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For some Birminghamsters, the story of department stores in Birmingham begins and ends with Jacobson's, but the story doesn't start there. In 1896, two Jewish immigrants from Eastern Europe changed the retail environment in Birmingham forever by opening up the first department store. Gitel and Morris Levinson weren't just retail pioneers though, they were also the first Jewish family in Birmingham and can tell us a lot about the Jewish American experience in the late 1800s and beyond.
This is our second episode in a series with the Birmingham Shopping District, where we look at the evolution of Birmingham's retail environment.
To access a full episode transcript as well as to access additional material, check out our website. To learn more about the Birmingham Shopping District and to see upcoming events, check out their website. 

For questions, concerns, corrections or episode suggestions please reach out to us at [email protected].

Special thanks to the Birmingham Area Cable Board for PEG grant funding that made this podcast possible. Also thanks to past and present staff of the Birmingham Museum, and our amazing volunteers.