At 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 3, the Homewood Christmas Parade leaves Homewood Public Library. It travels east on Oxmoor Road, turns left onto 18th Street South under the Christmas Star, then follows 29th Avenue and 19th Street past City Hall before turning onto 28th Avenue. The Star lights up as the parade enters downtown, and the night ends with the tree lighting at City Hall Plaza. This year's theme, posted on the Homewood Parks parade page, is "Celebrating Our Past, Present & Future."
The theme fits the street. In 2026 the storefronts along and near that route changed in two ways. Homewood's own shops grew by taking over more of their buildings or combining under one roof. New arrivals came from operators who had already proven their concepts somewhere else, most often Atlanta. Most of the year's changes are on or near the route, so the parade walk passes them.
The Local Shops Grew Into Their Own Space
The clearest example is at 2817 18th St. S., directly on the route. Stone Hollow Farmstead opened its Homewood shop a year ago. After a short closure in August, it reopened in the entire storefront, The Homewood Star reported in its November business roundup. It sells home and garden goods, specialty gifts and flowers. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and the shop also keeps a booth at Pepper Place.
A few blocks away on Central Avenue, two longtime local businesses merged. Homewood Bagel Company and Goodies Toy Store now share 2907 Central Ave. Goodies closed its old storefront at 3027 Central Ave. on Sept. 27 so the two could open together, according to The Homewood Star's October roundup. Homewood Bagel's website lists daily hours of 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at that address. If you're out early on a weekend, you can pick up bagels and holiday toys in one stop.
The third example is a local owner starting a second business. Kat Bailey, who owns Kat Bailey Interiors, opened Alfred's Antiques and Wine at 111 Broadway St., near Ruby Sunshine. According to The Homewood Star, a trip to France and the pieces she and her team found there inspired the shop. Shoppers can browse antique dressers, paintings, rugs and candles over a glass of wine or take a bottle home. Alfred's is open Thursday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Parade night falls on a Thursday, which puts the shop's evening hours on the same night as the parade.
All three moves started with people already doing business in Homewood. Stone Hollow got more room, Homewood Bagel and Goodies got a partner, and Kat Bailey added a second business alongside her interiors firm.
The Newcomers Arrived Already Tested
The new names this year arrived with a track record, and two of them came from Atlanta.
Foo Hai Handmade Noodles and Dumplings opened in August at 1903 29th Ave. S., Suite 101, at 19th Street South. That corner is on the parade route. The founders of Urban Hai in Midtown Atlanta created the restaurant, and The Homewood Star reported it took two years of preparation. The menu covers handmade noodles, dumplings and Szechuan dishes, plus a chef's selection that isn't on the Atlanta menu. It is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. It's a short walk for anyone who wants dinner before finding a spot along 29th Avenue.
Fit For a Queen is an Atlanta boutique founded in 2015, and its Homewood store at 1812 27th Ave. S. is its first in Alabama. The Homewood Star listed a late-fall opening. The shop sells custom and designer gowns for proms, pageants and galas, along with shoes, jewelry and clutches. Its flagship is on Peachtree Street in Atlanta, and Homewood is the brand's first location outside it.
Two more operators with outside track records have Homewood addresses on the parade's path. Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux is taking over 2701 18th St. S., the former Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ space that closed in the spring, The Homewood Star reported in September. The Star's Walk-On's coverage describes it as the fourth Birmingham-area location. Beignets & Brew was announced for 1625 Oxmoor Road, in the former Bitty & Beau's Coffee space near Central Park on the street where the parade starts. The Beignets & Brew Homewood page carries the latest from the brand.
Off the route, Bayt Al-Qahwah opened earlier this year at 425 Green Springs Highway. The coffee shop serves Yemeni-style coffee, Qahwah ceremonial matcha, honeycomb bread and strawberry milk cake. It stays open until 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and until 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Those are late hours for a coffee shop, which makes it a useful stop on a December evening that starts or ends away from downtown.
Where Each One Sits Relative to the Route
| Business | Address | What changed in 2026 | Posted hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stone Hollow Farmstead | 2817 18th St. S., on route | Expanded into the full storefront | Tue–Sat, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. |
| Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux | 2701 18th St. S., on route | Taking over the former Rodney Scott's space | None posted |
| Foo Hai Handmade Noodles and Dumplings | 1903 29th Ave. S., on route | Opened in August | Daily, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. |
| Beignets & Brew | 1625 Oxmoor Road | Announced for the former Bitty & Beau's space | None posted |
| Fit For a Queen | 1812 27th Ave. S. | First Alabama location | None posted for Homewood |
| Homewood Bagel Company and Goodies Toy Store | 2907 Central Ave. | Merged into one location | Daily, 6:30 a.m.–2 p.m. |
| Alfred's Antiques and Wine | 111 Broadway St. | New shop from a local owner | Thu–Sat, 11 a.m.–9 p.m. |
| Bayt Al-Qahwah | 425 Green Springs Highway | Opened this year | Sun–Thu, 8 a.m.–10 p.m.; Fri–Sat, 8 a.m.–11 p.m. |
On parade night, the on-route addresses are steps from where you'll stand. The Central Avenue, Broadway and 27th Avenue stops are close enough to fold into the same evening if you arrive early. Savage's Bakery at 2916 18th St. S. is a longtime anchor on the same block as Stone Hollow.
Parking on 18th Street Changed Before the Season Started
The City Council has also changed parking on 18th Street. The city announced on Oct. 30 that the three spaces in front of Trak Shak and Oak Hill Grill are now open for parking on weekdays. They had long been restricted Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. The 15-foot no-parking zone near the intersection stays in place so drivers can pull out of the alley safely, according to the city's announcement.
The old restriction ended at 5:30 p.m., so it never covered the 6:30 p.m. parade. The change helps on weekday afternoons in late November and December, when a quick stop at Stone Hollow or Savage's used to mean circling the block.
The Calendar Between Now and the Tree Lighting
The downtown Holiday Open House on Nov. 5 and Edgewood's Sip & Shop and tree lighting on Nov. 10 have already happened. Here is what's left before the City Hall Plaza tree lighting, drawn from the city, the chamber and the local guide at Homewood Daily:
- Nov. 19–21: The Junior League of Birmingham's Market Noel at the Finley Center in Hoover. Hours are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday.
- Nov. 21: If any of the parade's 50 entry spots are still open, registration opens to organizations and businesses from outside Homewood. Homewood groups have had first access since Nov. 2.
- Nov. 26–27: City Hall and non-emergency city offices close for Thanksgiving, and trash pickup that week runs a day late starting Thursday.
- Nov. 28: Small Business Saturday, the day for the independent shops downtown, in SoHo and in Edgewood.
- Dec. 3, 6:30 p.m.: The Christmas Parade and Lighting of the Star, from Homewood Public Library to City Hall Plaza.
- Dec. 5: The Homewood Chamber of Commerce's Breakfast with Santa, listed on the chamber's holiday page.
On Small Business Saturday and on parade night, a walk from Stone Hollow on 18th Street to Foo Hai on 29th Avenue passes both the local shops that expanded and the newcomers that arrived this year.
At Team Sparkman, we follow these changes because the shops within walking distance are part of what makes a Homewood home what it is. If new and expanded businesses are filling in near your street and you'd like to know what your home is worth this season, Request Your Free Home Valuation and we'll talk it through with you like family.
