In the day of the big box stores, the small independent stores are a vanishing breed. There is an area on my way from Hoover to my office in downtown Birmingham that runs along the crest of what may be a high foothill or low mountain depending on your definition. The area is called Bluff Park because of the location and the view off the edge of the bluff. There is a small shopping center that has been there for many years and one of the mainstays has been Bluff park Hardware. Either you have an appreciation for these traditional stores or you don’t. It is a personal preference.

The detail in this picture speaks for itself, from the classic red Radio Flyer wagon with inflatable tires to the well worn business hours sign taped to the front door. From a photography perspective, I can’t brag about any special perspective or angle, this subject seemed best represented simply as it is, straight ahead.

Due to the wide angle required for me to get the storefront without having to stand in the street, there is a slight barrel distortion and the image is not exactly square. I am not calling anyone out but I am aware of the issue and the building isn’t exactly square anyway.

In the day of the big box stores, the small independent stores are a vanishing breed. There is an area on my way from Hoover to my office in downtown Birmingham that runs along the crest of what may be a high foothill or low mountain depending on your definition. The area is called Bluff Park because of the location and the view off the edge of the bluff. There is a small shopping center that has been there for many years and one of the mainstays has been Bluff park Hardware. Either you have an appreciation for these traditional stores or you don’t. It is a personal preference.

The detail in this picture speaks for itself, from the classic red Radio Flyer wagon with inflatable tires to the well worn business hours sign taped to the front door. From a photography perspective, I can’t brag about any special perspective or angle, this subject seemed best represented simply as it is, straight ahead.

Due to the wide angle required for me to get the storefront without having to stand in the street, there is a slight barrel distortion and the image is not exactly square. I am not calling anyone out but I am aware of the issue and the building isn’t exactly square anyway.