guests could walk around with a drink and shop while waiting on a table or waiting on food. Eventually, the goal is to add greenery to the plaza, which will hopefully bring more families to the area, he said.

The hours of the entertainment district are 5-9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, noon-11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday and from noon-9 p.m. on Sunday.

Special event would still need a special event license, and the intent of the district is for patrons to purchase alcohol within the district to consume. It would not be legal to purchase a large quantity of alcohol and bring it into the district to drink, Gwaltney said.